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“Where did they get the Lincoln?” Wolf asked.
She sighed. “It’s the name of the street where I was found.”
He cupped her cheek. “Where did you get your given name?”
She shrugged. “I was told it was from a nun who was a nurse at CHI St. Vincent’s in Little Rock. I looked it up once. It has different meanings in different languages, but I liked the Arabic root word of Amal best. It meanshope.”
“It’s a beautiful name. It suits you,” he said.
“What are you looking for in the records?” she asked.
“Everything and anything. I’m kind of curious how you wound up in Arkansas when you were born in New Orleans.”
“Who knows? I was born and dumped. I have no idea how any of this happened beyond what you’ve told me.”
“I’ll be reading this thoroughly. I want to know everything before I take it to the police.”
“Thank you for fighting for me,” she said.
“I could do no less. You are my child.” He glanced down at his watch and sighed. “And I should say goodbye for now. I haven’t packed, and the chopper is coming early. Something about a weather change.”
“I’m going to miss you so much. But we can FaceTime at will. Keep me abreast of what’s happening, and let me know when you’re going to hold your press conference. Maybe I can watch it.”
“Absolutely, I will,” Wolf said, and began gathering up their trash when she stopped him. “I’ll get this. Grab your coat. I don’t have set appointments this afternoon. I can lock up long enough to give you a ride back.”
He put on his coat and picked up the file she’d given him, while she bagged up their trash, and then they were out the door and heading down the hall to the back to the parking lot. She tossed the trash in a dumpster and aimed the remote to unlock her car. As they were walking toward it, she pointed to the building in front of them.
“The sniper who shot Sean was on that roof.” And then she pointed to a dark stain on the pavement. “That’s his blood. I think of his sacrifice every time I pass it.”
“God,” he whispered, and then by-stepped the stain and got in her car. “You have a good man. Never doubt him.”
“Oh, I know. He’s been my guy since the bubble gum in my hair, and nothing is ever going to change that.”Then she drove him to the hotel and let him out, blew him a kiss, and drove away.
Wolf watched until she was out of sight before he went inside, and then he was running. There was no time left to waste.
After Amalie got back to the office, she finished cleaning up, then sat down to work, but all the while thinking about Sean at his checkup. If he was okay and healing well, would they remove the staples today? Then she saw him coming in the door and went to meet him.
“There’s my girl,” he said, and wrapped his arms around her. They stood within the silence, waiting for the world to reset around them.
“Are you okay? Did they remove the staples?”
“Yes, and it’s a big relief to have them gone. I’m also cleared to drive when necessary, but still no lifting.”
She pulled him down onto the sofa beside her, then turned to face him.
“I would not be alive now, but for you.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t need to—”
She immediately interrupted. “No. Let me finish. Gratitude is a pitiful word for that act, but you will have mine for the rest of our lives. When you passed out, I thought you died, and I nearly lost my mind. Then they took you away and wouldn’t let me go. I was so ashamed to face your family. It felt like my fault. I just want you to know this, and thenwe’ll never speak of it again. You have to know… You have to understand. I never mattered to anyone. Ever. Until you. I will never, ever take your presence in my life for granted. You are my hero. You are my heart. Love you forever.”
She didn’t know she was crying until Sean began wiping away her tears.
“Love you more,” he said.
She reached for a tissue and, without missing a beat, looked up at him and smiled. “When you were Brendan, that’s what you always said, ‘Chickie, my little Chickasaw… Love you more.’”
The hair stood up on the back of Sean’s neck. He couldn’t think, wouldn’t move, afraid to take a breath and break the spell.
