Out of Time

by Shirlee McCoy

  “She should have secured the area first.” Oliver shoved change into a vending machine, his comment making Levi want to wring his neck.

  “If you’d been the one bleeding to death, would you be saying the same?”

  “Don’t know.” Oliver shoved a handful of peanuts into his mouth. “I just know what she should have done. Find the perp. Make sure he’s disarmed. Then tend to the wounded.”

  “Right. I need to go see if there’s news on Chad.”

  “They’ll come out and tell us if he makes it.”

  Levi ignored the comment and ignored the urge to slam his fist into Oliver’s peanut-filled mouth. The receptionist who’d let him into the treatment area looked up as he approached. “Sorry. I can’t let you back there again. My supervisor wasn’t happy.”

  “I’m just trying to find out if the patient transported from the Alamo is doing okay.”

  “The man or woman?”

  “Man.”

  “He’s holding his own. Doc says the bullet missed the guy’s heart by a quarter of an inch. He’s already in surgery, but it looks like he’s going to pull through fine. I’ll let you know when he’s moved to the intensive care unit. I doubt you’ll be able to visit until tomorrow.”

  “How about Susannah? Is she in surgery?”

  “Let me check.” She typed something into the computer. “Looks like there’s good news there, too. No surgery scheduled. Must mean things weren’t as serious as they’d thought.”

  Or as serious as they’d looked.

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”

  Levi nodded, pacing back across the room and ignoring Oliver’s curious stare. “I need to call the Alamo. See who’s in charge there and find out what’s going on.”

  “Already done. Ben sent Daniel Riley to keep an eye on things.”

  “And?”

  “There are a couple dozen San Antonio police officers scouring the grounds. So far, all they’ve found is a bullet casing and set of keys to the Alamo. They’re not sure if they belonged to one of our victims or to our perp. I’m hoping for the perp. If he’s lost his means of entry, we’ll have a lot more luck keeping him out of the compound.”

  “Isn’t that like locking the door to the coop after the fox has already eaten the chickens? We’ve got two Rangers down. Finding the perp’s keys isn’t going to change that,” Levi muttered, pulling out his phone, but not sure who to call. What he wanted to do was leave the hospital, go to the Alamo, help with the investigation.

  More than that, he wanted to find Susannah again and make sure she really was okay.

  “Hey, as sorry as I am about what happened, if it means the site is secure for Sunday’s ceremony, it’s to our advantage.”

  “You’re a cold son of a gun, Drew.” Something he hadn’t realized about his fellow Company D member until that moment.

  “Not cold. Practical. If anything happens on our watch, we’ll lose our jobs. I’m not sure about you, but I can’t afford to let that happen.”

  “I’m going to find Susannah.” Levi turned away, afraid of what he’d say if he stuck around Oliver for too long. Though they were both members of Company D, they’d never been more than acquaintances. Levi was beginning to understand why.

  He crossed the room, bypassing the receptionist and opening the door to the triage area. She watched him walk through but didn’t comment. It was for the best. He wasn’t going to stop. Not for her. Not for the security guard. Not until he’d found Susannah, and not until he’d found the person who’d shot her.

  SIXTEEN

  Susannah crossed the hospital room on wobbly legs, dragging the IV pole along with her. The bandages on her shoulder were thick and bulky, the deep ache from the gunshot wound throbbing intensely. She pulled the door open and stepped into the hall.

  “Making your escape?” Levi’s deep voice rumbled behind her, and she turned, her foot catching on the bottom of the pole, her legs going out from under her.

  “Whoa! Careful.” His hands settled on her waist, supporting her as she caught her balance and her breath.

  “Thanks.” She gritted her teeth, wishing she’d taken the nurse up on the offer of pain medicine. Of course, if she had, she’d be closing in on unconsciousness, and there was no way she wanted that. She needed to make sure Chad was okay, and then she needed to get back to the Alamo.

  “No problem.” His fingers were warm through her hospital gown, his muscles taut and hard.

  “Have you heard anything about Chad?” She didn’t bother with niceties, didn’t have the energy or the time for them.

  “He’s in surgery. It looks like he’s going to make it.”

  “Thank you, Lord,” she whispered, and Levi nodded.

  “God was definitely looking out for him.”

  “I need to call his family and let them know what’s happened.”

  “San Antonio P.D. will take care of informing the family. You need to get into bed and rest.” He tried to steer her back to the room, but Susannah wasn’t going. She’d had enough of hospitals after Aaron’s attack; nearly two weeks in the intensive care, another two weeks easing off pain medicine and IVs and back onto regular food.

  “I’m going back to the Alamo.” But her feet wouldn’t move, her leaden body refused to cooperate.

  “And do what?”

  Good question. No doubt there were dozens of officers and Rangers scouring the grounds. They didn’t need her help, and in her weakened condition she’d probably only be in the way.

  “See if I can figure out what happened.” Because she really didn’t know. She and Chad were heading out on rounds. Gates were closed, compound quiet, everything just as it should be. Until it wasn’t.

  “That can wait for another day.” He slipped an arm around her waist, started leading her back to the room.

  “The first twenty-four hours are the most important in any case. You know that, Levi.”

  “And I know the investigation is being conducted. Leads are already being followed. You resting won’t keep any of those things from happening.”

  “If you were capable of getting up and going, would you lie in bed while someone else investigated a case for you?”

  “No, but I’m a trained law officer. It’s my job to investigate crimes and seek criminals. As long as I have it in me to do it, I will.”

  “Then you’ll understand why I feel the way I do. I signed up to keep the Alamo secure. I failed. I need to go see what kind of damage has been done.”

  “No damage, but they found keys and a bullet casing.”

  “Keys?”

  “My understanding is that it was an entire set. The responding officers weren’t sure if they were yours or Chad’s or if the perp dropped them.”

  “Mine were hanging from my belt. They were still there when the ambulance came. I’m not sure about Chad’s.”

  “I’ll see if I can find out.” He urged her back into the room, and she almost considered climbing into bed and letting Levi and the rest of the team secure the Alamo and investigate the shooting.

  Almost.

  But despite the throbbing pain in her shoulder, she felt hyped up and ready for action. “Can you find a nurse while you’re at it? I want to get this IV out and get out of here.”

  He frowned, and she was sure he’d refuse.

  “For the record, I think this is a bad idea.”

  “For the record, I appreciate the fact that you’re not trying to keep me from making my own decision about it.”

  He smiled, tugging at one of her curls before he walked out of the room.

  She grabbed what was left of her uniform from the chair next to the bed, pulling on the slacks and frowning at the shirt. The EMTs had cut away the top when they’d arrived, and there was little left but ribbons of fabric.

  “Ms. Jorgenson?” A soft knock followed the query, and the door opened, a tall, spare woman walking in. “I’m Dr. Williamson. I hear you want to lea
ve.”

  “I’ll rest better at home.”

  “Maybe so, but I can’t recommend that you go any earlier than tomorrow night. Mind if I take a look at the wound?” She gestured to the bed, and Susannah sat on the edge of it while the doctor examined the stitched gash in the fleshy part of her shoulder.

  “Looks like it’s dry. No more bleeding. Not bad. You should heal up in a couple of weeks. A lot better than your buddy, but it looks like even he’s going to make it. I guess you were both fortunate tonight.” She offered a brief smile.

  “You treated Chad?” Susannah asked as she pulled her hospital gown back into place.

  “I assisted during the surgery. A half inch either way and he’d be dead.”

  “I’d like to see him.”

  “You’ll have to wait a couple days. We’re keeping him in a medically induced coma for at least forty-eight hours and letting the ventilator work for him. Until he’s stable, only family can visit.”

  It sounded bad. Really bad. But when Susannah had found him lying in a pool of his own blood, felt his thready pulse beneath her fingers, she’d thought he would die before the ambulance arrived, had prayed desperately while she applied pressure to the spurting wound.

  Yeah, an induced coma was bad, but being dead was worse, and she silently thanked God again for sparing Chad’s life.

  “Everything okay in here?” Levi walked into the room.

  “Fine.”

  “Except that we’re not in agreement over where you’re going to spend the night.” Dr. Williamson jotted something on Susannah’s chart, offering Levi a cursory glance.

  “Like I said, I’ll be more comfortable at home.”

  “If you’re insistent, I’ll have the nurse take out your IV, but I’d really rather you stay.”

  “I’m going to have to insist, then.”

  “I’ll write out a prescription for pain medication, but if you experience any dizziness, lose consciousness or have shortness of breath, you need to come back in immediately.”

  “I will.”

  “All right. The nurse should be in momentarily.” The doctor frowned, wrote something else on the chart and left the room.

  “If you’re taking a vote, I’ll weigh in on the side of the doctor.” Levi dropped onto the bed, his eyes deeply shadowed, his hair ruffled as if he’d run his fingers through it again and again.

  “Are you okay?” She touched his knuckles, heat shooting up her arm at the contact, her heart leaping as he looked into her eyes.

  “Seeing as how I didn’t just get shot, I’d say I’m doing pretty well.” He turned his hand over and captured hers, his callused palm rough and cool against her heated skin.

  “You look tired.”

  “It’s been a long couple of days.”

  “Once we get through Sunday, things should calm down,” she responded without thinking, her body sagging toward his of its own accord until their shoulders touched, their arms pressed together.

  “I don’t think you’re going to be up to security detail Sunday.” He pressed her head to his shoulder, his palm resting against her neck, his thumb skimming back and forth along her jaw.

  “I’ll be up to it.” Though right at that moment, she thought she’d be content to sit right where she was forever.

  “Susie, I want you to stay away from the Alamo until after the ceremony.” His words seeped through her contented haze, and Susannah straightened.

  “I thought we agreed that I make my own decisions.”

  “You could have been killed tonight.”

  “I could have been killed last summer, too, but I wasn’t.” She stood, her legs shaky.

  “Sus—”

  “I have to keep going, Levi. If I don’t, I’ll climb into bed, pull the covers over my head and stay there forever. That’s how bad the fear is. How real it is. So, please, stop tempting me to hide away until all this blows over. We might find our perp, we might throw him in jail, we might even get through the ceremony without any trouble, but what’s inside of me isn’t going to blow over. It’s always going to be there, and I’m always going to be fighting it.” Her throat burned as the words poured out, and she turned away, blinking back hot tears.

  She shouldn’t have said that.

  Didn’t know why she had.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Why? It’s not your fault. It’s just…who I am.”

  “Whatever you need to do, Susannah, I’ll stand beside you.” The sincerity in his voice pierced her heart, and the tears she didn’t want to shed slid down her cheeks. She brushed them away, impatient and irritated and sad. Sad because she wasn’t who she wanted to be. A woman who could look in Levi’s eyes, see the interest and attraction there and throw herself heart first into it.

  “It’s going to be okay.” He pulled her into his arms, and she went willingly, let her head rest against his chest. His heart thumped beneath her ear, the steady easy rhythm of it seeping into her, tempting her to believe that he was right. That everything really would be okay.

  “Ms. Jorgenson?”

  Susannah jumped, whirling to face a smiling nurse. “Yes?”

  “Dr. Williamson sent me to remove your IV. It will only take a minute.”

  “Thanks.” She sat, offering her arm and turning away.

  Just another minute and she and Levi could be on their way back to the Alamo where an intruder had lain in wait.

  She shuddered, and the nurse frowned as she pressed gauze and a bandage to the inside of Susannah’s elbow. “You look very pale.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re shaking.” The nurse frowned again, pressing a cool hand against Susannah’s forehead. “I think I’d better call Dr.—”

  “She just needs a little fresh air,” Levi cut in. Not because he wanted Susannah to leave the hospital. She knew that, knew that if he could have convinced her to stay, he’d have done so.

  No. He didn’t want her to leave, but he’d support her choice, give her whatever help he could.

  That meant a lot.

  Probably more than he knew.

  “I think you’re making a mistake, but we can’t force you to stay. Here are the doctor’s instructions and a prescription for pain meds. I’ll go get a wheelchair.”

  “Don’t bother. I can—”

  “She’ll have to argue if you decline the ride, so you may as well let her go.” Levi pulled Susannah to her feet as the nurse left the room.

  “I’m not in the mood to wait.”

  “I said she’d argue. I didn’t say you had to wait.” He cupped her elbow, offering subtle support as they walked out into the corridor.

  “Still a rule-breaker like you were when you were a kid?”

  “Only when it’s necessary.”

  “I’m glad. The hospital was getting to me. The smells and sounds and…”

  “Memories?”

  “Those, too.” They stepped into the elevator, and Susannah pushed the button for the ground floor. “I wonder which floor the ICU is on?”

  “First.”

  “Maybe—”

  “It’s not going to happen.”

  “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

  “Sure I do. You were going to say that we could stop by the ICU and visit Chad, but I already tried and security turned me away.”

  “The doctor said he’s on a ventilator.”

  “I know.”

  “He should be home with his wife and kids, getting ready for another day to begin. Not lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life.” She swallowed back tears. She’d shed enough for one day.

  “At least he has his life to fight for. Thanks to you.”

  “It doesn’t feel that way. It feels like I failed him.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you?”

  “Every day that we don’t find Greg’s killer is another day that I feel I’ve failed him.”

  They stepped off the elevator, and Susannah looked into Levi’s
eyes. Really looked. She’d heard the news reports. She knew that the Rangers of Company D had arrived at Gregory Pike’s house and found him dead, but knowing it was different than seeing it in Levi’s eyes. Feeling his helplessness, his rage, his grief.

  “There was nothing you could do, Levi. You know that, right?”

  “Head knowledge can’t always change the heart, and my heart says I failed.”

  “I don’t think Captain Pike would agree.”

  “Too bad he’s not around to ask.” He offered a half smile as they stepped outside.

  “If he were—”

  “You’d better wear this. It’s chilly and hospital gowns don’t offer much protection.” He shrugged out of his jacket, tucked it around her shoulders, his hands gentle, his touch so light she barely felt it.

  “Changing the subject?”

  “And making sure you stay warm. I guess you could call that killing two birds with one stone.”

  He had a right to his silence, a right to his secrets. Susannah had enough of her own to know that she should respect the boundaries he’d set, not push for more information than he wanted to give.

  She wanted to push, though, wanted to ask and learn and understand.

  And that scared her.

  Asking, learning, understanding, those were the building blocks of trust. Trust was the foundation of a relationship. A relationship…

  A relationship was something she’d once longed for, but had given up believing in. She was too damaged, too scarred, and she didn’t want to put that on someone else.

  But maybe she could.

  Maybe that’s what this was about. Her being with Levi. Him being with her. The two of them working together toward a common goal. They both needed to heal. They both needed to move on. Maybe God planned for them to do that together.

  Levi opened his car door, and Susannah dropped into the seat, her shoulder throbbing with the movement. Compared to what she’d felt after Aaron’s attack, the pain was merely an annoyance. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes, Levi’s jacket warming her, his scent filling her, settling deep into her mind as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the Alamo.

  SEVENTEEN