hideout. I tried to speak but found that I could not.
“Just rest, Jade,” he held my hand. “Just rest for a minute.”
I ignored his request. “He’s here,” I croaked, “he’s here.”
“He’s dead.” Carlos assured with an edge to his voice. “He can’t hurt anyone anymore.”
The words rushed over me and I began to cry. Carlos captured me in his arms and cradled me close. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
After a few minutes, I moved my shoulder in an effort to read the tattoo imprinted on my skin. The area was still sore and it hurt to touch but I traced the unfamiliar letters anyway. Soiled . No one but the people involved in this case and those who spoke Hebrew could recognize the phrase.
But I knew what it meant and the thought that some part of that man would forever be on my body sickened me.
Detective Sheldon stooped down. His wrinkles seemed especially exaggerated in the harsh light. “Ms. Hunter, when you’re up to it, we’d like to get a statement.”
“She’s been through hell, Officer.” Carlos snapped. “Can’t you give her a minute?”
“It’s okay,” I sniffed and wiped the tears.
“Don’t move.” Carlos cautioned.
“You can stay right here.” Detective Sheldon said with more kindness than I’d expected. He brought a notebook from his pocket and rested it against his knees. “Just tell me what happened.”
I told him the details that I remembered but after five minutes, Carlos set his foot down and insisted that I get out of there. A few minutes later, I was strapped in his car.
“How did you find me?” I asked, closing my eyes in exhaustion.
Carlos sent me a worried glance. “The police found strains of Prezidone in Essence’s body. It’s a drug that leaves no trace. Usually.”
“Is that how you found him?”
He nodded. “They followed the clue to the drug stores in San Pedro, linked the purchase to a Ramero Stoker, a runaway from the asylum in the city. It was easy to link him to an old property in his name next to the Black Lagoon.” He ran a hand through his hair, “but we almost didn’t reach you in time.”
I nodded weakly and leaned on Carlos as we walked into his house. “How much did it cost you to get that information?”
He shook his head. “I took out another loan.”
His words made me smile. I was glad that I’d taken Carlos up on his offer to crash with him. I needed to be with someone I could trust.
Carlos helped me get settled in the bedroom I’d used that morning. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” He said, squeezing my hand.
When he turned to leave, I called for him. “Carlos?”
“Yeah?” He whirled around, achingly handsome in the glare of the hall light.
“I don’t want to be alone right now.”
“I’m sorry,” he ducked his head and pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll call Manuel…”
“No,” I shook my head. “I don’t want Manuel.” I pushed off the bed, seeing things clearly for the first time in a long time. “I want you.”
He stared at me and then slowly nodded. I made room for him on the mattress. Carlos held me in his arms and it was only then that I was able to sleep.
Epilogue
“Mommy,” my daughter climbed onto my lap and pressed a hand to my tattoo. “What does that mean?” Her innocent eyes traced the letters.
I smiled softly. April had been asking a ton of questions lately. I figured a query about my tattoo was coming.
“It’s a word in Hebrew,” I began hesitantly.
She leaned forward, eager to learn more. I smiled, overcome by my love for her. Smoothing her tawny hair away from her face, I looked into her light brown eyes as they twinkled with intelligence. She was so beautiful and so innocent; did she need to know about this now?
When I hesitated, she narrowed her eyes in confusion. “Is it something bad?”
Even at eight years old, my daughter was incredibly perceptive.
I sighed, recalling my days on the stage when I’d danced in nightclubs for a living. That had been
“Just rest, Jade,” he held my hand. “Just rest for a minute.”
I ignored his request. “He’s here,” I croaked, “he’s here.”
“He’s dead.” Carlos assured with an edge to his voice. “He can’t hurt anyone anymore.”
The words rushed over me and I began to cry. Carlos captured me in his arms and cradled me close. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”
After a few minutes, I moved my shoulder in an effort to read the tattoo imprinted on my skin. The area was still sore and it hurt to touch but I traced the unfamiliar letters anyway. Soiled . No one but the people involved in this case and those who spoke Hebrew could recognize the phrase.
But I knew what it meant and the thought that some part of that man would forever be on my body sickened me.
Detective Sheldon stooped down. His wrinkles seemed especially exaggerated in the harsh light. “Ms. Hunter, when you’re up to it, we’d like to get a statement.”
“She’s been through hell, Officer.” Carlos snapped. “Can’t you give her a minute?”
“It’s okay,” I sniffed and wiped the tears.
“Don’t move.” Carlos cautioned.
“You can stay right here.” Detective Sheldon said with more kindness than I’d expected. He brought a notebook from his pocket and rested it against his knees. “Just tell me what happened.”
I told him the details that I remembered but after five minutes, Carlos set his foot down and insisted that I get out of there. A few minutes later, I was strapped in his car.
“How did you find me?” I asked, closing my eyes in exhaustion.
Carlos sent me a worried glance. “The police found strains of Prezidone in Essence’s body. It’s a drug that leaves no trace. Usually.”
“Is that how you found him?”
He nodded. “They followed the clue to the drug stores in San Pedro, linked the purchase to a Ramero Stoker, a runaway from the asylum in the city. It was easy to link him to an old property in his name next to the Black Lagoon.” He ran a hand through his hair, “but we almost didn’t reach you in time.”
I nodded weakly and leaned on Carlos as we walked into his house. “How much did it cost you to get that information?”
He shook his head. “I took out another loan.”
His words made me smile. I was glad that I’d taken Carlos up on his offer to crash with him. I needed to be with someone I could trust.
Carlos helped me get settled in the bedroom I’d used that morning. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” He said, squeezing my hand.
When he turned to leave, I called for him. “Carlos?”
“Yeah?” He whirled around, achingly handsome in the glare of the hall light.
“I don’t want to be alone right now.”
“I’m sorry,” he ducked his head and pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll call Manuel…”
“No,” I shook my head. “I don’t want Manuel.” I pushed off the bed, seeing things clearly for the first time in a long time. “I want you.”
He stared at me and then slowly nodded. I made room for him on the mattress. Carlos held me in his arms and it was only then that I was able to sleep.
Epilogue
“Mommy,” my daughter climbed onto my lap and pressed a hand to my tattoo. “What does that mean?” Her innocent eyes traced the letters.
I smiled softly. April had been asking a ton of questions lately. I figured a query about my tattoo was coming.
“It’s a word in Hebrew,” I began hesitantly.
She leaned forward, eager to learn more. I smiled, overcome by my love for her. Smoothing her tawny hair away from her face, I looked into her light brown eyes as they twinkled with intelligence. She was so beautiful and so innocent; did she need to know about this now?
When I hesitated, she narrowed her eyes in confusion. “Is it something bad?”
Even at eight years old, my daughter was incredibly perceptive.
I sighed, recalling my days on the stage when I’d danced in nightclubs for a living. That had been
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