Page 110 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

‘Sure thing,’ she told me, covering me up and recording some vitals in my chart. ‘I’ll be back with them shortly. I’ll also bring you some food.’

Drew sat next to me and took my hand. ‘Have I been out long?’ I asked him.

‘Just a few hours,’ he kissed my hand. ‘Your parents are on their way.’

‘Was it Breton who found me?’

Drew nodded, ‘Yeah, and two of the guys he works with. They did the rescue.’

‘And Lisa?’ I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat.

‘She’s in custody; the police want a statement when you’re up for it.’

The nurse came back in with some meds and a tray of hospital food. It was supposed to be some kind of pasta, but I wasn’t sure it could even be classified as food. I ate the crackers and Jell-O, and drank the juice before I fell back to sleep.

I awoke a few hours later to hear my father’s voice coming from the hallway, ‘...and when she’s awake and our lawyer is present, you can talk to her, but until such time, you are going to have to wait. You have enough evidence to make an arrest on the grounds of kidnapping alone. Do that, and if you need to add more charges after speaking with my daughter, then do so.’

‘Mr. Cahill,’ a woman's voice sounded impatient. I knew that voice, it was detective Landry. ‘You are impeding an active investigation.’

‘You are impeding the healing of my daughter, now I suggest you get out of here before I have to call your boss, who I can assure you is a close personal friend of mine,’ my father said forcefully.

‘She really needs to know when to back down,’ I moaned, looking around to see my mother asleep on a chair and Drew asleep on the bed next to me.

My father walked back in and took a seat on the other side of me. ‘How are you doing, kiddo?’

‘I’ll live,’ I sighed. ‘Any chance we can go home?’

‘In the morning, we were told,’ he took my hand and smiled. ‘They just want to keep you overnight for observations.’

I arrived home the next day after being released to a big lunch prepared by my aunt Deb and Abby setting the table.

Breton and his team were long gone, back to England, and already out on another mission. I wanted to see him, but they weren’t able to postpone any longer. As it was, they were already in a lot of shit for coming to find me.

After showering, I sat down with my family to eat, ever so thankful for them and to be home again.

Drew hadn’t left my side, and I appreciated his concern, but at some point, he would need to go back to work and I’d have to start to heal. The woman who’d been my mentor for life coaching put me in touch with a local psychologist. After everything I’d been through, the doctors at the hospital felt it would be useful to speak to a professional who dealt with trauma.

‘Let’s eat before the Wicked Witch of the Cape returns,’ Drew said, taking a seat next to me.

‘I’ve set the appointment with the Barnstable Police Department personally,’ Abby said, scooping potato salad onto her plate as Drew served me a grilled chicken breast. I was relieved to see no bacon, and I was pretty sure that was all Drew’s doing.

‘And I’ve spoken with her boss. I don’t think she will be an issue after today’s meeting,’ my father added.

‘Jessa, I do have some good news,’ Abby looked to me with a huge smile on her face. ‘The DA is not pursuing any charges against you, however, Matt—or rather, Justin—and his sister have been charged. After much back and forth, she has pleaded guilty, as has Matt, to the lesser charges of fraud. He’s asked for a sit-down with you, but I declined on your behalf.’

‘Thank you. And their brother?’

‘The Justice Department is still working on the extradition paperwork to try him here.’ She had a wicked grin. ‘Rest assured that foreign prisons are nothing like ours, he is truly suffering where he is at the moment. The paperwork will come through eventually, but I take a little satisfaction knowing that every day it is delayed, he’s miserable.’

‘Thanks, Abby.’ I squeezed her hand. ‘So, I’m free?’

‘As a bird.’

I looked to Drew, who, for the first time looked to me with hope back in his eyes.

‘You can now go about living your life again,’ he said with an encouraging smile.

‘It’s our life, we’re in this together,’ I reminded him with a wink. He was stuck with me.

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