“Stay,” she grumbled, not even opening her eyes.
Nothing made him feel better than to have her wanting him next to her in the nest of sheets. “I want to, baby, but I can’t miss this call. I’ll make it up to you.”
“Promise.”
He kissed her on the head. “Promise.”
He left Brooke in bed and went down to his room to shower and dress for working at home again. He didn’t have to go to court today. Janie had coffee and his breakfast ready. He took both into his office and worked until he had lunch with Brooke, then took several more calls while she read a book on the sofa.
After dinner with Susanne, where they discussed inviting some local authors to do book signings at the grand opening, Brooke went upstairs to relax and watch TV.
He spent the evening at his desk, preparing his opening arguments for an upcoming case. He’d accepted Doug’s offer as partner and signed off on his offer letter. He’d given his notice at work, getting a counteroffer from the firm, but ultimately deciding that he didn’t want to work for someone who put his career on the line because of a favor owed.
He’d finish this one case, then start at Wagner & Mitchell. Scratch that. Wagner, Mitchell, and now Jansen in two weeks. He wanted to spend a week with Brooke at the ranch with no distractions.
Maybe they’d take a short trip somewhere for a change of scenery.
His cell phone rang. He checked caller ID, hoping Doug wanted to talk about him coming on board and not anything about Adam or the fact that the governor remained resistant to letting Adam’s other victims know they were safe. Brooke wanted them to have the same peace she did knowing he was locked up.
The last few days had been quiet at the ranch and Brooke was responding to him and being home and safe. She was finally starting to feel like her old self in many ways, she’d confessed last night.
This call threatened to ruin everything, and he didn’t want to pick up, but couldn’t ignore Doug after all he’d done for them.
“Hi, Doug. I hope you’re calling to check on Brooke and not deliver bad news.”
“I wish. How is she?”
“Incrementally better every day but far from being herself. Tell me you aren’t going to say something that will set her back.”
“I’m sorry, Cody, but you are definitely not going to like this. Did you catch the evening news?”
“No. We’re keeping Brooke away from anything that might trigger her.”
“Understandable. You don’t want her to see this. Click the news link I sent to your email.”
Cody clicked his email tab on his laptop, clicked the link, and waited for the news banner and intro to end before the reporter announced, "The University of Texas at San Antonio campus security, in conjunction with the San Antonio policedepartment, are asking for the public’s help in identifying the unknown subject who has attacked five women and raped one of them. With the spring semester over and most of the students returning home for the summer, and no new attacks since the fifth victim was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and later released, it’s feared that the campus stalker may remain unidentified if he’s also left campus. The police remain dedicated to apprehending this dangerous individual and have set up a tip line, hoping someone will come forward with new information about the perpetrator or any information about what they may have witnessed or know about the specific attacks. The number appears on the bottom of the screen."
Cody sighed. “Of course the police are still looking for a suspect and keeping the story relevant to the public. They still think he’s out there.” The governor had done a damn fine job of keeping the police and press from linking the campus stalker and Adam’s attempted suicide together.
“He’s the reason I’m calling. Governor Harris contacted me after he heard about the news report.”
“Why? He got what he wanted. Brooke’s silence and his son hidden away, not having to face the consequences of what he did.”
“He knows Brooke’s silence has only been because she’s not able to face everything yet. He suspects she’ll get stronger and come out fighting. Especially after I let him know that she wanted the other victims notified that the perpetrator is no longer a threat.”
“Tell that to Brooke after she saw that note someone left on my car. If it was him, that means he’s still able to torment her.”
“The governor has made assurances that Adam has no contact with anyone outside the hospital.”
Maybe that was true.
Kristi could have left that note. He wouldn’t put it past her after the way she’d acted when Brooke came home.
“The governor wants a meeting with Brooke. In person.”
Cody shook his head even though Doug couldn’t see him. “Not going to happen.”
“He wants to know what she’s planning to do. He’s scared. He thinks at any moment she’s going to go to the police or press.”
