by Mallory Kane
“Don’t move, Ms. Connor.”
She heard the voice, but she couldn’t place it. The room seemed full of people—weird, wobbly people, but she didn’t have time to figure out why they were wobbly. She had to get to Dev.
“I’m okay,” she said. “Please, you’ve got to help Dev. He’s bleeding.”
“Don’t worry, he’s going to be okay.”
“No! He was shot. I saw the blood.” She pushed against the man who was preventing her from getting up. Lifting her head, she saw several people were huddled around a still figure.
“Dev!” she cried. “There he is. Get out of my way.” She pushed at the hands pressing against her shoulders.
“Just relax,” the owner of the hands said. “I need to examine you. You’re bleeding.”
“Not me. It’s Dev,” she protested, trying again to rise. But her side hurt a lot, and the man with the hands was strong.
She started to cry. “Please help him. He’s been through so much.”
Oh, God, she loved him so. She always had. Even while she’d been busy exposing his lies, she’d been falling in love with Devereux Gautier.
From the start, her obsession with proving that he wasn’t a hero had been her unconscious way of protecting herself from a man she’d believed was a cowardly charmer, like her father and her fiancé. Cowardly charmers never stuck around. They lied and they left. Yet there was Dev, bleeding, maybe dying, because he’d come for her and shielded her from a bullet with his own body.
“Need some help over here,” the man bending over her called out. “An IV and a sedative, stat.” A second blue jacket came into her line of vision. “Now, honey.” It was a woman. She had gloves on and was handing the man a plastic bag. “You’ve got a bullet in you, and you’ve got to be very still.”
“A bullet?” Reghan echoed.
The woman pulled the cover off a syringe.
“No!” she cried. “Don’t you dare give me a shot!”
The woman’s kind face filled her blurry vision. “I’ll have to if you don’t cooperate, Ms. Connor. We have to move you onto a stretcher.”
They lifted her, and her side cramped with pain. “The bullet. It must have gone through him and into me.” Her voice trailed off. “He took a bullet for me…”
“I need you to be still, Ms. Connor. We’re about to put you into the ambulance.”
“Wait!” she said. “I can do it myself.”
But the woman just chuckled. The stretcher was lifted into a brightly lit van that looked like a hospital room inside.
“Where are you taking me?” she demanded. “I want to go with Dev—Detective Gautier.”
The EMT climbed in beside her. “Yes, ma’am. His ambulance is right behind us. Hear the siren?”
She didn’t feel the prick of the needle.
She listened to the siren all the way to the hospital.
…
Once she was rolled into the emergency room, it didn’t take long for Reghan to learn the bullet had entered her left side and penetrated about an inch under the skin. It was a simple procedure to remove it.
The young doctor said as he tied off the last stitch, “No reason why you can’t go home. You just need to take it easy, and call your regular doctor in a week to get these stitches out.”
“I’ve got your antibiotics right here,” a nurse said, setting an amber container on a small table while brandishing a syringe. “The doctor has ordered an injection of the same drug, to get you started.”
The doctor nodded. “Infection is a concern with these types of wounds,” he said, pulling off his gloves.
“The bullet wound in room three is refusing surgery,” the nurse said to the doctor. “I think they could use your help.”
“Bullet wound?” Reghan asked, struggling to sit up as the doctor quickly left the cubicle. “That’s Dev. Where is room three?” Whoa,” the nurse said. “I need to give you your shot and bandage your wound before you move. “
“No time,” Reghan cried, sliding off the exam table, feeling a little light-headed.
Dev was awake and arguing, she realized with relief. That meant he really was going to be okay. If he would let the doctors do their jobs. “I’ll get him to agree to the surgery. He’ll listen to me.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” the nurse said. “The doctor is sedating him, and we’re looking for his next of kin.”
“He has no next of kin. I’m—” Reghan took a deep breath. She’d do anything at this point to be by his side. “I’m as close to next of kin as he has.”
The nurse tried to stop her, but at that instant, she heard him. She couldn’t tell what he was saying, but it was definitely Dev’s voice. Reghan pushed past the nurse and followed the sound.
She found Dev in a glass-walled room with machines and wires and blinking lights. He was on a gurney, his face pale, his expression twisted with pain and frustration. His arms were being restrained by two muscular nurse’s aides, while a nurse prepared an IV and the doctor who had stitched Reghan up examined Dev’s bullet wound.
It was obvious they were having no trouble keeping him still. The idea that he didn’t have the strength to fight them sent anguish and fear arrowing through Reghan. She rushed inside. All eyes turned to her. She ignored everyone but Dev.
“Connor,” he said hoarsely. “You okay? Nobody’ll tell me anything.” He let his head fall back against the pillow and closed his eyes. It was appalling how weak he appeared.
The nurse who was hanging the IV glared at her. “Ma’am, you’re not allowed in here.” She shifted her gaze to another nurse. “Carol, get her out.”
“Wait. He needs surgery?” she asked the doctor.
The annoyance in the doctor’s gaze faded. “He’s bleeding internally. He could go into shock any minute.”
“Let me talk to him. I’ll make him agree,” she said.
A weak snort came from Dev. “She can do anything,” he mumbled. “Just ask her.”
She turned to him. He sounded so defeated. “What’s the matter with you? You have to agree to the surgery.”
He squeezed his eyes shut. “I gotta check on Penn and Katie. Let the kids know what happened. See how Tracy’s doing. And Mintz—” Talking was wearing him out, and she didn’t like the way he was slurring his words.
“What’s wrong with his speech?” she asked the doctor.
“The EMTs sedated him in the ambulance. He woke up and started fighting them.”
She moved closer to Dev and took his hand. “You can’t take care of anybody unless you take care of yourself. You know that. Be reasonable.”
“What about Penn and Katie and the kids?” he said, opening his eyes with an effort. “What about you?”
She laughed softly. “Oh, I love you so much, but you are a stubborn man. You trusted me to help with Nicky. Can’t you trust me to care of things for a few hours?”
“You…you love me?” he asked drowsily.
Oh, lord. Had she said that aloud? “Just trust me, Dev. Okay?”
She expected one last retort, but he let his head sag back to the pillows and closed his eyes. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his temple.
“Connor?” he whispered.
“More arguments?” she murmured.
He moved his head slightly in a negative gesture. “Love you, too.”
The doctor broke in. “We’ve got to hurry. He’s nearly unconscious.”
With relief, Reghan watched Dev scribble his signature on the surgical release form.
“Okay, let’s get this gurney to surgery,” the doctor said and pushed past everyone.
“Come on, Ms. Connor,” the nurse said. “We still need to put a bandage over those stitches and give you discharge instructions.” She herded Reghan back into her cubicle.
While the nurse worked, Reghan played Dev’s last words over and over in her head. Had he really said he loved her? Her heart overflowed with joy.
But it was short-lived. Even if he had, he’d
been too sedated to know what he was saying. Too near unconsciousness to understand how monumental a statement it was.
She wanted to ask the nurse if she’d heard Dev’s words, but how silly was that? Her eyes stung, and a lump grew in her throat. Very silly, she told herself as she bit her cheek, working to hold back tears.
The nurse pressed the last piece of tape in place on her side. “There you go.” She pulled a smart pad from her pocket. “Let’s see. You’ll need to be careful for the rest of the day. Do you have someone to drive you home once you sign your paperwork?”
“No,” Reghan said. “I’m staying here until—” she was interrupted by the rustling of the curtain. A bearded, dark-haired man Reghan had never seen before stuck his head in.
“Can I come in?” he asked, and grinned. “I’m her ride.”
The nurse frowned at him. “Didn’t I tell you to wait at the desk?”
He slipped inside and closed the door. “Yes, ma’am. But people kept trying to put me in a room and take my clothes off.”
Reghan smiled involuntarily. She noticed the nurse was struggling not to smile as she said sternly, “I’m this far from calling security, young man.”
He grinned and held up an NOPD badge. “Won’t work. I outrank them.” He turned to Reghan. “Afternoon, Ms. Connor. I’m Rick Easterling. I’m with Vice, but everybody’s pretty much tied up this evening, and Dev’s a good friend of mine. I’m your personal taxi service tonight.”
“Humph. Well, Ms. Connor is ready to go, as soon as she gets dressed.”
“Oh.” Reghan looked down at herself. She still had on the bloodstained skirt, but she was wearing a flimsy hospital gown on top, which gaped open in front. She whipped it closed.
The nurse waved a hand at the man. “You get back outside until she’s dressed.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, the glimmer in his brown eyes belying his solemn agreement. “By the way,” he continued, pulling an envelope and a small bag out of his jacket pocket. “I’ve got a warrant for that bullet. You can put it in here.” He sent Reghan a wink as he ducked out.
The nurse helped her back into her ripped, bloody blouse and buttoned it for her. She really wished she had something else to wear.
Just as she finished, the dark-haired man opened the door again. “Ready now?”
The nurse frowned, but Reghan nodded. “Yes, but I’m not leaving. I want to stay here. Dev’s in surgery.” Her voice broke.
The nurse said, “Wherever you’re going, you need to leave here in a wheelchair. I’ll be right back.”
“The bullet?” Rick reminded her, setting the envelope on the counter and holding the bag in his outstretched hand. “You can drop it in here.”
Carol didn’t even bother looking at the warrant. Using forceps, she picked up the bullet from the metal tray and dropped it in Rick’s bag. He sealed the bag, signed it, asked the nurse to sign it, then pocketed it.
As she left, Rick said, “I hear you wrestled Dev to the ground and made him agree to have surgery.”
“Hardly wrestled him. He was—” To her embarrassment, her eyes filled with tears. “He was so weak.”
Rick nodded. “He lost some blood, but he’s tough. The bullet went all the way through his left shoulder when he put himself between that bullet and you.”
The memory of Dev diving to the floor to intercept the bullet that had been meant for her replayed in her mind. “It hit me.”
Rick smiled. “That’s what I heard. Persistent bullet. “
“What happened to Tracy? Do you know? And Mintz…I’m so sorry. By the time I found him, he was already dead.”
“Dead? Heck, no. Mintz is in surgery, too. The scalpel nicked his carotid artery, but when he fell onto his stomach, he had his hand at his throat and the weight of his head must have slowed the bleeding. It was touch and go on the way to the hospital, but I heard he was going to be okay.”
“Oh, thank God.” Relief flooded through her. At least one of Tracy’s victims had survived.
“Shareese Galloway—Tracy—on the other hand, tried to shoot herself. Dev tackled her. The bullet just grazed her head. She’s having a psych evaluation as we speak. I have a feeling she’s headed for a mental facility instead of a prison.”
At that moment, the nurse pushed a wheelchair into the room. “I’m sorry to rush you, but we need this room.” She looked pointedly at the detective.
Rick smiled at her. “Can I take Ms. Connor out of here for you?”
“You okay with leaving with him?” she asked skeptically.
“Yes,” Reghan said, standing with Rick’s help. She waved off the wheelchair and took Rick’s arm. In the hall, they passed a gurney with an unconscious patient on it. Her heart fluttered, and she let out an involuntarily noise of distress.
“You okay?” Rick asked.
She regrouped. “I just…can’t stop thinking about everything that’s happened.”
“Seeing death and violence is never easy. But it’ll pass.”
Reghan sighed. “I know. But right now it is hard,” she said as he pushed open the door to the surgical waiting room.
To her surprise, Penn and Katie were there. They both stood and rushed toward them.
“Rick,” Penn said, “were you involved in the shooting?”
He shook his head. “Hi, Penn. Nope. I’m playing candy striper today. Escorting Ms. Connor around.”
Penn turned to Reghan. “Are you all right?”
“Miss Reghan, you look awful!” Katie blurted out.
She smiled wanly at Katie. “I’ll bet I do, Katie. I’m okay, just tired.”
Penn reached for her, but for an instant Reghan instinctively drew back. She immediately held out her hands, but Penn hadn’t missed her recoil.
“Oh, Reghan, I’m so sorry,” she said. “It wasn’t until I was driving back that I realized what I said to you on the phone. I apologize. It was thoughtless and rude. I know Dev wasn’t alone.”
Reghan stopped her. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I understand. When did you get back?”
Penn looked at her assessingly, then apparently decided Reghan was sincere. “About ten minutes ago. I went to the center, but they had roadblocks up. One of the officers told me you and Dev were here. “
As she spoke, a nurse poked her head into the waiting room. “They just took Mr. Gautier into surgery.”
“Thank God,” Reghan said with a sigh. Penn looked at her questioningly. “He was refusing to let them sedate him for surgery. He was too worried about you and Katie, me, Tracy. Everybody on the planet.”
Penn smiled. “Naturally. After all, he’s the only one who can take care of us. How did they convince him?”
“I promised I’d take care of everyone until he woke up.”
Penn stared at her. “That worked?” she asked incredulously.
Reghan nodded, remembering his last drowsy words, wishing she could believe he’d really meant them.
Penn’s eyes filled with tears. “He was awake and talking? I’m so glad. Nobody would tell me what happened,” she said. “Why does he need surgery? Is he going to be all right?”
Rick supplied the information. “As I understand it, the bullet chipped a bone in his shoulder. They need to get the chip out, because it’s close to his heart. If it shifts it could still cause damage.”
“Oh,” Penn said, covering her mouth.
Reghan hadn’t known that either.
“Hey,” Rick said. “He’s going to be fine. Why don’t you guys let me take you to the center so you can get some rest.”
“No.” Reghan wiped her face and winced as the stitches in her side pulled. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m staying, too,” Penn said. “Katie and I will go home once we know Dev is okay.”
Rick eyed the two of them, then shrugged. “I never argue with determined women.”
“Katie,” Penn said. “Why don’t you take my phone and go sit over there and play a game?”
&
nbsp; Katie took the phone, skipped across the room, and flopped down on the couch, already engrossed in her game.
“She’s sweet,” Reghan said, smiling.
Penn looked over at Katie for a moment. “She’s my life.” Then she turned back to Rick. “What about Tracy? I don’t understand what happened. Why in the world did she shoot Dev?”
Rick and Reghan exchanged a glance. Reghan gestured for him to go ahead. So he quickly and succinctly explained about Tracy’s deception, her true identity, and the fact that she was the murderer all along.
“That’s unbelievable,” Penn said, stunned. “She killed them all?”
“Except Brian,” Reghan confirmed.
“And she’s really Fontenot’s daughter? Does Dev know?”
Rick nodded.
“He must be devastated,” Penn said, wiping her eyes. “I still can’t believe it.”
Rick glanced at the reception desk. “Seeing as you two have Dev covered, I’m going to go check on Officer Mintz’s progress and then head back to the station. I need to deliver the bullet to the lab.”
Once Rick was gone, Penn straightened. “Reghan,” she said, “I know you know Dev’s history.”
Reghan was surprised by the sudden change of subject, and in Penn’s tone. Her guard went up. Was she about to be warned to stay away from Dev?
“He’s had so much hurt in his life,” Penn said. “And he’s done so much good. But he was already at the end of his rope with the deaths of the boys.” Penn’s eyes shone with unshed tears. “I’m afraid Nicky’s death and all this with Tracy will tear him apart. I’m so worried about him.”
“Me, too.” Reghan’s throat clogged. “But at least Tracy’s been caught, so the killing will stop,” she said tightly.
Penn sighed. “I just hope Dev can let it be over. You have no idea how much he loved those kids—all his kids.”
“Tracy, too.”
Penn shook her head. “I don’t know how much more he can take.”
“I know Dev loves all of you,” Reghan said. “And I know he doesn’t like to be seen as vulnerable. But you can help him deal with this. He needs you. He’s spent all his life being responsible for other people, and he keeps losing everyone he cares about.” To Reghan’s dismay, tears spilled down her cheeks, coming too quickly to stanch.
