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She looked over at her colleagues and those two federal agents, then looked at him. “It’s not up to you. It’s my choice where I am and what I do.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned over even though it didn’t feel good, but it was worth it for the sake of stealing another soft kiss. “Take as much time as you need.”
She sighed, like maybe that wasn’t a good thing. “You’re delirious. It’s the head injury talking.”
He’d been injured before. He wasn’t so worried, but he also wasn’t going to say that he was fine. “Pupils?” He turned to her.
“You have your mother’s eyes.”
Liam wasn’t sure that was a good thing.
“They’re normal size, but that isn’t always an indication of no concussion. You still need an ambulance.”
With what had happened? He wasn’t prepared to rely on emergency services right now. His stomach cramped because he didn’t want to think about how it felt a lot like having SWAT taken away from him. Losing family. People he should’ve been able to rely on and count on. He needed a moment to be in denial before he got angry that he had to grieve the loss of what he should’ve had—backup.
Across the lobby, it looked like Clare wanted to come over and talk to them.
Roxie said, “I don’t want to think that you might be another terrible decision.”
He lifted a finger to hold off Clare, then said to Roxie, “I’m not. You can trust me.”
“With my track record?” Roxie winced. “I want to trust that you’ll be worth the risk.”
And he was happy to prove to her that he would be. Any time she needed the reassurance, and even when she didn’t. “Are you maybe willing to trust God?”
She gave him a soft smile. “I figured I should because it couldn’t be worse than anything else I’ve tried.”
He smiled. “Ask me any questions you have, but it’s between you and Him. If you ask for help, He’ll show up. Anything. Wisdom. Truth. Strength. Peace. Hope you can trust in because it’s not wishful thinking. I haven’t been the best example of a Christian lately, but I’ll help if I can. We’re all on the same journey.”
Roxie’s expression shifted to a thoughtful one. She was considering it, and for right now, that might be enough.
Clare came over with two bottled waters and handed them to Liam and Roxie. “Briefing?”
“Yes.” He didn’t nod. “And some pain pills.”
She handed him a small white bottle of over the counter meds. Liam knocked a few back with half the bottle of water. Clare sat across from them in the corner chair. “Of the three names you gave me, one is viable as Roxie’s stalker.”
He felt her tense and reached to hold her hand.
Clare continued, “He was already on my radar, so it was good to have confirmation.” The two federal agents wandered over to listen, and the dog lay down by the man’s foot. The woman was Native American, and the guy was Caucasian. Both wore simple wedding bands, and they stood together in a way that indicated their comfort with each other.
“My guys haven’t been able to locate him,” Clare said. “Credit card is dark—his and Mark’s that he was using. He dropped off socials nearly two years ago. We found a message from a concerned relative about the dangers of plastic surgery.”
Liam frowned.
“He disappeared. Went off grid.”
“And made himself look like Mark.” Liam winced.
Roxie shifted, perched on the edge of the couch. “Who?”
Clare said, “Mark had a younger brother. Brad.”
Roxie turned to Liam. “We should be talking about who just tried to kill you.”
“Sure.” Liam gently squeezed her hand. “But let’s solve your problem at the same time.”
Besides, thinking about how he’d been blackballed by officers in the department tore him up inside. He’d been targeted—with help from those gunmen, whoever they had been. Hired to attack a cop and most likely paid well. A lot of criminals would jump at the chance for that payday.
