They were at the top of the stairs. Kerry stopped and regarded them both, then she pulled them into a hug. “I miss you guys, too. I’ve hated losing that part of my life.” She swallowed back tears.


Thicker Than Water 153

They stood blocking the landing in a clump for a long moment, then they all released each other and exchanged glances.

Angie pursed her lips and put a hand on Kerry’s cheek. “Get some rest, sis.”

“Thanks. You too.” Kerry managed a smile, then walked away.

THE RINGING OF the cell phone made her jump. Dar turned from where she’d been standing at the window watching the odd snow fall and went to the side table. She picked up the phone, opened it, and checked the caller id before she put it to her ear.

“Evening, Alastair.”

Alastair released a long breath before he spoke, and that alone put ice cubes in her gut again. “Evening, Dar. How’s everything there?”

“Sucks,” Dar replied succinctly. “Her family sucks, my shoulder sucks; about the only good thing I can say is that her damn father’s dead.”

“Saw the news. They sure put a show on there, eh?”

“Jackasses. I had the Wall Street Journal sniffing at me about those damn contracts. I sent them to Ham.”

“Good thought. Guess they wanted a sound bite.”

“Guess they wanted me to admit I was glad he was dead.”

Alastair remained silent briefly. “Ah. Well, then, I’m sorry it has to be me to add more misery to your night, Dar, but this call couldn’t wait.”

Dar sighed. “Now what?” Her mind ran over the possibilities and she didn’t like any of them.

“Just got off the phone with the general,” Alastair said. “It’s gotten public that Stuart had that information.”

Dar’s eyes closed. “How did that happen?”

“Someone told someone, who told someone else. You know how it is.”

“Shit.”

“Mm.” Alastair sounded more resigned than upset. “I’d say that describes this entire situation to a T. But regardless, the deal’s off if that stuff’s still out there, and apparently the general’s heard it is.”

Dar was silent, her eyes focused on the soft pastel wall opposite her. “Well, it’s there somewhere, since I gave it to him and I doubt he burned it. Want my resignation in person or via a letter?

I can’t change what I did.” Her throat caught a little on the words.

“I’m not even sure I could say I’d do it any differently, even now.”

Alastair absorbed her statement in pensive quiet. “Any 154 Melissa Good chance you could get those papers back? I mean, you’re right there, Dar. I’m sure he kept them close. If those were recovered, the general said he’d be all right, I think.”

“He probably made copies.”

“Dar, don’t make it more complicated than it is,” Alastair said. “If he said he’d be satisfied with the damn papers, then let’s give them to him, all right?”

She accepted the fact that he hadn’t rejected her offer of resignation with a curious sense of personal loss, mixed with a rueful pride that at the very least, she’d done it her way. “I doubt I could find them, Alastair. People are crawling all over this place. I’m sure my rummaging through his office won’t be a viable option.”

“I see.” Alastair sighed. “Well, tell you what, Dar. Why don’t you come see me after this whole thing is over, hm? Just let Bea know when you’re headed out.”

Dar’s chest tightened. “Okay.” She managed to keep her voice even. “I will.”

“Goodnight, Dar. Take care.” Alastair’s tone gentled. “And give Kerrison my sympathies, too, hm? She looked a bit put upon on the tube.”

“Okay. I will. Thanks, Alastair.” Dar closed the phone and stared at it, then she simply shook her head and tossed it onto the table. Now what? She’d thought they were okay, and now…

Well, hell. “Screw it. Screw them, screw Gerry, screw it all.

This is one damned decision I refuse to regret,” she announced to the uncaring green walls. “All of them can kiss my ass.”

She walked to the window and watched the damn snow fall as she waited, trying to dismiss the conversation from her mind.

Kerry didn’t need to deal with all this now. Neither of them needed to. They’d get out of there, and go home and then…

There’d be plenty of time for them to think about it later.

KERRY TRUDGED DOWN the hallway and reached the door to their room with a sense of definite, finely drawn relief. She turned the knob and poked her head inside, finding pale blue eyes alertly watching her from the bed. “Hey.” She entered and closed the door, then leaned against it. Dar was sprawled on one side of the plush, canopied bed, her laptop resting on her thighs and her dark hair in appealing disarray.

“Hey,” Dar replied. “I was about to come looking for you.”

Kerry had to smile. “Like that?” She indicated her lover’s state of undress.

“Mmhm.” Dar nodded. “Barefoot and all. I figured I couldn’t possibly attract any more attention than I already had today, so Thicker Than Water 155

what the hell?” She held out a hand. “C’mere.”

Kerry shed her shoes on the way to the bed as Dar shifted the laptop, and they somehow ended up in a warm tangle of limbs and bedding in the middle of the comforter.

“Uhrg,” Kerry groaned.

Dar pulled her closer and rubbed her back with her fingertips. “Kerry, Kerry, Kerry,” she murmured on a breath. “It’s over, sweetheart. It’s over and done with.”

Kerry kept her eyes closed and went almost limp, just absorbing the feel and scent of her lover. “We’re leaving in the morning.

We’re going back to the hotel, getting Mom and Dad, going to the airport, and getting on the first plane larger than a crop duster headed south.”

Dar smiled faintly. “You got it.”

“And I’m never coming back here again,” Kerry whispered.

“Ever.”

Dar just hugged her closer.

“Ker?”

“Mm?”

“You want to take that dress off?”

“No. Do you?”

Dar studied the figure curled up in her arms, her face buried into Dar’s nightshirt. “Well,” she smoothed Kerry’s hair a bit,

“normally I’d jump at the chance, but I’m kinda handicapped on that side.”

Kerry slowly lifted her head, her eyebrows scrunching together as she blinked in the dim light. “Oh, damn. I’m sorry.”

She peered at Dar’s chest. “Why didn’t you say something? I must have been killing you.”

“Nah.” Dar shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt when you press there.” She patted the front of her shoulder. “Only when I lift my arm up.”

“Mmph.” Kerry raked her hair back out of her eyes, rolled onto her side, and gazed down at her now rumpled clothing with a look of sleepy displeasure. “Yeah, I guess I’d better. Damn thing’s uncomfortable as heck anyway.” She squirmed off the bed and stood up, then unzipped the back of her dress and pulled it over her head.

Dar merely sat back, enjoying the view. Kerry had a gorgeous back, a cute little V shape that sloped cleanly down from her compact, but smoothly muscular shoulders, then flared lightly through her slim hips and powerful, lean legs. She had a faint golden tan, and the low lamplight caused shadows to form across her skin as the muscles moved visibly under it.

She could see tension there, too, though. “Aspirin’s in the 156 Melissa Good right front pocket of my bag, if you want.”

Kerry paused in the act of pulling on her Tweety T-shirt. “Did you take your drugs?”

Dar nodded. “Oh yeah.”

Kerry finished pulling down the soft cotton fabric, then fished the bottle of aspirin out of Dar’s bag, along with her bottle of water. “Did I ever mention how much I love how prepared you always are?” She swallowed a few tablets and took a sip of the water. “How did everything work out with the lines in Chicago?”

Dar grimaced. “Maybe we should change planes there tomorrow instead of Detroit, so I can go and kick that bastard’s ass in person.”

Kerry smiled as she trudged back to the bed and climbed back into it. “No, sweetie. You’re going back to Miami with me, and right to Dr. Steve’s.” She laid a finger on Dar’s nose. “He’s going to spank you.”

Pale blue eyes mildly regarded her. “All right, but you’re coming with me. While he’s taking pictures of my insides, he can run some tests on yours.”

Kerry took a breath, obviously caught by surprise. “I don’t think I…”

Dar lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

Kerry sighed, dropping her gaze, then she returned the smile.

“Okay.” She crawled over Dar’s body and nudged her to the left.

“Move over. I don’t want to take chances.” She waited for Dar to comply, then snuggled against her lover’s right side and put her head on her shoulder.

Dar gently massaged the tight muscles in Kerry’s back. A warm puff of air penetrated the fabric on her chest, and she glanced down to see a somber, bleak expression on Kerry’s face.

“Hey.”

Kerry blinked, and a few tears rolled down her cheek to soak Dar’s shirt. “I’m so tired,” she breathed. “My soul hurts, Dar.

Those people trampled all over it.”

At a loss for words, Dar relied on touch instead. She pulled Kerry closer and cuddled with her, wincing as she brought her other arm over to stroke Kerry’s face with light fingertips, catching the tears that continued to fall and brushing them aside.

“Don’t let them get to you, Ker,” she finally said, very softly.

“They’re just assholes.”

Kerry drew in a shaky breath and sniffled. “I know. I just feel like I spent the day as an archery target.” She spread one hand out flat against Dar’s stomach and absorbed the warmth of her skin as it moved with Dar’s breathing. “I feel as bruised as you look.”