Page 40 of Inferno

Samantha awoketo the overly warm sensation of heavy blankets, secured tightly around her. She had an oxygen mask over her nose, tucked behind her head. No one had pulled the hair tie from her ponytail, so the tight material securing her hair back dug into the back of her scalp. She shifted her head from side to side, trying to alleviate the discomfort.

Someone touched her hand. “Hey.”

She managed to curl her fingers into his, though there was little strength in her grip. With some effort, she managed to blink her eyes open, and Julio came into focus beside the bed. Sitting in a chair with his arm outstretched so he could hold her hand.

He smiled. “There you are.”

She swallowed, which hurt a lot. But she managed to say, “Thanks to you.” The sound of her voice low, and broken. She then tugged her hand away from his and signed,What is going on?

Julio sat with his forearms on his knees. “Some cops came and took that guy away. I went with you in the ambulance, but I called your sergeant and filled her in on what happened. You were out for a couple of hours, so the doctors did their full assessment. I should tell them that you’re awake.”

She shook her head.Who was that guy?

“Sergeant Deerdan was trying to figure it out the last I spoke to her. She called me about fifteen minutes ago and said they had him booked in and they were trying to work out who he was. If he’s the arsonist, then we’re done because he’s in custody and he won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

Samantha wasn’t entirely sure it would be that simple.

“And if he isn’t, then someone else dangerous is off the streets.” He looked at his phone. “Bristol is on her way up.”

Samantha nodded. Her sister was probably frantically rushing from the elevator, and Samantha didn’t blame her. If anything happened to Bristol, she would react the same way. She signed,Don’t tell her he tried to choke the life out of me.

Julio winced. “With the bruising on your throat, it might be a little obvious that something serious happened. I’m not going to tell her you tripped.”

She pulled the oxygen mask off. “Tell her you arrested the guy. Distract her with your heroics.” She coughed a little.

Julio got a water cup from the side table and held the straw to her lips. She spotted her gun and her badge beside the bed—where she knew it had been placed in order to help her feel secure. Her things were safe, not in the wrong hands. She might be injured, but she was still a cop.

The ice-cold water didn’t feel good at first, but she drank enough to numb her throat.

Julio said, “I should get you some tea.”

She stared at him. How long had it been since he had made tea for her? She couldn’t even remember, but he drank it often and she usually asked for one as well. Though, with a little sugar in it.

She wondered then if maybe she only drank coffee so much because tea just didn’t taste the same when Julio hadn’t made it for her.

He squeezed her foot through the blankets. “I’ll get you some tea.”

And just like that, all the topsy-turvy equilibrium she felt had righted itself, as if everything had clicked back into place. All that had been nothing but dissonant fragments for the last two years moved to where they should be. In perfect alignment.

“Oh, here you go.” He handed over her phone, the screen almost completely cracked.

Julio left the door open, and while he was gone, she sent a text message to her sergeant, telling her she was awake and asking who the man was that had attacked her. Then she sent an update to Romeo, not sure what he knew.

Had they really arrested the arsonist?

It would be a good thing if they had. It might even make the pain in her throat worth it, and all the days being irritated that it hurt—right up until it healed. If they hadn’t, they’d logged thearrest of a dangerous man at least. One who could have killed her or potentially others as well if Julio hadn’t got there in time to save her.

A rap on the door drew her attention. Bristol might not totally be able to hear the knock she made on the wood, but she understood how the hearing world announced their arrival.

Samantha glanced over. Behind Bristol, Romeo appeared.

Samantha’s eyes narrowed. Had they arrived at the same time, or had they been together? Romeo was supposed to have been working.

Bristol came over and gave Samantha a hug, her hands a flurry of questions and concerns. Samantha waited until she was finished, and then told her she was fine.

Bristol gave her the mostyeah rightlook Samantha had ever seen on her sister’s face. But at least they understood each other well enough that Bristol slumped into the chair and thankfully looked less worried than she had when she first came into the room.

Romeo watched from the door, a look of curious amusement on his face. “I might have no idea what you’re saying to each other, but I get the gist from your facial expressions. My sister looks at me like that sometimes as well. Like I exasperate her.”

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