He punched the button and lifted the receiver. “Detective Tucci.” He then listened for a moment. “Where’d they spot him?” His grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles grew white. The busy intersection was less than a mile from Sara’s house. “I’m on my way.”
“Problems?” The gray-haired secretary at the desk raised a questioning brow.
“I hope not,” Crow said, rushing past her. “Not if I can help it.”
Sara hummed as she arranged the flowers in the crystal vase. Tomorrow her mother would be coming over for Sunday dinner and she wanted everything to be perfect.
The doorbell rang and Sara glanced at her watch. It must be Meg. When Sara had called with the news that she and her mother had reconciled, Meg had insisted on coming over to hear all about it.
The doorbell rang again and Sara started to yell for Annie to get it when she realized Annie was out on a date tonight. She adjusted the last of the baby’s breath and headed to the door.
“Hold on, Meg. I’m coming.” Sara unlatched the chain, flipped the dead bolt and pulled the heavy door open.
Gary shoved her aside and walked past her like he owned the place. “Well, what a surprise. She answers her own door.”
Her heart jumped to her throat. Why hadn’t she looked before she’d opened the door? Sara resisted the overpowering urge to run, knowing he’d catch her before she’d even reach the door. It would only amuse him, and she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was afraid. “It’s been a long time, Gary.”
“You remember me.” He smiled in satisfaction.
“You’re not easy to forget,” Sara said. Even though his dark hair was now short and tinged with gray, she would have been able to pick that face out of any police lineup. “What are you doing here?”
“Would you believe me if I said it was because I missed you?” His hand reached over to touch her hair.
She stepped back and fought to slow her racing heart. Sara wasn’t sure what kind of game he was playing but she didn’t like the wicked gleam in his eyes. “Get out.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“What do you want?” Sara lifted her chin.
“What’d you think of those notes I sent?” Gary answered her question with one of his own.
“It was you.”
His smile widened. “Pretty clever, huh? Spouting those Bible verses and all.” His face darkened and he shot her a look so evil, a chill raced up her spine. “You ruined my life.”
A band tightened around Sara’s chest.
“You and that mother of yours.” Gary reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. A switchblade.
Sara froze.
The knife sprang open. “If it wasn’t for you, your mama never would have left me. You think you’re so pure, so stinkin’ good, but after I get through with you—” Hatred filled his face. “If you don’t want that pretty face all cut up, I suggest you cooperate.”
What he was saying didn’t make any sense, but the threat was clear. She could scream but who would hear her? Her gaze darted around the room, looking for anything she could use as a weapon. A bronze sculpture sat on the side table, but it was out of reach.
“Gary, think about it.” Though she wasn’t sure he’d listen to reason, she had no other options. “You don’t want to go back to prison, do you?”
His eyes hardened. “Why would I go back there? What happens here will be just ’tween you and me. Unless, of course, you want me to pay a visit to your mama? I guarantee if that happens, there won’t be no doctors to save her this time.”
He took another step forward, then suddenly stopped, his gaze narrowing to a point behind her.
Sara turned and almost collapsed in relief.
Crow stood in the doorway.
“Drop the knife.” Crow’s gaze remained locked on Gary. “Sara, go into the library and lock the door.”
Sara didn’t bother to ask how he’d gotten in the back way. She didn’t care. He was the answer to her unspoken prayers. Without hesitation she moved to his side. “I’ll call the police.”
“They’re already on the way. I’m Detective Tucci, Burke. St. Louis PD.” Crow’s voice rang with authority. “Drop the knife. It’s all over.”
“You’re wrong.” Gary shifted his gaze to Sara. “It’s not over. I didn’t get what I came for.”
In the blink of an eye Gary lunged forward, knife extended. Crow pushed Sara to the side and grabbed Gary’s arm. Gary swung wildly with his other hand, his fist grazing the side of Crow’s face. Crow countered with a direct hit to Gary’s jaw. The two were evenly matched. Except Gary had the weapon.
“Run, Sara.” Crow yelled as the knife slashed his shirt.
Sara couldn’t run. She couldn’t leave Crow alone with such a madman. She had to help.
The two grappled for the knife. Sara darted to the side table and grabbed the bronze statue. Lifting it over her head she brought it down against the back of Gary’s head at the same time his knife plunged into Crow’s chest.
Chapter Nineteen
“Some people will do anything to get some rest.”
The husky feminine voice was familiar and Crow’s lips curved up in a smile even before he opened his eyes to find the worried face of his ex-partner, Angel Weston, gazing down at him.
“Angel, how’d you…?”
“Know?” She moved to the foot of his hospital bed. “It’s all over the station. You know how it is when an officer goes down.”
Her tone was light but her gaze kept straying to the IV tubing taped to his hand and the cardiac monitor they’d discontinued earlier this morning.
“It looks worse than it is,” he said, pushing himself to a more upright position and grimacing against the pain.
“Yeah, lucky he used a switchblade,” she said with the sarcastic humor he remembered. “They don’t hurt at all.”
Crow wanted to laugh but he didn’t dare. The last thing he wanted to do was to tear his stitches. He glanced around to see what his parents thought of his former partner’s humor when he suddenly realized they were alone.
“If you’re looking for your mom and dad, they’re in the cafeteria. I told them to go grab a bite,” she said. “They didn’t want to leave but I told them I had a gun in my purse and I’d shoot anyone that laid a finger on you. Except the doctors and nurses, of course,” she added.
“You haven’t changed a bit.” This time he had to chuckle. “How’d you get in here anyway? My parents said only family is allowed to visit.”
It had explained why it had been almost three days and he still hadn’t seen Sara. But if they were letting friends visit…
“That’s still the rule,” she said with an impish grin. “But I told them I had something important to tell you. When that didn’t work, I told them I was your wife.”
“You’re joking.”
“Why would I make that up?”
“And did you really have something important to tell me?” he said. “Or was that a lie, too?”