Page 66 of Deathtoll

“Boys or girls?”

“One of each.”

“How old?”

“Six and seven.” He dropped his head back and stared at the roof of the car to hide the moisture that was gathering in his eyes. “I want to be back with them. I want that more than I want anything in life.”

Motivated.

“You follow the treatment plan,” Kate told him, “and there’s a very good chance of you seeing them again. And, in the meanwhile, even the restricted facility we work with allows visitors.”

His gaze snapped back to her, some of the misery slipping from his face. He was close to breathless as he asked, “For real?”

“Have I lied to you yet?”

“Wish I could just stay at Hope Hill.”

“I’ll set that up with the VA while you start getting better at the first facility. Then as soon as you’re discharged there, you’re coming to us. I’m going to make it my personal mission to make that happen. I hope to meet your daughter and your son. Why don’t you tell me about them?”

“Matty is mini-me.” Ian came close to smiling. “Paige is a little princess. All pink all the time. Bicycle, toy ponies, clothes…pink and sparkles. Wants to have her ears pierced.” His forehead smoothed out. Memories of better times clearly made him happy. They were at the station long before he ran out of stories.

Maria wasn’t there waiting for them, but she pulled in thirty seconds later—in her silver, sporty, little BMW—like a Formula-1 driver into a pit stop. She jumped out, in silver stilettos that matched the car.

Joe raised an eyebrow at her.

She flashed an angelic smile. “Traffic was light.”

Joe shook his head and led Ian toward the entrance by the elbow.

Ian looked at Kate over his shoulder, the tension back on his face, eyes and mouth tight. “You said you’d come in.”

“Right behind you. Just give me a second to catch Maria up.”

As the men walked through the door, Kate stayed behind with the psychiatrist. “Thanks for taking this on at short notice.”

“I want to do what I can. Probably not much, right here, right now, but when we eventually get him, if we get him… Was he aggressive again today?”

“Not at all. Just unsure. He wants help, but he’s scared.” Kate caught Maria up on everything she knew about Ian, finishing with “I’d like it very much if he ended up with us. I think a place like Hope Hill would be beneficial to him. For some reason, he trusts me. I don’t want to let him down.”

“All right. Let’s talk again after I check him out.” Maria reached for the door and held it open.

Kate looked pointedly at her friend’s shoes as she passed through. “Another hot date?”

“Third date, same guy.” Maria walked in behind her, then they stopped, because Ian was still being processed at the front desk.

“It’s refreshing,” Maria said. “Half the time when I meet someone, as soon as they find out what I do for a living, every date turns into a free therapy session. It’s all about how they got messed up when they were kids. Or they just want to talk about how certifiably crazy their exes were.”

“Like the guy who wanted you to write a letter to his ex-girlfriend’s employer to certify that she’s a psychopath?”

“Like that and worse.” Maria made an eloquent warding-off motion with her hand, as if erasing the memory. “Anyway. This guy is a psychologist like me. First date, first ground rule was that we’re not going to talk shop when we’re together.”

“This guy?You’re ever going to tell me his name?”

“Maybe. Someday. Still don’t want to jinx it.” Maria tilted her head. “Heard from Emma yet?”

Kate pulled out her phone. “No.”

Zero messages. She was about to call again when Joe stepped away from the front desk and led Ian to the interview room in the back. Kate put away her phone and followed with Maria.