Unexpected Consequences (27 page)

“If you’re Dr Mike Hinson, I am.”

“The one and only. And you are?”

The intense-looking man pulled a black wallet from his coat pocket. “I’m Agent Timothy Fota. I’m with the FBI, and I need you to come with me.”

“What? FBI? What do you mean
come with you
? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m up to my eyeballs here. I won’t be going anywhere for a while.”

“I’m afraid that’s not a request, Doctor. I need you to come with me. Now.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

Tim took a quick look around and lowered his voice. “There’s a medical emergency that needs your immediate attention.”

“What’s happened? Who’s hurt?” Mike asked, immediately switching into doctor mode.

“We have a very special patient who requires your attention. That’s all I can tell you right now. I need you to come with me.”

Mike sighed, unsure of what he should do. He didn’t want to leave the clinic, but a medical emergency was a much higher priority. “Okay, let me lock up here. Can I follow you in my car?” He wanted the freedom to leave if the situation didn’t prove to be as dire as the man indicated.

“Fine,” Tim said as he stood in the doorway and waited.

Mike ran to grab his bag and lock up. He rushed the linen guy out of the back door after signing the invoice then dashed to the front. “Okay,” he said breathlessly, “let’s go.”

* * * *

Faith sat in the small glass booth, still stewing from her abrupt meeting with the DA. She’d met with Langer before, having testified on several cases she’d prosecuted, and knew she was a tough, no-nonsense lawyer. But the way she was acting now was as if Bart was Adolf Hitler, Genghis Khan and Saddam Hussein all rolled into one.

Finally, she saw her distressed husband sit down. They each picked up the nearby phone, their only means to speak, and pressed their hands against the glass.

“Hey, beautiful. Man, you’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“Are you okay? I’m so worried about you.”

“I’m fine, Faith. They’re treating me really well, actually. I know most of the guards. They’re good guys. They don’t like this any more than I do.”

“Good.” She sighed in relief. “You look good.”

“You look pretty good yourself. I wish I didn’t have to look at you through a plate of bulletproof glass, though.”

Her frustration immediately returned when the tone of his voice changed. “I don’t understand this,” she said forcefully before catching herself and lowering her voice. “I just left Langer’s office. She won’t budge! What does she have against you?”

“She wants to make a name for herself, that’s all. She’s using me as her platform for the governorship.”

“You don’t belong in here.”

“Well, I did remove evidence.”

“Yeah, but that was because your sister’s life was being threatened! And they know that! Why are they insisting you stay in here?”

“Langer wants her name in the paper.”

“Did you tell her about Nick? That he took the disc?”

“Yes. But it doesn’t really matter. I’m the one who took him in there. I’m the one who gave him the disc to hold. I’m just as guilty of destroying that evidence as he is. In her eyes, probably more so.”

“Ronald’s tried to get you out and so have I. She doesn’t want to listen. In fact, it seems to make her want to keep you in here all the more.”

“I bet she resents the hell out of the pleas for my release, particularly from insiders. She doesn’t seem the type that likes being told what to do.”

Faith was stunned by his cool demeanour. She was ready to risk her career, her life, to take out the vindictive shrew, but he sat calmly and quietly, seemingly unwilling to fight for his freedom. “How can you be so relaxed?”

“Relaxed?” he grunted with a chuckle. “You think I’m relaxed? I hate this, Faith. I have no control over what’s happening to me and I don’t see a way out of this. Just because I’m determined to keep my frustration buried doesn’t mean I’m giving up.” His voice became more strained with every word.

Faith wasn’t sure if she was happy to see him expressing his true feelings or sorry for having brought them to the surface, but now that he was opening up to her, her resolve to get her husband out of jail grew even stronger. She’d do what she had to do, no matter what.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Bart said with an evil growl. “When I get out of here, Nick Jensen will regret the day he crossed me.”

* * * *

Kelsey hadn’t moved from the foetal position she’d balled herself into when the dark stranger had left her room. She’d forgotten how intense the pains could be, but she prayed it would end soon.

She didn’t have the energy to react when the door opened. As was the norm, the masked man entered without a word, but instead of collecting the dishes from one meal and depositing those of the next, he tossed down a large gym bag and began stuffing it with her clothes.

“What…? What are you doing?” she whispered through her tears. He paused, looking directly at her through the darkened lenses of his glasses, before turning away to continue his task.

When she saw him enter the bathroom, she sat up, holding one hand against her abdomen to suppress the pain and the other clinging to the blanket in an attempt to keep her body hidden. She wasn’t indecent, but her tank top and lounge pants were more revealing than she cared to share with a strange man, particularly under the circumstances. She heard him rumbling around, but she was too scared to imagine what he was planning.

Only moments later, he reappeared with one of the shopping bags, seemingly filled with things he’d gathered from the bathroom. “What’s going on?” she asked quietly. He’d yet to hurt her, but her fear of him had grown since discovering he wasn’t who she’d thought he was.

He took the last remaining items of clothing and tossed them on the bed beside her. She flinched slightly when his hand pointed to the clothes. She assumed he was telling her to get dressed, but his silence unnerved her.
Why isn’t he speaking? I’ve heard his voice. Why is he wearing the sunglasses? I’ve seen his eyes.

“What’s going on?” she repeated, a bit more firmly. “Why won’t you talk to me?” He pointed again to the clothes before turning towards the door.

“I’m not doing anything until you talk to me. Why do I have to get dressed? Why are you packing my clothes?” Her words trailed off as it occurred to her. She was being moved.

“Where are we going?”

He again pointed to the clothes and turned his back instead of leaving the room.

“I’m not doing anything until you answer me. What’s going on?”

His breathing increased and she could see by the way he fisted his hands that he was becoming irritated.

“Why won’t you talk to me now?” She tried to stand, her frustration overtaking her modesty. She immediately regretted her move when the surge of pain radiated from deep inside, causing her to double over and drop to her knees.

He dived beside her in a flash. “Kelsey? Are you okay?” He wrapped one arm around her waist while trying to raise her shoulder with the other.

She raised her head and stared into her reflection in his glasses. When she moved her mouth to speak, she couldn’t find the words. Instead, she lifted her hand and pulled the glasses from his face, revealing his sexy green eyes. “Nick!”

“It’s me, baby,” he said, his voice laced with regret.

She dropped the glasses and tugged the ski mask off his head. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “Why are you dressed like that?”

He brushed his fingers through his hair. “I’ll explain everything, Kelsey, I promise, but for now we have to get out of here.”

“Nick, I still can’t believe it’s you.” She was oblivious to anything but his face—his wonderful, handsome face. “I was hoping you’d find me.”

She cradled his cheek in her palm. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for the way I treated you in the hospital. I should have let you explain. I never should have yelled at you like that.” The flood of emotions from exhaustion as well as the events of the last few weeks hit her suddenly as she leaned against him and released everything in a torrent of tears and sobs.

“Kelsey, we have to get going.”

She nodded into his chest, finally feeling safe for the first time in so long. “Yes, yes. Get me out of here, please,” she whispered with a sniffle.

“Can you stand?”

“I think so,” she said, but as soon as she stood, the pain overtook her. She bent over, clutching her stomach.

“Kelsey!” He sat her down on the bed and she took a series of short, shallow breaths. “Baby, I’m sorry, but we have to get you dressed and get you out of here.”

She nodded and wiped a tear away, knowing she’d have to fight through her pain to get away from the prison where she’d been kept. She reached for the pants lying on the bed, but as soon as her hands were away from her body, the pain worsened.

“Do you need help?” he asked.

She hated feeling so helpless, but knowing they had little time she nodded her head.

Without hesitation, he reached for the back of her tank top. He looked into her eyes while lifting it over her head and down her arms so she wasn’t forced to raise them.

She was thankful it was Nick instead of someone else, but with the uncertainty of their relationship, she wasn’t sure how to feel about sitting in front of him half-naked. It was nothing he hadn’t seen before, but the situation was different now. She wanted that to change. “Can I have a bra?” she asked meekly.

He stood from his position, grabbed a bra from the gym bag, and hurried back. She was able to slide it up each arm, but when she tried to hook it behind her, another pain hit and she pressed her arm against the bed.

“Let me do that,” he whispered. Guiding her head to rest on his shoulder, he wrapped his strong arms around her and fastened the two hooks.

“Nick,” she whispered as she inhaled his masculine scent. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, Bright Eyes.”

He stroked her back and pulled away. “And as much as I’d like to stay like this, we really need to go.” He helped her with her shirt before pulling off her pyjama pants and replacing them with the jeans he’d laid on the bed earlier.

When she was finally dressed, he gathered her items and threw the bags over his shoulder. “Can you walk, baby?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered through her tears.

“Come here.” He wrapped one arm around her back and, with little effort, slid the other under her legs and lifted her up against his chest. “Hold onto me, Kelsey.”

“Gladly,” she said with a tender smile.

He leaned his head down and brushed his lips across hers, just barely grazing the softness of her mouth. “Let’s go, baby.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Anthony pulled up to the address he’d been given, glancing around before parking a few doors down to discreetly observe the house. Not having been in the area before, he was pleased his mole had given him such accurate information and his hopes of finding the Braden girl grew.

As expected, there were the usual signs of activity around an average-looking home. There was a car in the driveway, windows open, and laundry hanging from a clothesline on the side of the house. Any normal person wouldn’t look twice at the blue and white Cape Cod, but that was the point.

He sat back, binoculars in hand, to watch the goings-on in the neighbourhood. The house wouldn’t be empty for at least another hour, but with blueprints to assist him, he was confident this assignment would be a snap.

A small part of him almost felt sorry for Kelsey Braden—an innocent young girl thrown into big-boy games, but the sympathy waned each time he thought of the arrogant asshole she’d chosen to associate with. He hated Nick Jensen and wanted nothing more than to see him suffer. Unfortunately for Braden, hurting her would be an excellent way to make Jensen’s life hell.

Now all he had to do was wait.

* * * *

Faith had just plopped down on her couch when the loud knocking on the door began. “What the…?”

Forcing herself up, she begrudgingly walked to the door, expecting Krissy to be standing on the other side once again, pushing her method of help into her life. The Kapman family meant well, but Faith didn’t want to deal with anyone right now. The only way she felt she could cope was to just be alone.

Preparing for battle, Faith opened the door brusquely, startled to find not Krissy, but Ronald standing on the other side.

“Ronald? I’m sorry. I was expecting a different Kapman.”

“What?”

“Nothing… Sorry. Come in, please.”

“I hope I didn’t come at a bad time,” he said, making his way to the couch.

“Not at all. I actually just got home from visiting Bart. What’s going on?”

“You said to let you know if there was anything you could do.”

“Yes?”

“Well, there is something. We need your help.”

* * * *

Tim unlocked the door and stepped aside to allow Mike to enter the house. “Can I get you something to drink?”

Mike’d had enough of this cloak and dagger stuff and was ready to head back to work. “Oh, for the love of… Look, you’ve pulled me away from a very busy day with the guise of someone needing medical attention. Now you’re offering afternoon tea? If you don’t have an emergency, I’m out of here.”

Before he’d a chance to walk out, a loud scuffling caught his attention. “A little help!” he heard a man’s voice call out.

Tim disappeared around the corner. A few seconds later, Mike was stunned to see him return with bags in hand, followed by another man cradling the curled up body of a young woman.

“You Mike Hinson?” the strange man huffed.

“Yes, what’s wrong with her?”

“That’s why you’re here. Follow me.” He started climbing the stairs.

“Mike?” Kelsey whispered softly.

“Kelsey?” His steps hurried once he heard her voice.

The stranger kicked open the door to the bedroom and gently laid an exhausted Kelsey on his bed. He stood to make room for Mike, but she clung to his hand. “Nick, don’t go. Please don’t leave me.”

He bent down, whispering near her face. “I’m not leaving you, Bright Eyes. I’m just gonna let the doc take a look at you, okay? I’m right here, baby.”