[BAD 07] - Silent Truth (41 page)

Leigh’s smile reminded her of…

Abbie heard the plastic bounce against the floor from a distance… couldn’t hold on… had to go to sleep.

We don’t normally allow patients who come in for routine tests and blood donation to have visitors, Mr. Thornton-Payne,” Dr. Lewis Hart, the senior vice president in charge of funding for the Kore Women’s Center, explained.

Hunter didn’t slow his pace, forcing Hart to continue toward Abbie’s room. The damn dinner had taken longer than he’d intended. Abbie had been here for over four hours and he wanted to see her now. “I realize that, Dr. Hart, but I’m considering another donation as well.”

Dr. Hart looked over with subdued interest. “Oh?”

“I didn’t want to mention this yet until I had a chance to share what I’ve learned about your facility with my
family, but I’m considering a trust fund for your prenatal area. To help with high-risk births.”

“What a splendid idea!”

“I have to admit some curiosity though. I understand the point of this being a women’s center, but you have the premier research facility for rare blood types. I’m surprised you don’t also treat male children with rare blood types. Don’t you run across those?”

“Absolutely. We have a small wing for the few males we bring in to study and those who store blood, especially if their blood matches their mother’s. But that area is separate from the central building. We feel it’s a more comfortable arrangement for our female patients.” Hart guided Hunter around a corner. “Ms. Blanton is down this hall, but please stay no more than a half hour.”

“Sure.” Hunter would figure out what to do in a half hour.

The sound of clipped footsteps approaching from the opposite end of the hallway drew his attention.

A doctor led the stampede of medical personnel rushing forward.

Dr. Hart mumbled, “Must be an emergency.”

That’s when Hunter heard a high-pitched alarm. Abbie. He started running toward the staff, who turned into a room.

“Mr. Thornton-Payne, stay back,” Hart called from behind.

Hunter shoved the door open behind the emergency team.

Abbie lay still as death with a bloodless face.

His eyes shot to the machines that monitored the patient’s vital signs. The universal bouncing EKG line that
indicated if someone was dead or alive had slowed to a tiny bounce, losing strength with each weak beat.

The world closed in on him until he heard nothing but a nurse’s shout. “She’s coding!”

Hunter paced the hall outside Abbie’s room, waiting for the doctor to come out and give him her status. No one had come up with why she’d coded. Yet.

The only reason he wasn’t in her room right now was to avoid distraction from saving her. Chaos had erupted when he started roaring at everyone to do something right that fucking minute.

Kore Women’s Center’s security had shown up.

Dr. Hart intervened to allow Hunter to remain in the hallway. Good thing or Hart would have needed two more beds for the pair of security guards.

Hart stood to one side, blanched with shock, no doubt believing he was watching the generous Thornton-Payne donation offered at dinner disintegrate with each pound of Hunter’s boot heels against the polished tile.

Hunter scrubbed his hand through his hair, tense as a tiger stalking prey. His palms were never sweaty like this. Only one time before.

When Eliot dangled from a rope with a knife in his hand.

Hunter closed his eyes for a minute, then blinked, clearing that image so he could focus on Abbie. He’d let her come in here to help him access the database. He’d allowed his anger and suspicion to blind him to danger and let her
walk in here thinking she’d somehow failed him.

That was wrong. He’d failed her. If he got her out of here alive he wouldn’t let her down again.

And if this bunch saved her he’d build them a new wing. When would the doctor come out? They’d had enough time.

Hunter turned toward the door.

Hart tensed. Kore better send the best security they had and plenty of them. Hunter was going into Abbie’s room.

The door opened and a haggard-looking doctor with gray hair and a slender build came out, face strained from the battle he’d fought. Hunter’s chest constricted, steel bands tightening with each breath.

“She’s stable,” the doctor said. “She flatlined, but we got her back. Took a little longer to bring her blood pressure up to an acceptable level.”

She flatlined. She died. Good God.

“Why? What happened to her?”

“We don’t know yet.”

“I need to see her.” Hunter didn’t give a damn how raw his voice sounded.

The doctor looked over at Hart, who nodded. “Of course.”

Two more technicians came out. One wheeled a cart filled with equipment out the door, then Hunter entered.

A plump blond-haired woman in scrubs and thick nurse shoes wrote notes on a clipboard. She swung around at his entrance. “She’s not awake yet.”

He nodded but didn’t move.

Hard to tell which was whiter, Abbie’s face or the pillow under her head and the sheet covering her. He wanted
to hold her, to feel life moving through her. The machines taking her vital signs beeped happily with a steady rhythm, but he needed to touch her to convince himself she was going to be okay.

His heart beat out of control. He’d almost lost her. Almost lost the one thing that meant more than life to him. She’d started climbing inside him the first time her laugh snuck past his barriers to touch him. Somehow she’d breached his best defense and wrapped her fingers around his heart.

He couldn’t imagine living without her.

What a time to figure that out.

“Let me finish up, then you can come over here,” the nurse told him. She turned to a lightweight laptop unit set up next to Abbie’s bed.

He took in a deep breath and ran a hand over his hair. He could handle waiting a few more minutes now that Abbie was breathing and her heart beat at a stable pace.

No database information was worth losing her.

The nurse’s typing jarred his thoughts, reminding him why Abbie had taken this risk. She expected him to get her mother’s records. He shook himself mentally. Don’t let her down now. If he left with nothing else, he was getting her mother’s medical records. Easing the small computer shaped to resemble an iPhone from his pocket, he pulled up a program that would lift everything the nurse was typing on her laptop.

Like her staff access code.

And he wanted to find out if a treatment had induced Abbie’s near death.

“That should do it.” The nurse gave the machines registering Abbie’s vitals stern scrutiny, nodded to herself,
and walked over to where Hunter stood. “I’ll be back to check on her, but if you need anything just press that red button on the control box by her bed. Dr. Hart sent an electronic directive that you not be bothered other than visual checks. Ms. Blanton’s vital registration is set on high alert for any significant change.”

Hunter nodded and pulled his hand from his pocket, where he’d deposited the miniature computer before she turned around. Once the nurse left, he moved to the side of Abbie’s bed and reached his hand to her face. His fingers shook.

She’d died an hour ago.

He smoothed his hand over her skin, which was warm and soft. The ache in his chest eased. He could breathe again.

“Mr. Thornton-Payne—” It was Hart.

Hunter didn’t turn around. “As soon as Abbie can be moved, she’s going to a facility where I can be with her. I’m
not
leaving until then.”

“That’s not necessary. You’re welcome to stay as long as you wish. Just let us know if you need anything. I assure you she’ll receive the best medical care here—”

Hunter lifted his hand to silence Hart’s rambling.

The door swept open and closed.

He eased his hip onto the bed, needing to be closer to her. To do a better job of protecting her.

Had someone at Kore given Abbie a treatment that caused this? That made no sense unless the person who did so had no idea Hunter was coming to see Abbie before he left. Why take that risk here? Did this have something to do with Gwen?

What if no one was responsible… except Abbie?

She’d suggested she fake a sickness to see if he’d be allowed to stay. Had she tried something that got out of control?

She hadn’t faked coding.

Her color improved as her blood pressure continued to rise. He breathed in her soft fragrance. She smelled… alive.

Lifting her hand in his, he held her cool fingers, willing her to come back to him.

Abbie woke up slowly in a queasy drugged state she couldn’t place the reason for feeling. Her chest ached as if someone had used her for a war drum. The inside of her mouth tasted like cardboard.

She squinted against the light until her eyes focused.

Hunter came into view. He held her hand sandwiched between his.

Her heart wiggled in a happy dance until she took in the faraway look on his face. She wanted to hug him and wipe away the sadness curving his shoulders. Why did her mind pick this moment to throw up warnings? Hunter had questioned what she’d told him. He planned to hand her over to strangers.

So why the downcast eyes? Was he putting on a show of concern for the medical staff?

Wait. How could he be here, without any doctors or nurses?

She mumbled, “Thought they wouldn’t let you stay.”

Hunter’s eyes shot to her with a sudden flash of relief. “How you doing?” He leaned down and kissed her lips so sweetly she was in heaven, happy for those few seconds
until he moved away to kiss her forehead.

Tears welled up at his tenderness, but she would not show that weakness. Not to someone she shouldn’t trust as much as she did.

When he lifted his head, he stared at her as if he couldn’t get enough in one look.

She wanted to believe that, but…

“I’m tired,” she said. “Don’t know why when I just woke up.” Her throat was dry. She coughed. “Can I have—”

He was up grabbing a glass of water before she finished. “I’ll help you.” He raised the bed so she could sip.

When she finished, he put the cup aside and sat down facing her, taking her hand again. Her heart fluttered blissfully at the contact, but she wasn’t going to rush down that road a second time and have a head-on collision with his distrust. “So how’d you get in here?”

“I changed their minds, or rather you did.”

“Me? What’d I do?”

“You don’t remember your blood pressure dropping?”

She lifted her hand and rubbed her head, reorienting herself. “I gave blood, then the nurse gave me crackers and juice… that’s all I remember.”

Hunter studied her a minute. “I toured the facility with Dr. Hart, then went to dinner. By the time I finally got him to bring me back I convinced him to let me say hello to you. We were coming down the hall when the medical team rushed into your room.”

“Why?”

Hunter’s throat moved with a swallow. “Your blood pressure dropped until you flatlined.”

Oh, shit.
“You’re kidding.” She’d been touched at seeing the flash of worry in his face, but now his flinty eyes hardened.