Above the Law

Chapter Thirty-Four

She had no more tears to cry. She was numb. Empty. Utterly exhausted.

The hospital was buzzing with voices and shoes squeaking on polished floors. Eden drug her feet. She knew Lily and Parker's family—the family she had wanted so badly to become a part of—sat in the waiting room, all patiently anticipating good news.

Or bad news.

When she rounded the corner, however, she saw none of the familiar faces peering back at her. Her shoulders sagged as she took an empty seat. She debated calling Reagan or John to see where they were at. She decided against it, considering she didn't have a phone or any words to say. She wanted to be alone for now, anyways.

But as the minutes drug by and her eyes began to droop, she stood and stretched her aching body, then searched out coffee.

"Eden."

Eden jumped, spilling coffee on the floor, and twisting around, wide eyed.

John stood, an empty coffee cup in hand. "Where did you go?"

"You lied to me," Eden said helplessly.

"I did. But Eden; you're exhausted and don't need to worry about him along with everything else you've gone through."

Eden wrapped her arms around her stomach. How could he say that to her, knowing what he knew? "How is he? How is he really?"

"He had a mild allergic reaction to the blood transfusion and the doctors couldn't get a few bullet fragments out, other than that we won't know until he's more awake."

Hope bubbled foolishly in her chest. "So he's awake? He's okay?"

John moved past her to the coffee pot.

"John? What aren't you telling me?"

John poured his coffee but didn't turn around. "The doctor said something about a lack of blood flow and oxygen to his brain. Parker might have temporary amnesia. Or long term." John paused, then turned around, searching her face. "There's ... a rumor. About Parker being the Shadow Killer."

Eden forced her brows together in a look of confusion. The question had come out of nowhere that surprise had been easy enough to fake. But now panic took its place. Eden shook her head slowly. "That... wouldn't make sense."

"The problem is it makes too much sense. Reagan's freaking out."

Eden's mouth went dry. "Parker isn't the Shadow Killer. He can't be."

"It makes sense, giving everything he has been through. He always wanted to help people, and he did that. I just don't agree with how he's done it."

"Parker is not a killer. He's good. He's a hero and he would hate that even for a second you and his mother believed he could be bad, because he's not. He's good." She felt like a little kid trying fruitlessly to convince her parents to let her stay up an extra hour. "He's good. He's not the Shadow Killer and you'll see that."

Before John could open his mouth, Eden continued, trying her best to appear betrayed and hurt.

"Why didn't you tell me Fisher escaped?"

He sighed. "I was getting to that."

"Matthews told me. But do you want to know what else he told me?"

Matthews and Eden had talked once she'd calmed down. He wanted her to know what the public already knew and what false information he had given her that she was allowed to share if the Yates's started asking questions. It was the plan, after all, to clear Parker's name once his identity was leaked to the public and then move on with her life. Even if that meant without Parker. Matthews would hold a press conference later addressing Fisher's escape and his death.