Trusting Danger (Danger, #2)(58)

Grayson’s hope rose. “We have a deal?”

Alvarez shrugged. “Why not? Mr. Jones will be back in the system in no time, anyway. We’ll get him then.”

Grayson’s elation dimmed as he studied the prosecutor. Given the man’s job, a certain amount of cynicism was to be expected. Sad, but understandable.

Grayson’s phone vibrated for a second time. He pulled it from his pocket and his heart sank when he saw who was calling. The news from Mary hadn’t been good last night, and the fact she was calling him so soon made him break out in a light sweat.

“Please excuse me. I need to take this call.”

Eli nodded. “We’ll wrap things up here. I’ll see you outside.”

Once he was out of the prosecutor’s office, Grayson returned his aunt’s call.

“How’s Mom?” he asked, not even saying hello.

The whimper he heard on the other end of the line nearly broke his heart. Mary might not be his favorite person, but she loved her sister deeply.

“G-grayson,” she finally said, hardly able to speak through her sobs. “It’s time. Hospice is on their way.”

Every drop of blood in Grayson’s body froze at her words. Logically, he’d known this was coming, but he’d hoped it wouldn’t come quite this quickly. He wasn’t anywhere near ready to say good-bye to his mother. She was all he had left.

“How much time does she have?” he asked, dreading the answer.

“I don’t know,” Mary wailed, then sucked in a deep breath. Sounding a little more composed, she croaked out, “But you need to be here.”

His vision blurring, Grayson swept a hand over his face. “I’m on my way.”





Chapter Forty-Six





As Claire rode back to her condo with Alex after class, her cell phone rang. Grayson. A shimmer of happiness filled her as she picked up the call.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice dull. “I’m headed back to Pennsylvania, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

The fizzy joy she felt evaporated. “Your mother?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Alex has agreed to stay with you until I get back.”

She stole a glance at Alex, wondering why he hadn’t mentioned it. “Is it . . . is her time near?”

Grayson let out a ragged breath. “A few days, maybe. No idea.”

“Gray, I don’t know what to say. I wish—” Claire stopped herself, stunned at what she was about to say. “If there’s anything I can do, please let me know,” she said instead.

“Thanks. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Claire pulled the phone from her ear, surprised to see Grayson had ended the call before she could respond.





Chapter Forty-Seven





Grayson sat at his mother’s bedside very early Thursday morning, his heart pounding with worry as he gazed down at her. In the hours since he’d arrived, she hadn’t awakened. Her breathing was shallow now, and even more disturbingly, her respirations seemed to be waning in frequency.

He squeezed his eyes shut at the realization that he probably wasn’t going to be able to say good-bye.

“It must be hard seeing her like this.” Anna, the young hospice nurse, wore cheerful pink scrubs that contrasted with the look of sadness on her face.

“I should have come sooner.” Grayson shifted his gaze to his aunt, who stood slumped against the wall, the heavy bags beneath her eyes proof of her exhaustion. “You should get some rest.”

Mary frowned at the words and then seemed to debate them. “Will you come get me if anything changes?”

“We will,” Anna assured her.

Once Mary had left the room, Anna turned back to Grayson. “Why don’t you get some rest too? I’ll wake you both if anything changes.”

Grayson glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Two a.m. He probably should try to get some sleep. He nodded at Anna and gave his mother’s hand a quick squeeze before rising from his seat.

As he made his way to his bedroom, his thoughts shifted from his mother to Claire. He hadn’t seen her before he’d left DC, but he’d called to say he was on his way to Pennsylvania. Her sympathetic response had touched him but he’d cut her off, instinctively pulling away.

What would she say if she were here? Something comforting, no doubt. But no matter how much he wanted to call her, he wasn’t going to. Not at this hour.

Besides, it would be a mistake to get too close to Claire. Professionalism and all that.

Liar. You just don’t want to take the risk.

Grayson sank onto his bed and cradled his head in his hands.



An hour later, Grayson was startled awake by a knock on his bedroom door. He jumped up and opened the door, finding Anna in the hallway.

“Her breathing’s gotten worse.”

Grayson’s heart pounded as he rushed to his mother’s room to find his aunt standing by the bed. He lowered himself into the chair on the opposite side and took hold of his mother’s hand.

“She hasn’t taken a breath since I’ve been here,” Mary choked out.

Anna pulled her stethoscope from around her neck and leaned over the bed. “What I saw a couple of minutes ago was probably her last.” She listened to Eleanor’s chest for a moment, then stood and shook her head sadly.