Heat Flash

by Taylor Anne

  “Sis. Any news?”

  “No,” she mumbled gloomily. “The doctor said it would be a little while longer before anyone could go in to see him. You coming up here soon?” Someone besides herself needed to be there for Mason.

  An only child, raised by a single father who drank himself to death, Mason had no other family members except a mother who was never around. Growing up, the Reeds had been like a second family to him. He and Bobby had been best friends and inseparable during high school. Most of the time Kendall was right there, tagging along with them, until the boys hit high school and their interest turned to girls. Kendall gladly gave them their needed space then. They were incorrigible. Mason was the worse. He went through girlfriends as often as she changed her clothes.

  One night after breaking up with one of Kendall’s friends, he fell apart. The desolation and confusion in his eyes and voice nearly tore her heart in two. “Ken, I just don’t know if I have what it takes to make a commitment to one person. If a girl even hints at getting too close, I shut her out and move on. Must’ve gotten that from my mom.”

  Her brother’s voice brought her back to the present. “I’ll be there as soon as Marks and I finish up these reports. Sorry I wasn’t there earlier, but I was stuck on another call.”

  “That’s okay. Bobby,” she hesitated. “When did Mason come back to New Orleans?”

  “Oh, probably about four months ago.”

  Kendall sat on the doctor’s stool and rolled it next to the far wall so she could lean her head back. She listened intently as her brother explained the circumstances that brought his best friend back to their hometown. The joy in his voice at having Mason back in town struck a chord deep inside her. Bobby hung up with a promise that he would hurry.

  Kendall sat, lost in thought at what Bobby had revealed to her. It wasn’t coincidence that Mason was in New Orleans. Kendall was in more danger than she would have ever dreamed. People she knew and worked with weren’t the people she thought them to be. Her nice quiet life wasn’t so quiet after all. And according to Bobby, Mason was hell-bent on saving her. Joy and trepidation swarmed in her head.

  When Mason and Bobby graduated from high school, Kendall was only a junior. Bobby had stayed in New Orleans while Mason had moved to Beaumont. Both wanted to pursue careers with the FBI, only Mason wanted to get away from New Orleans. Since then, Kendall could count on one hand the number of times she and Mason had seen each other. Once she enrolled in college in Baton Rouge, their paths crossed even less. Except for once during her fourth year at LSU. A night she would much rather forget.

  Now it was an unexpected shock to see him again after so long. And to think he was in the hospital, hurt, because he tried to keep her out of danger. Who would’ve ever thought he would put his neck on the line for her? Protecting her from Tom. And why had her boss been chasing her through an alley, shooting at her?

  The hospital door swung open, startling her out of her thoughts. Dr. Webster placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Miss Reed, you can come back now.”

  ****

  Kendall’s heart pounded crazily in her chest. She rubbed her neck and throat, trying to calm her jittery nerves. Even though the doctor said Mason would be fine, she wouldn’t let herself believe it until she saw with her own eyes. She tried to convince herself that checking up on him didn’t involve personal feelings; she just had to see if he was all right. She owed him that much considering he saved her life tonight. It was the right thing to do. She hesitated outside his room before pushing open the door.

  Inside, the cool, antiseptic air hit her in the face. Her stomach lurched as she took in the sight of him. Whatever she was expecting to see, it wasn’t Mason laid up in bed, helpless. Helpless and dependent on others. Not how she pictured this man in her mind.

  The head of the bed was elevated, and he was lying on his back, eyes closed. His knees were slightly bent to allow his big body to fit on the small hospital bed. An IV hose stretched from his right arm up to a machine holding a bag of fluids. His left arm was in a sling, held snug against his chest. He clenched and unclenched the hand sticking out of the sling. Every time his hand fisted, the muscles in his upper arm bunched.

  Kendall took a moment to reign in her nerves and steel herself for the confrontation. When she pushed the door shut, a little louder than necessary, Mason’s eyes popped open. His gaze swept from her head to her feet before a strained smile crossed his face.

  “Hey,” he muttered wearily.

  “Well, if it isn’t Mason Black, back in New Orleans just in time to save my ass.” She glared at him.

  “Nice to see you too.” He stared at her blankly. She probably shouldn’t have been so abrupt with him, but she couldn’t help herself, the words poured out of her mouth before she could stop them.

  “I hear you’ve been busy lately. Have you enjoyed following me?” Frost laced her words. The idea that Mason had been watching her every move was unsettling, to say the least, even though his snooping had allowed him the opportunity to pull her out of danger. He followed her to and from work and the grocery store. He trailed her on her shopping sprees. Did he know her every move? Who she ate dinner with, went to the movies with? Had he invaded her privacy and watched her inside her house?

  “How did you find out?” he asked sharply.

  “I spoke to Bobby a few minutes ago. He told me everything.” Her heart stirred and some of her irritation eased as she watched him struggle with the simple act of trying to sit up. After their ordeal tonight, she was fine, yet he was laid up in the hospital, confined by tubes. Gratitude wiped out most of her anger. She paused at the foot of the bed, ready if he indicated he needed help.

  “Did he also tell you that your boss was scum? That Tom wanted you to be more than a co-worker?”

  A shiver ran down her spine. “Why were you assigned to watch me? You could have turned the duty over to someone else.” She couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice, no matter how much she tried.

  “Why do you think? Because I’m the best,” he quipped, a crooked, sexy smile lighting his face. She knew he was telling the truth. Bobby ranted and raved more than once about how Mason had turned out to be one of the best FBI agents in the states of Louisiana and Texas. Everyone wanted him on their cases. Kendall looked over to see him smiling at her. She allowed herself to relax a little.

  “Come here.” His whispered words taunted her.

  Slowly, she went to him and clenched his outstretched hand. The instant his skin warmed hers, the whole night’s events flashed before her eyes. She was back in that dark alley, running for her life. She fought to hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes. She didn’t want to cry. His grip tightened, and he tugged until she moved closer.

  “It’s okay, Ken. It’s all over.” Ken. She smiled at the nickname. He was the only person who ever shortened her name from Kendall. He said it was because she was ‘one of the guys’, always hanging out with him and Bobby. He let go of her hand to wipe away the dampness on her face. “You know, you look like crap right now.”

  She blinked the tears away and could clearly see his teasing smile. Always teasing her. This was the Mason she remembered from their teenage years. In the worst situations, he could always bring a smile to her face.

  “Yeah, well, I’m not the one lying in a hospital bed.” She ruffled her fingers through his jet-black hair. Hair still matted together from sweat and dirt. Her fingers itched to smooth it out. Catching a glance of herself in the mirror above the sink, she realized just how right he was. Dirt and grime streaked her face; her blouse was ripped in several places, revealing a small bruise near her right shoulder. She was a mess.

  “Doc says I’ll be here for a day or two. I twisted my shoulder when I hit the pavement after shooting Tom. Bruised it up real bad, but at least it’s not dislocated, again. It’ll heal okay. I just have to take it easy for a couple of weeks.”

  “Why is he keeping you here for that?” An injured shoulder didn’t sou
nd serious enough to be in the hospital for days, or even overnight.

  Mason squirmed in the bed and fumbled with the covers. He adjusted the rails and motioned for her to sit next to him on the edge of the bed. He managed to pour a glass of water on his own, waving away her offer of help. Definitely stalling.

  “What are you not telling me?”

  He sighed. “A stray fragment from Tom’s gun lodged into my side. Luckily, they were able to take it out with no problems. The doctor says I have to stay overnight as a precaution to make sure there’s no internal bleeding or infection. I should be able to get out of here tomorrow afternoon.”

  ****

  A knock at the door interrupted his explanation. Detective Marks sauntered into the room, Bobby right behind him. Picking up on the end of the conversation, Bobby’s words came out laced with laughter. “Come on Mason. You mean to tell me you’re going to lie here all night and most of tomorrow? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sit still longer than a few hours, much less days.”

  “Ha ha. Maybe I can sweet talk the nurses into letting me sneak out early.”

  “I don’t think so.” Kendall spoke up. “You’re going to stay right here until the doctor releases you.” All three men laughed. She didn’t understand what was so funny. She let her gaze rest briefly on each of the men in turn.

  Bobby walked up to her, taking her into his strong, brotherly arms. “Hey, sis.”

  Leaning her head onto his chest, she welcomed the comfort.

  “I’m so glad you’re here, Bobby.”

  “Tell me what happened when I went down.” Mason said.

  “No,” Kendall interrupted. “Start from the beginning and tell me why my boss was chasing us.” Her voice came out a little harsher than necessary; fear still had its grip on her.

  The men exchanged looks. Mason motioned with his free hand for Marks to take the lead. Kendall listened in awe as the three men explained the situation.

  “Your boss was into extortion and money laundering. Mason had been following him for about a year in Beaumont before Tom moved here. Tom would buy out these small, but financially stable, investment firms, much like the one where you work. Then, he’d filter money from the company and their wealthy clients into overseas bank accounts. When the FBI finally had enough evidence to take him down, one of their key witnesses suddenly disappeared. Without that guy, they didn’t have the testimony to bust Tom.”

  Mason fumbled with the controls until he was able to adjust the bed and sit up a little straighter. He cleared his throat. “We found the witness, but he had suddenly decided not to testify. He was afraid to turn on Tom. At that point, I went undercover. This witness could identify me, and he knew Bobby and I were friends. It wouldn’t have taken long before Tom figured out the connection and discovered Bobby was also FBI. Then you would have been in more danger than you already were.” His blue gaze locked on hers for a mere second. “I had to lay low until we got the rest of the proof we needed to make an arrest.”

  “He came after me anyway. What happened?” Her voice was stronger now, surprising even herself.

  Bobby gave Kendall’s hand a reassuring squeeze and picked up the story. “I had to make sure Tom didn’t make a connection between you, me, and Mason. Tom knew I was your brother, so I had to watch my step around him. Remember, you introduced us at the Christmas office party?” Kendall nodded. “You never knew, but I was on the case even back then. Tom came after you not because of our connection, but because he wanted to coerce you into his dark world. He knew you were single, and thought you to be vulnerable. He figured he would flash a lot of money in your direction and you would be willing...” His voice cracked slightly. “Willing to do a lot of things for him.” Her brother’s grip tightened on her hands.

  “Oh my gosh.” The mumbled words were no more than a whisper. Her stomach churned. What would Tom have done if he confronted her? Would he have forced her to...? She didn’t want to think about that.

  “Since I was already undercover, it made sense that I was the one assigned to keep an eye on you.” Mason’s eyes caught and held hers as he continued. The intensity of his stare sent tingles through her body. “Tom followed you everywhere today. Don’t know why he seemed so urgent to get to you, but I had a bad feeling that something was about to happen. When you left the restaurant, I only had seconds to get to you before he did. I wanted to explain, but there wasn’t time.”

  She shifted uncomfortably under Mason’s stare. “Oh,” was all she managed to mumble.

  “Hey.” Mason smiled. “I had your back.” He tweaked her nose and winked at her. A brotherly gesture that shouldn’t have made her heart flutter.

  Marks took that moment to explain the rest of the events. “I had just gotten there and saw the whole thing. Tom fired but instead of hitting Mason, the bullet hit the door. That must have been when the fragment hit Mason, and he fell to the ground. Tom probably thought he had shot Mason. He tried getting to the door where you were, but Mason stopped him. They struggled and Tom aimed at Mason, but Mason got off a shot before Tom.”

  “Is he dead?”

  “Yep. Won’t bother you or anyone else again. And Mason wouldn’t be stuck in this bed if he’d waited for back up.” Bobby grumbled.

  Mason ducked his head sheepishly. “Sorry man. Ken was in danger. I couldn’t take the chance of something happening to her before the cavalry arrived. I tried calling, but you didn’t answer. I wasn’t waiting any longer.”

  In his rush to protect her, he put his own life in danger. Kendall shuddered at the thought. She laid her head back against Bobby’s shoulder and listened as the men continued talking. Her eyes closed and she tried to hide a yawn with the back of her hand. Mason must have noticed. His sandpaper voice was smooth when he spoke. “Ken, go home and get some rest. Bobby, Marks, thanks for your help.”

  “Come on, sis. I’ll take you to get your car.” Bobby put his arm around her shoulder and led her out of Mason’s room.

  ****

  Kendall couldn’t get home soon enough. Laying her head back against the headrest in Bobby’s car, she let her thoughts drift to a refreshing, long, hot bath. That and a glass of wine would soothe her aching body. But images of the night’s events kept popping into her head, tearing at her, pushing peaceful thoughts aside. Bobby finally pulled into the parking lot next to her Rogue. The sight of her vehicle reminded her of the chase and her dead boss. The last several hours had been pure hell.

  Thankfully, they found her keys on the ground where they had fallen from her hands earlier. Picking them up, she took one last look around the empty parking lot. Next time she would park in the front parking lot where there were always people about. Not in the back alley parking lot that allowed her to enter her friend’s restaurant from the employee entrance. Layla was going to be horrified when she found out what happened. A chill ran down Kendall’s spine, but she brushed it away like a piece of lint on her tattered shirt. She only wanted the peace and comfort of her home.

  Bobby pulled up right behind her and followed her into the house. He insisted she take a bath while he was there. He fixed himself a glass of tea and settled in front of the TV while she indulged in a hot bath.

  She found him watching the local news when she was done.

  “Sis, you sure you want to stay by yourself tonight? You know you can sleep at our house. Connie and the kids would love having you.” He stood and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be fine. I’m going to have a glass of wine, then hit the bed. Don’t worry about me.” The youngest of three, someone was always looking after Kendall, although she could handle things well enough on her own. One day she would be able to convince her family of that fact. After he left, she poured herself a much needed glass of sweet Café Zinfandel.

  Kendall sipped the wine and tried forcing herself to relax. Flipping through the channels, she stopped on a re-run of Law and Order. Probably not a good choice considering the ordeal she experi
enced earlier tonight. But just like on the show, in real life, the bad guy was caught. Well, in her case, he was dead. And the victim gained back her independence.

  Kendall loved her independence and prided herself on not being scared to stay by herself, as some of her friends were. She had never felt afraid in her own home. Until tonight. It wasn’t so much fear that had her uneasy as the rush of adrenaline leaving her body. And the unanswered questions about her boss and his actions. It didn’t take long once she was alone for the aftershock to hit. The thought of sleeping in the house by herself had her double checking locks on all the doors and windows. After she made three rounds making sure things were secure, she gave up.

  It was no use. She couldn’t relax. Didn’t feel safe. Couldn’t stop herself from picturing Mason lying on the pavement, hurt. She wondered how he was feeling. Was he in pain? What was he doing now in the hospital? Sleeping? Thinking of her? No. Probably not. But she couldn’t get his face out of her mind. Almost without conscious thought, she grabbed her keys and climbed into her Rogue.

  Minutes later, she anxiously walked into the room and smiled at the startled expression on Mason’s face.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” His sharp words stung.

  “I figured I’d come by to see if you needed anything.” She tried to put some excitement in her voice to hide her tremors.

  “No, I don’t.” His eyes had a question in them. “Why are you here?”

  “I, uh,” she stammered. “I thought you could use some company.” She couldn’t tell him that she was scared to stay by herself. He would think she was crazy. She stood by the chair next to his bed and ran her fingers along the back.

  He sat up and glared at her with icy blue eyes. “Ken, you don’t need to stay here with me.”

  “Look,” she said, irritation lacing her words. “I know you don’t want me here. You did your duty by protecting me. You saved my life tonight, and now you’re stuck here. The least I can do is keep you company.” She silently hoped that explanation would satisfy him. She was wrong.