Minutes to Kill (Scarlet Falls #2)(94)

“How do you work with people like that?” He pressed the fob and unlocked the car.

Hannah turned, resting her forehead against his chest. “I don’t know, and the worst thing is I can’t repeat any of our conversation to the police. He’s a client of my firm. I’m bound by confidentiality.”

“Don’t worry. Douglas has Herb Fletcher on his radar.”

They drove back to the Venetian and went up to their room. It was glitzy, with a big king-size bed a step down from the seating area. The window had a beautiful view of the city lights, but Brody closed the Roman blinds. He had a feeling Hannah wouldn’t want to stare at the glittery landscape of Vegas when they’d spent the day seeing its ugly underbelly.

“I feel filthy.” She turned on the shower and stripped off her blouse.

Brody crossed the room. “Hannah.”

She was stepping out of her slacks, letting them drop to the carpet. “I don’t understand. Why do people have to be cruel? Why do girls get victimized and good family men murdered?”

He pulled her to his chest. Her brother’s death last spring had left her scarred.

“Do you know how old Lola is?” She pulled her face away from his body. Anger glittered in her eyes. “Fourteen. She’s fourteen years old. The Mexican cartel kidnapped her. They murdered her father right in front of her. What kind of people do that?”

“I don’t know.” Brody wiped a tear from her cheek. “I love that you can’t even understand that concept. I love you.”

She burst into tears. Not the response he’d hoped for his first declaration of love.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that after the day you had.”

Hannah cried into his shirt. “I love you, too.”

“You don’t seem happy about it.”

“Obviously, I’m really messed up.” She sniffed and lifted her head again. “Make me forget all about today. I need to feel something that isn’t tainted. Something pure and clean.” She kissed him.

Brody smiled down at her. His hand stroked her face and settled on the column of her neck. He could think of nothing more pure than showing her how much he loved her.

“I’m going to miss you when you’re in London.” His heart was hers forever, but in a week’s time, their bodies would be separated by an ocean.

She kissed him. “I don’t want to go.”

“Then don’t,” he said, confused.

“What would I do? I need goals. I need purpose.”

“Do whatever you want. You can be a lawyer anywhere, Hannah.”

“I worked my whole life for the opportunity that is right in front of me.”

“I’ll support whatever you choose to do. I would never want you to feel like you were sacrificing something to be with me.”

She brushed her fingers across his temple. “Being with you would never be a sacrifice.”





Chapter Thirty-Seven

Hannah awoke in Brody’s arms. Half the giant bed was empty with her body plastered against his warmth. She lifted her head from his shoulder.

“You’re awake.” He kissed her. “Good morning.”

Her fingers trailed along the muscles of his broad chest. She slid her hand under the covers. He pressed his mouth to hers, tenderly. Regret filled his eyes.

“What is it? Not in the mood?”

“All I have to do is look at you and I’m in the mood. Actually, just thinking about you is enough. But I have some news.”

Hannah sat up, pulling the covers over her breasts as the chilly air hit her bare skin. Brody levered up on one elbow. The sheet fell from his torso, revealing his black-and-blue rib cage.

She reached out and touched the skin with a fingertip. “I should have wrapped that for you last night. And we shouldn’t have made love. It couldn’t have been good for your recovery.”

“It was the best thing possible for my recovery.” He took her hand. “Douglas called. They found Jewel last night, and she’s alive.”

Hannah gasped. Shock and joy numbed her. She hadn’t expected to ever see the girl again. “When? Where?”

“Lola’s information, combined with all the data the trafficking team pulled from Mick’s phone records and computer, led them to a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. When the police arrived, the building was on fire, but Jewel and another girl were hiding. Apparently, the traffickers got wind of the raid and cleared the place out during the night. These two girls slipped away in the commotion.”

“Oh, my God.” Hannah pressed a palm to the center of her chest.

Brody squeezed her other hand. “Douglas said you can see her later today.”

“Yes.” Hannah read something else in Brody’s eyes. He was holding back on her. “What is it?”

He sighed. “About fifty miles away, the police found thirty-six dead girls in a storage container.”

“No.” Horror wrapped around Hannah.

“I’m sorry.” He pulled her close.

Hannah pressed her face to his chest and cried. She had no resolve left. It was done. She’d helped find Jewel. She knew in her brain she hadn’t caused the deaths of all those other girls, but her heart was heavy with sadness and guilt.