Touch of Madness Read Online Free PDF Page A

let my insurance company talk to them, but the lawyer for the Watts family had wanted more money than the insurance company had been willing to pay. So, I was here in civil court, defending myself. I’d be back in front of a judge again in a few weeks facing criminal charges of destruction of property and vandalism because of my actions in the lab. Oh fucking goody.
    I stood and gathered up my coat and purse from the seat beside me, then followed Tom behind the retreating backs of people filing from the courtroom. I hadn’t seen Brooks here. That surprised me a little. As one of the other defendants, I would’ve expected him to be present. I considered asking my attorney about it, but changed my mind. He was in the middle of an animated debate with opposing counsel.
    “Kate…Kate, wait.” I recognized the voice calling behind me as my hand touched the brass guard plate of the courtroom door. Miles MacDougal hadn’t spoken a civil word to me since that morning in the lab. Joe said Miles blamed me for what happened, which didn’t make sense to my mind. But emotions frequently don’t make sense, and Miles had lost the woman he loved that morning. Samantha Greeley wasn’t dead, but she wasn’t Samantha any more either, and God alone knew where she was. Even the collective didn’t seem to have knowledge of her. Or, if they did, they were hiding it from me.
    I made sure to keep my expression completely neutral as I turned to face him. I liked Miles. His anger had hurt me more than I’d care to admit. I’d tried to hide my pain by acting pissed. It hadn’t fooled Tom or my brother. They were both being very gentle with me at the moment because I still wasn’t completely over it. But I wanted to be. I wanted things to be right so that I could have my friend back.
    Miles approached carefully. He looked older than he had a few weeks ago. There was gray in the bushy moustache, and in the thinning hair. But more than that, the shoulders beneath the navy suit slumped, and there were dark circles under his eyes that spoke of sleepless nights.
    “I’ll meet you outside.” Tom gave me a quick peck on the cheek and ducked out the doors that led to the hallway. He was giving us privacy, and I appreciated it. A lot of the guys I know wouldn’t have been able to suppress their protective instincts. My brother Joe, for example, would’ve hovered, glowering. Fortunately for me he was out of town at a conference.
    “Miles.” I kept my voice steady and neutral.
    Miles MacDougal straightened his shoulders and took a deep breath to gather his courage. His gaze locked with mine with no flinching. “I owe you an apology.” His eyes were red with suppressed tears, but his voice was strong. “I needed someone to blame. It was easier than blaming myself. This wasn’t your fault.”
    “No,” I agreed.
    “It was mine.”
    “No. You’re wrong.” I spoke firmly. “It wasn’t. It was her mistake. She underestimated them. Most people do. They don’t look threatening. They’re small, not physically imposing, so people let their guards down.”
    He shook his head, sadly. “Thank you for saying that. But you’re wrong. I…I had misgivings about the project from the beginning, but Samantha was so enthusiastic. She wanted it so very badly. I let her talk me into it—helped her get funding and volunteers. She wouldn’t have been able to get hospital approval without my backing the project.”
    I wanted to comfort him, but I didn’t know what to say. He’d made a horrible, tragic mistake. He obviously had been in love with the woman, hell, still was. People in love do stupid things all the time. His mistake had just had tragic consequences.
    “I’m sorry.” It wasn’t enough, and I knew it the moment the words passed my lips. But nothing I said was really going to matter. Miles blamed himself. It didn’t matter if anyone else blamed him, or what they might say. This was his very own, personal hell.
    Miles gave me a weak