“So Frank falsified evidence and framed Gary Fulmore,” Daniel murmured. “And that’s why he disappeared this week. He said he needed space. He was mourning her.”

Susannah said nothing for a moment, letting her brother think, consider. And she recognized the moment he understood what she had been too stunned to comprehend in Angie’s living room. His eyes flew open and locked on hers, intense and horrified.

“Then Mother knew,” he whispered hoarsely. “She knew Simon was involved in Alex’s sister’s murder. Oh my God, Suze. She knew.”

“If not the murder,” Susannah said quietly, “then at least the rape.”

“I thought that last night,” Luke said quietly, and Susannah twisted to look up at him.

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“You were so hurt. I figured you’d get there on your own when you were ready.”

She held his gaze for another few beats, touched. Then she looked back at Daniel and stiffened her spine. “Daniel, there’s more.”

He stared at her, pale. “More?”

“Yes. Ed found a hair in the bunker office where you were shot. It… The DNA is a close match to yours, consistent with a half- sibling, sharing paternity.” She’d reverted to her just-the-facts prosecutor persona. It was easier that way. “You have a half-sister. Another half-sister, that is. It’s Garth Davis’s wife, Barbara Jean. She goes by Bobby.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “The ‘other’ Granville was talking about before he died.”

Daniel’s mouth opened and closed several times. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Luke said. “Your father had a fling with the wife of the former reverend of your church. Barbara Jean was the product.”

“And she’s… bad, Daniel,” Susannah said. “Evil. She’s killed eleven people, plus ordering the murders of the five girls. She killed Kate Davis, too.”

Daniel’s breathing was fast and shallow. “But why? Why kill Kate?”

“Remember I asked about Rocky?” Luke said. “We thought that was a man. Rocky was Kate Davis, Garth’s sister. Kate was working with Granville and Bobby Davis.”

Daniel looked lost. “But Kate came to us. She told us that whoever was killing the Dutton women last week had sent Garth letters threatening her life. That Garth was afraid to talk because a few years ago Jared O’Brien started to talk about the club and was murdered. We found Mack O’Brien because she came to us. She played us?”

“Like a bad harmonica,” Luke said dryly. “Chase and I were pissed, too.”

“So you need to be careful,” Susannah said urgently. “Bobby’s still out there.”

“That’s why I still have a guard on my door,” Daniel said. “Oh my God. This is…”

“I know,” Susannah murmured. “Insane.”

“I’m glad you told me.” Daniel raked his fingers through his hair. “This answers a lot of questions. I don’t like any of the answers, but as you say, it is what it is. You need to go to a safe house, Suze. For your own safety.”

She’d already considered the option and rejected it. “For how long, Daniel?”

His eyes narrowed at her tone. “Until she’s caught.”

“And if that’s weeks? Months? What if she’s never caught? I’ve lost thirteen years of my life because of Simon and Granville and Bobby. I don’t want to lose any more.”

“You could lose your life,” Daniel said fiercely.

“I’ll take every precaution.”

He looked like he wanted to argue. “Will you at least wear a vest?”

She’d already decided to do so. “Yes. That I will do. And now I’m going to visit Monica Cassidy, and then I’m going to sleep. I have a busy afternoon ahead of me.”

She was at the door when he spoke again, quietly. “Suze. Promise me you won’t take any chances like you did in the Rublonsky trial.”

Eyes wide, she turned. “How did you know about that?”

His blue eyes flickered. “I know every case you’ve prosecuted since you joined the DA’s office. I’ve followed each one.”

Emotion rose to clog her throat. “But…”

“I left you because I thought I was keeping you safe. I couldn’t prove Dad’s underhanded dealings and I didn’t want to drag you under with me. I had no idea you’d already been…” His voice broke and he stopped until he could speak again. “I knew when you graduated second in your class in college. I knew when you started clerking with the DA’s office. I’ve read every decision of every trial you’ve ever prosecuted.”

“I didn’t know,” she said, devastated. “I thought you didn’t care.”

“I never stopped caring about you,” he whispered harshly. “Never. Not for one minute.” His eyes flared, intense, and Susannah couldn’t look away. “So promise me,” he said fiercely. “Promise me you won’t do what you did on the Rublonsky case.”

Her eyes stung and she blinked hard. “I promise. I have to go.”

“I’ll watch over her,” she heard Luke say as she made her way to the elevator.

Luke caught up to her at the elevator. “What happened on the Rublonsky case?”

She kept her eyes fixed on the elevator. “A college girl was gang raped and murdered by men with ties to the Russian mob. I set up an interview with an informant who had names, dates… proof. He wouldn’t come to our office, so I met him outside this bodega. He’d been followed. He was shot standing about a foot away from me.”

“Did you get the information?”

“No, but the cops caught the shooter and we got him to roll on the others.”

“What happened to the informant?”

“He died,” she said, still feeling the immense wave of regret. And guilt.

“You couldn’t have known that would happen.” She said nothing, then heard his sharp intake of breath. “Did you?”

“I… suspected.”

The elevator opened. She stepped in, but he stood still, staring at her. The door started to close and he jumped in, taking her chin between his fingers and forcing her to look up at him. “You made yourself bait,” he said harshly.

She shrugged. “It wasn’t so dramatic as all that. I worried something might happen, so I asked the police to come with me, to protect us both. He was a bad guy, Luke. He was playing both sides of a dangerous game. He’d informed on the mob before.”

“You made yourself bait,” he repeated. “You might have been shot yourself.”

Again she said nothing and he hissed a curse. “You were shot.”

One side of her mouth lifted. “I was wearing a vest. But I was surprised how much it hurt,” she added lightly. “I had one hell of a bruise.”

He closed his eyes, his face grown pale. “Mother of God.”

“I have to admit it scared me, too,” she said. “But we won the case. We were able to get justice for the murdered girl and a dozen new indictments based on the verdict.”

The doors opened and he took her arm, leading her into the waiting room outside ICU. Before she could utter a protest his mouth was on hers, urgent and dark and… scared. He’d been scared, for her. Abruptly he ended the kiss, his breathing strident. “You will not do that again,” he said, his arms coming around to hold her close against him. His heart thundered and she smoothed her hands up his back, soothing.

“All right,” she whispered. “I promise.” She pressed a kiss to his jaw, dark with stubble. “I’m finally getting my life back, Luke. I won’t waste it so foolishly. Now let me go. I need to see Monica before I fall off my feet.”

He loosened his hold, kissing her more gently. “I’m glad,” he whispered.

“What, that I’m exhausted?”

“No. That you’re getting your life back. And that I get to be part of it.”

She lifted her brows, trying for levity even though her pulse was pounding. “That would be assuming facts not in evidence, Agent Papadopoulos.”

He placed his fingertips between her breasts, and every nerve in her body jumped. “Your heart is racing. So either you’re having a heart attack, in which case it’s good we’re in a hospital, or you’re interested.” His brows arched. “Because I’m engaging.”