“Yes,” she declared, eyes flashing, nose lifted so high in the air he was surprised she couldn’t smell the aviation fuel from the jetliners flying into O’Hare. But he much preferred cocky, pissed-off Eve, to terrified, guilt-ridden Eve. Pissed-off Eve allowed him to keep his defenses up in a way terrified Eve did not. “And then you’ll see you’re wrong about him, Billy. Dad will explain everything.”
“I hope you’re right, sweetheart,” he told her. Sweetheart? Damn, he just couldn’t get away from that, could he? And then he quietly added, “For your sake.”
Her lower lip quivered, and for a moment he thought he’d gone and ruined it all, smashed all her hard-won temerity and bravado. Way to go, Reichert. But then she firmed her shoulders, and he breathed a quick sigh of relief.
“I am right,” she declared, although the doubt in her voice was as loud and bright as a flashbang.
“I’m coming, too,” Delilah announced, and Bill turned to her with a frown. He opened his mouth to tell her she wasn’t involved when Mac beat him to it.
“If this man played a part in Buzzard’s death,” Delilah ignored Mac’s words as she slid a look toward Eve, wincing and laying a hand on Eve’s forearm, “I’m not saying he did, honey, but if he did, I want to be there when he’s confronted.”
And Bill could totally understand that. After all, it was his own desire to stare into Patrick Edens’s face when Eve questioned him that’d led him to make that call to Washington in the first place. And as much as Buzzard had exemplified his nickname—the dude had been a wizened old bird who’d hung around the bar waiting to feed, in the form of a quick bathroom hump, on the carcasses of the drunk and over fifty crowd—Bill knew the man had also been one of Delilah’s friends.
“What do you think, sweetheart?” he asked, turning to her and barely managing to keep from wincing. Damnit. Again with the sweetheart? “Everything that happens from here on out is your show.”
“She can come,” Eve declared, still standing tall and refusing to believe the evidence that was staring them all in the face. “If only to bear witness to my father’s innocence.”
You keep telling yourself that. You just keep telling yourself that until you’re ready to face the truth.
And, Lord help him, but when she was ready to face the truth and the inevitable psychological fallout it would unquestionably cause, he was probably going to have to be the one to help her pick up the pieces and put herself back together again. And how the hell was he going to do that and still keep his hands to himself? For shit’s sake, he hadn’t even been able to sit on her bed offering her comfort for two minutes before he’d slammed his mouth over hers. And ten minutes ago, he’d nearly screwed her cross-eyed in the middle of Delilah’s parking lot despite the fact that she’d very recently wrestled with a gunman for her life right before witnessing the gruesome death of an old man.
Christ, he was going to be in trouble. But he supposed he’d have to cross that bridge when he got there. For now, their two hours were quickly ticking away.
“Okay, so you’re coming,” he told Delilah, shrugging when Mac turned to him with a look that screamed what the hell, man? “If it’s okay with Eve,” he told the former FBI agent, “then I don’t see how we can stop her.”
Mac spun to Delilah, his mouth open with what was undoubtedly a very reasonable and logical argument as to why she should stay here or else go with Normandy down to the police station. But before he could spit out one single syllable, Delilah raised a finger, shaking her head. “Uh-uh. You may as well check whatever you’re about to say at the back of your teeth, because I’ve done all I can here. I’ve made sure my patrons are okay and giving statements. The police tell me they’re closing the bar for the foreseeable future while they investigate the shooting. My uncle is down South somewhere and not answering his cell phone.” It was Bill’s understanding that Delilah’s uncle had been the one to raise her. “And I can’t stay here a second longer because I keep seeing Buzzard s-slumped and…” her voice faltered before she dragged in a deep breath, squaring her shoulders and continuing, “and bleeding on that barstool. And if you must know it’s making me absolutely crazy. So, I’m going. End of story.”
Mac was a smart man. He knew when to raise the white flag. “Fine,” he mumbled, sliding her a look that was both resigned and, if Bill wasn’t mistaken, verging on protective, “can you ride?”
“Uh…” Delilah hesitated, twisting her hands together and making a face. “I’d like to say yes, but in all honesty I’d probably lay my bike over. Can I just ride with you?”
If the situation were any less dire, Bill might’ve laughed out loud at the unfettered horror that passed over Mac’s face.
Obviously Delilah didn’t see the humor in it because she planted her hands on her hips and scowled. “Oh, for heaven’s sake! You can wipe off that expression this instant, Bryan McMillan!” She motioned to the dried blood staining her shirt. “Do you really think after all I’ve been through today, after having l-lost,” her voice faltered again, and Bill wished like hell he could go back and erase the last two hours, for her sake and for Eve’s, “Buzzard, that I’m in the mood to work my feminine wiles on you?”
“Um…” Mac didn’t get the chance to say any more than that, because Delilah turned on her heel and marched down the alley toward their waiting motorcycles. Which reminded Bill…
“We, uh, we had to ditch the Hummer,” he explained to Eve, closely watching her expression. As if the poor woman needed another frightening ordeal to have to contend with today.
“No problem,” she said, traipsing over to Phoenix and hopping into position on the recently installed king and queen seat.
With a surprised lift of his brow, he followed her, hesitating only a second to study her determined, tear-stained face before swinging astride the bike. And points for him, he stiffened only slightly, just ever so slightly, when she wrapped her arms around his waist.
Buchanan jogged over to them, wire and small recording device in hand. “Lift your shirt, Cuz,” he said.
“Wh-why?” Eve sputtered.
“Because the only way I could convince my chief to let you go talk to your father was if you’re wearing a wire.”
Bill was almost afraid to glance over his shoulder at Eve’s face. But he did. And he was surprised to find only confidence in her expression. “Good. Then everyone will be able to hear Dad explain everything.”
Oh, sweetheart…
He felt so goddamned sorry for her, and he faced forward once again while Buchanan made quick work with the wire.
“The investigators are going to need your phone, too,” Buchanan said, his tone apologetic. “It’s evidence of the call between you and your dad.” He held out his hand.
“It’s still in the bar,” Eve said. “Help yourself.”
When Buchanan glanced at Bill, his expression was tortured. “Don’t worry,” Bill assured the man. “I’ll keep her safe.”
A muscle twitched in Buchanan’s cheek, and Bill could tell the guy was having a difficult time letting someone else take the lead on this, take the lead on protecting Eve. But then Buchanan blew out a deep breath and nodded, stepping back.
Bill cranked over Phoenix’s big engine, and the bike came to life with a guttural roar. He stiffened wondering how Eve would react to the vibrating, snarling steel beast beneath her butt. But she didn’t wince. She simply leaned forward, pressing herself against his back.
“I thought you didn’t like motorcycles,” he yelled above the growling engine.