Page 62 of Chasing Dreams
It took all her strength to pry his fingers open and wrench Maggie’s watch from his grasp. She dropped it and brought his hand to her face.
Slowly his breathing calmed. His body relaxed. And finally, at least a minute later, he focused his gaze on her. Unimaginable suffering dwelled in the depths of his burden-dark eyes.
“You were there,” she said in a hoarse whisper. “With Maggie. Weren’t you?”
His eyes didn’t change. Only his lips moved when he said, “Yes.”
Shaine dropped her head forward, her hair hiding her face. He’d gone through that for her. He’d experienced the pain and horror again.
But Maggie—her heart broke all over again with the knowledge—Maggie had experienced it. And died. The loss and the unacceptable thoughts of her sister’s pain and terror pierced Shaine anew. How did the people who were left behind live with this? How did they cope and go on with their lives?
“We have something to go on now,” he said.
She raised her head and threaded her hair back. The glimmer of hope that she’d clung to glowed bravely. “Yes,” she whispered. “Thanks to you.”
The intercom in the kitchen crackled. “Shaine?” Craig’s voice, sounding concerned, came through. “Can you come up here right away? Maya’s going to have the baby!”
Her eyes met Austin’s. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 13
“Maya, you can’t have this baby tonight. You’re not going to have it until next Thursday.”
“Craig, run home and get my bag.” Maya turned back and looked at Shaine like she’d predicted an ice storm in July. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw the baby, and I saw his birth date. It’s not time yet.”
“Yeah, well, tell that to him,” she said, rubbing her distended belly. I’m having this baby, and I’m not waiting until you think it’s the right time.”
“Okay.” Shaine gave her a quick hug. “I’ll take care of everything here.”
“I know you will.”
Craig returned and the Pruitts drove off.
Six hours later, Craig brought her home, tired, cranky and still very much pregnant. “False alarm,” Maya told her over the phone. “And if you say ‘I told you so,’ I won’t talk to you for a month.”
“I wasn’t going to say that.”
“Craig says the guys at work have a baby pool going. He wants to know how much the baby will weigh.”
Shaine told her and Maya relayed the message.
“And, Shaine?”
“Yes?”
“Is he all right? I mean, he’s healthy and all?”
“He’s perfectly healthy, hon. And he’s beautiful. Now get some rest. I’ll do everything in the morning. You stay home.”
“I will. Until I can’t stand sitting around any longer.”
Shaine hung up and snuggled against Austin. She’d barely fallen asleep when Maya’s call had come. She’d lain awake thinking of Austin’s vision that day, hurting for her sister, worrying about Jack and blaming herself because Austin was the one with the bad dreams that night.
He’d been mumbling, turning from his side to his back again and again.
He’d left a message for his FBI friend. She had to believe that soon they’d have something on the people who killed Maggie and took Jack.
