Chapter 40

Everything seemed like it was happening in slow motion. The trip from the hospital, even with the escort, felt like hours. By the time they arrived at the small house in the little town near Belmont Bay, it looked more like a war zone than a quiet neighborhood in northern Virginia.

The flashing lights of the ambulance and patrol cares cast an eerie glow on the surrounding houses, broken only by the occasional flickering of lightning in the distance. The rain was still falling steadily, but it wasn't the torrential downpour of a few hours ago.

A dark sedan screeched to a halt on the wet pavement, with a cane popping out of the back door just before two feet hit the ground. A tall black man unfolded quickly from the passenger seat, turning to help his still-injured colleague. The two men from the other side were already out and heading to find the officer-in-charge by the time the man in the back stood up.

As D pushed the door shut behind him, Myles scanned the yard, filled with law enforcement and a sprinkling of medical personnel. Please don't let us be too late, he thought, barely noticing how the rain plastered his hair to his head and soaked this clothes.

He couldn't believe this was happening, and it was his fault. At the hospital, the others had been talking about the most recent bombing, but Myles had hardly noticed. His face emotionless, he'd been watching his sister sleep, thankful that they were going to get more time together. But when Jack had mentioned a name from his past that drew his attention and had a sick feeling settling in his stomach.

"Who?" Myles had choked out, grabbing his cane as he pushed himself to his feet. His movement had attracted the others' focus more than his question. After all that had happened, they were surprised when the tall New Englander had suddenly showed interest in their conversation. "Who were you talking about?" he'd reiterated as he came closer, his blue eyes shifting between his co-workers.

"Uh, the drongo that set the bomb today," Bobby had replied uncertainly. "His name is Adam Forrester," he'd added, immediately regretting it when Myles noticeably stiffened.

"Are you okay?" D had questioned, taking a worried step towards him.

"What do we know about him?" Myles had brushed his friend's concern away. It couldn't be the same person, he'd thought, almost praying for a coincidence.

"Myles, you're too close to this," Jack had started, glancing at the woman in the bed a few feet away. "You really shouldn't…"

"None of us should, Jack, but we have," Myles had interrupted harshly, reminding them all that they weren't supposed to be working Carrie's case. "I need to know what you have," he'd demanded sharply.

As they'd explained, Myles began regretting his decision to question them. His worst nightmare had come true and people, those he cared about as well as those he didn't even know, had suffered.

"Jack and Bobby went to find out what they could," D stated needlessly, snapping him back to the present. Myles knew that this was the local law enforcement's jurisdiction until they found concrete evidence liking it to the bombings in DC. Even though this dwelling was essentially his home, they would need permission before they could go inside and find out what happened. Until then, they were just normal bystanders.

While they waited, Myles stared at the house, unable to imagine his life without this place. Or the women I left inside, he sighed, surprising himself at the thought. When did Hannah become so important? he wondered, slightly uncomfortable with the revelation.

As a child, he'd been taught that a person couldn't rely on others for comfort and love. Those lessons lasted well into his adulthood with most of his relationships. That distance had prevented anyone from getting close, even the women he dated. But Ruth was unique.

Even before her son's death, Ruth had been a vital part of his existence that continued even today. Over the years, she'd helped him through some very rough times, such as dealing with his own mortality in that warehouse a few years back. As time passed, he had begun thinking of her as his mom even more than he had his own birth mother. For those reasons and more, she'd been the lone exception to his isolated existence for years.

Myles had to admit that Hannah, however, had taken him completely by surprise, and he didn't know what to make of it. Had it not been for their 'unusual' meeting, he probably wouldn't have paid her much notice. A Texas preacher's daughter wasn't the type of woman he was normally drawn to. His interest generally lay in the more sophisticated, worldly women of his parents' social circle.

Women like Allyson, he thought, cringing at the memory.

The vibrant redhead had been the daughter of one of his father's business associates. While Myles had never really minded his parents' attempts to find him a suitable spouse, this woman had unnerved him from the beginning. Philip and Elizabeth had always been very vocal about their desires for him to return to the family business in New England, and obviously, Allyson had been told of this.

Myles remembered the summons he'd received almost six months ago from his parents to attend a special gala with them in DC. To his chagrin, when he arrived at his parents' hotel, Allyson had been with them, and his proper upbringing made it impossible for him to refuse to escort her.

It had been a relatively uneventful evening, until Myles had taken Allyson home. Pulling up in front of her apartment, he'd gotten out to help her from the car as he normally did for any of his dates. However, from the moment he'd reached into the car, he'd known it was going to be anything but normal.

Obvious to the experienced agent, Allyson had faked a stumble as she got out of the car, practically propelling herself into his arms. With her fingers laced around his neck, she smelled of wine as she tried to entice him to come upstairs for a 'nightcap', but Myles wasn't biting.

Unable to hurt the woman's feelings, and possibly bring down additional wrath from his father, Myles had finally convinced her that he had an early meeting the next morning, and was able to slip away. Unfortunately, he'd soon discovered that he hadn't escaped the obsessive woman's attentions when Lucy announced the next morning that Allyson had already called three times before he came in at eight.

This pattern continued every day for the rest of that week and the next, with Lucy begrudgingly fielding her calls.

So what makes Hannah different? Myles asked himself, but wasn't able to begin analyzing those thoughts before he heard his name being called. Blinking as he cleared his thoughts, his heart dropped when he met Jack's grim gaze.

"Hannah's in the ambulance with Ms. Bergeron," the dark-haired agent stated simply, frowning deeply through the rain.

Myles felt the blood rush from his head, and he swayed slightly on his feet. Both Jack and D reached out to steady him, but he shrugged them off defiantly as he headed across the yard to the ambulance.

His cane slipped a few times on the wet grass, but it didn't slow him down. I can't lose them, he swore, expertly schooling his features so that no one would witness his inner turmoil.

Approaching the ambulance from the side, Myles couldn't see inside, but tried to prepare himself for the worst. Hearing Jack and D behind him, he desperately wished they'd give him some room. He didn't want to risk breaking down in front of his co-workers, but his firm glare in their direction when he skirted the opened doors was his only objection.

Taking a deep breath, Myles peeked around the door into the back of the ambulance, stopping short, unable to believe what he saw. Ruth was sitting next to Bobby on the padded bench along one side, while Hannah lazily occupied the stretcher. All three of them were talking and laughing as if nothing had happened.

In fact, if not for the smear of blood across the front of Hannah's t-shirt, Myles would have thought he'd dreamt it all. However, the look he received when Ruth looked in his direction told him it was all too real.

"Myles is here," the old woman whispered, distinctly for Hannah's benefit.

His concerned blue eyes snapped to the animated brunette, only to be disappointed as he watched the smile disappear from her face at the mention of his name.