Prologue
Chester Mental Health Center
The putty-colored walls and wired glass windows often reminded Aiden of a different maximum security facility and Langley. But Aiden no longer tensed at the clicking of the locks as he was let into the A block of cells. Chester's most dangerous and unstable patients were kept in the A block, but Aiden was more impatient than usual as he followed a male orderly. The orderly was wearing bright turquoise scrubs. The color was amplified by the corridor's blandness and the fluorescent lights overhead, making his scrubs glow like neon. The bright color was intended to liven up the dreary atmosphere, but it made Aiden's eyes and head ache, so he watched the old linoleum floor in front of his sneakers.
Keira waved as soon as she saw Aiden through the windows and was bouncing on her toes as he was let into the visiting room. A wall of Plexiglas divided the space and a chair had been left by the door for Aiden. The cheerful quilt and bedding were from Paul and Aiden and Lane had been able to provide soft rugs, throws, and small pillows to make the stark gray cell on the other side less dismal.
She had also been allowed to tape up several of her pastel drawings and Aiden was pleased to see cheerful landscapes and dogs. In the beginning, there were pictures of Lavender and Aiden. And while there was nothing overtly disturbing about them, Aiden still found the likenesses unsettling. Keira was an immensely gifted artist and the portraits she rendered were so true to the subjects, that one would wonder if Lavender or Aiden had posed for hours. The mood was intimate and the details lifelike, but the eyes were blank and empty.
"This is a lovely surprise!" Keira said. She looked behind Aiden, then raised a brow.
"Lane's hanging out in the car with a book for a while. I wanted a little time alone with you and he's only got a few chapters left."
"Oh? Am I in trouble?" She asked cheekily and he laughed softly.
"Not at all. Everyone says you're doing great. I felt like getting out of town for the weekend, so I asked Lane if we could see you. We're staying with Denver and Ezra tonight. I'll come back and see you for a few hours before we head back tomorrow," he told Keira. Her eyes lit up and her smile was even bigger. She giggled, making Aiden feel a burst of warmth in the center of his chest.Thatwas why Aiden had asked Lane to drive him to Chester. It was six hours each way, but Aiden would have traveled for six days to put a smile on her face.
"I would have drawn something for you if I had known, but I am so happy you came."
"I love your pictures but this is enough." It was better than being confused and restless at home. He hadn't left the guilt and dread in Lake Cliff as he had hoped, but he'd made Keira smile.
"You look good. I like how you're wearing your hair." Aiden waved at it vaguely. He didn't know anything about current hair trends or the names of hairstyles, but Keira had let her dark waves grow out. Her hair looked clean and like she was brushing it regularly. "I hear you've been more accommodating and less destructive during group sessions. I'm pleased, but I'm concerned that you're on your best behavior because you want to impress Agent Summers," he said carefully, not wanting to upset her. A sly smile curved her lips. Keira clasped her hands in front of her as she twirled from side to side.
"Wade."She widened her eyes at Aiden suggestively, making him even warier. He suspected that she was confirming his concerns. Paul had taken himself out of Keira's orbit--in an official capacity--due to their relationship. He had hand-picked an agent from the Chicago field office named Wade Summers, but Aiden had concerns almost immediately. The younger man was brilliant and had potential, but he wasyoungand struck Aiden as a bit meek and too quick to please. His methods were a bit unorthodox and Aiden had concerns about Summers's ability to maintain boundaries with a subject as manipulative as Keira. "I like hima lot."
Damn it."Has he said or done anything inappropriate?" Aiden asked, and she snorted, giving her head a quick shake. She let out a little growl, sounding annoyed.
"As if he could with all of this," she complained as she gestured at the cell around her and the barrier between them. "I truly wish he would, but Wade's too...decentand ethical," she said. Her tone implied that she was disappointed and possibly irritated.
"But you like him?" Aiden said, his brow furrowing as he shoved his fists into his hoodie and rested his shoulder against the glass.
She shrugged. "I'd like him a lot more if I wasn't stuck in here."
"Keira."
"I know,Aiden. It's better foreveryoneif I'm...here. But he doesn't treat me like I'm a monster or a specimen. He treats me like...we just met on the train or at a cafe and noticed we were reading the same book."
"Is it a book about torturing and murdering people?" He asked.
She snickered and touched the glass, "booping" his nose. "No, silly. It's something smart, but not too pretentious. Probably a classic, likePride And Prejudice."
"I enjoyed that," Aiden noted.
"Did you? I've had it on my TBR for years!" She fell against the glass so their faces were just inches apart. Their shoulders would have touched if it weren't for the barrier. Aiden wished he could put an arm around her and tell her thatshewas the silly one.
"I'll bring it next time. Please don't play games with Agent Summers. You could get him in trouble. Or he could get hurt," he added, hoping she might care enough about him to behave.
"You don't have to worry. I want to help Wade and I'd never let him come to any harm," she said, then waved it off. "Tell me why you're really worried."
"How do you know I'm worried?"
"Your cuticles are a mess because you've been chewing on your nails. And you don't want to sit down because your knee is bothering you. You've been pacing. All those tight turns are hell on the old joints," she said and raised a brow, daring him to deny it.
He chuckled but it faded into a heavy sigh. "Declan Leary is in danger."
"Remind me: do we like him?" She asked, her eyes narrowing at Aiden. He nodded as he stared at her shoulder. She was wearing the gray cardigan Lane had given her their first Christmas together. It was thick and chunky, with red heart patches on the elbows. Red was Keira's favorite color and Aiden liked that she wore the cardigan almost every time they visited her.
"We do," he stated with an emphatic nod. "Frank Leary had enemies and there are people who think he owed them money or...his blood. And there are people who have questions about how Mickey Winterstone died and want to blame Declan because Frank's gone."