“Perfect. I’ll see you soon.”
Holly’s baby was born an hour after Kate arrived. While they waited, she drank too much coffee and went over the proposal Vera and Jim had put together, which looked very good. With a few tweaks here and there, it would be ready to present to the charitable foundation.
Excitement poured through her as she and the Lockwoods followed a young dark-haired nurse down the hall to see the baby. Through the plate-glass window, they oohed and ahhed over the pretty little baby girl, then the nurse led them down the hall to see Holly.
“You can all go in,” Nurse Susan said with a smile. “Just don’t stay too long.”
Holly was beaming as they walked into her room. Vera and Jim both hugged her. A tired smile bloomed when she spotted Kate. “I can’t believe you came,” she said.
Kate returned the smile. “I wanted to be here. I saw your daughter through the nursery window. She’s beautiful.”
“Yes...and so sweet...like an angel. I named her Angela. I’m going to call her Angie.” Holly’s dark eyes suddenly glistened. “Angie wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your sister.”
Kate’s throat tightened. Chrissy had sacrificed her life for her friend. Now her killer was going to get away with cold-blooded murder.
She managed another smile. “I know Chrissy’s up there watching over you and Angie right now. She would be happy for you, Holly.”
“I know.” Holly was tiring, her eyes drifting closed. It was time to leave.
Kate said goodbye, and told the Lockwoods she would call them with the results of her presentation. She tried to keep her thoughts focused on business, but after seeing Holly, all she could think of was how, once again, she had failed her baby sister.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Jase sat at his desk at The Max, his laptop open in front of him. He had tried to convince himself to leave the Gallagher case alone. Kate had finally come to her senses, and he didn’t take Hector’s dire warning lightly.
Still, he found himself searching the Houston area online news for information. He didn’t like the idea of a killer getting away with murder, but deep down, he knew he was doing it for Kate. Leaving her alone was the right thing to do. Kate deserved a stand-up guy who would make a good husband and father. Not a guy who would make her afraid every time he left the house that her man wouldn’t be coming home.
Now that he’d made the decision, he wanted Kate to remember him. She wouldn’t forget the guy who had found her sister’s killer. Why it was so important, he couldn’t say. He just wanted to make things right for her.
Earlier that morning, he had left a message for Tony Castillo, a friend in the Houston PD, a detective in the homicide division, guy he trusted, a former marine. Maybe Tony could give him something.
Jase checked his cell, returned a couple of text messages, then glanced up as Chase crossed the office in his direction.
“What’s up?” Jase rose from his chair.
“I talked to Harper this morning. She was at a meeting with Kate and Charles Stanton in regard to that charity Kate’s involved with, New Hope Rehab. I take it you two aren’t seeing each other anymore.”
Jase’s chest tightened. It happened every time he thought about her. “She decided to drop the case. Since she doesn’t need me anymore, I figured it was better for both of us if we ended things now, before it got complicated.”
“So Kate didn’t need you anymore. What about you, Hawk? Don’t you need her anymore, either?”
Regret and something else sifted through him. He refused to call it despair. “I wasn’t good for her, okay? Not long term. I’m a bounty hunter. Kate needs a settled-down kind of guy.”
“You think so? Because I didn’t see it that way. I don’t know many women who would have gone with you to roust Eli Zepeda, but Kate did. She was with you on the case from the start.”
Jase glared. “Yeah? Well, in Houston, I almost got her killed. It was a near thing, and I sure as hell don’t want it to happen again. I’m not good for her. Surely you can see that. Now let it alone, okay?”
“Fine, whatever you want.” Chase started walking away.
“How is she?” Jase couldn’t resist asking. “Is she all right?”
Chase looked back. “Harper thinks she misses you. I have no idea why.” Turning, he walked back to his office and closed the door.
Jase sat back down at his desk. He was doing the right thing. Kate was his to protect. He didn’t have any other choice.
His cell rang. It was Paulo Diaz.
“Hey, Hawk, I got something to tell you, and it is not good.”
