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CHAPTER36
As he searched for Gerald Curtis, working to stay busy, Gabe admitted he’d wanted to hang on to Danni and never let go. He felt in a daze, his thoughts as smoky and hazy as what lingered in Barton Plaza. How fortunate it was that he was here at the right moment. Danni and Matt would have died if they’d been stuck in the apartment any longer. So would have a lot more people. He went cold inside, fear lancing through him like sharp icicles as he realized how close he’d come to losing her forever. No, she wouldn’t call it luck. Neither Danni nor her father believed in luck, Gabe remembered.
He glanced back at her and saw her on the phone. The first words entering his mind when he realized he’d saved her and Matt were “Thank God,” and that threw him. How could he thank God, the God he’d told her he didn’t believe existed? Gabe couldn’t have planned to be here when he was, yet he had been here at exactly the right time. The incident brought back a conversation he’d had years ago with Frank Grace.
“You really believe everything around you, everything you see and touch, came about by accident, springing up out of nothing?”
“To be honest, Sergeant Grace, I don’t really think about it all that much,”he’d said flippantly. “Isn’t the science settled?”
Frank had chuckled. “A design needs a designer; a life needs a plan. When you do start to think about it, consider what I believe—there is a God, and he has a plan for us all, even those who don’t think about him very much.”
Frank had left it there; he never pushed his faith on anyone. Gabe himself had started the conversation when he’d made a crack about criminals evolving from bad slime. Gabe had always looked at faith in God as a kind of weakness. People who didn’t have faith in themselves had to believe in something else and they often hung their faith on the myth of a Greater Being. Frank Grace was the complete antithesis to weakness. There was nothing weak about him. He was a man of strong beliefs, strong convictions. Danni was a lot like him.
Now, for the first time really, Gabe was thinking about God. He envied Danni’s faith because he was certain she could make sense of all the coincidences today.
He reached his car and leaned against it, legs suddenly weak. He looked back at the plaza, surprised at how quickly the fire had spread and how much damage had been done.
I can’t imagine life without Danni, and that almost happened today,he thought. Luck, karma, kismet... they just don’t apply. I can’t not believe anymore; I can’t deny there’s something out there greater than me.
What now?he wondered. Danni and Matt were safe; they were doing their jobs. Gabe needed to get back to his own job. But at some point he had to come to terms with the God Danni knew.
+++
Danni called Sergeant Harper and explained to her the situation at Barton Plaza.
“Why were you in the apartment?”
“Sarge, we took advantage of an opportunity we saw. Are you going to berate me for doing my job?”
The line went silent, and Danni feared she’d gone too far. But she was tired and dirty and sick of people telling the police not to do what they were paid to do.
“All right, Grace, I’d stick up for you. Ponce and Fellows will head out there to handle this. If Shaver is hurt, see to it he gets to the hospital.”
Surprised and relieved, Danni answered, “Will do.”
She ended the call and absentmindedly looked for Gabe, so thankful he’d been in the right place at the right time.
“Ready to go?” Matt asked.
She turned toward him. He looked uncomfortable with his arm in a sling.
“Yeah, Harper wants me to get you to the hospital. Looks like I’ll be without a partner for a while.”
“Try not to miss me too much. I’d hate to have to fight Fox for you.”
“Ha-ha. Sure won’t miss your rapier wit. I’ll go get the car.”
Matt handed her the keys and pointed to the corner of Eighteenth and Orange. “I’ll meet you over there.”
Danni made her way around a fire truck and headed toward the alley. She caught sight of some black-clad goons on the other side of Eighteenth looking to start something. It made her want to get to the car and get out of the area quickly. She was bone-tired and felt horrible when she thought about how long Champ had been cooped up in the house.
Danni picked up the pace and exited the alley. She stopped before stepping onto Nineteenth Street, though. Their car had been taken apart. All four tires had been removed, and it was up on blocks and covered in anti-police graffiti.
Danni went cold. She now knew for a fact someone had specifically tried to kill her and Matt.
