Earth Enchanted (9 page)

“Olivia, you should tell Sam what you told me.”

“They won’t let me see him. Why won’t they let me see him? I’m not family, but that shouldn’t matter. It’s my fault he’s hurt. I have to.” She couldn’t hold back the worry and fear any longer. Sobs burst out from her heart and she couldn’t have stopped them if she wanted to.

Eleanor patted her shoulder and let her cry.

Chapter 8

Jack sat up weakly in the bed at the click of the door.
Cap.
He was still a little groggy from the anesthesia.

“Cap, I want to talk to you about something later. When I’m outta here and get my feet under me. I can’t believe someone was shooting at us and outside the movies for God’s sake. Do you know how many teenagers were there tonight?”

“What ifs can’t help us. I’m thinking it’s a case of fan rage or something with one of you. I’m going to post guards on you here and at home once you’re there. Miss Corrigan will have them too. Enough business. This is a social call. How’s the shoulder?”

Before Jack could reply, he winced as the door opened again and the night nurse came in. No rest in a hospital.

“I’ve come to check your vitals, Mr. Roarke. Are you in any discomfort at the moment?”

He glowered at her while she poked and prodded.

“No thanks Nurse ‘Helga.’ I feel great. What’s a little piece of lead ripping through your shoulder anyway?”

She shook her head and stepped away to make the necessary notes on his chart.

Sam kept his voice conspiratorially low. “Jack, your lady’s still out in the waiting room with Ellie. I got the impression she’s real upset. They won’t let her back to see you, her not being family and all. Maybe you could...” He trailed off as the nurse turned back to say something to him.

Jack cleared his throat and yelled at her. “Hey Helga!” That wasn’t really her name but it suited her competent and gruff nature. “If you don’t let Liv back here right now, I’m going to walk right out that door, bullet wound and all.” He made a grab for the I.V. line in his arm. He had no intention of pulling it out, what with all that nice pain medication in it, but she didn’t know that.

Her thin mouth formed an even thinner line. She was not a nurse woven of the fantasy sort, but if you wanted one out of nightmares, she was your girl. She rested her beefy hands at the wide waist of her white uniform. “No, sir, you will not.”

“Watch me.” He tossed back the covers and though it cost him a little dizziness he stood up.

“In your hospital gown? I don’t think so. Now back to bed with you.” She sighed wistfully.

“I’m not shy, and I’ll make a lot of those pretty nurses out at the desk very happy, the ugly ones too.”

She finally gave in with a laugh that lit up her stern face. “All right, but in bed you stay.” Then she pointed at Sam. “Law or not, out. Your five minutes are up. Out!”

A few minutes later, Liv opened the door to his room. Sam had told her of the fit Jack had thrown to get her admitted in, embellished of course.

“Hey there, Jack.” He could see she was relieved, but there was worry in her eyes, and tears. She’d been crying for him. How long had it been since someone had cared that much?

“Are you really going to be okay?”

“Come here, Liv.” He patted the edge of the bed. When she hesitated, he held out his hand to her. “You’re not going to hurt me any. They have enough pain meds in this drip to knock out a horse. I heard you crying and calling me, but I had to have been dreaming.” Jack noticed how gently she sat on the very edge of the bed, probably not wanting to jostle him.
Keep it light
. “You know something. About four hours ago I decided I wanted you in my bed, but this wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”

“Well, now, you waste no time making your intentions known, do you? I’ll just file that away for later. So when can I spring you from this joint, officer?”

Jack didn’t say anything for a moment, but his hand clenched hers. It was a reaction and he released it as soon as it happened. “Former officer, and it was detective before I left. Personal reasons I’d rather not talk about, okay?”

“Maybe another time then, but I’ve forgotten something.” She leaned down, very carefully, and kissed him. “Thank you, Jack, for saving my life. I’m so sorry it could have cost you yours.”

“Don’t thank me, Liv.” He narrowed his eyes, studied her. “Why didn’t they check you out downstairs? Somebody should have taken a look at you.” Her forehead had a deep nasty gash on it that had long since stopped bleeding. She could have a head injury. It would probably scar and he’d bet she wouldn’t be happy about it. Her arms were covered in bloody welts. Her jeans were ripped. She was beautiful. “Your pretty face has cuts on it, Liv.”

“Pretty with gashes on my head?” He wanted to laugh at the way Liv eyed the I.V. line warily. “So what kind of drugs did they give you anyway? Can I have some?”

Jack craned his neck and followed Liv’s progress across the room. She disappeared through the heavy door into the bathroom. She would assess the damage and see all his blood. “You’re not going to pass out in there, Liv. Come on, pull it together. I’ll call Nurse Helga in here.”

A smile ghosted her mouth, but when she stumbled back to him, her eyes had gone almost black with shock. He pulled her down to sit beside him with his good arm. “Listen to me, Olivia.” He made his voice firm though it wanted to shake. “You’ve done great so far. Don’t give out on me now.” Why did what could have been always sneak up on you when everything was over and done?

“I won’t. I’ll be fine.”

“Just stay with me and we’ll get through it. We’re gonna find out why.”

“Call your brother and let him take you home. You’ll feel better once you’ve cleaned up and eaten something.”

“No, I won’t leave ’til you do. I’ll sleep in the lobby if I have to, but stay I will.”

* * * *

It was two o’clock in the morning when Ryan was awakened by his telephone ringing. The fear was instantaneous. He cautiously answered it, “Hello?”

“Corrigan, how is your sister doing after her little tryst in the park?”

It was him. He had Liv. Full blown panic slammed into him. “What have you done with her?” he yelled. “Where is she? I swear if you’ve harmed her I’ll—”

Cold laughter on the line mocked him.

“You’ll do nothing. I’ll let you wonder for a moment about the where. Don’t think about turning on me. Next time I’ll make sure to be a lot messier. Consider it a friendly warning between business associates.”

Then there was nothing, no one to plead to. He didn’t need to check her room in question. His mind was screaming. He knew she was dead. It was his fault. He’d brought her here, and now he’d caused his sister’s murder.

When the phone rang again, he snatched it off the hook.

“Listen, you bloody bastard. Tell me where the hell she is!”

The polite voice on the line cleared her throat and said, “Excuse me, sir, I’m sorry to have awakened you, but your sister was involved in an incident earlier. She asked me to call you for her.”

He listened while the nurse related the information, threw on jeans and a shirt, grabbed his keys and was gone in five minutes.

Ryan walked into Jack’s room. Stitches rained across Liv’s forehead in an arc over her right eyebrow. One hand held a cup of bad coffee, the other held Jack’s. She looked like a nightmare. There was so much blood on her. She had a smile on her face. God. Relief swamped him. “Liv, what happened?”

The nurse who poked her head in the door to shush him said, “Now, Mr. Corrigan, your sister is all right, but if you can’t keep your voice down I’m going to have to kick you out of here. Mr. Roarke is recently out of surgery and needs to rest. It’s way beyond visiting hours and you know it.”

He gave her a sheepish look. “Sorry.” He waited until he heard her footsteps go down the hall.

“Did you bring my things?” She didn’t seem the least concerned.

“Yes, come home, Liv. You need to sleep. You need real food. You were shot at, for sweet Mary’s sake.”

“Give me a few minutes. We’ll talk.” She went into the bath and he heard the shower start.

When she was out of earshot, Jack, who was propped up on pillows, said, “I think they aimed to kill her. If it had been me they wanted, they could have taken that shot a hundred times.”

“You look like hell. Rough movie? Never cared much for action flicks myself.”

“Were you born a smartass or did you just pick it up along the way? Thanks a lot, a bullet does that to a guy. So does the surgery, and all the crap that goes with it. Then there’s the fact I was worried about her.”

Ryan didn’t comment on his theory. He didn’t have to. It was the truth, and he couldn’t do one thing about it. He knew she wouldn’t back off now. Not after all this. She’d be more determined than ever.

“I tried to talk her into going home, but it’s like throwing a ball against a brick wall. Whatever you say bounces right off and never sinks in. Hard headed woman, she should listen.”

Jack smiled when he said it.

Liv came back into the room toweling dry her hair. “Hey, I heard that.” She sat, very gently, beside him on the edge of the bed. He grinned at her. She smiled back.

Ryan wondered if they could see all those sparks flying around them, enough of them to make a brother very uncomfortable being in the same room. He didn’t like it. Roarke was trouble and his sister was in enough of it.

“Say, Ryan, did you know that bullet our man took was meant for me? My hero.” Liv’s eyes were dancing, he noted, and that told him her heart was set on this. He might as well give up. Ryan kicked himself out a few minutes later, knowing she’d be okay. She was in a hospital. There were guards posted everywhere, and she had a cop basically handcuffed to her. She’d be okay, as long as he didn’t screw up again.

When he finally walked through the door, weary in more ways than he could count, the phone was shrilling on its hook. He hated that damn telephone. Maybe he’d just take it apart piece by piece and see if the garbage disposal would chew it up. With that satisfying image in his head, he yanked it off the hook. “Yeah, what do you want?”

“Show a bit of respect. I could have splattered her head, but instead take this as a warning. Don’t cross me or I will kill your family and everyone you care for while you listen to their screams. Then, if I’m feeling generous, I’ll kill you as well.”

Ryan didn’t have a chance to say anything else. He didn’t know what he could have said. It wouldn’t have changed anything. Terror was a living beast, gnawing, thrashing, and it walked inside him. When he finally crawled back in bed at six that morning, he did something he hadn’t done since his father had died. He knelt beside his bed, much as a child does, and prayed with all his heart. He hoped God would take the time to listen to someone like him.

* * * *

Shadow walked down the richly carpeted corridor, his heavy army boots thudding with the steps. He sweated bullets, felt like he was taking that last walk. It was rare for him to feel the fear he bestowed in others. He’d been summoned. He’d screwed up and the boss wasn’t happy.

Niccolo Gueraldi had a little nickname of his own, Sandman, gotten because he sent more people to take a dirt nap than most of the Most Wanted on the FBI hit list. He prided himself on being ruthless and cold.

His study smelled of roses. Roses, and chemicals for cleaning. Only the guest’s side of the desk was illuminated, and then faintly. He preferred the dark for dealing and for living.

Shadow couldn’t see him tap his Cuban cigar lightly on the tray, but he knew that he did. The bloodstains on the desk’s glossy top still spilled scent and terror where fingers had been crushed or chopped in torture. “You disappoint me, Shadow, as they call you. You slipped up, and failed to live up to your reputation. You broke your contract with me. Can you explain your incompetence?”

He swallowed hard and tried to find his words. “It wasn’t my fault. I did everything I was supposed to. The writer, he got in the way. Damn fast for someone who sits around banging on keys all day. It was like he knew I was there, like a sixth sense or something, creepy.”

Gueraldi shook his head. “How long have you been following the woman, Shadow? Since her plane touched down if I’m not mistaken. You should have researched him as well. You should have known about him. If he was in the way of the job, you should have taken him out, and then carried out my wishes.” The fear was almost palpable, as was his disgust. “I detest incompetence, especially in one of my employees.” He gave his guards a little come hither.