Page 106 of Free to Fall

Her lips open and close. Her brows lower. Intuitively, I know it’s because, despite the IV, her lips are parched. Standing, I grab a moist swab and wipe it around and inside her lips.

Her rosebud lips pucker before she whispers, “Hero. Love you.”

Her heart rate evens out as she slips back into sleep.

The noise outside of Bailey’s cubicle recedes as I sob out a mixture of love, gratitude, and guilt. “Oh, baby. I love you too. So much.”

Chapter

Fifty-Seven

Keene’s amicable expression disappears. In its place is the man who served his country under a shroud of secrecy for years. His voice is icy when he reveals, “Caleb’s been hunting the Tiberis.”

“Is he crazy?”

“What would you do if it was Bailey?”

The words are out of my mouth without hesitation. “It was Bailey, or did you forget that?”

His mouth tightens.

“You should have told me. I’d have helped him set the world on fire and roast marshmallows as it burned to the ground.”

“Exactly.”

It’s a matter of time until these fuckers go down, I think not without some satisfaction. “Why are you telling me this now?”

“He was coordinating a team out of Norwalk, throwing resources behind the local police to get them whatever evidence they needed.” His head drops. “Something happened.”

“What?”

“You.”

Ice crystals form in my blood, freezing it instantly. “What do you mean?”

“That audit you did for Caleb. You found the link—the reason we couldn’t nail the fucker down immediately.”

“The mole in Hudson reporting back to the Tiberis. You confirmed it wasn’t a mistake?”

“No.” Keene releases his breath. “One of our own betrayed us. Al Libert’s mother was the stepsister to Aldo Tiberi. That’s the link.”

Keene’s phone rings. He answers it with a brusque, “Caleb? Status?” His head is turned away, but his body tenses. “Right. Ten minutes.” He disconnects, and his face is a bit paler than it was a few moments ago.

I resume my questions. “What intel did he give them?”

Keene’s jaw tightens. “Enough.”

“What do you mean?”

“I need you to keep calm.”

My mouth feels like someone’s wedged cotton into it. “What happened?”

“They—the Tiberis—broke into Laura’s home.”

“Al?”

“He was with them.” Keene’s face is grim. “Plus someone Cal trusts implicitly who’s been undercover with them for ages.”

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