Troy nodded. “I will. Adam’s dropping Meredith off, too, along with an interpreter. She thought the kids might need to talk to someone after she heard about their mother’s murder.”

“Joshua might be ready,” Diesel said. “Michael probably isn’t. Not yet.”

Quincy held out a wrapped package. “Michael’s video game. Will you give it to him for me?”

Dani smiled at him. “Of course. Thank you, Quincy.”

Diesel reached for her hand. “We’ll tell them together that we’re leaving and coming back. They need to hear that we’re coming back, Dani.”

She gave his hand a squeeze, her heart squeezing even harder. This giant of a man was so very gentle. So very sensitive to the feelings of children. And my feelings, too. Why did I make him wait so long? “You’re right.”

He kissed her hand. “And before we leave, I want you to put your processor on. I want you to be able to hear everything around you. So that we keep our promise to these kids and come back.”

She took her processor from her pocket and snapped it on. “Right again.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Cincinnati, Ohio
Monday, March 18, 7:15 p.m.

Diesel almost laughed when he saw the group gathered in the Ledger office. “Just like Stone to get shot to avoid talking to all these cops,” he said.

Marcus chuckled. “Ain’t that the truth.”

“Sit down,” Scarlett complained. “I’m getting a crick in my neck looking at you.”

Diesel pulled out a chair for Dani, then sat next to her. Marcus and Adam flanked Scarlett, and Deacon took the seat on Dani’s other side. The only stranger at the table was dressed in a starched white shirt and dark pants—with a clerical cassock neatly folded in front of him.

Diesel recognized him right away. “You’re the guy Stone and I saw last night when we were leaving the casino.”

“Yes,” the man said. “I’m Grant Masterson.”

He didn’t look like the photo on the website of his accounting firm. He looked a lot older. Wearier. He looked a lot like his brother.

“I’m Diesel Kennedy and this is Dr. Dani Novak.”

Grant nodded once. “My wife told me you called, Dr. Novak. My apologies, but I haven’t gotten around to calling you back. I’ve been busy.”

“I guess you have,” Dani said quietly. “You’re not a priest.”

“He used the disguise to get into Stone’s room,” Scarlett said frostily.

“Why?” Dani asked him.

Grant’s cheeks reddened. “I didn’t think they’d just let a stranger into his room in ICU. They nearly didn’t let a priest in, but Stone recognized me, too.”

Dani shook her head. “No, I mean why did you want to get into Stone’s room in the first place?”