Page 87 of Heartbeat

Of course, I want to see you. I would be heartbroken if you gave up on me. Sign your papers. Dispatch your demon, and let me know the time and date of your arrival. We have twenty-seven years of catching up to do.

She hit Send, and then put the phone back in her pocket.

Charlie came back with the cold drinks. “For you, Miss Amalie,” he said, and handed her a Coke. “And for you, Aunt Shirley,” and handed her the second Coke.

Amalie looked up and smiled. “Thank you, Charlie.”

“Yes, thank you, Charlie,” Shirley said.

“Welcome,” he said, and went back to his corner and his phone with a cold Coke for himself in his hand.

Amalie grasped the can of soda with both hands. The cold drink was a diversion—something to do withher hands besides wring them. A few minutes later she excused herself to go to the ladies’ room, with her bodyguard escorts in tow. When she went to wash up, she glanced up, then paused, staring at her reflection. Then she remembered her father’s words.Look in the mirror, child. You wear her face.

“And I’ve already outlived you. I’m sorry you weren’t meant to stick around. Your parents were bastards,” she muttered, then washed her hands and walked out to be escorted back to the waiting room.

Within minutes of her return, a nurse entered the waiting room.

“Pope family?” she called out.

They all raised their hands.

She smiled. “Awesome. But I’m going to have to limit the visit now to Sean’s girl, and someone called Mom, because Sean Pope needs to rest, and he won’t settle until he sees their faces.”

“That’s all we need to hear,” Betty Raines said. “We’ll get ourselves on home now that we know he’s good to go. Shirley, keep us updated.”

“I will,” Shirley said. “Thank all of you for coming.”

“Thank you for all the kind words,” Amalie said.

“You’re Sean’s girl, which makes you our girl,” Annie Cauley said. “Give him our love.”

“Mrs. Pope, Amalie, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to Sean’s room.”

They gathered up their coats and cold drinks and followed the nurse up a long hall, then through a set ofdouble doors and down to the room, with the security team trailing behind. But as soon as they reached the door, Joe stepped forward and entered first, then stepped aside.

“All clear, ladies. We’ll be in the hall if you need us.”

Linnie Elgin didn’t know anything about the men trailing them, but she did know Sean Pope had been the victim of a murder attempt, so she took it as extra security on his behalf.

“Just have a seat. Talk to each other if you want. He’s still sleeping off the anesthetic, so he’s in and out. I’m Linnie. I’ll be his nurse on this shift. Ring the buzzer if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” Shirley said.

Amalie dumped her things in an empty chair and headed straight to Sean’s bed. She touched his arm and then his chest, feeling the pulse of his heartbeat beneath her hands. She couldn’t stop shaking. All she kept thinking was,Thank you, Lord.

Shirley moved to the other side of the bed, touching her son’s cheek, smoothing the hair away from his forehead, patting his leg.

“Still in one piece,” Shirley said. “God is good.” And then she sat down in the nearest chair before her knees gave way.

Amalie kissed Sean’s cheek, then whispered in his ear, “Rest, love. I’m here.” She dropped into the chair nearest the bed and laid her head on the mattress near his waist. Emotionally exhausted from all that had transpired, she sighed and closed her eyes.

She was asleep when Sean roused. He saw his mother dozing in a nearby chair and then Amalie, motionless, with her head resting against his hip.

My girls,he thought, then tunneled his fingers through her hair and closed his eyes.

Fiona Rangely’s new lawyer, Sheldon Ryker, had no easy answers for her. No little white rabbits to pull out of his hat. The evidence against Fiona was damning. There was no reason whatsoever for wanting her husband dead, except to inherit what was his, just as she’d done before. Her past had finally caught up with her.

“What about an insanity plea?” Fiona asked.

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