thought that was cruel and unusual punishment herself. It’d taken her a long time to trust Jane, and she knew now the trust issues she had as an adult stemmed from her early childhood, but when she’d finally opened herself up to her new mother, she’d found the family she’d always dreamed of.
“Addie Walker talked about how Jane didn’t have money for a sitter and how she hoped taking you to the hospital with her night after night would get you interested in medicine. She wanted you to become a doctor. But you were too focused on history by that point and were more interested in the dead than the living. Then when you got accepted into your doctorate program, she ran up to Dr. Carter and waved your acceptance letter in his face. Told him the scrawny, obnoxious Meyer kid was going to be a doctor after all.”
A wave of adoration rushed through Kat as she listened. She hadn’t known her mother had done that to the cranky old doctor, and her heart squeezed tight. Her mother had been her biggest advocate. Whenever Kat had thought she couldn’t do something, Jane Meyer had set her straight. You’re smart. And you’re resourceful. Where you came from doesn’t matter. You’ll find a way.
And she had. Most of the time.
“They told a lot of stories about her,” Pete said into the darkness. “About you. It was strange being there. Sort of like the memorial service she had for you after…”
Kat’s heart pinched again, this time with her own discomfort. Because hearing him say it suddenly made it all real. She’d never thought about the fact Janie Meyer would have had a memorial service for her only daughter, but of course she would have. Even in her grief, she would have had a big party with all her friends to celebrate her daughter’s life.
But what also hit her, as she laid there next to him, listening to his words, was that he’d been at that one, too. He’d gone to Points Bluff, Washington, population 1,257, two hours from Spokane, not only for her mother’s funeral, but for her memorial service. Even after that horrible last argument in Cairo. After he’d walked out the door without looking back.
He’d gone to comfort her mother. A woman he’d never met and had no obligation toward.
Words lodged in her through. “Pete—”
“I’m really tired, Kat.” His voice changed. Hardened. Grew distant. “We have a big day tomorrow, and I need to sleep. You do, too.”
He was right, but the fact he’d cut her off stung.
He didn’t make a move to push her to her side of the bed, and she didn’t volunteer to go. So she closed her eyes and breathed deep, inhaling the scents of soap and fresh cotton and his unique musky scent. Reveled in it for a few more hours at least.
She must have slept, though she had no idea how much time passed. When Pete moved his leg on the mattress, she startled awake.
Bleary-eyed, she looked over him toward the digital clock on the bedside table and felt her heart drop. 2:34 a.m. If she was going to escape, she had to do it now.
She slowly pushed up on her elbow, pausing when the mattress creaked. One look confirmed Pete was still sleeping. His head was tipped her way, his mouth slightly open. The little bit of light coming through the slit in the curtains highlighted blond hair falling across his forehead, the shadow of beard on his jaw. Even his long eyelashes, blond at the root, darkening to a warm brown at the tips. She listened to the steady draw of his breath, watched as his bare, muscular chest rose and fell, and felt a little of her heart break all over again.
She was doing the right thing. Leaving now before it was too late. Before he was more embroiled in this whole mess. She now knew Busir was just a hired thug, that this went higher than she’d thought, into the SCA, possibly into INTERPOL. If this was ever going to be over, she had to figure out who was behind it all. What she’d seen and how it all meshed together. She knew where she had to start, and she knew she didn’t want Pete tagging along. Not when she was starting to question his involvement from the very beginning. What if she’d been wrong about him?
He’d gone to see her mother.
She was trapped miserably between her heart and mind as