King and Maxwell (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 6)

Dana Brown had been stepped down to a regular hospital room. She was finally out of danger. She would make it. At least physically she would. Sean wasn’t sure about mentally.

He knocked, heard her say “Come in,” then opened the door and stepped into the room.

One look at her face told him all he needed to know. She had been told about her husband’s death and his involvement with Alan Grant. As he approached the bed Dana slowly sat up. They hugged for a long time. He let her cry and he felt the tears trickle out of his own eyes.

When they drew apart he pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. He held her hand and watched her closely. She had aged much in the last few weeks. Anyone would have. But even though she’d been shot and had nearly died and now had lost her husband, he could see the woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago quite clearly defined and sitting in front of him.

She said in a halting voice, “They said he didn’t suffer.”

“He didn’t, Dana. It was over, well, it was over very quickly.”

“And you were there?”

“Yes. We’d gone to check up on Curtis when Alan Grant showed up.”

“Alan Grant

. My husband’s partner in crime,” she added bitterly.

“I don’t believe that Curtis knew what Grant was planning, Dana. He just got him some information on the mission in Afghanistan. Curtis just thought it was a robbery of government funds, and he was going to get his share.”

“Still a criminal, Sean. I can’t believe he would do that. I really can’t.”

“That much money makes for a lot of temptation. I’m not saying it wasn’t wrong, because it was. But I can understand the temptation.”

“I guess I should too, considering how often I’ve succumbed to temptation in my life,” she said guiltily.

“But the fact is I wouldn’t be here right now except for Curtis. He sacrificed his life for ours. Just like the soldier he was. He took Grant out and gave his life in doing it. So, yeah, he did some wrong things. Some really stupid things. But you have to give the man that. And I know that he wanted to kill Grant because Grant had hurt you, Dana. That’s why Curtis attacked him. He was avenging you.”

She nodded, and more tears swept down her cheeks. “I know,” she said in a barely audible voice. “I know.”

Sean held her for a while and let her cry, trying to absorb her body shudders, her grief, but he knew he really couldn’t.

When Dana finally pulled back he said, “There was a reward posted for the capture of the people behind this. It’s been decided that you should have it, as Curtis’s widow.”

She looked stunned. “But Sean, you and Michelle risked your lives to—”

He squeezed her hand more tightly. “And Curtis sacrificed his life for us. And it’s more than enough money to take care of you for the rest of your days. You’ll never have to worry about finances, okay?”

It had been difficult getting the appropriate parties to sign off on this. Many were reluctant to let Brown’s widow get anything, since he had been in on the crime. But Sean had pulled the biggest chit he had—a personal plea to President Cole. After he came on board, everyone else quickly followed.

She put a shaky hand to her face and whisked some tears away. “That is very kind. Very generous.”

“That takes care of the money part. But what about you?”

She shrugged, her look one of bewilderment. “I don’t know. It’s hard to even think clearly right now.”

“Of course it is. And you don’t have to think about it right now. What you have to do is get yourself well. You’ll be going to rehab soon. And I’m going to go there with you.” He held up his injured hand. She had evidently not noticed it before.

“Oh my God, what happened?”

“Just being clumsy. But we can rehab together, how does that sound?”

“That sounds really good,” she said a bit breathlessly.

“You’re not alone, Dana. Okay? You’re not alone.”

She sat back in the bed. “You know, I always thought we’d have kids. A big family.”