“Maybe he just likes your sunny personality.” One side of his mouth lifts.
“Sarcasm does not suit you.” I’d cross my arms to better pout but I’m tethered to the IV. If the nurse doesn’t come in and remove it soon, I’m just pulling it out.
“Whatever. Did you remember anything more?” Thank God, he dropped the whole be-nice-to-the-player thing because it’s not happening.
Sitting up, I swing my legs over my bed and head to the bathroom, the stupid IV on wheels dragging beside me. Holding the open back of the cotton gown closed, I walk a few shaky steps while avoiding his question.
“I remember I wore my new black halter dress and high heels. Am I right?”
He nods up and down, encouragingly. “You’re doing great. When I researched online, I read you may remember more over time. When do they let you out of here?”
In the small bathroom, I glance in the mirror and moan. Damn, I need to wash my hair, shower, and become normal. No wonderAndyhas lost interest.
I open the door a crack. “I suspect both my doctor and the lawyer are prolonging my stay, giving the police more time to investigate so they can’t arrest me the second I get out.”
I do my business, wash as best I can, and my brother helps me back to bed. He eyes my many bruises with a bit of concern. “It was a pretty close call, sis. You may want to stay with me when you get out.”
I roll my eyes at the thought of his tiny living space. “With you and your girlfriend?”
“I just thought I’d offer. I’m really worried about you.” He gives me a smile, the kind reserved for family, and it warms me deep inside. Again, I thank the fates that brought us back together. If not for some random act of the gods, I wouldn’t even know I had a brother.
“I’ll be fine. Really, I will.” I glance at the roses. “Would you mind removing those? The smell is turning my stomach.”
He grabs them without a second thought. “We’re booked tonight. I figured on using some of our favorite standards. Let me know if you can get out of here, otherwise I got to find someone to cover.”
“Hell, no. I worked too hard to get this gig. I’ll be there come hell or high water.”
I glance up at the bodyguard and wonder how to ditch him. Cooped up in the hospital is as bad as being married to Peter.
“Do you want me to stay for a while?” Sam glances around the small room and I sense his claustrophobia kicking in.
“Go, I’m fine. I got Mr. Beefy to save me if anyone manages to get by the nurse’s station.”
“Say again? Why did your lawyer hire him?” Sam fidgets with the flowers and sniffs the yellow one in the center.
I hate to worry my brother but we promised we’d never lie to one another. “Mr. Quinn thinks someone may have drugged me.”
His hand rakes over his beard. “Shit. That’s what I’ve been telling everyone. There’s no way you’d take anything. But why now? The stuff with Peter has been over for years.”
“I think you’re going to want to sit.” I pat a space on my mattress and wait for him to put the flowers on the floor and lower his butt onto my bed.
After, I take a deep breath and let it out real slow. “You know the gig I got with the psychologist to get brook sounds?”
“Sure, I do. I helped you pick out the mics. What has that got to do with anything?”
“I’m pretty sure I heard Peter’s voice in the woods.” I bite down on my lower lip. It sounds so damn scary when I say it out loud.
Sam’s eyes go wide and he’s silent for a few seconds while he ponders all the implications. “Huh? You sure?”
My hands clutch his. “Yeah, pretty sure. I never gave it a second thought when I hung microphones over a special place we used to go to. At the time, it seemed perfect. It’s remote, private, and there’s a noisy brook gurgling over the rocks.”
“Oh fuck. You told that insurance investigator, didn’t you?” Sam stands, eyes so furious, I avert my gaze.
Me and my brother don’t have the same notions about how the universe operates. I figure you get good karma for stopping bad shit from happening. He believes there is no order at all, only random chaos.
Even though he won’t agree, I need to explain. “I don’t want Peter getting ahold of a hundred million bucks. There’s no telling the damage he’ll do.”
“Not good, sis. Not good.” He glances up at my bodyguard. “Fuck. Now I get why your lawyer hired him.”
