Chapter 8

Ellie

Sunday 12.23pm

I breathe a sigh of relief as I spot my Pathfinder parked where I left it on Friday morning.

I unlock it, and climb in, taking a moment to assess my knee and the rest of me.

But it’s not my body my thoughts slide back to. It’s not even Cooper’s. It’s the mysterious woman so obviously pregnant who is now inside his house.

I glance at my own flat belly and chew my lip. To ignore the way my stomach has twisted into knots, I turn the engine on and buckle my seat belt.

Since the track is still a little muddy, I leave it in low gear as I begin the descent back to the town.

My thoughts are still muddled as I pull up outside Maggie’s quaint little coffee shop and pull out my phone.

I should have charged it, but I was avoiding any contact with the outside world.

Since my battery is redlining, I find my car charger and plug it in.

There’s not a lot of activity outside, most folks are probably in church, and Maggie doesn’t open on Sunday so I know I’m safe from seeing her.

Strangely, I don’t feel like going back to my cottage, but I don’t feel like walking anymore either.

I lean my head against the rest and look at the tiny town I’ve spent the last week in.

With the backdrop of trees, and the sunlight piercing the clouds for the first time in two days, a golden hue is covering the small splattering of stores.

For the first time since arriving, I can see why Grace likes it here.

After the grey and busyness of Chicago, the colorful awnings, the terracotta pots filled with bright flowering plants are the perfect antidote.

Her cottage is simple and cozy and overlooks a stream until now I hadn’t appreciated.

Despite feeling conflicted about Cooper, I find myself smiling as I spot a couple of kids chasing each other down the empty street.

I blow out a breath and decide I may as well go take a shower and wash my hair before I call Grace.

As I pull out, I mentally rehearse what I can say to explain my lack of contact. I can only imagine what’s been going through her head, but I’m ninety-nine percent sure she would have been in touch with Maggie by now.

Sure enough, when I pull up outside Grace’s vacation home, I see a note pinned to the front door.

With a sigh, I take my cell off charge, climb out of the truck, pleased my knee seems better, and head towards the front door.

Heat tracks over my cheeks as I read the note scrawled in Maggie’s sloping handwriting.

Phoned Grace and told her you were with Cooper.

Does this mean you’ll be staying a little longer?

Wink wink.

M

I twist the key in the lock and step inside the homey cottage I’ve barely spent any time inside.

Books are crammed in the shelves, the kitchen is stocked, but with Maggie’s so close by, I barely used it.

I run my finger along the countertop and find it impossible not to think about Cooper’s kitchen.

But with that memory comes thoughts about the woman he’s entertaining. It’s obvious she was a drug user, I’d have recognized that even without seeing her face clearly.

I might not have seen the tracks up her arms, but the hollowed-out expression and the desperate look in her eye gave her away.

I can’t even begin to think about why Cooper’s thuggish friend brought her to him. He doesn’t seem the type to take up with junkies, but then I wouldn’t really know who his type is.

It’s a stark reminder I jumped into bed with a man I know next to nothing about.

I shake off the thoughts and go take a shower as if I can wash him away.

Grace’s shower isn’t as powerful as Cooper’s was, but I manage to wash my hair, condition it and have a reasonable story for Grace by the time I’m done.

I wrap the towel around my body, dry off as quick as I can, and don’t bother to hurry as I make my way to the bedroom.

Since I didn’t bother to unpack, I open my overnight bag and pull out a pair of jeans, a thermal top, and a vest.

When I’m dressed, and as ready as I’ll be, I pick up my cell and dial Grace’s number.

She picks up after a few rings, and there’s a hint of amusement in her voice that makes me nervous. “Ah, so she finally calls me back. Not that I’m complaining. Maggie said you were with someone called Cooper?”

I sit at the kitchen table and brace for either merciless teasing or a reprimand for ignoring her calls all weekend. “I was. Actually, he really helped me work through a few things. My knee is better and I think I’m ready to come back to work.”

I can hear her surprise come down the line. “You talked to him?”

My voice comes out a little shaky. “I did. I told him everything.”

Grace curses down the line, but she sounds so happy, a smile starts to slowly grow. “That’s fantastic. Maggie just said he was a decent guy. He must be a magician to get you to talk.”

I snort a laugh. “I don’t really know a lot about him. But that’s not why I’m calling, I’d really like to come back.”

Concern laces her reply so I know that I’m not in the clear yet. “Okay, well, you’ll need to pass the initial assessment, then we’ll ease you back to full time.”

I grimace and suddenly can’t sit still. I start to fidget as she goes over the protocol for me returning to full time.

“But that could take months?”

“It could. There’s no fast-tracking this. You were assaulted at work, and health and safety are involved. But if this is really what you want, we can get the ball rolling. You’ll be back in the unit with the kids in no time.”

Her words land like drops of ice trickling down my back.

Kids.

Sick.

Dying.

Innocent babies.

My forearms start to cramp as a stabbing pain shoots down my arm.

I keep pacing, my heart rate increasing as image after image of blood, bone, exhausted police, broken heartened co-workers, and the deafening sound of the heart monitor as another battered and broken child slips away.

Tears start to build in my eyes, and I know if I try to speak now, Grace will know I’m not ready.

But that’s not the only reason I stay silent. And when she repeats herself, I know I’m no longer sure of myself. “It is what you want isn’t it? Or would you like to talk over your options?”

What I want.

I’m so dumbstruck by the thought that maybe this isn’t what I want, that the words come out choked.

“Sorry, I’m losing you. The cell coverage is—”

Like the coward I am, I end the call, hands shaking, and don’t bother to stop the tears like I usually do.

Because for the stupidest reason I know has everything to do with the man I spent the weekend with, I don’t know if this is what I want anymore.

***

Cooper

I’m still trying to figure out how the hell to handle this when my phone vibrates in my pocket.

When I see it’s Sam, I don’t even bother with teasing her as I answer the phone. “Hey. We’ve got a problem,” I say.

She snorts down the line. “No shit. But how did you know that?”

Since we’re obviously talking about two different things and I’d rather deal with my problem later, I steer her away from my sister and her pregnancy.

“You go first.”

“What, no way. I was just bullshitting you. Everything’s fine, what’s going on?”

I know how she’s going to take this. Badly. “I found Gabby.”

She’s silent for a while, and I can hear her closing her door. “Where is she?”

“With me. That’s where the problem lies. I can’t stay here, but I need to go pay a visit to the thugs she’s gotten involved with.”

“Why do I feel like you’re about to ask me something we’ll both regret?”

I glance at the door as Chris walks through, looking worn out. “I’m out of options. It’s leave her here with someone she can’t manipulate or bring her with me. And I can’t do that, not in her condition.”

“What do you mean condition? How beat up is she?”

I take my time in answering, not sure how Sam will feel about her old girlfriend carrying God only knows who’s baby.

“She’s about five months pregnant. Chris couldn’t get her to say which one of the bikers was the dad.”

She curses bitterly down the line. “This just keeps getting better and better.”

I frown as Chris collapses on the sofa, and closes his eyes. I can’t exactly chide him for being so tired, Gabby is hard work at the best of times, I can only imagine the shit she’s pulled on him in the two days since he found her.

“I know this is a lot to ask, but Chris needs a break, and I don’t trust anyone else with her.”

Sam exhales a long breath. “If I do this, it’ll be for your sake, and not for hers. Whatever shit she’s in, you can guarantee she dove headfirst into it willingly. No amount of effort on your part will change her into something she isn’t. As far as I’m concerned Gabby is irredeemable.”

I run a hand through my hair. “What about her kid? Don’t they deserve a chance at a better life than my sister can give them?”

She scoffs down the line. “If I didn’t know what you were capable of, I’d think that was sweet. Fine, you win, I’ll come. Anything you want me to bring?”

My lip curls as I fight the desire to smile. “Actually, there is,” I say.

***

Ellie

Sunday 2.17pm

Since I can’t face Grace or go home just yet, I decide to stick around and go visit a few of the places I wasn’t interested in before.

On my way to the botanic garden, I stroll past a closed medical clinic.

From memory, Grace used to work here, job sharing with another nurse, providing basic medical care for tourists in summer.

I press my nose to the glass and try to wonder what it would be like working as a nurse in a tiny town like this.

According to the sign, the doctor is on call twenty-four hours a day; but in a sleepy town this size, that wouldn’t be too much of a hardship.

With a sigh, I pry myself away from the clinic and continue walking towards the gardens.

My legs are heavy, and I’m feeling wearier than I expected to, possibly the aftermath of the weekend, and the hike to get back down the mountain from Cooper’s.

I’m almost at the entrance when I hear a rumbling sound coming from above me.

I shield my eyes as a black helicopter flies overhead until I lose sight of it.

Thinking no more of it, I’m more than a little alarmed to find it waiting, rotors spinning in the car park of the botanic gardens.

Since it’s offseason, it seems the pilot, and his passenger, a petite blonde dressed in black, have decided this is the best place to land.

Her eyes light on me, and a smile grows as she ducks under the blades. “Elinore? Elinore James?” she shouts.

I freeze, sure I misheard her, but when she jogs away from the helicopter and points up the mountain, I know I didn’t. “Cooper sent me. He needs your help.”

I’m so flummoxed by her appearance, and the fact she wants me to go with her, I can barely think, let alone form a rational reply.

She checks her watch. “Would it speed things up if I told you he’s going to pay you a shit-load of money?” she shouts.

When I’m still standing, gobsmacked, she hands me a file. “This is an NDA. He has a patient he needs your help with,” she yells at me.

I stare at the paper flapping in her hand, and finally find the mental capacity to reply. “Why didn’t he come ask me himself?” I shout.

She smiles widely, and there’s something in the way she grins that reminds me of Cooper. “He had to leave. But he’ll be back in a few days,” she shouts.

When I don’t reply, she looks at her watch again and yells. “You have somewhere you need to be? Or can you come help?”

For the strangest reason I can’t think of anywhere else I need to be.

And when she shoves the paper into my hand and grabs my arm, I find myself jogging towards the helicopter.

I climb up, accept her hand and buckle in as she gives the pilot the okay to lift off again.

As the ground falls away beneath us, I take a look at the paper in my hands then at the woman seated next to me.

She grins again and extends her hand. “I’m Samantha. You can call me Sam. I’m Cooper’s associate.”

I clasp my fingers around hers and try not to look as unnerved as I feel as we fly up the mountain.

Since it’s a little easier to talk inside the helicopter than out, I lean closer and hope she can explain the multiple questions I have.

“Who’s the patient?”

Her brow knits as she looks at the paper. “Sign that first, then I’ll give you all the details when we arrive.”

I nod and examine the agreement in my hands. I’ve seen them before, so I know it’s to protect the patient’s identity, as much as anything, so I scrawl my signature at the bottom.

But when Sam hands me a signed check made out to me, my eyes nearly pop out of my head.

I look sidelong at her and shake my head. “Five thousand dollars? For a week? That’s too much to nurse someone.”

She shrugs. “Think of it as danger money.”

That spikes my curiosity even further, but horrific thoughts of black-market organ trafficking start to play on repeat as we fly closer to Cooper’s house.

I’m starting to regret getting into the helicopter when Sam hands me a photograph. “That’s your patient. Cooper’s twin sister, Gabby. She needs to detox.”

I swallow and stare at the photo of Cooper and the woman I saw arrive at his house.

They can’t be more than thirteen, and Gabby is dressed in a light flowery dress and looking to the left, a lazy smile on her face as if her attention was pulled away by someone off-camera.

But while Gabby looks dreamy, Cooper looks deadly serious, dressed in a uniform I can’t place.

Sam pre-empts my next question. “That was the morning before Coop went to military school. Gabby disappeared a few months before she was set to go to a prep school. It’s kind of her thing now. She disappears for a year, comes back to Coop, gets cleaned up, then takes off again.”

I frown at the picture and try to picture how a parent could send their child off to boarding school.

“Cooper’s family has money?” I ask her.

She nods. “He stopped talking to them after they disowned Gabby and cut her off.”

I want to ask her more about Cooper’s background, and parents, but she’s talking about Gabby again.

“Cooper’s been looking for her for three years. She’s a danger junkie. Loves trouble. It’s not a surprise she turned up with a gang in Texas.”

I scan the picture again. “You sound like you know her well?” I say.

She rolls her eyes. “Unfortunately. I made the mistake of falling for her shit when she came back home. Cooper wasn’t around to warn me, so she took me for a nice little ride before she drained my bank account and trashed my apartment.”

At the wry tone to her voice, it’s obvious she still cares for Gabby, and she confirms it when her voice turns harsh. “She’s devious and incredibly smart. But she’s also a ticking timebomb. People are looking for her, and she’s probably going to do everything she can to get back to them.”

She smiles. “That’s why I’m here. Just in case she sweet-talks you into helping her get back to Texas.”

When I don’t say anything, she carries on. “Cooper is a glutton for punishment. He still thinks he can get her to stay clean, but she’s gone too far this time. She’s got multiple warrants on her head.”

My eyebrows rise, and again, I’m not so sure I want to be involved in all this. Even if the pay is five times what I’d make in a week, and even if I wasn’t curious to find out more about Cooper, I don’t exactly need the added drama in my life.

The only redeeming thing about this offer is that I can’t go back to work anyway, in a week I’ll be on unpaid leave, and this way I won’t use all my savings.

I glance alongside and hand her back the photo. “And Cooper will be where exactly?”

A dark look crosses her face, and her voice comes out colder than the snow-capped mountains surrounding us. “He’ll be exactly where he always is. Cleaning up her mess,” she says.

She reaches down and places a holdall on my lap. “Sedatives.”

My eyebrow rises, and again she answers my question before I ask it. “Trust me, she’s easier to deal with when she’s sedated. But you’ll see soon enough.”

I shake my head. “She really shouldn’t be taking anything while pregnant.”

Even as I say it, I hear how ridiculous I sound. If Gabby has been using drugs throughout, a sedative is the lesser evil. “Is she violent?”

Sam arches an eyebrow. “Depends.”

It’s about as an unhelpful answer as I expected.

And as we come to land on the helipad parallel to Cooper’s sprawling property, I’m beginning to wonder what I’ve gotten myself into.