The Devil's Mercy

Chapter 4

Subconsciously, the heat of the sun warmed the room around him. His breathing and heartbeat even and slow. A low hum from the vents blowing cool air into the room pushed the scent of Mercia to him.

With Hope's help, Oskar had gotten all of Mercia's favorite products. Adding a few that a woman would want. Including creams to reduce the scars on her body. For nearly two weeks he had taking care of her needs. Bathing her gently in his bathroom upstairs. Changing her nightgowns daily. Combing her hair.

Even though she was unconscious, a part of him hoped that his touch was registering somewhere in her subconscious. Hoped that when they pulled her out of sedation, she wouldn't be scared of him.

Scurrying of bare feet in the corridor outside the attached greenhouse snapped him from his musings. An eye cracked open as the door opened slowly. A pair of caramel eyes fringed in dark lashes scanned the room. A soft childish grin lit up the small face peering at him.

Keeping his breathing regular, he watched closely as she entered the room and closed the door softly. This had become a habit of Hope's. Hair a nest around her head, her bare feet slapping softly against the cool marble flooring.

With the grace of a breaching whale she flopped down on his lap, rested her head against Oskar's chest and lifted one his arms to put around her.

Not with the intention of going back to sleep, but to watch her sister. Oskar didn't discourage Hope's antics. It was clear the child loved her sister dearly and worried about her.

"You didn't bring a book this time." Oskar rumbled.

"I forgot," Hope answered with her signature mischievous smile tilting up to him. "I knew you weren't asleep."

"I was, until I heard your little feet outside the room." His hands moved to tickle her bare toes a little, making her giggle. "You really should be wearing socks, baby girl. These floors are cold."

"I was thinking about slippers last night before I fell asleep." She answered hopefully.

A warm smile tugged at the corners of Oskar's lips. Squelched instantly by the memory of why she didn't have them.

Two SUVs were parked in front of the cheerful complex. A man carrying a child over his shoulder was on the sidewalk, three other men around the SUVs. It took only a second for Oskar and his team to realize they had been nearly too late.

All six had jumped from the van fast. Oskar hadn't stopped to give instructions. There wasn't any needed. The man with the child was his. Stepping into the path of the large man, Oskar had demanded the other put the child down. The man had laughed and produced a knife. Not caring about his burden.

"She's been missing for some time, we are returning her to her parents." The man had told Oskar.

"Liar." Oskar had replied calmly. Assessing the situation in an instant. He stepped one foot closer, taking the other's knife in his side before slicing the other up the thigh. His free arm ready to catch the child when the other released her. The slice to the other's thigh was deep and aggressive. The femoral artery.

The man screamed and nearly threw the small child, Oskar pivoted and caught her easily in his arms. Turning again back toward the van as his men finished with the other three and ran past to the apartment.

Holding the small girl in his arms even as he bled from the wound at his side. He could see an uncanny resemblance between the sisters. Same hair and facial features. Gently he had pried one eye open. Same colored eyes. Caramel with chocolate flecks near the center.

Movement on his lap brought him back to the present. Hope was pressing a small hand to his shoulder to remind him she was there. He glanced back down at her upturned face. "I've got a meeting later this morning. After we'll go get you slippers, baby girl." He promised. His large hand rose to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.

His sharp hearing registered sounds of Mike in the kitchen. He lifted his arm to check his watch. Six on the dot. "Let's go see what Chef is making for breakfast."

The judge sat back in his chair hard. When he had agreed to the meeting with Oskar, he hadn't expected it to be this profound. A request like this was simply not doable.

"Oskar, I owe you a lot, but what you are asking is impossible." His hand moved to rest on the paper Oskar had dropped on the table in front of him. "I can't push this through under false pretenses."

Oskar had anticipated this. The judge was presiding over the case that would bring closer to Mercia and a way for him to gain her trust. The problem was, Mercia hadn't actually signed the certificate. The signature had been transposed from one of her journals to the certificate.

"I understand your reservations, Wells. But look at it from my view. This girl has been through hell. You've seen the evidence. I want to protect her but I can't outright claim her." Oskar argued evenly. "Process it and my IT will expunge it from public record. She won't know and no one else will either. Like it never happened."

The judge's eyes darted to the marriage license on the polished surface of his desk like it was a snake. "It's unethical."

"So is everything I do." Oskar remarked grimly. "I want a copy for my own records."

"Of course you do." Wells sighed reaching out a hand slowly for the document. "I'll have it done in two hours."

"Thank you."

Wells shook his head slowly. "Don't thank me until after we get a guilty verdict. Victor is being held on no bail. The FBI is still having a hell of a time tracking all the names she put in her journals."

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Oskar rose and buttoned the front of his jacket. "I'm sure they are. I would offer, but my men are busy. I won't leave the house unprotected."

Wells lifted a hand in surrender. "Enough buildings have burned in my city."

A dark chuckle escaped Oskar as he started toward the door. "It was only two. I think I'm becoming soft. Usually I burn whole sections of town." He shot back before closing the door behind him and Roy.

Outside the courthouse, Oskar paused on the sidewalk to pull out a pack of Camels and light one up. Roy stepped to his side. "That's going to kill you someday." He chastised good-naturedly.

"There are a lot of things that are going to kill me. At least this is my choice." Oskar replied in similar fashion. This was a ritual for them whenever Oskar lit up. The only vice he allowed himself and he never smoked in his car or house.

They stood silently by the SUV watching pedestrians pass for a few minutes. Roy hadn't offered much insight into Oskar's plan. Honestly, he didn't really know what to say.

Sensing his friend's mood, Oskar dropped the butt of his cigarette to the concrete and stamped it out. "Shall we go get my sister and take her shopping for slippers?"

"You know she won't replace..." Roy started to say catching the cold gaze that came off his commander and friend.

His jaw clenched at the absurdity of the unfinished statement. "I'm not. But since I'm married to her sister that makes Hope my sister-in-law, doesn't it?"

"Yes." Roy answered letting out his breath.

"Then get the f**k in so we can fulfill the promise I made this morning." Oskar slid into the SUV with Roy following behind. Rave was driving today.