She almost laughed. “I might not have any choice...”

 “While you’re recovering, check out the hotels in the area. That’s an option. You’d be working alone, not with a lot of other employees. You’d rarely come into contact with guests. Or...wait a second.” She reached into her drawer and began to shuffle through business cards. “This woman has an excellent service—domestic, business, et cetera. But for God’s sake, tell her the truth from the start. And if you need one, I’ll write you a letter of recommendation. You’ve done a good job here in your brief employment.”

 Emma looked down at the card. Riley Kerrigan. Lord, she was everywhere. “Yes, ma’am,” she said. The only advantage she could see was that she wouldn’t have to explain her circumstances.

 “Think things over. Call me with your decision, please.”

 “Yes, ma’am.”

 * * *

 Emma went from Glynnis Carlson’s office to the restroom. She took several deep breaths. Glynnis had been kind. Fair and kind. But Emma had to face facts; people would blame her. If they didn’t blame her as a co-conspirator, they’d blame her for not taking action or for not testifying against Richard. They’d never believe she had nothing to say, nothing to add.

 Keep your head, she told herself. It’s only been six months. This could go on awhile. You knew it wouldn’t be easy, no matter where you went, no matter what you did.

 Then she put the bag holding her soiled work clothes in the trash can. She went to the locker room in the basement where they clocked in and grabbed her jacket. She wasn’t going to wait around for Adam where other employees might pass her on their way to their cars. There was a nice little courtyard behind the emergency room. It was primarily there for those die-hard smokers left in the world, but no one was there at the moment. The sun was shining. It was a beautiful fall afternoon. She sat with her back to the door and talked to herself a little more.

 It’s only been six months. Some of his victims will be angry for the rest of their lives. Many will feel his death wasn’t punishment enough. And there would always be those who believed she had some of that money, that she had a plan, that she was just waiting to emerge like a phoenix, rolling in dough, living the high life. It’s only been six months so don’t cry.

 But silent tears streamed down her cheeks.

 A few minutes had passed when she heard the door behind her open. She heard a little rustling, some footsteps, then a man walked past her. He was carrying a cellophane-wrapped bouquet, hanging down at his side. That was the rustling she’d heard—the cellophane. He walked all the way to the end of the courtyard then turned back toward her. He glanced at her briefly and sat on a bench several feet away and didn’t meet her eyes. He was looking at his knees.

 She gave her eyes a little wipe.

 He looked up. “Bad day?” he asked.

 She nodded. “You?”

 “A little disappointing, but it’ll all work out. What happened to you? You’re a doctor?”

 She shook her head. It was the scrubs, she realized.

 “Ah. Nurse. I guess nurses can have all kinds of bad days.”

 She didn’t respond because it wasn’t required, except that she had this real problem with deception. No one would believe that, of course. She imagined almost everyone thought she was a liar.

 Her cell phone chimed in her pocket. She took it out and saw Adam’s text. “I have to go, my ride is here,” she said. “I hope your day gets better.”

 He actually stood and she realized he was very handsome. Also tall and broad-shouldered. “I hope yours does, too. Here,” he said, holding out the bouquet. “Take these. They’ll go in the trash otherwise.”

 “Can’t you take them home to your wife?”

 “No wife.”

 “Your mother? Daughter? Sister?”

 He smiled, improving his looks even more. “Nah. Here. Enjoy.” She just stood there. “Come on, someone just did something nice for you. Take them.”

 She did. She said thank you. She went to Adam’s SUV in the parking lot and climbed in the passenger seat.

 He eyed the flowers. “Parting gifts?” he asked. And she burst into tears.

    Chapter Six

 Adam knew something was wrong. Something more than “I fell at work.” He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he knew. He stopped on the way to the hospital and picked up a couple of large mocha coffees with heavy cream. When he asked Emma what had happened, there was a lot of incoherent blubbering and he decided it was probably best to drive rather than sit in the parking lot while she emoted. And emoted.

 He picked up a few things—someone had identified her, recognized her, threw a ripe bedpan at her head. There was a lot of whimpering about how she hadn’t known, hadn’t been complicit, everyone thought her a gold digger, a liar. She ended with some incoherent bawling about the disgusting state of her hair, comments that caused his eyes to widen in shock. What did this have to do with hair?

 He found a nice park and pulled into the lot in the shade of a colorful tree. He handed her some tissues and after she’d made use of them, gave her the coffee. And the world slowed down and she began to just talk about it.

 Adam had a feeling he was going to hell for this, but he wanted her to get this issue resolved, in her mind, at least emotionally, because he just couldn’t pursue her the way he’d like to until that happened. She just wasn’t ready. She wasn’t moving on yet. Everything was so unsettled for her. And that had more to do with what Emma thought of herself than the people who might think badly of her.

 “Thank God I ran into you at the burger joint,” she said tearfully. “Just take me home, please, Adam. I didn’t mean to unload on you.”