Page 78 of Long Past Deadly

“I owe you.”

“Not a chance. Law to law. That’s how this works.” He shifted around the full room and left.

She stepped to Cait. “Please take good care of him.”

“I always do.”

“I’ll wait in the hall. Drucker stay with Dr. Hunter, would you?” She was more than aware she didn’t work for QM and couldn’t order their people around. She crooked a finger at Delaney and pointed outside.

“Stay here and wait for Mackey, can you?”

“Yeah, but I’m at a disadvantage.” He lifted his wrapped arm and pointed at Cait. “She’ll kill me if I screw this surgery up.”

“I’ll tell Mackey. I’m guessing we’re moving him anyway.”

“If he cooperates.”

“He moves no matter what.”

“I heard that,” Whit yelled at her, his face hard and angry.

She stepped into his field of vision. “There are a lot of innocent people going in and out of this building. Are you willing to make them collateral damage in this war with Mercer? Are you?”

His eyes shifted, but the anger stayed. “No.”

“Stop fighting best practices, then.”

Cait stood, her stethoscope around her neck, and glanced between Alanna and Whit. “What she said, Mr. Whitaker. You’re a danger to everyone in the building.”

“Well, you led him here.”

Alanna sighed. If he thought she’d be derailed by the accusation, he didn’t understand the woman she was now. “You knew I was looking. You could have protected them all by coming to me. But you didn’t.” She stopped herself from spouting more. She knew better than this – professionally and personally. “I’ll get Mackey.”

She walked away. Had to. Anxiety fled, replaced by frustration.

She walked into the heated morning air and went right to Mackey. He remained impassive, but listened carefully. “Delaney and Cait need you. We can move him when you’re ready. I gave your people assignments. Sorry, it’s not my place.”

“No worries, Agent Williams. They know this case is yours.” He shifted around her, stopped briefly to squeeze her shoulder, and went inside.

Quaid stood with his arms crossed leaning against the church wall next to Father Eli.

The padre straightened. “I’ll go sooth the masses. Please tell me if I can help.”

“Thanks, Father. We’ll be leaving shortly.” Quaid stayed unmoving by the building, his eyes on her. “Didn’t go well?”

She gripped her head with both hands. “I would like to go into the parking lot and scream at the top of my lungs. Come get me, get it over with! How do you feel about that?”

Quaid screwed up his mouth in an illusion of thinking. “As your partner, I’ll have your back anywhere, any time, and the idea has a flicker of merit. As the other guy who likes kissing you and holding you when you sleep…hell no. Stupid idea. You choose.”

That he wasn’t telling her what to do sank in. She settled and made the right choice. Stepping close, she met him with the same thought. “Stupid idea. We’re going to have to be smarter, more subtle.”

He pulled her into a small alcove, loosely holding her close. “And more cunning.”

“Manipulative, shrewd, and skill-driven.”

“Whit give you anything?”

“No, only said he was protecting me. Told me multiple times I shouldn’t be here. He had a gun on Frank.”