“Get the cart! Get the crash cart now! He’s flat-lining!”

  The nurses scrambled to obey. The paddles were charged and stuck to Mr. Hampton’s chest. Elizabeth cringed as his body was lifted from the hospital bed. She slipped into a corner, trying to hide in the darkness.

  Thirty minutes later, Mr. Hampton’s vitals were steady, the tube was back in his throat, and he was back in a coma. The doctor turned a harsh face toward Elizabeth. “Where’s Mrs. Hampton?”

  “She went home for a few hours. She asked me to sit with him.”

  “Who are you?”

  “A friend of the family.”

  “I’m going to call her back. Do you understand?”

  “Does that mean…”

  “It means nothing. It just means she needs to be here. She’ll never forgive herself if something happens and she’s not here. Understood?”

  “Of course. You’re right. She would want to be here.”

  “I’m going to call Mrs. Hampton. You stay here and call us if you see him do anything else.”

  “Yes, I will.”

  Before the doctor completely left the room he stood at the door and watched her. Why was he so nervous? Had Janice not told him Elizabeth would be there?

  While the doctor watched Elizabeth, she settled back into her chair and picked up her Bible and began reading. Perhaps it would put him more at ease if he saw her do something harmless and normal like read.

  Elizabeth picked up a strand of her hair and began to twirl it around her finger. She asked God to forgive her. There was no way she could focus on the Bible in front of her as long as the mysterious letter rested in her pocket. Desperation filled her as she waited to read the words and discover their message.

  When finally the doctor left his perch, Elizabeth slipped the letter from her pocket and unfolded it upon her Bible. Concealing the typewritten paper as much as possible she began to read.

  Dearest Father,

  I’m sorry. I know I should have told you sooner, but I didn’t have the words to express my dishonor to the family. My courage is still far from me, and that is why I’m writing this letter.

  Several months ago, Henry came to me in desperation. He said he’d done something terrible. I agreed to help him out of his predicament and to remain silent, so long as it didn’t harm anyone. At the time, I saw no problems with what Henry had done. But the deeper I delved into the situation, the more wrong I realized I was. Unfortunately, since I have been sworn to secrecy, I can’t give you all the details. But the main issue is Henry did something he shouldn’t have, and I’m paying for it!

  Sorry, I know this is just making you more curious. I’m writing this to say I’m leaving. I can no longer make myself suffer for Henry or for the good of the firm.

  Know that I love you and mother. I’ll let you know my whereabouts as soon as possible.

  Love,

  George

  Elizabeth looked at Mr. Hampton. He’d wanted her to read this note. That was obvious. But why? It told her nothing other than Henry had done something he shouldn’t have, and George was no longer willing to take the heat for it.

  Elizabeth folded the letter and placed it in her pocket. Perhaps she should show it to Janice. She would want to know her son was gone. Something held Elizabeth back. Picking up her cell phone, she saw a missed call from Cole. Was God trying to tell her something?

  Chapter Thirty

  Cole held the newspaper up in front of his face. Angel was nagging him. “Why can’t we go out and do something? Something fun? We’ve been locked up in here all day,” she whined.

  “We did go out.”

  “Yeah. You took me to a stupid ball game. I didn’t even get to go for ice cream.”

  Angel’s lips stood out in a fake pout. Boy, was he getting tired of her. How could a woman be so annoying?

  “You can go out if you like.”

  “No, baby, I don’t want to go out alone. Let’s go out to the club or something. We can have a few drinks. Just you and me.”

  “I’m not in the mood.”

  “You’re no fun.”

  “Sorry you feel that way.”

  Angel stood, stuck out her tongue at him, and stalked to his bedroom. Cole needed a lady with more class. Someone like Elizabeth. Now she was a keeper. Maybe he could convince little old Brucie to trade her or something. Maybe Bruce would like Julie. Just the thought sent Cole’s blood to boiling. Julie would always be his.

  No one else could have her. It wasn’t rational. But Julie is my wife. Well, was his wife, he reminded himself. They shared a child together. If Julie ever remarried, Austin would have another dad. That thought didn’t set well with Cole.

  Thinking along these lines brought back conversations he’d had with Elizabeth. She’d called him a few times, and they’d discussed what the Bible said about marriage, about how it was forever. Just like the pastor had said during the wedding vows, until death do you part. Neither the pastor, nor Elizabeth knew the whole story. There was just too much that had changed when the baby died. How did you tell someone that your wife was not the same person, so you didn’t feel obligated to stay with her? Elizabeth wouldn’t understand, of that much he was certain.

  Shifting uncomfortably in the chair, he realized that maybe he should get out of the house for a while. His mouth opened to yell for Angel at the same time the phone trilled.

  “Hello, Cole Malone here.”

  “Cole?”

  “Yep, that’s me.”

  “It’s Elizabeth.”

  Cole sat up a little straighter in his seat. Here was his chance. Was Elizabeth calling to talk about his problems some more? Or maybe she was calling to accept his offer of going out. He should have known she wouldn’t say anything in front of Bruce. His brows knitted together as he realized he wasn’t sure how he felt about someone who would do that to his brother. And how did that fit in with her trying to get him back together with his wife?

  He really needed to stop overanalyzing everything. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he said, “Yes. How can I help you, darling?”

  “Cole, I need you to come to the hospital.”

  Her whispering worried him, and he sat up straighter in his chair. “Elizabeth, is something wrong with you? Is Bruce okay?”

  “Cole, I’m sorry. I should explain. I’m fine. Bruce is fine. It’s just…. Well, I found something. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not sure if what I found means anything. I wanted to know if you would care to come and look at it.”

  “You found something at the hospital, and you want me to come look at?”

  “Yes. Listen I know it sounds strange. But can you come?”

  The desperation in her tone set him on edge. He answered, “Sure. Where are you exactly?”

  Cole took down the hospital’s name and the room Elizabeth was in. Grabbing his coat from the rack and his keys from the side table, he didn’t even think about Angel in the other room until she walked out and bumped into him.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have to go out.”

  “What? After I asked to go out and you said no. Now you’re going out. I don’t believe this. Who was on the phone?”

  “It was work. I have to go. I’ll be back.”

  “I won’t be here when you get back.” Angel stood away from him with her arms crossed over her breasts. The top of her shirt plunged into a deep V, and he found himself staring at about three inches of cleavage.

  What did that matter in the face of a friend that needed help? They were just breasts. Julie had her own set, and he was sure Elizabeth had her own healthy set as well.

  Turning his eyes from the site before him, Cole walked to the door. “Stay or go. It doesn’t matter to me. But I have something I must do.”

  The door closed. A light click was heard as the lock inside turned. Cole knew when he returned Angel would be gone, perhaps with half of his belongings. For some reason, he found that right now, he didn’t care. He was going to help Elizabeth, and that was more important.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Elizabeth paced the tiny room, her finger tapping her lips. Had calling Cole been the right thing to do or not? She wasn’t sure.

  When Cole’s number showed on the cell phone, it had seemed like an answer to prayer, and she immediately dialed it. Only after he’d answered, and they’d spoken did Elizabeth worry perhaps she’d made a mistake. She should’ve called Bruce. Then if it was necessary, they could have decided to call Cole together.

  While Elizabeth paced, the door slung open. Turning, she expected to see Cole, so when Mrs. Hampton walked through the door, she was surprised.

  “Elizabeth! The doctor called. He said Charles woke up. What happened? They won’t tell me anything!”

  “Mrs. Hampton, come sit down.”

  Elizabeth waited while Janice settled herself. With her skirts underneath her, her back straight, and her hands properly arranged in her lap, Elizabeth assumed she was ready to listen. “Janice, Mr. Hampton did wake up. But only for a moment. He seemed very distraught as if he were trying to say something.”

  Her eyebrows rose high, “He did?”

  “Yes. I didn’t know what he was trying to say, which only made him more agitated. The doctors came in and took out his tube, and then, well, his heart stopped.”

  Janice covered her mouth, gasping with shock. After calming down, she said, “I don’t know what could be bothering him. Oh, this is driving me crazy. I can’t stand it. What’s wrong with my husband? What is happening to my family?”

  Elizabeth was posed to tell Janice about the letter when the doctor walked in. Looking directly at her, he said, “Would you give us a moment please?”

  “Yes, of course.” Elizabeth gathered her things and headed to a small waiting room down the hall. There was no way she could leave the hospital, since she had called Cole.

  Standing at the glass in the waiting area, Elizabeth spotted him as soon as he exited the elevator. A swift intake of breath left her lips. Cole was a fine male specimen. Julie was a lucky woman. Whether Cole realized it or not, his heart belonged to his wife, and they would be back together.

  Cole looked up and saw her. Coming into the room, he walked toward her. “I guess there was a slight change of plans.”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth scanned the area. No one appeared to be nearby. She sat down and Cole followed suit. “I think it’s safe to talk here.”

  “This sounds serious.”

  “Maybe. I’m not sure. I’m hoping you can tell me.” She thrust the letter at him. His eyebrow rose in question, and he opened the paper and read silently.

  When Cole finished, he looked at Elizabeth. “You should probably put this back where you found it.”

  “Yes. I know. I was about to give it to Mrs. Hampton when the doctor walked in. I don’t know. There’s something about that man. Anyway, I wanted you to see it first. What do you think?”

  “I think it means nothing.”

  “What? You’re wrong. This is not nothing. This is definitely something. George has run away because of something Henry did.”

  “Okay, maybe I should rephrase. There is something going on. But this letter,” he rattled the sheet of paper, “This letter doesn’t tell you anything. There is nothing that can be done with this.”

  “We need to tell Bruce.”

  “And what would that accomplish?”

  “He knows something is going on at the firm. He just doesn’t know what. This will give him the encouragement he needs to dig deeper.”

  “I doubt my brother needs a reason to dig deeper.”

  “So do you think you can help me?”

  Cole picked up her hand and stroked her fingers. Elizabeth tried to pull away, but he held more tightly. A smile lit his face. “You know I would help you do anything you asked. It’s just with this I’m not sure there is anything to do. Where would I even start?”

  “I don’t know. Find George. Ask him what’s going on.”

  “But he’s sworn to secrecy, remember? I seriously doubt he would tell me. Besides if he was going to tell the juicy details, he would have done so in this letter.”

  “Cole, please. You need to stop.”

  “Stop what? You asked for my help, and I’m giving it to you.”

  “I don’t mean that. I mean, you need to stop touching me.”

  “Why?”

  Taking a deep breath before speaking, “One reason is because you are my boss’s brother.”

  “Not a good reason. Try another.”

  “You’re married.”

  “Nope. Wrong again. I’m divorced.”

  “Okay. Then I’m in love.”

  “You are? Who’s the lucky guy?”

  “Bruce…”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Cole jumped to his feet and paced. Running his hand through his hair, he said, “I guess that does change things.”

  “Cole, you can’t tell him.”

  “What? What do you mean I can’t tell him? Doesn’t he already know?”

  “No. I just discovered it myself.”

  “Great. Why did you tell me first?”

  “It just kind of slipped out.”

  “We need to call Bruce.”

  “No. We can’t tell him!” she pleaded.

  “What? Of course we have to tell him.”

  “No, you can’t. He thinks we just like each other. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

  “Are you nuts? It matters. Trust me. Bruce is going to want to hear this.”

  “No. You’re not to tell him. Right now, we have other problems. I need to slip this letter back into Mr. Hampton’s pocket. Then I need to go home.”

  “No, what you need to do is call Bruce.”

  “Cole, please. You have to understand something. It doesn’t matter if I love Bruce or not. We’ve only known each other for three weeks. I can’t go off and start spouting about love.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, well, it wouldn’t be fair. That’s why. Besides, I’ll just scare him away.”

  “I don’t think so. I saw how he looks at you. Trust me, he has feelings way beyond friendship. If he could convince you to let him jump your bones, he’d be all over it.”

  Elizabeth’s brows knitted together, and Cole said, “Sorry about that. It was a little crass, I admit. You just have to know Bruce. He’s very serious. Always has been. He’s had girlfriends, except he’s never had a big relationship, you know. He doesn’t let anyone get too close. I don’t think the boy wants to marry. I think it has something to do with our family history. Although, I’m not sure. I know I wasn’t the most shining of examples.” Cole raked a hand through his hair, “Listen, Bruce needs to know you love him. I’m sure he loves you, too.”

  “Cole, you’re talking out of both sides of your mouth. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Just help me get Janice out of the room so I can put this letter back where it belongs.”

  “Then we’re calling Bruce. Not to tell him your dirty little secret but to tell him about the letter. Okay?”

  “Yes.”

  Cole followed Elizabeth to the patient’s room. When they arrived at the door, Janice was outside talking to the doctor.

  “Dear, there you are. I was wondering where you went.”

  “I was on my way out when I realized I forgot something in the room. Is it all right if I go back and get it?”

  “Sure, dear. Go right on in. I was just about to go back myself.”

  Cole stepped in front of Janice. “Hello, Mrs. Hampton. I’m Cole Malone. It’s very nice to meet you.”

  “Of course. Hello. It’s very nice to meet you. Malone. That name seems familiar. Do I know you?”

  “I don’t think so, ma’am. My brother, Bruce, works for your husband’s law firm.”

  “Oh, yes of course. I believe he’s the new man my son George just hired. Between you and me, I believe the ladies at the office call your brother old blue eyes,” Janice said with a smile.

  “Really? How interesting. Tell me, Mrs. Hampton, where is your son George? I would like to thank him for hiring my brother.”

  “I’m sorry to say that I’m not sure. I’ve been trying to contact him since Charles was admitted to the hospital, but he doesn’t seem to be answering his phone. And his brother, Henry—why, he has neglected to answer as well. Most inconsiderate, I tell you. Don’t worry about George, when I see him I’ll be sure to tell him what you said.”

  “Thank you.”

  At that moment, Elizabeth walked back into the hallway. “I found it. This pen just drops out of my purse all the time. I’m going to have to find a better way to store it.”

  “Yes, I guess so.”

  “Do you need me now, Mrs. Hampton? Or do you think it would be okay for me to go?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. You just run along with your young man.” Janice grabbed Elizabeth’s hands and squeezed. “Thank you so much for coming.”

  “You’re very welcome. Call me if you need anything else.”

  “I will.”

  Cole placed his hand on the small of Elizabeth’s back and guided her to the elevators. When they climbed aboard, he said, “She’s hiding something.”

  “Huh?”

  “Mrs. Hampton. She’s hiding something. Didn’t you see how she was talking to the doctor when we came in? And didn’t you notice how her hands were shaking?”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. Think about the trauma she’s suffered today. I’m surprised she’s holding up as well as she is.”

  “Think about it. Why would she need to run home? What could be so important she would be willing to let an old secretary sit with her dying husband? No. She’s definitely hiding something. I think we need to go see Bruce. We need to see him now.”