who died in the shopping center tragedy. Among the six, half had died from injuries caused by the stampede.
Declan stood inside Gabby’s room as the doctor checked her vitals. Since getting her loaded into an ambulance, she hadn’t regained consciousness. That was an hour ago.
“There’s no reason for her not to wake up,” the doctor said. “Fentanyl can cause lethargy and her body is dealing with expelling the drug. The important thing is her breathing is almost back to normal, but I’d recommend we keep her overnight.”
Sounds good to me, Declan didn’t say, but he nodded. The physician marked off her chart and walked up to Declan. “She’s tough. I know it’s hard to see her laid up this way, but the Narcan was delivered in time. I’m not seeing any long-term side effects from this. Probably a headache for a couple of days.”
When the doctor left the room, Theo came charging in, followed closely by Levi. “How is she?”
“She’s okay. Just sleeping it off.”
Theo’s face turned troubled. “I received a call from the hospital that mother was here.”
Startled, Declan glanced at Levi, but his partner gave a shake of his head. Theo meant Claudette. He didn’t even wonder if that woman was alive or dead and didn’t know how to talk to Theo about her.
His son looked him straight in the eye. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“I’ll stay in the room,” Levi said.
“Any change in her breathing—”
“Roarke,” Levi’s tone was firm. “I got this, bro. Talk to your son.” A lot of meaning dripped in that last statement. Declan was reluctant to leave Gabby’s side, but he had a strong compulsion to tell Theo she was his mother. Gabby could have died not once embracing Theo as her son. The lies of the past seventeen years no longer stood between them. His jaw hardened. This had gone on long enough.
When they left the room, Declan led Theo to the stairwell. It seemed like a common enough place where private conversations were held.
“You doing okay?” Declan asked.
“You look like shit,” the teenager returned.
He puffed a laugh. “Thanks. How did you find out Gabby was here?”
“John? You refer to him as Garrison, I think. He told me. He also told me he didn’t know Claudette’s condition after we got the call from the hospital.”
Declan’s brows raised to his hairline. “He told you just like that.”
“He said, and I quote, ‘You need to learn the truth. I’m surprised those idiots haven’t told you yet.’”
“Oh, that’s rich, especially coming from him.”
“He’s CIA, isn’t he?”
“No comment.”
“You work for the CIA?” Theo sounded excited, then his face took on that apprehensive look again. “He told me to ask you about Claudette, but I think I already know.”
“You do?” He probably didn’t, otherwise he wouldn’t be so calm and matter-of-fact.
“With her in the hospital at the same time as Gabby, did she have anything to do with Ortega? Or the virus that scared the shit out of everyone?”
“How did you come to this conclusion?”
“Hollywood, dude,” Theo said as if Declan should already know. “I’ve heard things all my life. Drug-addicted has-been actors accusing Claudette of ruining their lives. Then they’d turn up dead on the wrong side of town. Sometimes I see the bimbo that married my dad. Sometimes I think it’s a façade and she’s conniving as hell. So,” Theo blew out a breath. “Am I right?”
“Nothing is certain …” he started, eyes wary.
“Stop protecting me,” Theo burst out, his maturing voice suddenly cracking a brief falsetto. He winced at the change, but shrugged it off, clearing his throat. “For once, let’s not keep any secrets. Because I don’t want to be that person who hates his mother for no reason.”
Tell him!
“You know what’s fucking me up?” he continued. “I have no desire to see her, but I would lose my mind if something happened to Gabby. My sister, who, until recently, didn’t even pay me any attention, who isn’t even related to me by blood. My sister who now might be warming up to me because of you.”
“What? No. No, Theo, you’ve got that all wrong—”
“Have I? Huh?” The register of Theo’s voice was now all over the place, but the teenager seemed to stop caring. “She’s tolerating me because I’m your son.” Hurt was written all over his face and before Declan could correct him, he added. “I’m sorry about what I said this morning, all right? Levi told me I wasn’t being fair—”