Page 37 of Mountain Shadow

Damien nodded.

“It’s highly unlikely your stalker will even come to Chamonix in the first place. Even if he does, he’ll be looking for my house. The fact that Jens lives out here in the middle of nowhere will play in our favor.”

“I’ll be with her every moment,” Jens added. “I can take more holiday. Or a leave of absence.”

“Let me speak with the Colonel. Sarah’s stalker has put a man in the hospital, and the London police will ask us to work together with them to solve this.”

“As long as it doesn’t put Sarah in any danger, count me in, Damien. We need this man found.”

* * *

Sarah

Sarah went out onto the balcony, leaving Jens and Damien to speak.

It was cold enough that she wouldn’t be able to stay out here long without going back inside with her coat, but she didn’t want an audience for the call she was about to make.

Before she could second-guess herself, she dialed Joshua’s number. A woman picked up on the fourth ring. Sarah pictures Joshua’s dark-haired, bubbly wife. She was a nurse—maybe Joshua was even lying on a bed in the hospital she worked in.

“Hello, Cynthia?” Sarah asked. “This is Sarah Porter.”

“Sarah,” Cynthia whispered.

Sarah grasped the phone tighter. “Is this a bad time?”

“No. I’m sorry. Let me just step outside.”

“How is he?”

Cynthia sighed. “No change. The swelling in his brain worried the doctors, so they—they put him in an induced coma. I know he’s going to make it through, though.”

“I’m sure he will, Cynthia,” Sarah said. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she didn’t try to stop them. “I … I’m sorry.”

Cynthia’s sigh sounded exasperated. “You don’t need to be sorry, Sarah. I know that son-of-a-bitch has been after you for months. I hope they catch him and throw away the key.”

Sarah nodded, then realized Cynthia couldn’t see her. “I wish I could be there in person, Cynthia.”

“We know that, Sarah. Nobody blames you for this.”

“Take care of Joshua, please. When he wakes, please tell him I called.”

“I will. You take care of yourself, okay?”

She hung up, awed by the woman’s generosity. She turned to look at the two men in the living room.

Would I be as generous if someone hurt Jens?

She suddenly realized she’d just compared Jens—a man she’d only recently met—to someone’s husband. The thought somehow didn’t scare her as much as it should.

When you know, you know.

That was one of her mother’s favorite sayings, and she and her dad had been married for close to thirty years.

“When you know what?” Jens asked, coming up behind her. Warm air floated out from inside the house.

“Nothing,” she said. “I was just thinking out loud. I spoke with Cynthia—Joshua’s wife. He’s still in a coma, but she’s convinced he’s going to pull through.”

Saying it out loud made it seem real. If Cynthia could be this strong, then Sarah had to believe it as well.