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Not seeing Lori, he took a few moments to breathe. Leaning against the wall out of the way of traffic, he rested his head against the hard surface and closed his eyes. Thoughts flooded of the time when he’d been the one to save a life, his hands holding back the spouting blood from a serious wound. In his case, the fifteen-year-old girl had lived, and he’d felt like a hero.
Heroes, right!He chuckled without any humor. Real heroes were the folks who stopped the violence before it happened. People like Lori and other psychologists or shrinks, whatever the term. Specialists and counselors who were there for folks to talk with, get help before their troubles overwhelmed them, stop people from carrying out their worst impulses.
Take Ray now. He had no goodness in him at all. Anyone who would use the love his victims felt for him, use it to manipulate them into killing… well, that person had no heart.
Sighing, he closed his eyes and returned to the moment when he’d stood at the open doorway of Jessica’s room, watching the woman he admittedly adored cradling the poor girl who’d only known pain.
Loving her and letting the kid know she wasn’t alone, Lori had gotten through. Seeing them together had ripped his heart right out of his chest and placed it at her feet. Terrified now, he prayed with everything he knew for her not to break it.
“Beau? Walker? You okay?”
Beau opened his eyes and saw Larry.
“Hey, what’re you doing here?”
Larry’s face reddened but his grin widened. “My kid stuck a pea up her nose. Wife called in a panic. We tried everything to get it out but no luck… had to bring her in. What’s happened? You’re all bloody.”
“Not mine. A cop tried to save a life earlier, and I tried to save his sanity. Poor bastard.”
“I gather he didn’t succeed.”
“No. The kid died. Said his name was Ray.”
Ears perked up, Larry’s expression straightened and interest took over. “Ray? Our Ray?”
“Yeah. No. I’m thinking it might have been Billy, the kid from the last school.”
Head quirked to the side, Larry asked, “And you’re thinking Ray shot him?”
Beau grinned. “See, you’re so much smarter than you look.”
“That’s why they pay me the big bucks. I’ll take the wife and kid home and head back here, ask a few questions, dig a little.”
“Check if Billy had any tattoos. Then we’ll know for sure he’s involved with this same bunch we’re dealing with.”
“Will do. I’ll forward anything I find to you and Lori.”
“What about me?” Lori approached, her eyes widening at Larry’s appearance. “All I learned was that this kid doesn’t come near to fitting my impression of our Ray. He’s short, and a bit overweight. More like what I imagine Billy to be.”
“They let you see him?”
“Yes. I told the nurse it was a matter of life and death.” She looked first at Larry and then at Beau. “He’s a baby, guys. Maybe fifteen. It ripped my heart out to see so much cruelty. And, he had the same tattoo on his wrist. I checked.” Her voice broke.
Both Beau and Larry reached for her. One hugged while the other patted. Beau wished he’d gotten to her first. Caressing her back just didn’t cut it for a man newly in love.
Chapter Thirty-three
Beau dropped Lori at her house. “You seriously think you can perform tonight? You’re exhausted.”
“I have to. I promised. It’s my last night there. Seems they found another performer to take over. As it is, I’m getting a break.” She let her eyes peruse the man beside her and saw tiredness had left lines across his face and bloodshot eyes. “What about you? I’d say you need a good night’s sleep yourself.”
Beau rubbed the back of his neck, his expression awkward. “It’s that blasted couch. I knew the moment I saw it the fucker wouldn’t work. But Rachel and Mellie were so proud of their find, I couldn’t refuse it.”
Lori laughed as he no doubt intended her to do. “Poor baby, how do you stand all that affection? It must be so wearing.”
Sheepishly, he grinned. “Guess a man’s gotta put up with what he can’t change.”
“Or wouldn’t change for all the money in China.”
