Page 41 of Rules of Engagement

Chapter Ten

Maddox returned an hour later and after I finished fussing over Solomon — were his feet warm? Did the bandage need changing? — and issuing yet another instruction to Delgado to call me if he saw any improvement (or further deterioration), Maddox, Lily and I walked down to the parking lot.

Every corner we rounded, every elevator button we pressed, and every corridor we traversed, I told myself I could turn around anytime and run back to Solomon. Yet, I didn't. Much as I wanted to never leave his side, I was dying to know what was going on. Lily was right; investigating was absolutely necessary. I needed answers badly. I needed a ray of hope even more.

"Call me if you need me for anything," said Lily, hugging me. "Or even if you don't. Or you just want to leave the line open and cry or something."

"I saw Jord and the baby a few days ago," said Maddox as we walked across the parking lot, away from Lily and the hospital. "They're a nice family."

"I'm still amazed that my brother finally got it together and asked my best friend on a date, especially after pretending he wasn't into her for years."

"Apparently realizing you're about to lose everything important is the kick in the pants some people need before they are ready to go after what they really want."

I burst into tears, the fear and frustration rushing out of me in big, painful sobs. I pushed my palms against my eyes and squeezed my eyelids shut. "Hey," said Maddox, enveloping me in a big, warm hug. "Hey, I didn't mean what I said."

"It's not that," I sniffled against his chest, "it just suddenly came out."

"I thought it was my inability to articulate the right words. This is all going to be okay."

"And what if it's not?" I asked. "What if the shooter gets away? Or Solomon dies? The world can never be the same again!"

"We'll work through whatever we need to when we get to it. Just remember and believe me that you won't be alone," he said. His breath rustled my hair and he rubbed my back in a friendly way. I inhaled, getting a heady scent of his aftershave, something so familiar that was instantly grounding.

"Sorry," I mumbled, as he released me and handed me a tissue.

"Is that the first time you've cried?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Don't be sorry. Be angry. Be fricking furious someone did this to you and let that be the force that drives you, at least, for now. Let's get moving," he said. He pointed to his car in the next row. "What's the address of the lawyer?"

"It's a firm downtown," I said. I pulled the envelope containing Solomon's letter from my purse. The lawyer's address was stamped on the outside.

"I know it," he said as he handed it back to me. We got into his car and he leaned over. For a fleeting moment, our eyes were inches apart and I saw the sympathy and sadness in them. Then I blinked and Maddox was folding the seatbelt over me, clicking it into place.

"I thought you were heading out of town again?" I said, remembering our last conversation.

"My plans were delayed. I'm still waiting for the call."

"Do you have to go as soon as you're called?"

"No. I can stay here as long as you need me."

"Won't your boss be mad?"

"Let me worry about that."

"You're still not going to tell me what you're working on, are you?"

Maddox smiled to himself, then he looked over to me. "It's really bugging you, isn't it?"

"So much!"

"I'm working high profile crimes. International stuff, hence the frequent travel and having to be out of town so often."

"What kind of crimes? Murders?"

"No, although they occasionally happen sometimes. I can't tell you much, only that the crimes I'm investigating involve the top tier of society. Art. Jewels. That sort of thing."

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