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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

He didn’t mean that, she assured herself. He didn’t mean to say he loved her... Well, maybe he loved her. He could. She was worth loving. But he was hurting and worried and maybe feverish. The best thing to do was nod, do the research and figure out what they should do next. Because someone had shot at them, and they needed to figure this out. “I’ll be back. In the meantime, would you rest? That bullet might have merely grazed you, but you were shot and had stitches, and I can see you’re in pain.”

“Yes. I’ll rest.” He lowered himself full-length on his side on the sofa.

She tucked a pillow under his head. “I wish you would allow me to give you that injection for pain.”

“It would knock me out. Someone is out there. I need to be able to respond, and we need to talk.”

“Okay. I’ll be quick.”

“Take your time.” He closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, she sat in the chair opposite, watching him and wishing she could stroke his forehead, take away the anguish she knew he felt, assure him that what had happened was not his fault...and she knew, too, he would not argue, but he would not agree. He was one of the responsible men, the kind who took seriously the task of caring for those who couldn’t care for themselves. “This afternoon, Big John Hammer gave an interview from his palatial home in Santa Barbara.”

“So either the shooter was not him, or a helicopter lifted him out and transported him from somewhere near the olive grove to Santa Barbara.”

“He has a helipad on the grounds. More likely he hired out the sniper job.”

“That’s not his way. It was either him or someone with a different agenda. So...shooter currently unknown. Did you do your research about the Amazon trek?”

“Yes, which is why I agree he’s probably the sniper.”

“Did you look at the pictures and watch the videos?”

“I did. I took it all in. I don’t believe any of the slander. Did you think I would?”

“No.”

“Tell me what really happened.”

37

“HELP ME.” As Adam sat up, he leaned on Elle and, when he was upright, held her a little too long.

She let him. She liked it.

When he started talking, she stayed close to him. This wouldn’t be an easy conversation for either of them.