“He’s at a conference.”
“Same difference. You know that guy’s reputation, don’t you?”
“Paul’s wife is a cripple. She’s been unable to respond to him for years. Still he’s been wonderful to her, faithful in every respect but that.” Closing her eyes, she took in a long, tired breath, then let it out in a quiet, “Oh, God.”
Jared knew it had nothing to do with Paul DeBarr, and he felt suddenly contrite. Pressing her head close again, he massaged her scalp. For a strong woman, she felt fragile in his arms. “Want to get some sleep?”
“Each time I close my eyes, I see Megan.”
“She’ll recover, Savannah,” he said by her ear. “The bruises will fade. Each day she’ll feel stronger.”
“But emotionally—”
“That’s what I’m talking about. She’ll recover. She’ll have people around her who love her. She’ll mend.”
Savannah sighed and rested more of her weight against him. “I’d like to believe that.”
“Meanwhile, the cops will do their thing. Was she able to give them any clues?”
Savannah shook her head. With the outpouring of the tale, she was feeling purged, and very tired. “Two men, that’s all,” she said softly.
“No descriptions?”
Again she shook her head.
“No names? Nicknames? Locations?”
Another headshake.
“Savannah?”
“Mmm?’
“Want to sit someplace else?” he whispered. “This tub’s killing my butt.”
She would have smiled if she hadn’t felt so drawn. “I’m going to bed,” she said. Mustering the sum total of strength she had left, which wasn’t much but did the trick, she levered herself off him and stood up.
He followed her into the bedroom, watched her pull back the comforter and slide between the sheets. He caught fleeting glimpses of nice things like manicured toenails, delicate feet, and slender legs before they disappeared. But those things weren’t of prime importance just then. The focus of his attention was her face. It lacked color. She was exhausted.
Crossing to the window, he adjusted the blinds to blot out the rising sun. Then he returned to squat by the side of the bed. “I take it you’re not going to work.”
“Not this morning,” she murmured. She lay on her side looking at him, but her eyes were leaden. “I’ll call in at nine.”
“You’ll be asleep then.”
“I’ll wake up.”
“Let me make the call for you.”
“You have to sleep.”
“I can sleep later.”
She dragged in an uneven breath. “I’d better call, myself. I’ll have to tell Janie what to postpone to when.” She closed her eyes.
“Should I set the alarm to wake you?” Jared whispered.
Her eyelids didn’t flutter. They were too heavy for that. “No,” she whispered back.
