He represented everything that she aspired to be. He was strong, intelligent, and utterly dedicated to the job.
"I was so worried when I thought you were going to die, after that bomb blast," she said. "I'm so glad you survived. Walking through this hospital brought back all the memories of that time." She let out a long breath, feeling shy and awkward, and also as if her stomach was filled with butterflies.
"I've liked you for years, May. Seriously. Ever since I started here," Owen admitted.
"I've liked you too. For a long time. I didn't realize it. I thought it was just a working relationship until I suddenly knew it wasn’t," May said in a rush, relieved that he'd started the conversation.
"I guess I wanted to tell you, and I've planned out what I wanted to say, but I always worried that it would somehow damage what we had," Owen said.
"I've felt exactly the same way," May said.
They were lying side by side on their beds, facing each other. May felt as if her heart was full.
And then, it seemed like nothing more needed to be said, and May felt herself drift off into a much-needed slumber.
*
In the back of her mind, she heard a voice. A voice she knew, getting louder and more desperate.
Filled with terror and pain, the voice was one she hadn't heard for more than ten years. It was her sister's voice. Lauren's voice.
"May, help me! I've been kept by him for so long! For so long! Please, save me!"
May felt hope and anxiety surge inside her.
"Lauren? It's me, May. I'm here. Where are you, sis?"
Bizarrely, she realized she was back in the underground basement where the safe was located, where she'd been earlier that day, but the room seemed much bigger now. Dark and cavernous, it stretched ahead of her, seemingly infinite. Lauren was in there somewhere! He was hiding her, keeping her, and May had to go into that darkness to find her.
"I'm here! Please, help! He's coming back!" Now Lauren's voice was hoarse with fear, and May broke into a run, her feetstumbling and sliding over junk and debris on the floor, invisible to her in the dark.
All she could hear were her sister's cries.
But then, the terrified voice turned into a laugh. It was a laugh that chilled May to the bone. A man's voice spoke, harsh and implacable, his tone filled with threat.
"You won't find Lauren. There is no Lauren. Not anymore. You'll never get her from me! I'll keep her forever!
"No!" May cried.
Gasping, she plunged forward, only to find herself sitting bolt upright in the break room, breathing hard.
The overhead light was harsh and bright. From outside, through the tiny window, she could hear the faint sounds of birds. The bed where Owen had been sleeping was empty, but just as May processed this fact, feeling confused, the door opened, and her deputy rushed in.
"May, you're awake. That's great! I just went to check on Nurse Keyes."
"And?" May felt filled with hope that they would now get answers, or otherwise, on this suspect.
"And he's awake. The ward nurse says we can speak to him. He has been arguing and protesting, saying the police must go away, that he's not interested in cooperating. Let's go and find out if he can give us an alibi or not."
Filled with hope that Nurse Keyes was giving them some attitude and wondering if her misgivings last night had been wrong, May climbed out of bed, straightened her clothing, and splashed her face with water from the tiny basin.
And then, she rushed out of the room behind Owen, heading for the ward.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
May felt a new surge of energy and determination as she headed to the ICU ward to question the nurse. In fact, her earlier thoughts about his innocence seemed unfounded. The four hours of sleep she'd had might not have been a lot, but they had been enough to get her brain and confidence working again.
Now, her doubts of the previous night seemed flimsy. They were about to be face-to-face with the man who, undoubtedly, was a very strong suspect. This questioning would be critical in determining the next step.