by Casi McLean
Noah returned the tablet then faced them, lifting an eyebrow.
“That woman isn’t just a patient, Slone.” Richard shifted his gaze and hitched his chin toward Sydney. “She’s his twin sister.”
Heart pounding, Noah gazed at Sydney. “Now, we wait… and pray I caught the diagnosis in time.”
Chapter 29
An icy fog slithered around Jillian. Hovering next to the dimming campfire, she trembled.
“You’re shivering, dear.”
The mist vanished into the drab, sterile hospital walls as she snapped around to see a hefty nurse dressed in green scrubs fiddling with the monitors. “Oh. I must have dozed off. She rolled over then drew the covers closer and snuggled into them.
“You’re simply getting some much-needed rest. Would you like me to bring you another blanket? I can warm one in a jiffy.”
Jillian gazed at the name scribbled across the whiteboard then turned to the nurse. “That would be wonderful. Thank you, Sherri. I’ve had my fill of feeling chill-to-the-bone.”
The nurse smiled. “I can’t imagine what you went through lost in the woods like that.” She grabbed hold of the tablet hooked on the bedside and entered some information then peered over her shoulder. “Would you like me to bring you something to eat when I return with your blanket?”
Jillian gazed at her skinny arms. “Ha. Amazing. I tried for years to lose my baby fat and regain my pre-pregnancy weight with no success. I think I’ll enjoy gaining a few pounds much more than trying to lose them. I don’t suppose pizza is on the hospital cafeteria menu?” She offered the nurse a hopeful grin.
“A girl after my own heart. I’ll see what I can do, hon. Doctor Monaco said you’d be released in a day or two. Your stats look good. With any luck, you might go home tomorrow.” She closed the door behind her and scuffed down the hall.
Home… Jillian had no home… and she had no idea where she’d go when she was released from the hospital. Gazing around the cold room, she thought about what had happened, but answers reeled in snapshots instead of a constant flow. A flash of the agent who left her to die seared forever in her mind. Maybe he wasn’t an agent at all. She’d spent hours wondering if he was a cartel thug or a dirty cop on the take. His identity mattered little. As far as he was concerned, Jillian was dead, and she planned to keep it that way.
Thank God Noah Monaco and his sister found her. A warm tingle swirled through Jillian as she envisioned Noah. His handsome face, crystal blue-green eyes and dark brown hair… how he sat beside her, whispering unanswered questions and encouragement, luring her back to consciousness. Aware people often felt affection for their doctors, especially after near death experiences, she tempered the desire swirling through her every time she saw or even thought about Noah. But Jillian wasn’t a typical patient.
She’d lived through three tours in Afghanistan, endured the brutal homicide of her husband and child, survived a murder attempt that thrust her down the side of a mountain, and spent over a month lost in her own mind, clawing her way back to civilization. Never did she imagine she’d feel anything after the death of her family, especially physical attraction.
Noah appeared in her life when she least expected anyone… he yanked her from the brink of death and dragged her back to reality, risking his own life as well as his sister’s in the process. He was with her when he received the call about Sydney’s illness. Jillian’s own heart ached watching the color drain from his face.
The fact he was a physician… or that he saved her life had little to do with her fascination. His very essence touched Jillian’s heart and rekindled her spirit. Something about this man’s psyche raised him above anyone she’d ever known. Maybe… just maybe her enchantment was reciprocated.
The nurse tapped on the door as she entered and spread a warm blanket over Jillian then turned and walked toward the hallway.
“Thanks so much. This spread feels heavenly.”
Sherri paused and tossed her a smile over her shoulder. “If that feels heavenly, I wonder how you feel about this.” She reached around the doorjamb then turned with a tray in hand and placed it on the bedside table.
Jillian gazed at the covered plate, glass of iced tea, and a manila envelope, then she raised the cover to see a giant slice of pizza. The aroma swirled around her, and she relished the scent, breathing it in deeply. “Umm. This smells amazing. You’re an angel.”
Sherri grinned. “It warms my heart to see you smile. I’m glad you like it.” She turned and shuffled toward the door.
Jillian took a huge bite of pizza then stared at the small packet. “Wait. Before you go, what’s in the envelope?”
“Beats me. Dr. Monaco left it for you. He said to give it to you when you were feeling better. I figure you asking for pizza meant you felt pretty good.” Again, she smiled then turned and walked into the hall, closing the door behind her.
A wave of excitement trickled down Jillian’s arms as she snatched the envelope and broke the seal. After peeking inside, she withdrew a keycard, a credit card, and a smartphone and charger with a sticky note attached to the case. She peeled the note off the phone and read the message.
Jillian, I don’t how long my trip to Connecticut will last, but you’ve spent enough time in the hospital. My guess is, after your ordeal, you have no place to call home. I hope you’ll take my key and stay in my condo while you figure out your next step. My address is :
788 West Midtown, suite 930
Atlanta, GA 30318
Please use the credit card for food, clothing, and anything you might need during your transition. The phone is yours, too. I took the liberty to add my number. The password is mystery woman, which you can, of course, change. Please call me any time.
Warmest Regards,
Noah
Never in her life had Jillian received such a thoughtful and much-needed gift. A stream of warm honey flowed over her entire body. She powered on the phone and stared at the single number added to her contacts. Tempted to call Noah immediately, she placed the phone on the bedside table then took another bite of pizza. As much as she wanted to call and thank him for his gift, she knew he had his hands full with his sister’s illness. His note convinced her he was at least thinking of her, and she wanted to savor the feeling for as long as she could. She’d call him tomorrow when she was released from the hospital.
❋
“It wasn’t my fault, Fagan.” Todd spit into the phone. “The doc went into the surgery wing. How the hell was I to know the place had a back elevator?” Huffing, he leaned against a cold cement column and stared at the empty parking spot where the doc’s car should have been.
“Your split makes it your business to know. Go back to his apartment and stakeout the place until he gets home.”
Todd blew a puff of warm breath on his fingers and shivered. “Yeah, yeah. Easy for you to say. You’re in a toasty-warm mountain cabin. Probably have a nice blaze roaring in the fireplace. Why do I have to sit in a cold car and wait for the doc to come home?”
“Who said anything about a cold car? You’re a thief, dude. You can get past the security easy… you said you lifted the keycard from Monaco’s car console. Find out which condo is his and make yourself at home.”
“Right. Great idea. I’ll tie him up in his own place and make him talk.”
“Good. Call me immediately if he tells you where they stashed our fortune. If he doesn’t, I’ll snatch his sister. According to Delta’s manifest, she flew from D.C. to Hartford this morning. She’ll be here sooner or later. Why else would she come back to Connecticut?”
“Good point. Maybe they stashed our heist before they took off for Atlanta. I’m heading to the doc’s place now. Keep me posted. That treasure is so close I can taste it.” Todd pressed End and shoved the phone into his pocket. Rubbing his cold hands together several times, he scanned the garage, then hot-wired the first unlocked car he could find. He’d abandon the vehicle somewhere close to the doc’s place… after wiping his pri
nts off. This time, no one would keep them from their due. No one.
Chapter 30
Squeezing Syd’s hand, Noah studied every movement she made. After injecting her with Dr. Glanville’s antibodies, her temperature had dropped consistently over the past several hours, so, he halted her Propofol drip. Now, she shifted her head as she awakened from a restless sleep.
“Come on, kiddo. Pull out of this. I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re on the mend.” He smoothed away the tousled hair from her face and noticed a bit of color returned to her cheeks.
A soft groan emerged as she struggled to open her eyes.
“That’s it. You’ve got this, Syd.” He urged her… no… he willed her to awaken. If he could, he’d give her every ounce of strength he had.
So absorbed in his sister, the ringtone of his cellphone startled him with a blast of the song he’d attached to her number. Jillian ~ Within Temptation echoed through the silence of the cold, sterile hospital room. He dug into the pocket of his lab coat and answered. “Jillian?”
“Noah. How’s Sydney?”
Her voice sounded genuinely concerned. His gaze drifted to his twin softly stirring beneath the blanket. “She’s a fighter. Her fever broke, but I won’t know much more until she wakes up.”
“That prognosis sounds a little too familiar. I take it you discovered why she was so sick.”
He relaxed back into his chair. “I did. She initially had a light case of the flu, which, in a way, probably saved her life.”
“Oh, my gosh, Noah. But how could the flu save her life?”
“The flu exacerbated an underlying disease that made her gravely ill. From all indications, she was bitten or scratched by a rabid bat.”
“Rabies. Oh, no. I thought rabies was fatal––uh… I mean, how is she? Will she recover?”
“I sure as hell hope so.” Glad to share the news with someone who he knew cared, he felt a jab of fear release. “If she hadn’t come down with the flu, I doubt anyone would have caught the diagnosis in time. Especially, since no one knew she came in contact with the source.”
“I’m so sorry, Noah. Can I do anything to help you? Anything at all?”
“Your call already lifted my spirits. I assume that means you’ve been released from Emory.”
“Yes, and I’m beyond stunned at your incredible generosity. Thank you so much. I had no idea what I was going to do... but under no circumstances was I planning on contacting the FBI. Still, I promise, I’ll repay you.”
“I won’t hear of it. I’m just glad you recovered.” He leaned forward in his chair and peered out the window at the deep azure sky. “Stay as long as you like. I have plenty of room, and even if Syd comes out of this completely unscathed, I probably won’t return for at least a few days. Just relax and make yourself at home. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will. But don’t worry about me. Take care of Syd, and if I can do anything, please let me know. Again, thank you so much.”
“When I bring Syd home, we all will have a lot to celebrate.”
“Absolutely. I look forward to seeing you both soon. Bye, Noah.”
“Bye.” When the phone went silent, he tucked it into his pocket and returned his attention to Syd.
“Is… she… okay?”
Her soft, wispy voice sent a sense of calm flooding through his entire body. Thank you, God, he whispered under his breath. “It’s about time you woke up. I couldn’t get a wink of sleep in these rigid hospital chairs.”
“Is… Jillian… okay?” Syd’s eyes opened a tiny slit and she turned her head slowly to face Noah.
“She’s absolutely fine. It’s you I’m worried about. How do you feel?”
“Like a train ran over me and dragged me for ten miles.” She inched her legs together and slid onto her side.
“I’m not surprised. Let me help you, Syd. You’ve been through a lot. Don’t expect to jump out of bed and get on with your life. You’ll need time to recuperate.”
She gazed at the monitors and medical equipment attached to her arms. “What’s wrong with me, Noah?”
Scooting his chair to face her, he paused, considering what and how to answer her question without scaring her. “Well, you had the flu… and apparently you… were bitten or scratched by a rabid bat.”
Her eyes widened, and she coughed as she drew in a quick breath. “Rabies? I have rabies. That’s a death sentence.”
He grabbed her hand and placed his over hers. “Usually it is, unless your twin brother is a specialist in rare diseases.” He chuckled to lighten the tension and calm her fear. “Actually, the flu probably saved your life.” Propping his elbows on his knees, he weaved his fingers together. “That, and your own tenacity. If you hadn’t climbed the mountain to your stone cellar, no one would have known you came in contact with bats. Did you know bats are the most common threat of rabies in the country?”
Closing her eyes, she breathed out a small huff. “I do, now.” She gazed around the room and frowned. “When can I go home?”
“Let’s take this one day at a time and see how you recover. Rabies is serious, Syd.” He thought about the fourteen-day treatment ahead to help her body identify and fight the rabies virus. Four more painful injections and an extended recuperation period wouldn’t be pleasant. Thankfully, the virus hadn’t reached her brain, but her nervous system was damaged, and he feared a long-term recovery.
“Right… can you at least go to my place and pick up a nightshirt and a few toiletries from my bathroom?” She tugged the covers over her arms and displayed her pleading pout face.
“That would be difficult… considering your condo is over eight hundred miles away.”
Her eyes widened. “Where are we?”
“New Haven, Connecticut.”
“How did I get here?”
Thankful Elise had sedated Syd to slow-down the disease as well as calm her, he questioned whether his sister was well enough to hear how close she was to death. “Okay, that’s a long story, and we both have a lot to catch up on. So, first you answer a few vital questions. What’s the last thing you remember?” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles, resting them on the edge of the bedframe. His pounding heartbeat calm now, he didn’t care what Syd asked of him. He was just thankful she was alive and seemingly on the mend.
❋
After pulling up a Google map of the area, Jillian rented a car and drove to Emory Village, the closest shopping mall to the hospital, for some much-needed clothes and food before she headed to Noah’s condo. As she approached, her pulse kicked-up at the sight of the vista. The design rose into the sky like a huge glass sculpture, and her jaw dropped at the elegant architecture. Each unit boasted wall-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking Atlanta’s trendy Midtown.
Noah’s condo, situated on the ninth floor, would have a spectacular view regardless of which direction the unit faced. Instead of going directly to the condo, she left her groceries and clothes in the car and familiarized herself with the amenities. Despite the cool weather, the rooftop pool looked so inviting, and the workout rooms inspired her to pick-up some suitable attire.
Snooping sufficiently through the entire building, Jillian returned to the garage and her rental, retrieved her packages then headed to the lobby elevators. She couldn’t wait to relax… have a taste of wine while she cooked dinner… and watch the sun sink into the horizon as the Atlanta nightlights blinked on across the skyline.
As she stepped off the elevator, she couldn’t believe how plush the hallway carpets felt underfoot. Arms full, she found unit 930 and slid the keycard into the slot, thrilled Noah’s condo faced west so she could see the sunset. She pushed open the door and, seeing the kitchen, she lugged her packages to the counter.
A glass of wine and the sun dipping below the Atlanta cityscape still lingering in her mind, she peeked inside each paper bag until she found a bottle of Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc. She rummaged through the cabinets for a wineglass and filled it to the c
enter bulge then sniffed the aroma before taking a sip. How long had it been since she tasted a good bottle of wine?
She set the stemware on the counter, perused the bags for the few frozen items she purchased then tucked them into the freezer. She plated some humus, a few cuts of celery, and some grapes, before putting away the refrigerated goods and positioning everything else in the pantry.
Her appetite was a fraction of what it was before she discovered the cartel’s drugs, but quality over quantity had always been her mantra. Grabbing her wine and the plate, she strolled into the great room, kicked off her shoes by the door and took-in the incredible view. The whole condo was so open. With nine-foot ceilings and so much light, she could get used to a place like this. She set the food on the side table and sat on the overstuffed, white leather sofa then snuggled into pillows.
Gazing around the open room, she approved of Noah’s exquisite taste in furniture as well as accessories. She took another sip of wine and popped a grape into her mouth. After admiring the panorama for a while, she decided to stroll through the rest of Noah’s condo. She wandered toward the sleeping area, finding two spare Jack-and-Jill bedrooms and a beautiful master suite, which included a bathroom with white marble floors and a huge shower. Feeling more relaxed than she’d experienced in a long time, she twirled around then plopped on the king-size bed. Would Noah mind if she slept in his room until he came home? She was tempted.
After several long moments of simply relishing in the luxury of the down comforter, she reluctantly rolled to the edge of the bed. The groceries wouldn’t put themselves away. She stood and padded to the great room, snatched her wine, and returned to the kitchen. A light dinner and a good night’s sleep on her mind, she opened the fridge and pondered over how hungry she was.
“I expected the doctor, but you’ll do just fine.”
