CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
Paige went with her mom to the hospital to get her checked out, sitting by her bedside as a young doctor looked her over. Paige kept one eye on the door, because she was pretty sure that there would be journalists here sooner or later, trying to get the full story of what had gone on.
“You seem to be physically ok, Mrs. King,” the doctor said, taking a step back from Paige’s mother. “You have some bruises, and I imagine you will be sore for several days to come, but I don’t believe that you have suffered any major injuries. I’d like to keep you in for an hour or two for further observation, but after that, you should be free to go. I can put you in touch with a counselor if you would like.”
“No, thank you,” her mother replied, but that had always been her way. Even while Paige had been seeing a therapist about her father’s death, her mother had never spoken to anyone about it all.
The doctor left, which meant that Paige and her mother were alone in the room together, Paige sitting by the side of her mother’s bed and staring at her.
“I heard the things that man said,” her mother said after a while. There were tears at the corners of her eyes. “About what happened with Jeremy. About how I failed you with him.”
“Mom, he was wrong,” Paige said, putting a hand over her mother’s.
Her mother shook her head, though. “No, sweetheart, he wasn’t. I should have done more. I should have seen what kind of man Jeremy was. I should have protected you. Every time I see you, I think about how I should have found a way to keep you safe.”
“Mom, it isn’t your fault,” Paige said. She meant it, too. If Adam had done anything for her, it was this: he’d made her confront what she actually felt about her mother. “You’re the one who got me out of there. You’re the one who believed me, and who gave up everything to keep me safe. You did your best, Mom.”
They were both crying now, and Paige held onto her mother’s hand until the tears stopped.
“I should come over to visit you soon,” Paige said. How long had it been since she’d last visited? Months, at least.
“I’d like that,” her mother replied.
Paige was surprised to find that she liked the idea too. She might even have stayed there by her mother’s bedside if it weren’t for the fact that she could see Christopher approaching down the hall. She’d thought that the FBI agent would go with Adam, and she wouldn’t see him again, but here he was.
Paige stood. “Sorry, Mom, it looks like I need to talk to Agent Marriott. I need to step outside, but I won’t be long.”
She meant it. She’d almost lost her mother and spent the last few years without much contact. It was time to make up for lost time.
For now, though, she went out to meet Christopher in the hall.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Paige said.
“Well, someone has to take statements from you and your mother about what happened,” Christopher said. “And there are plenty of journalists trying to get in, so someone has to keep them back, and… well, I wanted to tell you that you did a great job, Paige. You’d make an excellent profiler.”
“I don’t know about that,” Paige replied. “People died because I didn’t understand what Adam was doing quickly enough.”
“And more would have if you weren’t the one to work out what was really happening. Take the compliment, Paige.”
Paige did her best. It helped that it was coming from Christopher.
“What are your bosses saying about you giving me your gun?” Paige asked.
“For the moment, they aren’t asking too many questions. The situation played out well, and the only person hurt is a guy who probably deserves a lot worse.”
He did, but Paige hadn’t deserved to have to be the one who did it. She hadn’t left Adam alive for his sake, but for her own.
“Have you thought about what you’ll do next?” Christopher asked.
Paige shrugged. “I think I’ve had enough excitement for a while. I’m going to go home and finish my thesis. I guess there are going to be some parts of it I’ll need to rework.”
“Maybe,” Christopher said. “On the other hand, I’m pretty sure that catching Riker counts as proof that at least some of what you’re thinking about him is on the right lines.”
Paige hoped so.
“It was good working with you, Agent Marriott,” she said.
“You too, Ms. King. And maybe next time I see you, it will be Doctor King.”