“Move out of the way.” If he’d been certain Roderick wasn’t armed, he would have rushed forward. But Tess turned her body and used it as a shield.
“It’s over, Ben.”
After a quick hand signal, Ed walked forward. “I have to search you, Lou. Then I have to cuff you and take you in.”
“Yes.” Dazed and docile, he lifted his arms to make it simpler. “That’s the law. Doctor?”
“Yes. No one’s going to hurt you.”
“You have the right to remain silent,” Ed began when he’d removed Roderick’s police issue from under his coat.
“That’s all right, I understand.” As Ed snapped on the handcuffs, Roderick’s attention focused on Logan.
“Father, did you come to hear my confession?”
“Yes. Would you like me to go with you?” As he spoke, Logan put his hand over Tess’s and squeezed.
“Yes. I’m so tired.”
“You can rest soon. Come with us now, and I’ll stay with you.”
With his head bowed, he began to walk between Ed and Logan. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.”
Ben waited until they’d passed him. Tess stood where she was, watching him, not certain her legs would carry her if she moved forward. She saw him holster his gun before he was across the pavement to her in three strides.
“I’m all right, I’m all right,” she repeated over and over as he crushed her against him. “He wasn’t going to go through with it. He couldn’t.”
Ben only drew her away to yank the scarf from around her and toss it in a mound of snow. He ran his own hands over her throat to make certain it was unmarked. “I could have lost you.”
“No.” She pressed herself against him again. “He knew. I think he knew all along I could stop him.” As tears of relief began, she tightened her arms around him. “The trouble was, I didn’t. Ben, I’ve never been so frightened.”
“You stood between us and blocked me.”
Sniffling, she drew away only far enough to find his lips with hers. “Protecting a patient.”
“He’s not your patient.”
She had to take the chance that her legs would hold her a few minutes longer. Stepping back, she faced him. “Yes, he is. And as soon as the paperwork clears, I’ll start tests.”
He grabbed her by the front of her coat, but when she touched a hand to his face, he could only drop his forehead on hers. “Damn you, I’m shaking.”
“Me too.”
“Let’s go home.”
“Oh, yeah.”
With arms hooked tight around waists, they walked to the car. She noticed, but didn’t comment, that he’d run over the curb. Inside the car she huddled against him again. No one had ever been so solid or so warm.
“He was a cop.”
“He’s ill.” Tess linked her fingers with his.
“He’s been one step ahead of us all along.”
“He’s been suffering.” She closed her eyes a moment. She was alive. This time she hadn’t failed. “I’m going to be able to help him.”
For a moment he said nothing. He would have to live with this, her need to give herself to people. Maybe someday he’d come to believe that both the sword and words could bring about justice.
“Hey, Doc?”
“Mmmm?”
“Do you remember talking about us getting away for a few days?”
“Yes.” Sighing, she imagined an island with palm trees and fat orange flowers. “Oh, yes.”
“I’ve got some time coming.”
“How soon do you want me packed?”
He laughed, but continued to jiggle the keys nervously in his hand. “I was thinking we could go down to Florida for a while. I want you to meet my mother.”
Slowly, not wanting to take a leap when a step was indicated, she lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. Then he smiled, and his smile told her everything she needed to know.
“I’d love to meet your mother.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nora Roberts was the first writer to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. The
