by Rita Herron
Had someone tried to kill her in the hospital?
He sprang off the bed. If someone had meant to harm Lindsey, they could come back any time. And once again he’d left her completely alone and unprotected.
LINDSEY FINALLY DRIFTED into a fitful sleep, the day’s tensions clawing at her body. But in her dreams, she heard her baby’s cry again. He was out there somewhere. He needed her. She had to keep searching. Had to believe he was alive.
She tossed and rolled, her throat aching, her mouth dry. A strange smell penetrated her nostrils, burning her wind-pipe, making her head throb. She opened her eyes, but the room spun. The air swirled around her, stifling. Hot. Perspiration beaded her face. She sniffed, suddenly alarmed at the strong pungent smell.
Gas.
She flung back the covers and rolled off the bed but her legs wobbled when she tried to stand and the room rocked back and forth. She screamed Gavin’s name, only the sound came out as a croak, and she remembered he’d gone away again. The smell grew stronger, the air choking her. Her body felt sluggish. Her head ached. The room swayed, then blurred again, and she dropped down onto the carpet. She had to crawl out, escape. But a wave of darkness engulfed her as she pitched forward, and she cried out, afraid she couldn’t make it to the door.
Chapter Fourdiv>
Gavin had parked along the street in front of Lindsey’s and had almost dozed off when he suddenly jerked upright, the hair on the back of his neck prickling. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he detected a movement. A hazy shadow caught in the early morning light slipped into the woods behind Lindsey’s house. Barking broke the silence, and he saw a dog running into the woods. Relieved, he leaned his head back against the seat but just as sleep pulled at his eyelids, a screeching sound erupted that made his blood run cold. His eyes jerked open and he bolted out of the car.
A front window stood ajar, sending his mind into alarm. He raced to the front door and knocked, then rang the door bell, tapping his foot impatiently. Seconds passed like a time warp set in slow motion. He pounded the door again and called Lindsey’s name. She still didn’t answer.
His stomach lurched. Something was definitely wrong.
Frantic, he jiggled the door, but it wouldn’t open so he climbed inside the window. As soon as his feet hit the floor, he smelled gas. Jesus. Where was Lindsey?
He raced through the small den and found her lying on the floor, a white swirl of fabric clinging to her slender legs, her long hair shadowing her face. She looked pale and thin and so still his heart slammed into his throat.
“Lindsey!” He pressed his hand to her clammy face, and she moaned. His breath whooshed out in relief. She was alive. Adrenaline shooting through him, he slid his arms beneath her limp form, unlocked the front door, and carried her out into the fresh air.
Clutching her to his chest, he stumbled outside, then sank onto the grass near his car. An owl hooted in the distance. A dog barked again, loud and demanding. Shadows flitted across the yard as the leaves on the trees rustled. Was someone behind them? In the house?
She moaned again and, for a brief second, opened her eyes. She was trembling, her eyes dazed. He stroked a tendril of hair from her face, gently cradling her chin in his hand. “Lindsey, baby, are you all right?”
She coughed and clutched his arms, angling her head to look up at him as she rasped for air.
He stroked her back with his palm, trying to help her breathe. “Are you okay? Was someone in the house?”
“I don’t know. G-gas. I could smell it.”
“I know, so did I.” His gaze shot to the house. What if it exploded? He picked her up and gently laid her in the back seat of his car, tenderly checking her face and arms and legs. “Are you all right?”
She wheezed again. “Feel dizzy.”
“I’ll call an ambulance. You do have one in this little town, don’t you?”
“Yes, call the fire department,” Lindsey rasped. “They’ll send one.”
He rubbed his hand over the side of her face, then pulled off his jacket and lay it over her, drawing the sleeves around her shivering form. “Just lie here and try to relax.”
He grabbed his cell phone and quickly dialed for help. “Send an ambulance right away! Yes, she’s conscious. 3499 Pine Hollow Road. Lindsey Payne. I think there was a gas leak. Yes, send the sheriff and the fire department, too.” She closed her eyes and his breath caught in his throat. “Hurry!”
He quickly checked her pulse. Faint, but her blood stirred slightly. He dragged her in his arms, lowered his head and listened to her breathing. Shallow, but steady. “They’ll be here soon, Lindsey,” he whispered, “Don’t worry, darlin’. Everything’s going to be all right.”
He rocked her in his arms praying for the EMTs to arrive, all the time wondering if he’d just told Lindsey a lie. If someone had intentionally tampered with her gas line, they’d meant to harm her. And if they were trying to hurt her because she was asking questions about her baby, neither one of them was going to be all right—not until they found their child.
Ten minutes later, the wail of a siren rent the air. He strained to see over the hump of the road, exhaling with relief when he spotted an ambulance and fire truck racing toward them. The paramedics jumped out and raced toward him. “Hurry!” Gavin yelled.
“We’ll check out the gas leak,” one of the firemen said.
A young blond paramedic placed an oxygen mask over Lindsey’s mouth and nose while another one took her vitals. “Blood pressure’s low, pupils dilated slightly.”
“She’s going to be okay,” he said. “But we should take her in for some blood work. Make sure her cell count is normal.”
Gavin nodded. A sheriff’s car pulled up the long winding drive, its blue light swirling through the pre-dawn sky. The car raced to a stop and a tall, gray-haired man wearing a tan sheriff’s uniform lumbered out, his face drawn. Even with the early morning sun deflecting his view, Gavin felt the man’s intense scrutiny trained on him. Felt those cop’s assessing suspicious eyes.
“What happened here?”
“Gas inhalation,” the paramedic explained. “We’re taking her to the hospital for tests.”
The sheriff hitched up his pants with his thumbs. “I’m Sheriff Forbes. Who might you be, Mister?”
He stuck out his hand. “I’m a friend of Lindsey’s, a detective from Raleigh. Name’s Gavin McCord. I’m glad you came, Sheriff.”
The sheriff shook his hand firmly, glaring at him as if he recognized his face from a Wanted poster. “You here when this happened?”
He was going to treat him as a suspect. Gavin understood the drill, but he sure as hell didn’t like it. “I drove over, saw a window open and got worried.”
A vein pulsed in the man’s high forehead as he chewed over Gavin’s words. “Mighty early for a visit, ain’t it, son?”
“I was worried about her,” Gavin explained. “I thought I’d drop by and take her to breakfast.”
“All the way from Raleigh?”
Gavin forced himself to bank his anger. The old coot was just doing his job. He’d do the same if he were the officer in charge, but the sheriff was wasting precious time interrogat
“No, I came down yesterday, I spent the night at the local hotel. You can check with the manager. I arrived around 11:00 p.m.” He stole a glance at Lindsey, aware she was lying way too still for comfort.
The sheriff nodded, chewing his lip sideways. Gavin stroked Lindsey’s hand, gently turning her chin so she could see his face. “You’re okay, sweetheart, we’re taking you to the clinic.”
A moment of panic surged into her eyes and he grimaced, realizing the memories the place would resurrect.
“We’re ready to move her,” the paramedic cut in.
Gavin nodded. “I’m going with you.”
One of the fireman walked toward them, his face furrowed. He held up a wire and pair of wire clippers. “Looks like the line was cut intentionally.”
Anger swept through G
avin.
“Sir, we need to go,” the paramedic said.
Gavin nodded and climbed in the ambulance. “Check out that wire,” Gavin told the sheriff. “See if you find any prints.”
Forbes frowned. “Just who do you think you are?”
Gavin’s hands shook as he yanked his badge from his pocket. “A detective from Raleigh. I’m here to find out what happened to Miss Payne’s child.”
“You’re out of your jurisdiction.”
Gavin glared at him. “I’ve never let it stop me from solving a case before. And I don’t intend to this time.”
“Look, mister, the lady’s baby died of natural causes. Now she’s so distraught, she may have tried to kill herself.”
Fury ran through Gavin’s blood, hot and explosive. “Lindsey asked for my help yesterday. There’s no way she’d attempt suicide today. And if that wire was cut intentionally, it proves someone tried to hurt her.”
The sheriff stared at him in disbelief. The EMT closed the back door of the ambulance and Gavin sat down beside Lindsey, cradling her limp hand in his. As they pulled away, he prayed Forbes was one of the good guys, that he’d come up with some answers. Because if Gavin found out who’d done this to Lindsey, he would be tempted to forget the law.
He’d kill him with his bare hands.
LINDSEY AWAKENED, dazed and disoriented—where was she? A dark husky scent invaded her senses. Her house? No, the hospital. Glancing through the dim light, she tried to focus, then recognized the worry lines around Gavin’s troubled eyes. His jaw was clamped shut, his expression bleak. Still, his handsome face served as a source of comfort in the chaotic turmoil surrounding her life.
She allowed herself to savor his presence for a moment, trying to imprint his image on her brain so she could summon it after he left again. And he would leave again. It was only a matter of time. “Ga—”
He pressed a finger to her lips. “Shh, ’s okay. You’re in the hospital, Linds.”
She frowned. “What happened?”
“Your house had a gas leak. Did you forget to turn off the burner after you heated the soup?”
She shook her head, searching her memory.
“The sheriff’s checking it out.” He finally released the bedrail and raked a hand through his hair. “The doctors ran some tests, a chemical profile to trace any elements you might have inhaled.”
“Dr. Cross?”
“No, Dr. Avery.” He tipped his head toward the door. “He said Cross should be here any minute, though.”
Lindsey fiddled with the oxygen tubes. “I don’t understand what’s happening, Gavin. Not any of it.”
“I know.” His jaw tightened. “But I’ll figure it out. I just need a little time.”
A nurse bustled in to check Lindsey’s vitals. “Mercy, Ms. Lindsey, didn’t think we’d be seeing you again so soon.”
“Neither did I,” Lindsey whispered.
“The doctor wants to monitor your oxygen saturation for a while, hon, but so far, things look good,” the nurse drawled in a thick Southern accent. “He’ll probably let you go home in a while.”
“Thanks, Brenda Leigh. I really don’t want to stay overnight.”
“I know, honey-child. Now get some rest.” She fluffed Lindsey’s pillow, then slipped out the door.
Gavin gently stroked a strand of hair away from Lindsey’s forehead. “I’m going to talk to the staff for a minute. Will you be all right?”
Lindsey ached to reach out and hold on to him but refused to allow herself the comfort. So she simply nodded, then closed her eyes and gave in to the exhaustion. But as soon as sleep claimed her, she heard her baby’s cry.
“ROCK-A-BYE-BABY in the treetop…”
He listened to the baby’s cries and watched in silence as she cradled the little boy in her arms and rocked him back and forth. God, how she loved to sit in that rocker. Especially lately. As if the soothing motion could lull her own pain. She sang softly, the same lullaby she’d sung to her first son. The son she had lost…
A cold fist pressed against his heart. He would do anything to alleviate the terrible suffering she’d had to endure the past few months. The infant gurgled, batting a tiny hand at the tendrils of hair floating around her heart-shaped face, and he smiled as she traced a finger over the baby’s pointed little chin.
She was going to want to keep the child. Forever. Of that much he was certain. No matter what his boss had to say.
He chuckled, thinking of the years he’d devoted to his employer, giving up his own needs and beliefs sometimes to please him. Well, no more.
A dark laugh esca at the irony. He would never have thought of the plan by himself. No, the boss had the devious mind. But he’d walk away the loser this time.
He stepped outside and lit a cigarette, watched the embers spark to life, the ends curl and sparkle with orange fire as he took his first draw. Tapping the ashes onto the weed-filled grass, he inhaled the chill of the mountain air and the scent of honeysuckle as he pondered his plan.
The baby was safe and sound, but Lindsey Payne and that cop-boyfriend of hers were not. They wouldn’t get the baby back. And neither would the man who’d ordered him to take the baby from his mother’s arms.
The little boy cried out softly and he glanced through the window. She patted his back, the old chair creaking and groaning as she rocked and sang. No, the little boy was where he belonged. And he’d do anything he had to do to make sure he stayed there. Including kill the Payne woman and that nosy cop. And he’d even defy his boss if he had to.
Chapter Five
The small hospital room seemed oppressive. Gavin would trade his life to turn back time and change the circumstances that had led to this moment.
But what could he have done differently? Agree to a relationship with Lindsey when he had nothing to offer her? Put her and the baby in danger by exposing them to the criminals who sought revenge on him? Make her see the truth, that he wasn’t worthy of being a husband or a father when he carried the blood of a teenager on his hands? And now he was responsible for his own son’s fate. It might even be too late. They might have lost their son forever.
No, he’d done the right thing by pushing her away.
But if he’d listened, if he’d only allowed her to tell him about the baby…he could have done something, hired someone, to ensure her and his son’s safety.
The dark troubling thoughts wrestled with guilt and remorse in the hollow places of his mind until he thought his head would explode. Lindsey’s breathing grew deep, and he realized she’d fallen asleep. He went in search of the nurse. He couldn’t change the past, but he damn well could change the future. And if his son was alive, he’d bring him home and plant him in Lindsey’s arms or he’d die trying.
He found the nurse at the nurses’ station, catching up on files.
“Poor Lindsey,” Brenda Leigh said sympathetically. “I hope she’s resting now.”
“She is. Have you worked here long, Brenda Leigh?”
“Just a few months, transferred from County, that’s the main hospital.” He followed Brenda Leigh down the corridor. “We refer patients to County if there’re complications we aren’t equipped to handle. Minor emergencies, deliveries, routine cases we take care of ourselves.” Gavin nodded, his gaze surveying the clinic. It was small and ill-equipped compared to the more modern facilities around the Raleigh area with its Research Triangle Park.
A waiting room that would hold no more than five people, one receptionist, a closed door that probably lead am rooms—something about the place made the hair on the back of his neck prickle. A young woman, eighteen at best, sat alone with her hands over her swollen stomach, leafing through a baby magazine. The set-up reminded him of the homes for unwed mothers popular in the fifties.
“How many exam rooms does Dr. Cross have?”
“Five. He has an outpatient surgical area and a regular operating room with three rooms for overnight stays. Most of the women who deliver go home after t
wenty-four hours.” Brenda Leigh paused and gestured toward an office. “There’s also a midwife. A lot of the women around here choose to give birth at home.”
“The trend toward the old days. I read about that.”
She frowned at his cynical tone. “Nothing wrong with the old ways, Mr. McCord. Might do this world good to return to traditional values. Cut out all this free sex and divorce and having babies out of wedlock.”
Her comment about unwed mothers irked him. Could this woman be some angel of mercy type whose opinion about babies being given to two-parent homes drives her to kidnap a child and give it to another couple?
“So did you encourage Lindsey to give her baby up for adoption?”
“Heavens, no,” Brenda Leigh said. “I’ve heard she’s a great teacher and I knew she wanted the baby.”
So much for that theory. “Tell me about the county facility.”
“An ambulance service is available to transfer patients if there’s a problem.” They’d reached one of the patient exam rooms and she halted outside the door, arching her head to study him. “You sure do have a lot of questions.”
Gavin shrugged, wondering how much to reveal. “Lindsey’s a good friend. I’m concerned about her.”
The woman’s lower lip curled in sympathy. “I know, poor thing. Shame about that baby. Lindsey would have made a good mama, too.”
“Yes, she would have.” Gavin’s chest tightened. But he would have been a lousy father. “Now tell me about the nursing staff.”
