on a sea of worry. “Right now, I think I’d really rather slit my wrists.”
He reached for her hand, brought her wrist to his mouth and kissed her gently, right over her vein. “And scar these perfect wrists? Never.”
That wicked kiss brought every nerve ending to life in her body, all over again. And that connection she’d felt before with him flared hot and bright.
“C’mon.”
When he tugged on her hand, she faltered. “I…I thought you didn’t want to be involved in this?”
“When did I say that?”
“Yesterday, at Mitch’s house.”
“I think a lot’s happened between yesterday and today, wouldn’t you agree?”
Emotions flickered in his eyes. Emotions, she wasn’t sure she was ready for. He confused her. He frustrated her. He infuriated her. And then, in an instant, he dazzled her.
He was a complex puzzle that seemed to have no possible solution, and just when she thought she had him all figured out, he’d go and turn himself into something she totally didn’t expect. She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to keep up with him.
It scared her. It aggravated her.
And dammit, it electrified her.
With no other choice, she followed him out into the living room and stood face-to-face with her parents.
***
“This is the dumbest idea ever.” Mitch rested his hands on the steering wheel of his Land Rover and surveyed the dimly lit parking lot.
Ryan looked up from the backseat. Early evening had settled over San Mateo. Street lights flickered and popped on. With any luck, Annie was already on the other side of the building by now.
Mitch was right. It was a dumb idea. They should have stayed with Annie’s parents and had dinner with the kids. As awkward as it was for Annie, it was safer than what they were doing now.
“All you have to do is drive the get-away car,” Simone said from the passenger seat. “Stop complaining.” She popped her door. Ryan followed from the backseat. “We’ll be back.”
“Next time, I get to be the spy,” Mitch called to their backs.
“How long do we have?” Ryan asked as they headed for the front doors of the nursing home. A security guard sat just inside. Video cameras monitored the parking lot.
“Visiting hours are over in thirty minutes. They’ll boot me out by then. Do you have the ID card Alice swiped this morning?”
He patted his pocked. “Got it.”
“I don’t want to bail anyone out of jail tonight,” she said under her breath.
He shot her a look. “You don’t think I’m stupid enough to get caught, do you?”
“I sure the hell hope not, Harrison.”
Simone plastered on her lawyer smile as they entered the lobby and approached the front desk. “We’re here to see Gillian Rogers. I’m a friend of the family.”
A large woman with gray hair was seated behind the reception desk. “Sign in. You’ve got about twenty-five minutes before visiting hours are up.”
Simone signed the log, handed Ryan the pen, and waited.
The receptionist slanted a disapproving glance over them. “I’ll need to see ID.” She checked her computer and waited while Ryan and Kate fished out their wallets. “Mrs. Rogers is in D wing, room 438.” She tapped a pencil against a photocopied map. “Here. Take that hallway, there.” She pointed toward a set of double doors.
“Thank you,” Simone said.
“Friendly,” Ryan muttered as they pushed the doors open.
When they were alone in the hallway, she glanced at her watch. “Don’t be late.”
“Got it. Have fun.”
“Yeah. Fun.” Simone frowned. “Gillian has Alzheimer’s. She doesn’t remember me. This’ll be a hoot.”
Ryan winked, then ducked into a janitor’s closet.
Institutional cleaners assailed his nostrils. He flipped on the pocket flashlight he’d brought with him and scanned the small room. Like Gillian’s daughter Alice had told Simone, a janitor’s uniform hung on a hook against the wall. He slipped it on, clipped the ID badge with his picture taped over the top to his shirt pocket, and wheeled the cart out into the hallway.
He made his way through the building at a slow pace, whistling as if he didn’t have a care in the world. A nurse passed, stopped, and glanced back. “You’re new. Where’s Jimmy?”
He swiveled and flashed a smile. “Sick. I’m fillin’ in.”
“There’s a spill in 218 that needs to be cleaned up.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right on it.”
“I need you on it now. Come on.” She waggled a finger at him.
Shit. He didn’t have time for this right now. But it was either follow or raise suspicion, something they definitely didn’t need.