One More Day (36 page)

“She wouldn’t be in here if it wasn’t for you.”

She had all the power in this circumstance and he knew it. She was Ridley’s next of kin and could deny him access to her until Ridley woke up. But damned if he was going home without a fight. Eventually Ridley would be ready to leave the hospital. He was prepared to sit there for days if that was how long it took.
 

“We agree on that.”

He hung his head again, shame twisting his stomach into knots. He’d thrown her out with little more than a lame apology and some cash. He could have let her stay until her sister came back. He could have done any number of things other than send her out on her own. Moreno hadn’t even had to work for it. Jackson had practically gift wrapped his prey and handed it to him.

“At least Moreno isn’t your father.” At her surprised look, he added, “Eli figured it all out. That’s how we knew she was in trouble.”

“Too late, though. You figured it out too late, or my sister wouldn’t be lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life.”

“I know.” There was nothing else for him to add.
 

“Moreno isn’t our father,” she said finally. “According to the FBI, there was never any lead in the first place. He was just playing on her hopes and dreams so she’d keep the flash drive for him. Ridley’s always been a soft touch.”

A family came in and sat in the chairs next to Jackson. He got up and moved so they could use his chair. The mother nodded at him gratefully before plopping her oversized diaper bag in the seat he’d vacated.
 

“I’m glad he’s not. She deserves better than that.”

Raina crossed her arms and stared at him. He held her eye, not to challenge her but because he knew he deserved her scorn. When she’d arrived, perfectly made up with her hair arranged in a stylish updo, she’d looked like the Raina he remembered. Now, hours later, she’d shed the top layer of her outfit and taken her hair down. Her makeup had worn off so she looked softer. More like Ridley.

It was painful just to look at her.
 

“She’s going to be fine,” Raina said finally. “She’s out of surgery. The bullet missed her lungs so she’ll be okay.”

Jackson let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He wanted to thank her for letting him know but the words wouldn’t come, so he just nodded. She seemed to understand though because for a second, her expression softened just a little bit.

She motioned for him to follow her. “I’m only letting you see her because I’m sure the nurses are tired of seeing you.”

He followed as she strode down the hall and turned left at the nurses’ station. Her security officer trailed him. Jackson looked back at the other man. He raised an eyebrow at him so Jackson turned around and jogged to catch up with Raina. She stopped outside the second to last room in the hall and pointed at him, her finger almost jabbing him in the chest.

“You said you just wanted to see her, so go see her and then get out of here. The nurse gave her a sedative and she’s sleeping, which is the only reason I’m agreeing to this. I don’t want her to see you and get upset all over again. You’ve done enough damage as it is.”

“I understand.” Now that he was here, his heart was beating wildly at the thought of seeing her again. He ducked into the room. It was dimly lit, the only sound the soft beep of the machines next to the bed. As he approached, his breath caught at the sight of Ridley motionless against the stark white sheets.
 

Jackson took in her calm features, trying desperately to memorize her face. He looked up at the machine connected to her IV and let the comforting sound of the rhythmic beeping wash over him. It hurt to think of her being sustained on machines but at least she was here. She was alive.

He stroked her cheek gently. “I told you before that I loved you. I’m so sorry I didn’t love you enough to believe you when you needed me to.”

I would have given you anything
, he’d said. He was such a fool. All he’d been able to see was the money. He’d been so worried about being taken advantage of that he hadn’t been able to give her the one thing she’d needed. His trust. Something that didn’t cost anything other than faith.

“Two minutes,” Raina hissed from the doorway.
 

If Raina was expecting a fight from him, she wasn’t getting one. He fully agreed with everything she’d said. It was his fault that Ridley had been in harm’s way in the first place. His fault. He just kept failing the women he loved. Ridley deserved better than that. Better than him.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to Ridley’s forehead.
 

“Goodbye.”

*
 
*
 
*
 
*
 
*

“WHEN CAN I get out of here?” Three days later, Ridley was beyond ready to leave the hospital. Unfortunately, until her doctor decided she was strong enough to go home, she was stuck.
 

Stuck in a stupid hospital bed watching stupid TV while her sister held her stupid phone hostage.

“The doctor should be around soon. He usually checks on you right before lunch.” Raina folded the blanket she’d been using in half.
 

“Aren’t you ready to get out of here? That chair can’t be comfortable.”

The nurses had offered to bring her a cot but the chair in the room was big enough that Raina had been able to prop a pillow against the back and sleep there. Still, she was going to end up in traction if she slept all cramped up for much longer.

“I’m fine. I’m just worried about you.”

“Is that why you won’t give my phone back?” Ridley asked.

Raina wouldn’t meet her eyes. She picked at the edge of the blanket until a few long, white strands came out. “I forgot it.”

“Again? That’s what you said yesterday.”

Raina crossed her arms and glared at Ridley. “You are supposed to be recuperating not socializing.”

Ridley held in a groan. She’d thought Raina had been insufferable before but she’d had no idea. Ever since the shooting, Raina had been in hyperdrive. The poor nurses on the floor were no doubt ready for her to leave so they wouldn’t have to deal with Raina questioning everything they did. It had been endearing the first day or two but she was about ready to shake her sister silly.
 

If she was strong enough to get out of this damn bed.

There was a brisk knock at the door and Ridley turned toward the sound. Elliott stood in the doorway holding a small teddy bear and looking extremely uncomfortable. She wondered how much he’d heard. He looked back and forth between them.

“Is this a bad time?”

Raina looked like she was about to protest when Ridley motioned him forward eagerly.

“Elliott! Come in, come in. I’m so glad you came to see me.”

Eli stepped in and set the teddy bear on the edge of the bed. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Like crap. But I’m alive. Thanks to you. So what happened, you know, after everything? I don’t really remember.”

Elliott perched on the edge of the bed carefully. “Well, I figured out David’s identity on a hunch. I knew he’d been using an assumed name for about three years but it wasn’t until I looked at the information on the flash drive that I put it all together.”

“The flash drive?”

He reached in the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a stack of photos. He flipped through them and then pulled one out.
 

“That’s the necklace he gave me.” Ridley took the picture and ran her thumb over the image. It was hard to believe something so small had been at the heart of everything.

“It opens to conceal a flash drive.” Eli held up another picture. In this one the necklace was in two parts.
 

“That’s why he wanted it back. What was on it?”

“Confirmations of payoffs. The wire transfers we noticed going through the accounts he set up in your name were just the beginning. He’s been borrowing identities for a while now. He uses them to set up accounts to funnel mob payouts to his father’s offshore accounts. Then after a few months he closes the accounts and moves on.”

Ridley tried to sit up a little but pain lanced through her side.
 

“Wait, I’ll help you.” Raina rushed over and pushed the button to raise the bed.
 

“Thanks. So, that’s why he needed it back so badly. Because it has all the account numbers and payoff information?”

Eli nodded. “I’m sure he’s got bits and pieces of information saved other places but a lot of criminals keep their information offline. That way it can’t be hacked. He must have known the FBI was on to him again. So, before staging his car accident he hid the flash drive somewhere no one would ever find it. With you.”

“And I ruined his plan by running.” Ridley closed her eyes.
 

“Yes. You put quite a kink in his plans by doing what you did. Moreno is a great tracker but you literally disappeared for a while. He admitted that Raina’s house was the first place he looked. But when it stayed empty, he had no idea where to go. It wasn’t until he saw the tabloid pictures of you and Jackson that he knew for sure you were in Virginia.”

“You know I almost left the necklace behind that day.”

At Elliot’s puzzled look, she continued “He saw me put it in the drawer of my front hall table the day he gave it to me. Right before the accident. I took it out at the last minute because I was going to the bank. I thought it would be safer in my safe deposit box. If I hadn’t done that, he would have gotten it when he broke into my apartment. None of this would have happened. I would still be in Florida living my life.”

Ridley swiped at her eyes, embarrassed to find that her cheeks were wet. Part of her wished it had happened that way. She’d still have been a victim of identity theft, but at least she wouldn’t have been injured.
 

She wouldn’t have been heartbroken.
 

“Maybe you should go,” Raina said gently. “She shouldn’t be getting upset.”

Elliott started to stand but Ridley grabbed his hand. “No, don’t leave. Please. Just stay and talk for a little while longer. I’ve been stuck in this bed for three days. I’d love to know how everyone is doing. How are your parents?”

“Worried about you. I filled them in on what happened. I think my mom was ready to storm the hospital because she thought you were in here alone.” He turned to Raina. “She didn’t realize you were back in town.”

He pointed to the cluster of flower arrangements that Raina had corralled next to the window. “Anyway, they sent flowers. It’s one of those. Nick sent flowers, too.”

“Hmm. Fat lot of good that does,” Raina muttered.

“Raina! Don’t start anything. Eli saved my life.”

Raina immediately looked chagrined. “I know and I’m so grateful he was there.” She looked at Eli. “If I was the touchy-feely type I would hug you for that. Thank you for saving my sister.”

Eli shrugged but Ridley could tell he was a little embarrassed at the praise. “In all honesty, Ridley saved herself. That was a brave thing you did. You carried it off like a pro, too.”

Ridley snorted. “You were the one who told me what to do. If I hadn’t talked to you on Sunday, I wouldn’t have thought of that on my own. I guess things really do happen for a reason, huh?”

A nurse came in the room then and Elliott moved back so she could get to Ridley’s side. She knew it was necessary but hated the constant poking and prodding. Ever since she’d woken up, it seemed like there was someone there taking her temperature and blood pressure every hour.
 

How the hell was she supposed to get strong enough to leave the hospital when she couldn’t get any sleep? She waited, impatiently, for the nurse to take the temperature bulb out of her mouth before she turned back to Eli.

“So, how’s everyone else?”

“We’re all fine. Mara and Matt came to the hospital afterward but you were in surgery so we told them to come back.”

 
Ridley sighed. “You’re really going to make me ask how he’s doing?”

Elliott looked down at his hands but didn’t say anything else. “I don’t know,” he said finally.

“Eli—”

“Honestly,” he added. “I haven’t talked to him since. None of us have. He won’t talk to us.”

They sat quietly for a few minutes. Raina shifted in her chair,picked up a magazine and held it up in front of her face.

“There’s no point pretending you can’t hear us, Raina. It doesn’t matter.”

Eli tried unsuccessfully to hide his smile. “Oh, before I leave. I have a present for you.” He reached in his jacket again and pulled out another photograph. He held it out to her. She leaned forward and then did a double take.
 

“Hey! That’s him. That’s the guy that was following me at the mall!”

Raina got up and leaned over so she could see the picture. “Are you sure? Who is this?” she asked Elliott.

“That is William Rainier-Ridley. Your father.”

Ridley gaped at him. “What?”

“It appears David wasn’t lying when he said he found your father. Unfortunately, David pretended to be you and blackmailed the guy out of about a hundred thousand before he went underground. That’s why he was following you. He was trying to figure out why his own daughter was blackmailing him.”

“This is too much.” Ridley lay back against the pillows and sighed.
 

“
I know and you don
’
t have to do anything with this information if you don
’
t want to. I just wanted you to have the choice. There’s been enough secrets lately.”
 

Elliot stood and then tapped her on the nose. “By the way, if my idiot brother hasn’t told you, he loves you, Ridley. Now, get better so you can kick his ass personally.”