real. His face was disfigured from the fire like the gnarled bark of a hundred-year-old tree, but there was no denying the same madness danced in his eyes.
The first sounds of life came from outside her door. She needed to see Jacob today and find out if he’d been told yet. Like her, he deserved to know. The more she thought about it, the more certain she became of what she wanted to do.
“Good morning, Love. You’re up early again. Did you have another bad dream?”
Becca nodded and pulled herself up to sitting position. She told Debbie all about the news Randy broke to her. She’d been in the hospital over two months now and they’d created a solid bond.
Nurse Debbie gave her the usual pills and a cup of water. She waited for her to take them before turning to leave.
“Try not to worry so much. I’m sure once you’re home in your own bed things will get back to normal.”
“Yah, like when is that going to happen?”
The nurse paused at the door and turned to face her. “Well, if all goes well, maybe sooner than you think.”
Becca looked down her nose at her. “What do you know that I don’t?”
“A little bird told me your doc is coming in this morning to check how you’re healing. If he’s happy, you might just get your walking papers.”
“ Hallelujah. Finally some good news!”
She had mixed feelings about leaving the hospital. Of course she’d be happy to go home, but that meant leaving the hospital where she felt safe and not alone. Becca straightened her back and swallowed the fear rising in her.
A knock on the door stole her attention and she looked up to find Jacob rolling his wheelchair in for a visit.
“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise. I almost didn’t recognize you without Jeffery.”
Jacob grinned sheepishly. The puncture scars around his lips had lightened considerably. “He’ll be here any time now.”
Becca moved to a chair at her bedside and clasped his hands. “How are you? You’re looking much better.”
“I’m fine.” He diverted his gaze, feigning interest in something out the window.
“Jacob, how are you, really? You can tell me.”
He sighed wearily. “I thought I was well on my way to recovery when all of sudden I start having disturbing dreams.” He leaned towards her and spoke behind his open hand. “I keep seeing Danny. When I wake up, I swear the guy had been standing at the end of my bed.”
Becca’s breath hitched, feeling very spooked. A shiver ran through her
“You’re not alone, Jacob. I’m having them too.” Her heartbeat thrummed against her chest. “I guess there’s no easy way to go about this.” She squeezed his hand. “He’s not dead.”
Jacob pulled his hand away as if bitten and wheeled back from her. “Who?”
“You know who. I see it in your eyes.”
“That’s not possible. He can’t be alive. Are you sure?”
“Aside from actually being in the same room with him, yes, I’m sure. They got him locked up in an asylum for the criminally insane.”
The color drained from his face and he sat there shaking his head in disbelief. Slowly he raised his head and looked directly into her eyes. “You know what we have to do, don’t you?”
Becca didn’t have to question him or guess. She nodded.
“I’ll talk to Jeffery and make plans for us all to go.”
“I’m sure the chief can get the necessary clearance we’ll need to get inside.”
Jacob spun around and wheeled to the door. He turned enough to see her. “Here we thought the fucking nightmare was over. We should kill the s.o.b. and be done with him once and for all.”
Randy should have known she’d want to see Danny for herself. The fact the lunatic survived the fire still baffled everyone at the scene. Supposedly, when they first discovered he had a pulse amongst the charred ruins, there was no way in hell they expected him to make it through the night. In hindsight, he was kind of glad he hadn’t known then. He had enough dealing with Becca’s brush with death.
He hadn’t expected Jacob wanting to see him either, and that made him very nervous. How will the two of them react to seeing Danny after everything the bastard put them through?
Randy knocked on the open office door.
Chief turned in his chair and held a finger up. “Yes, that’s right. Thank you for your help.” He set the phone back in its cradle.
“I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving shortly to pick up Becca. I trust you cleared the way for the four of us?”
His boss took off his glasses and squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Yes, they will be expecting you.” He pushed away from his desk and leaned back in his chair. “I’m still not convinced this is such a great idea.”
Randy shrugged. “You and I both, but you know Becca once she sets her sight on doing something.”
Chief Thomson chuckled. “Yes, I do. Keep a close eye on her, especially Jacob. God only knows how they’re going to handle seeing Danny again.”
“Will do.” He glanced at his watch. “I better get over there. If I keep her waiting too long she’ll probably leave without me.”
“Good luck, buddy. Better you than me.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Randy stepped outside and took a deep breath. All around him the first signs of fall added a splash of color. Too bad they weren’t taking the bikes. Nothing compared to riding under a canopy of fall colors.
He opened the door and slipped in behind the wheel. At least the SUV was nice and roomy for Becca and Jacob. Randy put down all of the windows and took a deep, cleansing breath before turning the key in the ignition.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The silence was deafening. Jacob and Jeffery sat side by side in the back seat. Jeffery kept Jacob tucked protectively to his side with an arm draped across his shoulders.
Randy sat behind the wheel nibbling at the inside of his bottom lip. Becca knew he wasn’t crazy about any of this, but he drove them in spite of his reservations. He drove them because he loved her.
“How much further is it?”
“Um, maybe a half hour or so.” He gave her a fleeting glance before shifting his attention back to the road.
Becca winced, turning in her seat enough to look back at Jacob and Jeffery.
“How are you holding up?”
“To be quite honest, I feel like I could puke at any second.”
“Oh, no. Do you want Randy to pull over?”
Jacob put up a hand. “No, I’ve been feeling this way since the day I left your hospital room.”
Jeffery rubbed up and down his partner’s arm. “You don’t have to go through with this. I can go in myself to prove he’s in there.”
Jacob smiled and gazed into his partner’s eyes. “I know you’d do that for me and I love you for that.” He patted his hand and looked back at Becca. “No, this is something we need to do for ourselves.”
“So, you’ll both be happy just to see him from a distance, right? No good can come of having a face-to-face confrontation with the guy.”
