Saints and Assassins (The Sentinels) by Melinda Hunter Read Free Book Online

that would take them away from each other.  She choked on the drink of wine that she had just gulped.  Coughing for a moment as the emotions ran through her min d about those last words from her husband, she tried to keep the tears away but they would not stay back.
    “Are you all right ?” Adam asked. His eyes widened and he reached for her but she couldn’t stay sitting. 
    “Please excus e me for a minute.” She stood and walked quickly to the bathroom telling herself that it was okay.  He didn’t know. She felt certain that h e wouldn’t have said that if he had only known.  She dried her tears as she regained her composure and went back to the table.
    Adam’s eyes were wide and if she didn’t know better she would think that he might actually be worried. “Was it something I said?”
    She sighed deeply.  She stared at him for just a moment . H s perfect face seemed somber to her and she felt that she owed him an explanation since she had been the one to dart away.
    “I’m s orry about that . I t ’ s just that my husband said that exact phrase to me right before he died.  I haven’t heard anyone say it since then.  It just caught me off guard that’s all. ” She sat back down and tried to be nonchalant about the situation. His mouth turned downward into a frown and then suddenly he tightened his lips and his eyes narrowed slightly. He appeared angry to her now.
    “I truly am sorry, I didn’t know,” he replied gently .  
    “How could you? It’s all right , really.” She tried to assure him, but something told her that there was more to the scowl on his face than he let on. She swal lowed a rather large gulp of the wine , hoping that it might have a relaxing effect on her quickly . Adam didn’t say anything.
    “He died in a car crash. T he damage to his body was so extensive that there was not hing that they could do for him. ” Eve cited the even ts as if she hadn’t been there, but i t was the only way she could separate herself from the situation so that she didn’t have to relive the scene in her mind all over again. 
    “You don’t have to talk about it. I’m sure it’s painful. Again my apologies for dredging u p the past,” h e said softly .
    “I don’t mind talking about it,” She shrugged her shoulders and downed another piece of fruit. She had regained her composure and decided she wanted him to know.
    “ How long were you married?” he asked.
    “Almost six years. We married our second year of college and Michael was a forensic accountant. ”  That was their life summed up into just a few sentences, kind of depressing really.
    “What about you? Do you work?” Adam asked.
    “I was a nurse.  I loved helping people. ” The wine had taken its effect and Eve found herself wanting to talk. It had been so long since she’d had a normal conversatio n with someone.
    “ I worked in the ER a t Michael Reese Hospital and was on duty when my husband was brought in . I didn’t even recognize him at first. ” She paused and pushed on.  
    “ Anyway enough about that, I took a leave of absence and then found myself not wanting to do anything.  I spent a cou ple of months in the house . It is pathetic I know. ” She paused and couldn’t help but notice that Adam listened to her intently. For some reason she felt herself wanting to tell him exactly how she felt during that time of her life.
    “ Eventually , I managed to get up each day and then to get out of my house too. I sold our town home, gave away most of our furniture and things and moved into the apartment that I now live in.” She took another drink of wine, which was already her third glass, and she hadn’t eaten much. The wine took its effect and Eve started to feel even more relaxed.
    “So tell me about you?” She wanted to change the topic and forced herself to smile .
    “Not much to tell really.  I’ve never been married , or even engaged for that matter. I thought I wanted to be an attorney and