Page 14 of Trust No One

“A memento from my attack.”

His gaze lingered and then: “You used to take your coffee black.”

“Still do.”

“Still drown mine in sugar. Too many years of crappy cop coffee.”

“It’s a universal truth. Cops can track down the nastiest killers, but not brew decent coffee.”

“About right.”

I dragged fingers through my blond shoulder-length hair. “Lead the way.”

“What was the dream about?”

I frowned. “Old stuff. The house. Too many ghosts.”

“Your parents?”

“Amy.”

Our paths were tightly woven for ten months. “I haven’t seen her in years.”

“Neither have I.”

“What brought her up now?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Maria wasn’t a fan of hers. She hated having her in the house at night.”

Maria was the first to sound alarms about Amy. But I ignored them. Maria wasn’t willing to take a night shift, and I needed the help.

“Being back stirs up memories,” he said.

“Devil you know, right?”

“Right.”

I pushed into Maria’s hospital room. Beyond a curtain, she lay motionless in the bed. Gabe turned at the sound of the door.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

Gabe’s bloodshot gaze met mine. It took him a moment to recognize me. Older. Thinner. Longer hair. Then the shock and haze cleared. He gently laid Maria’s hand down and crossed to me, pulling me into a hug.

The scents of generic soap, sweat, and fresh-cut grass clung to his skin.

Pain sharpened his gaze. “She was washing a plate and then she just collapsed.”

“Were there any warning signs?” I asked.

“None. I did CPR, called 9-1-1 and then Mom.”

“Did Molly see anything?”

“No. When the rescue squad arrived, she woke up. I went up to her room and stayed with her until Maria was gone. I hated the idea that Maria was alone, but she’d have wanted me to protect Molly.”

“Of course.” Gabe adored his daughter as much as he loved Maria.

“Did she ingest something to cause this?” Judson asked.