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Tucker nodded. Where to start?
“Can you ask her if she knows Marley. Has she ever seen her?”
The doctor spoke and the woman answered, her voice a little rough from the breathing tube.
“She says no.”
“Can you ask her how she ended up with Marley’s things?”
Heart pounding, Tucker listened while the doctor translated and then again the woman spoke. This time her voice rose a bit, and her blue eyes kept darting back and forth between the doctor and Tucker.
The two of them spoke back and forth for what seemed like a long time, and with each passing moment, Tucker’s body tightened. His hands were clenched to his side and his jaw was clamped down so hard that his teeth hurt.
“Okay,” the doctor patted the woman’s hand before turning to Tucker.
“Maria says that she found the bag in her brother’s home. She was cleaning his house and came across the bag along with some other things.”
“What other things?” Alarmed, Tucker stepped closer and the woman flinched. What the hell had happened?
“A medical bag of some sort and some books. She apologizes because she says her brother is a no good drunk. He’s a fisherman who doesn’t fish anymore, if you know what I mean. She asked him about the items. He told her that he found them floating in the water. He took the bag, found some American money inside it, so he kept it.”
Tucker let this process a bit, his stomach tight. He was cold as hell, but sweating like a son-of-a-bitch and he didn’t mind admitting that he felt like puking.
“I’m sorry Mr. Simon, but it seems as if your wife’s plane went down somewhere close to Cuba and this man found some of the wreckage. Maria knew these things were important, and she was on her way to the Swiss Embassy where, as you know, there is a United States interest office for communicating with your country. Unfortunately, Maria was hit by a car on her way there and ended up here. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
For a few moments, there was only silence and then Tucker took that last step, reaching for her hand. “Thank you,” he said quietly.
Her eyes filled with tears, and she slowly nodded.
He then turned to the doctor. “Does she know where her brother found the wreckage?”
Tucker had no idea why Marley’s plane was so far off course. Their flight plan hadn’t called for them to be anywhere near the island of Cuba, but he was finally realizing he might not ever know.
Doctor Garcia nodded. “She says that she can give an approximate location and maybe you will finally have all the answers you’ve been needing.”
Tucker slowly backed away from the bed and paused at the door. “Thank you for everything. Both you and Mr. Sanchez have been great about all of this. Anything that this woman—that Maria, needs. Let me know. I will cover any cost.”
“That’s very generous of you, but since our countries are still not seeing eye-to-eye, that would be inappropriate. I will make sure Maria is well looked after.”
With one last handshake, Tucker walked out of the hospital room.
Teague pushed off from the wall. “Are we good?”
“Yeah,” Tucker answered slowly. “I think so.”
The two men walked out of the hospital and not once did either of them look back.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Abby was just coming out of the kitchen when it happened.
It was nearly ten in the evening and gentle snow flakes fell from a cloud-heavy February sky. She’d just handed Cooper a “Mathew’s special” or as he liked to call it, Slippery Sex Drink, and was on her way to the living room where Betty, Beau, Jack and the rest of the Simon clan were gathered.
The door to the apartment opened, and her entire world froze.
Abby stopped midstride and nothing short of an earthquake could have moved her. Her feet felt as if they were encased in cement, cement that had seeped into her veins, slowly filling her body with a heaviness that was painful.
She couldn’t breathe, because it hurt too much.
