Una Nuova Famiglia Ch. 04

She never returned to her apartment after that day. Instead, Shane arranged to have her things brought to the Long Island house. Much to her surprise, Shane put her upstairs in a massive bedroom on the third floor, one floor above Shane's bedroom. She was pleased all of her furniture fit into the space. In fact, she realized, the bedroom was bigger than her entire one-bedroom apartment. And the bathroom was twice as large. Needless to say, she was content with her new home, although she was more than a little perturbed that Shane had not asked her to move into the master bedroom.

She took that to mean Shane was still furious with her. It had been five days and Shane, other than making sure she was settled in the house, barely spoke to her. Damien drove her to and from work. Ronnie babysat her any other time. And, to be honest, she was feeling quite lonely in the new space. It gave her plenty of time to work on some revisions to the curriculum, but she was certain she would slowly go nuts if Shane didn't forgive her soon.

She was reading in the den one evening when the doorbell rang. She loved Shane's den. It was fully equipped with the latest computer equipment. The furniture was dark, lush and leather. The colors were bold, yet warm and inviting. There was a huge flat television against one wall and an excellent oil painting on another. The room smelled of Shane's cigars. So, it was in this room that she spent most of her time, the room that reminded her most of Shane.

She stood from her comfortable position to watch one of the relatively invisible servants open the front door. Shane was already in the foyer, a cigar between her lips. Raegan was surprised to see who was on the other side of the door.

She remembered the young, attractive, cinnamon colored woman from the restaurant. Her name was Pam. She realized Shane looked a little surprised as well, but invited her in nonetheless. They made their way to the den. Raegan began to gather her things to beat a hasty retreat, but Shane shook her head, indicating she should stay. Reagan cleared her throat.

"Hi, I'm Raegan."

The woman nodded, shaking the hand Raegan extended.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Whiskey." Her voice was husky, thick with a Spanish accent.

Raegan nodded, making her way to the bar. She also fixed Cognac for Shane and vodka for herself. The two women were seated on sofas across from one another. She resumed her spot in an armchair, watching the two women size each other up as they sipped at their tumblers.

"Chino was released yesterday. I came to thank you."

Shane raised a brow, watching the woman carefully. They both knew a personal visit was hardly necessary since Chino's release also made things easier for Shane. So Shane simply waited.

"Of course, that is not why I am here."

Shane relit her cigar, puffing at it as she continued to wait, the aroma easing Raegan's nerves a little.

"Someone approached me, working with the feds. Chino wanted me to tell you in person. Our phones are tapped."

The words hung between them and Raegan almost stopped breathing. 'Please God, don't let it be Reese,' she prayed silently.

"Who?" Shane asked calmly, but Raegan saw the steel in her eyes.

Pam sipped at the golden brown liquid in her glass again. "The woman in our meeting. Your second."

Raegan was amazed that Shane's face did not register the shock she must have felt, but she could see the subtle sign of Shane's fingers tightening around the glass just a little. Karin? Karin was working with the FBI? The two women faced one another for a moment longer before Pam finished her drink and stood.

"We are even now. You returned Chino to me and I shared this information with you."

She left the den abruptly and Raegan stood to follow her to the front door. After watching Pam disappear into a waiting Town Car, she made her way back to the den. Shane was still sitting where Raegan had left her, her eyes closed, her breathing seemingly relaxed. She brought the glass to her lips, finished the rich, smooth liquid, and then threw the glass across the room. It smashed into the large, flat television, cracking the screen. Raegan remained frozen until Shane turned to her.

"Upstairs."

She wanted to ask questions, wanted to know what Shane planned to do, but she thought it wiser to wait. She turned, making her way upstairs without saying a word.

*

She was pacing frantically. She wanted to call Ronnie, wanted to find out if it was true…but something told her to just wait. How much of a threat was Karin to Shane? If Pam was telling the truth, Karin could probably bury Shane. She wished she had allowed Shane to kill her before, then winced at the thought.

She was only a little startled by a knock on her door an hour later. She hurried to open it, relieved to see Shane on the other side. She wasn't happy at the tension she noticed around Shane's mouth. She stepped back to let Shane in, but Shane shook her head.

"I'm headed out. Take a few days off from work."

"Shane—"

She recognized the ice in those hazel-green eyes. And considering she had already caused enough trouble, she wouldn't push Shane to confide in her at the moment. So she swallowed what she really wanted to say and mumbled, "be careful."

Shane simply turned and left. Raegan followed her into the corridor and watched her depart. She shook her head. Maybe Karin's betrayal would provide Shane with the incentive she needed to get out of this life. Either that or it would get Shane caught…or killed. It was this final thought she absolutely could not live with.

*

She waited another hour, deliberating, hesitating, pondering. She had to do something about this situation before it was too late. Maybe she could reason with Shane? Help her strategize? Give her options? No matter what, she decided, she had to get to Shane before Shane found Karin.

She'd changed into a pair of jeans and a sweater and was making her way to the front door when Ronnie's deep voice stopped her.

"Where—"

"What are you doing here?" She cut Ronnie off, "why aren't you with Shane?"

"Why would I be?"

Raegan's pulse quickened just a beat, "she didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Fuck. Let's go, I'll tell you on the way."

It was a jumbled, incoherent mess, filled with mixed emotions and intense fear, but she filled Ronnie in as they drove toward the city.

"Would this woman from the Crips lie to Shane?" It was Raegan's final hope.

"No." Ronnie assured her.

Raegan closed her eyes. That's what she'd feared. "Okay, so where do we find Karin?"

"Karin's not a fucking idiot. She's underground by now. Or with the Feds."

"How would Shane find her?"

Ronnie was silent for a moment, dodging cars on the LIE. "She'd go to her office, start making calls from the secure line there."

Raegan nodded, "okay, let's head there."

"Where the fuck do you think I'm going?"

Raegan didn't respond, shaking off the nerves that threatened to overtake her. She had to be calm about this if she wanted to talk some sense into Shane. Perhaps there was a way to placate Karin, set her up in another city with some start money, allow her to tap into Shane's resources if need be? But she needed to get to Shane before Shane found Karin. Karin had betrayed Shane and Raegan couldn't trust Shane to be reasonable about that. How much had she told the FBI? How close were they to Shane? Was it enough to put her behind bars or did they want her on death row? Raegan shuddered at the thought. Of course, all of this could be a set up and Shane could be walking into a trap. That thought frightened her more.

She was amazed that they didn't get pulled over for speeding, releasing a breath when Ronnie finally pulled up to what looked like a deserted warehouse in downtown Manhattan. Ronnie parked illegally and hurried to open Raegan's door, looking around with her hand on the butt of her weapon. Raegan followed her into the building, wondering if Shane was really in this run-down, darkened place. She hoped they weren't wasting time, but if anyone knew where Shane was, it was Ronnie.

The office door was locked and Raegan noticed the look of surprise on Ronnie's face before Ronnie pulled a small kit from her jacket pocket and knelt down to work on the lock. It only took a few seconds but it felt like hours. Then, suddenly, as the door swung open, Raegan was afraid to follow Ronnie inside, terrified of what she might find. But she took a deep breath and walked in, plowing directly into Ronnie's back as the tall, muscled woman stopped short. She stepped to the side and actually felt her heart stop.

She saw Damien first, inches from Shane, sprawled out on the floor, a crimson puddle beneath his head. His eyes were wide, staring blankly up at the ceiling. There was a gaping hole in his forehead. It was only the second time she'd seen death, but she knew its face now. Shane's body was beside his, face down, a much larger crimson puddle beneath her. It took a moment for Raegan to compel her legs to move. Ronnie was already beside her boss, checking for a pulse.

"It's there but it's weak."

"Jesus. Jesus Christ. My God." She could feel panic rising and swallowed it down. "We need to get her out of here."

Raegan watched as Ronnie shifted as if to lift her.

"No," Raegan stopped her, "don't move her. Call someone. Ah, uh, someone who owes her a favor. There can't be any records."

She could see the hesitation on Ronnie's face.

"God damnit, do it Ronnie!"

The bark got the result she wanted and Ronnie was on her cell phone seconds later. Raegan leaned over Shane's body, turning her head just a bit so that Shane could get some air. She stroked a hand over Shane's cheek and leaned in closer.

"Damn you, don't you leave me." She pleaded in a fierce whisper.

She listened to Ronnie's voice as she barked commands into the phone, stroking Shane's cheek and rubbing her back lightly. She refused to think Shane was dying. Refused to believe it. The faint pulse was enough to give her hope. Ronnie turned to her when she was off the phone.

"Ten minutes."

"What's the doctor's name?"

"Leila Brown."

"Okay, you go. I'll wait."

Ronnie raised a brow.

Raegan looked up from the slight rise and fall of Shane's back, her dark eyes fierce, her face tight, "find her Ronnie. Go."

She refused to think about Karin right now. Not with Shane lying on the floor of her office, dying, and Damien already gone. What happened to Karin was beyond her control. She sat on the floor beside Shane, reaching out to caress her cheek again, just needing to touch her.

"God damn you Shane, don't you leave me."

*

She didn't know how long it took the doctor to arrive, but it seemed like forever. Raegan stood at the sound of approaching footsteps, wiping tears from her cheeks, surprised at the young white woman with red hair and intense green eyes approaching her. There were two men behind her and the typical equipment Emergency Medical Technicians carried. The woman held a traditional black medical bag in her hand as she hurried over to Shane.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. We found her like this. She's still breathing."

Leila Brown nodded. Raegan watched in silence as the woman quickly examined Shane and then looked over at the men waiting behind her.

"Help me turn her over. Nice and easy."

Her clothes were soaked through with blood, her face pale, her eyes closed. Raegan took a few steps back as her stomach churned, but she kept her eyes on the barely noticeable rise and fall of Shane's chest. She watched as they worked on her, stabilized her, did whatever they were supposed to do for her. Then she was being strapped onto a gurney.

"We'll take her to St. Luke's."

"No. Out of state. And no records."

The woman shook her head, "I can't do it. She won't make it. But I'll register her as Jane Doe. Hopefully no one will recognize her."

They were walking quickly, following the EMTs to the exit. Raegan grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop. "Out of state. Make it happen. I don't want her in a New York City hospital. Someone just tried to kill her for God's sake."

"She's not strong enough for the ride—"

"She'll make it. Just do it."

"Now just wait a fucking minute, who the hell—"

"Raegan Vincent. And that's my fiancée you're putting in that ambulance, so do what I say." She climbed into the ambulance and made herself as comfortable as possible as the doors slammed shut.

*****

Four bullet wounds. Three were superficial, thank goodness. The other? Lodged in the stomach. They weren't worried about the wounds or the damage to the organ. They were worried about the loss of blood…and the fact that Shane had not yet regained consciousness.

They were in Philadelphia. Shane had a private room and the name on all her files read Jane Doe. Raegan had also seen to it that there were two armed men outside of Shane's room, thanks to Chino. Now there was nothing to do but wait. It had been thirty-six hours. Raegan couldn't sleep and refused to leave the hospital room. She hadn't heard from Ronnie and wasn't sure when she would. She'd called the school and told the principal she'd be out indefinitely. She ignored the calls from Reese and her mother. Right now she had to stay focused on Shane.

She was trying to watch an inane sitcom, trying to distract herself, when she thought she heard a faint sound from the bed. She turned to Shane, her exhausted eyes staring at Shane for a long moment, but when she didn't notice a change she realized she must have been hearing things. She'd turned back to the idiotic sitcom when the raw, throaty warmth of Shane's voice washed over her.

"Tell me that bitch is dead."

Raegan switched off the television and hurried to her side.

"Shane? Baby?"

She waited, holding her breath, until an eyelid fluttered and a hazel-green eye, cool and clear as ever, took her in.

"Hey Beautiful."

Raegan smiled, her body relaxing for the first time in hours, her eyes filling with hot, salty tears. "Oh God, oh God. Thank God. I'm so sorry Shane. I'm so sorry I fucked up with Reese."

Shane shook her head, grimacing, "fuck it."

Raegan rested her forehead on the bed beside Shane, trying to control the sobs that wanted to consume her. When she looked up, there were tears silently coursing down her cheeks.

"Karin?" Shane demanded huskily.

"Ronnie's looking."

Raegan watched as Shane took a shallow breath, trying to clear her throat. Raegan reached for a cup of ice water near the bed and held it as Shane sipped.

"Damien?"

Raegan shook her head sadly.

Shane closed her eyes for a moment, silent.

"Let me get the doctor."

"No. Wait…" Shane took in another breath, opening those piercing hazel-green eyes to take Raegan in. "Let me look at you for a sec."

The words warmed her and when her eyes met both those beautifully intense hazel-green eyes, she felt relief flood through her. Shane was still with her. Shane would be okay. Raegan took hold of Shane's hand, squeezing it tightly.

"God, you scared me." Raegan's hand was trembling as she held on tight.

Shane smirked, "really?"

Raegan smiled, "don't joke," she scolded gently. "You're so fucking stubborn. Why didn't you take Ronnie with you?"

"If I had, she'd be dead."

The smile faded from Reagan's lips as she realized Shane was probably right.

*

Raegan had her moved three days later to a small, remote, upscale bed and breakfast in a suburb of Philadelphia. She hired two nurses to care for Shane round the clock and called on Pam, or Chino actually, to supply well armed bodies to protect her. There'd been little news from Ronnie. The only good news they'd had was the news reports that Shane had been killed. Raegan clipped the many articles about her partner's death from the newspapers, saving them in a scrapbook. She and Shane would laugh about them one day. Right now, it made things less complicated if people thought she was dead.

She stayed close to Shane in an oversized bedroom, housing tons of medical equipment at the moment, on the second floor of the Bed and Breakfast. From there, on an untraceable cell phone, she finally made calls to her mother, sister and Reese. All of them were still reluctant to accept her relationship with Shane, but now they only expressed concern for her fiancée.

For security purposes, only the nurses were allowed in the bedroom. They worked in 8 hour shifts and slept in an adjoining room. Shane seemed to be recuperating quickly. She was able to walk on her own after the first week and now, two weeks later, moved about pretty freely. She took care of business from the bedroom, having requested a number of items from the house in Long Island, including two laptops. Raegan watched her as she puffed on a cigar (the one fight Raegan had lost with her recently), sitting in a comfortable recliner in silk pajamas and a heavy black robe. She was barking orders into a cell, but Raegan wasn't really paying attention to that. She was relieved Shane was beginning to look like her old self, although she saw signs that Shane was pushing herself too hard. She let her finish her terse phone conversation before folding back the linen on the freshly made bed.

"Nap time."

She ordered in a no-nonsense voice. She smiled as Shane rolled her eyes, but appreciated Shane's immediate response. She watched closely as Shane stood slowly, making her way to the bed and climbing in without much fuss. Once Shane was settled, she took hold of Raegan's hand.

"We need to talk."

Raegan was not sure she liked the way Shane said those words. She pretended to fluff Shane's pillows and rearrange her blankets before she sighed, closed her eyes, and then prepared herself. Before Shane could say a word, someone knocked on the door. In a split second Raegan had Shane's Glock in her hand. Shane still slept with it beneath her pillow. Shane raised a brow at Raegan, impressed with her instinctual move for the weapon. She was learning.

"Easy girl, it's just Ronnie."

The dark skinned, well-built woman stepped into the room. Raegan replaced the gun and watched Ronnie expectantly.

"Did you find her?" Raegan demanded.

"No."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I called her in Raegan. Change of plans."

Raegan knew, suddenly, she didn't want to hear whatever Shane had to say.

"We're safe here Shane," she insisted.

"No such thing as 'safe' right now. Ron's going to take you to a bank in midtown. There's a safety deposit box there under the name of Rose Donnely."

"Manhattan? Why am I going there now? And who the hell is Rose Donnely?"

Ronnie handed her a manila envelope. She removed a passport and driver's license from inside. Both had her photo beside the name Rose Donnely. Confused, Raegan looked over at Shane.

"What's going on?"

"Go with Ronnie. Get the safe deposit box. There are instructions inside."

"I'm not leaving."

Shane sighed, Raegan noticed, with both frustration and fatigue. "Don't argue. Not now. I need you to do this and follow the instructions in that box."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine. Just go. Now."

"Why can't Ronnie stay with you? I can find the fucking bank by myself."

She was annoyed and she couldn't hide it. She didn't like the way this was going. Their lives were at risk, Karin was roaming around freely, and now Shane wanted her to run some idiotic errand to a bank in midtown Manhattan? This was bullshit.

"God damn it, would you follow an order just once in your fucking life?!"

The harshness of the demand stung her. She lowered her head, bit her lip, and then grabbed her coat, storming from the room. She was seated in a rental car moments later and on her way to New York. She didn't speak a word as Ronnie drove for the two hour trip.