by Arianna Hart
Chapter Three
The ringing of the phone woke Macayla at 10:00 that morning.
“Hello?” Macayla grumbled.
“Don’t tell me I woke you up?” her friend Samara Murphy O’Riley asked in shock.
“I didn’t get to bed until late this morning. What time is it?”
“It’s after ten. What happened, late delivery last night? Isn’t that always the way, on your last night before work, someone has to come in at the eleventh hour.”
“Uh, not exactly. Is Connor around today?”
“He should be back soon. He always goes to the YMCA on Saturday mornings to play basketball with some of the boys in the shelter there. Why?”
“Do you think the two of you could come over when he gets home? I have something I need him to see.”
“You sound serious. Is it anything I can help you with?”
“I may need your help too, I’ll fill you in when you get here.”
“Okay, if you’re sure. I’ll see you when Connor gets home.”
“Thanks, I’ll see you then.”
Macayla went back to check on Jared. He wasn’t as hot as he had been the night before, but he was still pale and warm to the touch. She deftly changed the IV bag, tucked the blanket around him more securely, and went off to make some coffee.
While the coffee was brewing she took a shower and started the laundry. She was feeling nervous, and wanted to hide as much evidence as she could. Maybe she had read too many murder mysteries, but she felt an urgent need to clean up all evidence of Jared’s injury. After she had the room picked up, she emptied the trash into one big bag and hauled it out to the dumpster. It was Saturday, so the dumpster wouldn’t be emptied for a few days. Hopefully no one would be nosing around in the huge dumpster before the truck came to empty it.
As she walked back to her condo, she grabbed yesterday’s mail and surreptitiously looked around for anything unusual. Most of her neighbors were young couples, or professionals like her. There were no children, and very few older folks. She didn’t see anyone up and about, even though it was almost eleven everyone must be sleeping in. It would be hard to get in unnoticed through the security gates, but she was nervous anyway. When she got back inside, she pulled the blinds closed as an added precaution. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up, she felt like someone was watching her.
Someone was, Jared.
“What time is it?” Jared asked in a sandpaper voice.
Macayla jumped a foot and turned around in a defensive stance.
“You just scared a good ten years off my life!”
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were so jumpy.”
“I’m not, usually. Of course I don’t usually have gunshot victims on the floor of my living room either. It’s around eleven in the morning. How are you feeling?” Macayla asked, coming over to him to check on his staples.
“Like hell, but better than last night. I don’t suppose you have any pain killers around, do you?”
“I grabbed some ibuprofen on my way out, it’s higher strength than what you can get over the counter, but it isn’t a narcotic. Sorry, it was the best I could do under the circumstances.”
“That’s fine. I don’t like narcotics anyway; I don’t like being knocked out. I’d rather be in pain than out of control.”
“Gee, that’s a surprise. I’ll get them and some water. Do you have to go to the bathroom?” Macayla asked, helping him to sit up next to the couch. His bare chest was well muscled, tanned, and a definite delight to the eyes. Macayla kept trying to think of him as a patient, but as she usually treated women, it was quite a stretch for her mind to make.
Even weak with a fever, and recovering from a gunshot wound, he just reeked of maleness. He was strong and solid, and when Macayla helped to pull him up against the couch, she felt a tingle run up her spine. Something about this man screamed “Danger!” to her common sense. She moved away as quickly as possible without making a fool of herself. She had better stay a little father away from him if he affected her this much.
“No, I’m just thirsty. My mouth feels like cotton. I don’t suppose you have any toothpaste handy, do you?”
“I do. I’ll help you brush your teeth after you take the medicine. I’d like to keep you on a clear diet today, and if everything is in working order, you can move up to eggs and toast by dinner time. I’ll get you some water for now, then we’ll brush your teeth. I think I’d be pretty anxious for a toothbrush too.”
“You’re not joking,” Jared said, leaning his head back. He hurt like hell. He was extremely sore where she had stitched him, and he felt like someone had beaten him with a baseball bat. He felt weak as a day old kitten, but that still didn’t stop him from reacting to Macayla’s touch. He wondered how she got his clothes off his unconscious body, but figured it was probably painful. Most of their encounters were akin to tightrope walking over an alligator pit. Every step was carefully thought out before being taken. One wrong move and you’d be in over your head with no way out. Jared just had to watch her to be aroused. Hell, he just had to smell her, hear her, think about her, and he was aroused.
He hadn’t seen her since Connor and Samara’s wedding in January, and her impact hadn’t lessened any. Lucky for him she could put aside her enmity long enough to treat him. She was the only doctor he knew in this part of the country.
“Here’s some water and some pills, be careful, they’re big. I brought a toothbrush, some toothpaste, and this emesis basin for you to spit in. I can’t lift you from the ground, and I really don’t want you trying on your own and splitting my stitches. I called Samara, and she and Connor will be coming over later in the day. I didn’t tell them what it was about, so don’t give me that look. I’m going to need their help if you want to stay alive.”
“I really didn’t want to involve them. I was hoping you could patch me up and I’d go on my merry way.”
“Well, I dug a bullet out of your hide, and had to stitch up a vein, you won’t be going anywhere for a while.”
“I heal pretty fast, I’ll be up and at them before you know it.”
“That may be true, but you’ve lost a lot of blood, and you are very weak. If you are hiding from someone, you are not going to have any stamina for at least three weeks, at the most optimistic.”
“Three weeks! I can’t afford to stay in one place that long.”
“Why? Who is after you? What underworld character have you pissed off this time?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You can’t be doing anything legal if you are afraid to go to the hospital because they will ask questions.”
“As it happens, I was trying to save the civilian population from getting involved. I’m working for the government, sort of.”
“Then why can’t you go to a hospital? They have military hospitals for just such occasions,” Macayla said.
“I know that. I can’t go because the people who are after me don’t care who they hurt. My only chance of getting out of this alive is to avoid them for the next three weeks. After that even if they kill me it won’t matter. The damage will be done and they will be out of commission. That is why I can’t stay here. My only chance is to keep moving. I can’t even get in touch with any of my contacts.”
“Well, I don’t see that happening without some help. You are not going anywhere just yet.”
“But don’t you see? They may be watching Connor, which will bring them straight to you! If they are watching his house, they will follow him here!” Jared said as he tried to stand up. His abdominal muscles were so tender he couldn’t use them to get off the floor.
“Why would they think something was up when Connor and Samara come to my place all the time? Wouldn’t it seem odder if they avoided this place?”
“I don’t know. I can’t think. I can’t put you or them in danger. I have to move.” Jared’s words started to slur together. “I thought you didn’t give me a narcotic?” Jared accused.
/> “I didn’t, but that was sixteen hundred milligrams of ibuprofen. It can make you drowsy, and you have no food in your stomach. Go to sleep. I’ll call Samara and work something out.”
“Don’t talk on the phone, they can trace anything. Play music when you talk.” Jared slumped down the front of the couch and was asleep before he could finish his warnings.
“What does he think I am? An idiot?” Macayla grumbled as she tucked the blanket around him.
Macayla got her digital phone out of her purse and called Samara’s digital phone. She hoped Samara had it on, she often left it in the car.
“Hey ‘Cayla, where are you now?”
“I’m on my way to the mall, can you meet me there when Connor gets home?”
“I thought you wanted him to come over your place?” Samara asked puzzled.
“I managed to figure it out on my own. Now I need your help buying something for my brother for his birthday. I never get the size right when I buy for him.” Macayla’s brother’s birthday was in a few weeks. Of course she had gotten his presents months ago, but anyone listening wouldn’t know that.
“Alright, if you say so. I’ll meet you there for lunch, then we can go shopping.”
Macayla knew that Samara wouldn’t be fooled by the conversation. She hoped that Samara would play along with the ruse until they could talk in person.
Samara found Macayla minutes after she sat down. “Hey Cayla, could you find a booth in a louder spot or what?” she asked as she eased into the opposite side of the booth.
“Sorry, but I didn’t want to wait for a table,” Macayla answered while scanning the room for listeners.
27
“So what’s the big deal? I know Kevin’s birthday is next month, but I’m sure you’ve not only bought his presents, but also wrapped them and boxed them for shipping. Not to mention the fact that you’ve been buying his clothes since he was 10 years old. I’m pretty sure that you know how to buy for him by now.”
“You’re right, of course. Listen, I’ve got a problem, and I need your help and Connor’s help, but I can’t have you coming to the house.”
“Macayla! Get to the point, this cloak and dagger stuff is killing me.”
“Jared Romero was shot and ended up in the back of my truck, I fixed him up, but he lost a lot of blood and is still weak. I left him sleeping at my condo, but I’m worried about him. Knowing him he’ll wake up and rip the IV out of his arm before I get back. I wanted Connor’s help because he’s going to need a secure place to hide for a few weeks while he regains his strength.
“I’m sure Connor will be able to help, but why don’t you want us coming to your house?”
“Romero doesn’t. He’s paranoid, he thinks you are being watched and will be followed. That’s why I had to meet you here at a bar where it is so noisy that no one can overhear us. All the precautions are making me nervous. This morning I cleaned up everything and threw it in the dumpster. Like anyone would be looking through my trash! I’m telling you, this paranoia is catchy.”
“Connor always says a little paranoia never hurt anyone. Can I tell him about this?”
“Yes, you would anyway. I’m just meeting you here so I have an excuse to buy Romero some clothes. I had to cut his clothes off to get to his wound.”
“Oh, that sounds interesting,” Samara said with a smirk.
“Don’t be an idiot I had to get to his wound quickly. I didn’t have time to pull his clothes off. When I’m in ‘Doctor’ mode I don’t see more than the area I’m treating. It’s not like I was stripping off his clothes to jump him. He could have been Mr. America and I wouldn’t have paid attention last night.” Macayla pushed her thoughts from this morning firmly out of her head.
“Last night hum. What about today?” Samara asked with a knowing grin. “I know what it is like to try to resist such a gorgeous specimen of a man. Not that I did such a great job of it,” she said wryly. “Thank God we’re married now and I don’t have to worry about resisting him at all.” The smile she gave Macayla was absolutely wicked.
“I don’t think resisting him is going to be a problem. I had to argue with him about every thing I did. He is so egotistical! He makes me crazy! He thinks that I’m an idiot, like I don’t know how to avoid a listening device. Anyway. I need to get him some clothes, and find a place to hide for three weeks. Apparently, he only needs to lie low for three weeks then whoever is after him will no longer be a problem.”
“Who’s after him?”
“I have no idea. Do you think he would actually tell me? Oh no. He just wants me to patch him up and send him on his merry way. And he with more stitches in him than my grandmother’s quilt! Egotistical, male, jerk.”
“Should be a fun three weeks. Are you going to take care of him?”
“What choice do I have? He is going to be on the IV for at least another day. He’ll need his dressings changed. I’ll have to remove his staples in a week.”
“What a great way to spend your vacation. Sounds just like work.”
“Well, I really didn’t have anything planned anyway. Besides, if I don’t take care of him who will? I can’t send him to your place and put the baby in danger.”
“I’d rather you didn’t do that. I’d do anything for Jared, but I’ve had my fill of running from gunmen. I like my life the way it is now. Boring.”
“And I’ll do my best to keep it that way. I just need Connor’s contacts from when he worked for the government. I don’t think Romero has any help coming.”
“Why not?”
“He was shot, but he wouldn’t go to the hospital because they have to report gunshot wounds. He wants to avoid public places because he is worried about getting others hurt. I would think if he was doing something for the government they would be able to protect him.”
“They didn’t do such a good job protecting Connor. It was his boss that was trying to kill him. Do you think that could be the same thing that is happening with Jared?”
“I don’t know. He seems to know who is after him. He isn’t looking for anyone; he’s just trying to stay alive for three more weeks. He wasn’t exactly in a position to be grilled earlier. I’ll try again later when I go back.”
“Well, you can always withhold his clothes if he doesn’t talk.”
“Right.”
Macayla didn’t know what Jared normally wore. The few times she had seen him in the past were mostly formal occasions. She didn’t think he normally work suits and ties. She debated over a few items, then decided that beggars can’t be choosers, and he’d wear whatever she bought him.
She got a few pairs of jeans, some boxer shorts, some tee shirts, and a sweatshirt and sweatpants for while he was convalescing. She found a few button down denim shirts that looked like they’d fit as well. If they didn’t she could send them to her brother. She had been able to salvage his sneakers last night, which was a relief. She really didn’t want to have to figure out his shoe size too.
When all was said and done, she’d spent well over two hundred dollars. Buying clothes for a man of his size wasn’t cheap. Macayla was loading the clothes into the backseat of her truck after she said good-bye to Samara when she noticed the briefcase on the floor. As unobtrusively as possible she slid it into one of the bags of clothes.
She knew that Jared was a computer wizard. Maybe the trouble he was in had something to do with what was on that computer. She hoped no one had seen it in her vehicle. Driving home Macayla kept her eyes open for cars following her. Trying to appear as normal as possible, she made sure she stopped at the gas station, the grocery store, and the dry cleaners. At each stop she looked around for any car that was at any of the other stops. So far so good. Maybe Jared was just paranoid, but better paranoid than dead.
By the time she got back to the condo, she had been gone almost three hours. She knew Jared would be up by then, and prepared herself for a confrontation. In her experience, no man liked having to depend on a woman for anything. Leaving Jared
almost naked, weak, and in pain was almost certain to make him take it out on her. She wasn’t wrong.
Chapter Four
“Where have you been?” Jared shouted as soon as he saw Macayla walk through the door loaded down with bags.
“I was shopping with Samara. What is your problem?”
“Oh, fine. Go ahead and leave me here, naked and hooked up to these tubes! I hope you ladies had a good time. Did you get your nails done too?” Jared was weak and in pain, and his bladder was almost bursting. He was too weak to get up off the floor, and he was afraid he would wet his pants any minute.
“No, but that’s a good idea. I’ll make sure to do that next time. Now tell me; do you want to complain and whine, or would you like me to help you go to the bathroom? I’ve put almost three bags of fluids in you, I’m sure you have to go by now.”
Jared felt like a furious two-year-old. He desperately needed to relieve his bladder, but he was feeling angry about being so helpless.
“Romero. I’m a doctor; I deliver babies for heaven’s sake. I’m not concerned about seeing your pee-pee. I have a bedpan you can use; I’ll put a towel over it if you are modest. I know it is embarrassing for a macho guy like you to have to pee in a cup, but I think you will get over it. I promise, I won’t look.”
“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?” Jared accused. He hated being weak. He suspected she was enjoying his discomfort a little too much.
“Yes. It’s always been my life’s dream to have a grown man bleeding all over my new car, passing out on my floor, then acting like a baby who needs a nap. I can now die a happy woman. Either let me help you pee in this thing, or pee all over yourself, I couldn’t care less at this point.”
“Give me the damn cup.”
“Suit yourself. If you get any on my rug, you’ll have to sleep in it,” Macayla said, handing him the bottle.
“Get me a towel then.”
“Just because you asked so nicely.”
Jared was in too much pain to care that she was laughing at him. After he finished with the bottle she emptied it in the toilet in the powder room downstairs. He watched her red curls bounce around her face as she brought back a basin of hot water and some washcloths.
