he must be stopped. Brett is a sociopath. He feels no genuine guilt or remorse. He told me he’d changed in prison, had found God, then promptly murdered his own sister over something that had nothing whatsoever to do with him, and walked away without a moment’s hesitation.”
“And all you have for proof is the word of a teenage girl,” Gabe replied.
“Everything Daisy said was accurate. She knew it all, Gabe, had seen every sordid detail. She’d watched Jo die. Brett can’t be allowed to simply get on with his life. It’s my duty to stop him.”
“No, it’s not. Let someone else stop him,” Gabe exclaimed. “For once in your life, take off your superhero cape and consider what you’re proposing.”
“I can’t believe you’re saying this.” Quinn didn’t mean to raise her voice, but she was so angry, she could barely breathe. “I’ve never known you to be a coward.”
“Coward, am I?” Gabe replied, his voice dangerously low.
“I didn’t mean that,” Quinn backtracked.
“Yes, you did. Well, you are right. I am a coward. I don’t want to see my family decimated. And I never want to feel the way I felt when I saw you lying broken and nearly lifeless in that tomb. Meeting Brett almost cost you your life and the life of our son. You didn’t know him then, but you do now. You know he’ll do anything to protect himself.”
“He need never know where the information came from.”
“Of course he’ll know. As far as he’s concerned, you are the only person who might know the truth. He gambled on you being hurt and angry enough to not want to touch any of Jo’s possessions. He took a chance, and it paid off. Had Daisy not walked into your life today, you’d have remained in ignorance, and you would have been better off. We all would have.”
“But she has walked into my life, and I’m no longer ignorant of what happened. I mean to get the case reopened.”
“And how do you propose to do that?” Gabe demanded, trying a different tack. “Will you simply walk into a police station and tell them Daisy’s had a vision? Who will believe you? You need evidence to convince the police to reopen a case. You need proof, which you thankfully don’t have.”
“I can find proof,” Quinn said stubbornly, refusing to acknowledge that Gabe was probably right.
“How? It’s been over two years. Let it go, Quinn,” Gabe shouted. “Please, for all our sakes.”
“She was my sister,” Quinn said, her voice breaking.
“She was the sister who would have destroyed you had she lived. She was poison, Quinn. You are well rid of her.”
“Maybe so, but she didn’t deserve to be murdered,” Quinn countered.
“Maybe not, but it’s not your job to avenge her murder. She’s gone. Brett is out of our lives. Please, for once, listen to me.”
Quinn swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat. Everything Gabe had said was true, but she couldn’t bring herself to capitulate.
“Promise me,” Gabe demanded, his gaze nailing her to the wall. “Promise me you won’t go to the police.”
She nodded miserably.
“Say it,” he insisted.
“All right.”
“All right, what?”
“All right, I won’t go to the police. And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she mumbled.
Gabe’s expression softened. He could never stay angry for long. “I know you’re hurting, Quinn,” he said. “I do understand.”
“So, you are not angry with me?” Quinn asked tearfully.
“Of course I’m angry, but not with you.”
Quinn walked into Gabe’s arms and buried her face in his chest. “I’m sorry,” she muttered again. “You are the bravest man I know.”
“I’d have to be to be married to you,” Gabe said, but the heat had gone out of his voice. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “I’m sorry, Quinn. I really am. It’s a terrible moral dilemma you’ve been presented with, but in this case, you must do the wrong thing.”
“So, you admit it’s the wrong thing,” Quinn said, giving him a watery smile.
“Yes, I do, and I’m prepared to live with that.”
“Come to bed,” Quinn said. She needed to feel Gabe’s arms around her, to know he’d truly forgiven her for branding him a coward, but Gabe shook his head.
“I need some air. You go on up.”
Chapter 29
The night was cool and crisp. Wispy clouds floated across the overcast sky, casting eerie shadows across the hazy moon. Gabe walked down the street, his step so quick he was almost trotting. Several cabs slowed down as they passed