Her Name Was Annie by Beth Rinyu (the little red hen read aloud txt) 📕

the fact, but Guy Antonaci is finally getting what he’s got coming to him. Maybe he can take over the same cell his old man used to occupy.”

“Did you arrest him?” I feigned naivety, not wanting him to know Ian had filled me in on everything already.

“He’s handcuffed to a hospital bed right now with a police officer parked outside his room.”

“He was injured as well?” I continued with my clueless act, fishing around for more information.

“One of our youngest and newest agents took him down. Jack probably will have a little more faith in the kid and stop giving him such a hard time when he realizes what he did.”

I smiled, so thankful to Ian for coming to Jack’s aid when he needed him most and also for tending to Kara so sweetly. “Is that where you’re coming from now?” I asked.

“Yeah. Had to get some information from the bastard. Not that he’s offering much up at all. He’s still the arrogant prick he’s always been, thinking he’s untouchable. This time, he’s going down for a long time.”

“So, he’s coherent?” Ted nodded. “I know it’s awful to say, but I wish…” I took a deep breath. “I’d never wish death on anyone—except for him.”

“I know, Stephanie.” Ted placed his hand on my shoulder. “I feel the same way. He’s a waste of a human being. He should be dead or at a minimum the one lying in that hospital bed in ICU instead of Jack.”

A deep sob escaped me, thinking about that unrecognizable man I had gazed down upon just a short time ago. Would I ever see that cute, boyish grin of his again? “I’m so sorry.” I wiped my face with the back of my hand. “I just feel somewhat responsible for this. If I hadn’t made Jack feel so guilty after the accident…after we lost our son, then maybe he wouldn’t have been so dead set on going after him.”

Ted shook his head. “You are in no way at all responsible for this. Jack is a big boy and one of the best agents there is. He knew what he was getting himself into, and it was personal for him. He wanted to take this piece of shit down to get justice for himself just as much as he wanted it for you and the baby. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you—he can be a real stubborn son of a bitch.” Ted grinned, and I managed to push past the pain I was feeling to muster a smile in return.

Chapter 38

I STOPPED AT my father’s on my way home from the hospital to pick up Max, filling him in on everything. I was grateful when he began to speak to me like a father and not a doctor, like he’d sometimes do when there was a medical issue at hand. Jack was the one who needed doctors, and he had plenty of them. I needed a dad and a shoulder to cry on. He was the perfect source for both.

When I pulled into my driveway, it occurred to me that I didn’t even remember any of the drive home. I needed to snap out of it, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Max hopped out of the back seat, immediately doing his customary leg lifts on some nearby bushes. I gripped tightly to his leash and we made our way up the walkway, meeting up with Ian on the front porch.

“I’m heading out,” Ian said, greeting Max with a pat on the head. “Kara just took a shower. She’s lying down now. I feel really bad about leaving her, but I have to go into work for a bit to tie up some things from earlier today.”

“Don’t feel badly at all. You must be exhausted after the day you’ve had. Go finish up what you need to do, then get some rest. I’ll be here with Kara. She’ll be fine.”

“Thanks,” he replied.

“No. Thank you, Ian. For everything you’ve done.”

His face reddened. “Call me if you need anything or if Kara…”

“I will, but we’ll be fine. Please go take care of yourself right now.” He looked exhausted and not without good reason with all of the events of the day.

“Thanks, Ms. McGuire.”

“Stephanie, please,” I corrected.

He smiled and gave Max another tap on the head before walking off to his car.

Quietness loomed throughout the house when Max and I entered. It was nothing out of the norm to be able to hear the refrigerator humming or the clocks ticking when I’d come home, but at that moment it felt eerie. The ticktock resonated within my brain as a reminder that time may be passing in a different sense.

The clippety-clop of Max’s nails on the hardwood floor broke up that silence, restoring a little normality to the most ominous of days. I was beyond exhausted but knew it was too late in the day to take a nap without affecting my sleep. Instead, I went into the kitchen and did what I always did best to destress—cooked. I sliced, diced, and sautéed the apprehension of the day away. The sound of green beans searing in the pan, and the motion of the knife slicing through the potatoes was better than any type of drug there was. By the time I had finished, I had made a delicious dinner of chicken Marsala, roasted potatoes, and sesame green beans.

Kara still hadn’t come down, so I wasn’t quite sure who I had planned on feeding enough food for a sizable dinner party to. I didn’t care that I had gone a little overboard. It allowed me to concentrate on something else other than the events of the day. Reality crept back in when I thought about how much Jack would’ve enjoyed this dinner. I wondered how he was doing. Had there been any change since I had seen him a few hours prior?

Kara was the hospital’s point of contact, so I knew I’d be kept abreast on any