The articles about Brooke’s attack didn’t name her either, but gave the location and the general information of what happened.
If the press learned Adam Harris had been responsible for the attacks, they’d be unmerciful in uncovering the victims’ names. They’d hound Brooke for her story. Cody would do everything in his power to shield her from having to talk about the murder of her baby and relive the attack and the loss over and over again.
As much as he wanted to yell to the rafters that Adam Harris tried to kill Brooke and had murdered his daughter, he wanted Brooke’s privacy protected.
He wanted her to grieve in peace, while he found a way around the governor to the son who should rot in prison the rest of his life. There was no statute of limitations on murder. Let the governor think Adam was safe in the private, swanky hospital, getting well. All that meant was he’d be ready to stand trial.
Mindy Sue unlocked the door and walked in carrying coffee and breakfast. “Extra-large for you. Sorry, I could only get sugar.” She pulled several packets out of her pocket.
He took them and set them on the desk. “No problem. I take it black. Thank you,” he said, and took the large paper cup and the bag from Mindy Sue.
“How is she? Are the cuts healing?”
“All except the one on her abdomen. I’ll keep an eye on it. Other than that, she seemed okay for a little while after you left, then she started drifting in and out. She jumps at things like he’s coming for her.”
Mindy Sue’s eyes filled with concern and sadness. “That fucking piece of shit. It’s like she can’t get rid of him.”
“It’s over now. He’ll never get close to her again.”
Mindy Sue pressed her lips tight and stared at Brooke passed out on the bed. “She lost a lot of blood. The doctor said she’d be fatigued for weeks until her body recovered from the trauma.”
Cody nodded and took a long sip of the hot coffee. He needed the caffeine kick. He’d think more clearly once it took effect. His gaze stayed on Brooke. “So many fucking scars.”
“They’ll remind her for the rest of her life of what he did and what she lost.”
They both stayed silent and unmoving for a long moment before Mindy Sue dug through the bag of food and handed over two breakfast sandwiches to Cody. “She needs to eat. She needs to work on getting her strength back. And those are some heavy-duty meds they gave her.”
“I’ll wake her soon. She just settled down. Let her have a few minutes of good sleep. It’ll help her get through the next couple of hours.”
“Speaking of which… I went by her business management class and talked to her professor. He’ll let her come in early to take the test alone. He said the dean told him she was going to take an incomplete, but I told him she wanted to finish the class and get her grade. She’s got an A minus. If she can get through the test, she might keep it. I think it’s best she finish for her own peace of mind. Adam has already taken so much from her, I’d hate to see him take away her graduation after all her hard work despite everything he’s put her through all these months.”
She bit into her sandwich and drank her coffee as they sat eating and watching Brooke sleep. “She can turn in her paper to her other class anytime today. She just needs to drop it by her professor’s office. She planned to stay with me until after graduation and your honeymoon. I think she should go back to the ranch and spend some time with her mom. But if Kristi will be there…”
Cody could finish that sentence. Brooke had been through enough, especially this morning as he tended her wounds and she faced another day without their baby. “I will take care of Kristi as soon as I can. I’ll take Brooke back to the ranch. I don’twant her so far from home while she’s in this condition. I want to take care of her, so that she sees I still care, that I need her as much as she needs me to get through this.”
Mindy Sue eyed him, her father’s tenacity glinting in her eyes. “I’m going to hold you to making Brooke happy again.”
“That’s all I want.” He took another bite of his breakfast sandwich, chewed, swallowed, and changed the subject. “Tell me why Brooke agreed to keep things quiet.”
“She didn’t so much agree as she wasn’t in any shape to do anything about it. That very private hospital the governor sent Adam to costs a fortune and specializes in mental health, but…”
“It’s a country club psychiatric ward,” Cody finished for her.
Mindy Sue scrunched her face. “He needs medical help, but he also needs to pay for what he’s done, not live like he’s spending time at a retreat and spa.”
“He will.” Cody would make sure of it.
Mindy Sue’s eyes filled with regret and guilt. “We all hung out together several times. It was fun. Nothing stands out that came off creepy or weird. He just seemed…shy. He had a chance to ask her out the right way many times, but he didn’t take it. Instead he…” Mindy Sue’s gaze settled on Brooke.
All those bandages. All the harmhecaused.
Hekilled their baby.
“Fuck,” Cody barked and scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling the rough abrasion from his beard coming in.
Brooke rolled over with a wince and stared at him, concerned. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
