Page 68 of Deception

With her face as blank as she could make it, she sat on a barstool across from him and waited.

He loosened his tie, then caught her gaze and held it. “I’m getting married next month.”

37

Clayton had met men like Gregory Thorn. Controlling. Narcissistic even came to mind. Madison hadn’t seemed comfortable with him. Maybe he should’ve stayed longer.

No. She probably had things to discuss with her father. He checked his watch. A little after eight. ICU had an 8:00 visitation. He would check on Dani and see if she’d heard from Bri.

It was the last visiting time until morning, and the ICU waiting room was empty when Clayton walked through the opened doors and around to Dani’s room, shifting his gaze away from the room where the judge had been.

“How is she?” he asked the nurse outside her room.

She looked up from her computer. “I believe she’s sitting in the chair. Why don’t you ask her?”

Nice way of getting around HIPAA rules, and he grinned. “I believe I will.”

Clayton tapped on the door.

“Come in.” Dani’s voice was still low, but she sounded much stronger.

“Look at you,” he said when he stepped inside the room. “You look great.”

“I think you need glasses.” Then she sobered. “I overheard two nurses discussing Judge Anderson’s death—they thought I was asleep. How’s Madison?”

“So-so. She was close to her grandfather.” He sat on the side of the bed.

“I thought she might’ve been.”

Neither of them mentionedadoptive, but the word hung in the room. “How did you discover you had a twin sister?” he asked.

“One of the ancestry DNA sites.”

Dani wasn’t going to volunteer more than she was asked. She shifted in the chair and winced. Clayton stood. “Would you like me to help you get back in your bed?”

“Oh, that would be great. I started to ask the nurse just before you arrived, but she’s so busy with a new patient, I hated to bother her.”

He held out his hand, and when he pulled her up, Dani groaned and pressed her hand against the bandage on her chest.

He froze. “Did I hurt you?”

“No. There’s pain any time I move. Thank you for helping me.” Once on her feet, she took a minute to straighten her back before she sat on the side of the bed. Another groan came when she lay back against the pillow. “The doctor said the pain would get better, but I don’t know.”

“I’m sure it will.”

“Have you ever been shot?”

“No, but I broke my arm once.”

“I believe they call that apples and oranges. And would you please sit down? You’re making me nervous, hovering over me.”

He laughed and took out a pad and pen as he sat in the chair beside the bed. Dani and Madison shared more than physical traits—they both had a good sense of humor.

Clayton jotted a few questions to ask and looked up. “Were you adopted as well?”

Her blue eyes darkened briefly. “Yes.”

“It wasn’t a happy situation?”

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