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She finally reached his shanty and was grateful to find the front door unlocked. She went inside and immediately lit several of the lanterns that were placed around the living room.

She sank down on the sofa and looked over at the empty recliner. A collapsed lung… Worry for him squeezed her chest tight. Hopefully the doctor would fix it with no complications, and Jacque would be back here where he belonged tomorrow.

Then it would be time for her to go back where he thought she belonged. More than anything she’d wanted him to tell her he loved her. She’d wanted to make her home here with him. But that hadn’t happened. It wasn’t going to happen, so tomorrow it would be time to pack up her things and move back to her shanty.

Tears burned her eyes. There had been so much emotion in the day. First had been the heartbreak of learning about the loss of his wife and child, followed by the anguish of him telling her he didn’t love her. Then there had been the terror of believing that Nola was going to kill her and now the worry about Jacque.

The fight with Nola had felt like it had gone on forever. She’d had to dodge and weave to keep Nola’s knife from making a killing stab. She had thrown things at the woman and had jumped over furniture to keep Nola at bay.

It was no wonder she was suddenly completely exhausted. What she now needed more than anything was to go to bed. Besides, she wanted to be up and at the hospital early the next morning to check on Jacque.

With a weary sigh, she got up from the sofa and turned off all the lanterns except one. She started to carry it with her to her bedroom, but then paused in the open doorway of Jacque’s room.

She really wanted to be in his bed where his scent would surround her and sweet memories would send her off to sleep. Surely, he wouldn’t mind since he wasn’t here.

She went into her room and changed out of the jeans and green shirt she’d worn and into her pale pink nightshirt. Returning to his bedroom, she sat on the edge of his bed.

On impulse, even knowing she was snooping, she opened the top drawer of his nightstand. She released a small gasp as she saw the framed photo inside. With gentle care, she picked it up and stared at the two people Jacque had loved and lost.

Lauren had been a beautiful blonde with bright blue eyes and little Lily had looked just like her mother. They both were laughing, and even though Monique didn’t know the two, her heart squeezed tight with grief.

It was the sadness over two innocent people who had died needlessly and the sorrow that their deaths had brought that had forever changed the man who had loved them.

She put the photo back in the drawer and then got in beneath the sheets that smelled of Jacque. Even though he professed not to love Monique, would he ever seek love again? She doubted it.

She knew that once she left here, he would go back to being a loner, not inviting anyone to get close to him. He would once again shut himself off from laughter and any semblance of happiness. That broke her heart almost as much as him not loving her.

Bullfrogs croaked, creating a familiar lullaby that soothed her. She must have fallen asleep, for when she opened her eyes again, the sun was just breaking over the horizon. She got out of the bed and made it, then left his bedroom and went into her own.

She changed out of her nightgown and into her terry robe. More than anything she wanted a shower. She’d have to be careful to keep her bandages dry, but she felt the need to clean herself from yesterday’s trauma. And she wanted to wash away Nola’s touch.

It was still difficult to believe that Nola had killed her mother all for the love of money. She’d slashed Mystique’s throat. How did a woman do such a thing to another woman who had been her friend for years? Monique would never understand that kind of evil.

With these kinds of disturbing thoughts plaguing her mind, she started the shower and then got in. The shower made her feel a little better, but not much because once she was dressed again, she began the task of packing up her things.

Tears burned at her eyes with each item of clothing she folded and put in her bag. It was going to take more than a single trip to get everything back to her shanty. Maybe she’d call her sisters later and see if one of them could help her.

She wanted it all moved out while Jacque was gone. It would be easier that way. No emotional goodbyes, no tears shed on her part… Just a clean break with what might have been.

While she worked, she kept an eye on the time. As soon as it was late enough, she did want to go to the hospital to check on him. There was no question she was worried about him. Hopefully the doctor had been able to take care of him, and he’d be just fine.

He’d saved her life yesterday, and in the process, Nola had stabbed him in the back, deep enough to hit his lung. As he’d held Nola under gunpoint, he’d shown no sign of the tremendous pain he must have been in. He’d shown nothing but strength and command of the situation, and Monique knew he had done that for her.

It was a few minutes before nine when she checked in at the hospital to see what room Jacque was in. Once she had the information, she hurried down the hallway. The scents of coffee and bacon lingered in the air, letting her know that breakfast had either just finished or was still being delivered to patient rooms.

When she reached room 107, she stepped inside, and her heart expanded at the sight of him. He was sitting up in the bed, a breakfast tray across his lap. The blue-flowered hospital gown did nothing to detract from his attractiveness. When he saw her, a wide smile curved his lips.

“Jacque.” She whispered his name as tears blurred her vision. She stepped up to the side of his bed and, unable to help herself, she took hold of his hand and squeezed it. “You look okay. Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine… Don’t cry, Monique. I’m good, and I should come home later this afternoon or first thing tomorrow.”

She released his hand and pulled up a nearby chair and sat at his side. “I heard you were stabbed and had a collapsed lung. I didn’t know, Jacque. I didn’t even know she had stabbed you.”

“The good thing is the nick to my lung wasn’t too bad, and the doctor fixed me right up. I was on oxygen all night, but they pulled me off that early this morning. How are you? The last time I saw you, you were pretty bloody.”

“I’m okay. I have a few stitches in my arm, and she slashed me across my chest, but that didn’t even need stitches.”

He smiled at her again. “You solved the case, Monique. You solved it just like you wanted to.”