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undiluted coolness and said, “Jessie.”
    â€œLuke,” she responded in an equal tone.
    Brent shook his brother’s hand. “How’s Melanie?”
    The mention of his wife redirected Luke’s anger. “She’s in surgery. There’s swelling on her brain…”
    Swelling. Surgery. Luke Harrison standing within a foot from me. This is too much . Someone get me back to my bachelorette party.
    Jessie’s knees felt weak.
    Brent’s hand landed on her lower back.
    Luke kept his stare on Jessie. “Have you been drinking?”
    â€œBachelorette party,” she said defensively. “I’m getting married, but you and Melanie know already—”
    â€œTell us what happened,” Brent cut her off.
    â€œLet’s go over here.” Luke began to walk away without waiting for them.
    â€œLet me get some coffee first.” Brent seemed to stare at his brother longer than necessary, before walking away.
    She followed Luke. They reached a room with couches and two coffee tables with brochures and magazines. Jessie sat down and crossed her legs. She needed a coat or a sweater or a nice big bed to crawl into and sleep.
    Brent returned in what seemed like seconds later with a Styrofoam cup. “Drink this,” he said, and handed her the cup and sat down next to her.
    Luke sat on a chair next to the couch. He balanced his elbows on his knees and ran his hands over his face. “Tonight, around ten o’clock, a park officer checking the grounds at the Palace of Fine Arts found Melanie unconscious. She had her purse on her. Nothing was taken from it, not even her wallet or her phone. I don’t have any other information. I can’t begin to understand why Melanie was there at that hour. My wife wouldn’t leave our home or our daughters for any reason in the middle of the night. None of this makes sense.”
    â€œWhat about security cameras?” Brent asked.
    â€œThe detective hasn’t said much, though I’m told there are cameras at the Palace.”
    â€œWhat happened to her?” Jessie said.
    Luke acknowledged her for the first time since sitting down. “Someone beat her up. Her face…” he choked on his words. “Someone slammed her head down on the concrete. Hard enough to knock her out.”
    â€œDid you notice anything different about Melanie over the last few days?” Brent probed.
    â€œNo,” Luke said.
    â€œWhy weren’t you with her?”
    â€œI was meeting a client for drinks.”
    Jessie thought she saw Brent’s face turn tense. Luke’s explanation didn’t sit well with Brent. She tried to focus, but the coffee caused her stomach to turn. She dropped her head and used her big toe as a focal point.
    â€œShe shouldn’t be here,” she heard one of the Harrison brothers say.
    â€œI’ll take her to my place,” the other brother said.
    Jessie rolled up her head and started to protest. “I’m fine.”
    â€œYou’re not.” Two hands came down on her waist. She soared to her feet. The coffee spilled everywhere. She gasped; Brent and Luke cursed. A nurse ran over to them with paper towels and helped Jessie.
    Luke looked at her. “Just get her out of here.”
    Everything after that comment happened fast. She was led back down the hallway towards the entrance. They passed the nurses’ station and left the ICU. The elevator brought them back to the main level. Brent didn’t talk to her. He just held her arm and moved her along.
    A moment of sobriety flickered in Jessie with the cold fall air surrounding her. The clarity passed and she leaned into Brent’s strong, hard body. A car door opened. It closed. The smell of a cigarette and a driver with intense eyes met her gaze. Brent lowered his body over hers and he buckled her seat belt over her lap. Jessie molded her hands to his face and held him there. “I love you,” she said