by Lynn Story
“You try Logan?” Jared asked.
“Twice, no answer. Same with Mac.”
Stephanie frowned. “I’ll keep trying.” She offered.
I drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. We skidded to a stop. There were no obvious signs that Bannister or anyone else was there.
We got out of the SUV. “Don’t draw any unnecessary attention and stay alert.”
They both nodded and followed me as I led the way to Kay’s room. We stepped off the elevator and I didn’t see Logan in the hallway.
“Be ready.” I whispered.
We all put our hands on our weapons and walked as casually as we could towards Kay’s room. A nurse looked up from her station.
“Can you tell me how Kay Dandridge is doing today?” I asked.
“Oh, she is much better, and she’s had several visitors today.” The nurse smiled brightly.
“Any visitors in there with her now that you know of?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Thank you.” I motioned for Jared and Stephanie to flank the door to her room.
The door was closed which I thought was unusual, especially since Logan was not at his post outside the door. I used my foot to push the door open. I swept my gun back and forth in the room, then stepped inside. Jared and Stephanie followed me in one at a time. I turned to the bathroom and it was empty.
“Clear.” I called out.
“Over here, Ethan.” Jared answered.
I turned to see Logan face down on the floor and bloody.
“Is he….”
Jared was checking his pulse. “He’s alive, just unconscious.”
Stephanie shouted out the door. “We need a doctor in here now!”
Nurses and staff came running. I pulled one aside. “Where is the woman that was in this bed?” I demanded.
“I don’t know.” She sprang into action seeing Logan on the floor.
“Do you have cameras in the hallways?”
“Yes.”
“Get your security team up here now!” I barked.
Logan was coming around.
“Logan, what the hell happened?”
He looked at me. His eyes rolled around in his head.
“He may have a concussion; we need to take him now.” One of the nurses pushed me aside.
A uniformed security guard and a doctor showed up. “I need to see footage of this room.”
“Come with me,” I followed the guard down the hall to the stairwell then downstairs to the security office. He sat down at the computer and began stabbing at the keyboard.
The video showed two orderlies entering Kay’s room. Then a doctor pushing a gurney. Several minutes went by that I assumed involved a fight with Logan, then the orderlies and the doctor appeared in the hallway pushing Kay on the gurney. A few seconds later Mac strolled down the hallway and entered Kay’s room. He immediately came back out and ran down the hallway after the doctor and orderlies.
“Where does that hallway lead?”
“A number of places, let me pull up the other cameras and see if I can tell which way they went.”
“Great, do that!” I turned away and punched in Mac’s cell number. He hadn’t answered before. I prayed he did this time.
The phone rang three times. “This is McIntyre.”
“Mac, its Ethan, where the hell are you?”
“Ethan, thank god, listen they’ve kidnapped Kay….”
“I know,” I cut him off. “I’m at the hospital. Where are you?”
“I’m not sure, and my cell service is cutting in and out,” he said.
“Tell me which direction you’re heading.” I ran out of the security office back towards Kay’s room looking for Jared and Stephanie. I met them in the lobby.
“Hang on Mac.” I looked at Jared. “Do you have your laptop? Can you trace Mac’s cell phone?”
“It’s in the SUV,” Jared ran for the door and Stephanie and I followed.
“Mac, Jared is going to ping your cell so we can come to you. Tell me what you see?”
“We crossed a bridge and a tunnel about fifteen minutes ago and I think we are heading south.” He replied.
“How fast are you going?”
“About sevent,.”
Where were the state troopers when you needed them?
“Okay, stay on the line, we’re coming to you.” I got in the SUV and let the phone sync so I could drive.
“Mac, can you still hear me?”
“Yeah. Ethan, I see a sign that says North Carolina in ten miles.”
“Good, I know where you are.” I turned to Stephanie.
“Already on it.” Stephanie was working her phone to call the state police for both Virginia and North Carolina.
“Got him!” Jared called out.
I glanced over at the laptop screen. I knew we’d never catch up to them before they reached the state line so hopefully the North Carolina highway patrol could intercept them.
“Yes, there is a female victim in the vehicle she was kidnapped from a hospital, condition unknown at this time.” Stephanie was speaking rapidly into the phone.
“Description of the vehicle?”
“Mac, what are they driving? Can you see the license plate?”
“It’s a white work van. No windows in the back. Looks like a Ford, plat number is PRD, I can’t see the rest…,”
Stephanie repeated the partial license plate and description of the van to whichever agency she was talking to.
I turned on the emergency lights and sped up. “Mac, we’re trying to catch up. Stay on the line if you can.”
“You got it.”
We drove in silence. I wanted to concentrate on the road to make sure the other drivers got out of the way. After several minutes I could hear sirens through the phone.
“Mac what is happening?”
“State police have set up a roadblock at the border.”
“Keep me posted, Mac.” We were probably only ten miles from Mac’s location.
“They’ve stopped.” Mac’s voice came through the speakers.
I heard his tires screen and the door open and close.
“Mac!” I yelled. “Mac!”
“They’ve stopped at the ramp from the Carolina expressway.” Jared confirmed.
As I focused on getting us there as quickly as possible, the speedometer inched closer to ninety miles per hour. I heard Stephanie whisper my name, but I ignored her.
“Mac!” I shouted again. I couldn’t hear anything anymore. My heart was racing, and I hated not knowing what was going on, once again. I wasn’t there when Kay needed me. My fear turned to anger. Within minutes we arrived. I saw the lights of both the Virginia State Police and the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Shots were being exchanged but I couldn’t see Ka. I turned the SUV sideways as close to Mac’s car as I could get to provide additional cover from the bullets.
“Mac.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “What’s the status? Where is Kay?”
“They stopped when they saw the roadblock and bailed. I think Kay is still in the van. The three suspects ran over there.” He pointed to where the firefight was being concentrated. I needed to know if Kay was in the van and if she was alright.
I pointed to Jared and Stephanie.
“Cover me.”
“Where are you going?” Jared asked.
“The van.”
“But…” They started to protest.
I didn’t give them time to argue. I crouched low and ran towards the back of the van. I was exposed to the suspects, but I needed to get to Kay. I threw open the back door and saw her laying in a heap on the floor. Her eyes where closed and she was very pale. My heart dropped like a stone.
A bullet hit the side of the van but thankfully it didn’t come all the way through. I grabbed Kay in my arms shielding her with my body as much as I could and ran for the SUV. Jared, Stephanie and Mac fired continuously towards the place where the suspects were hiding. I felt a
thud in my side like I’d been hit with a two by four and knew a bullet had found its mark. I stumbled but kept going. I got back to the SUV and fell to my knees placing Kay on the ground. The gun fire stopped.
“Kay, Kay can you hear me?”
There was chaos all around me, I was only slightly aware of it. I was focused on Kay. She was breathing but she wouldn’t wake up. I wasn’t sure if she was drugged or injured.
“Kay!”
I felt hands on my shoulders pulling me away. I shrugged them off, but they pulled again this time harder.
“Ethan.” It was Mac’s voice.
“Let the EMT’s take her. They can help her.”
I didn’t want to let go of her, but I knew she needed help. I sat back resting against the tire of the SUV.
“Ethan, let them look at you.” Stephanie said.
“What?” I snapped.
“You’ve been shot, let them look at you.” Stephanie insisted.
“I’ll be fine,” I insisted.
“Don’t be an ass.”
Her voice caught me off guard and I blinked at her.
“Get your ass in that ambulance and get checked out.” She demanded.
I don’t know if it was the shock of Stephanie yelling at me or the truth of her words, but I got up and did what she said. “Is she going to be okay?” I asked the EMT who was closing the door to Kay’s ambulance.
“We’ll know more when we get her checked out.” He shut the door and the ambulance drove away. I laid back on the gurney in the ambulance and closed my eyes. I felt like I’d been here before.
Jared jumped in the back with me. “Let’s go!” he said to the driver. He sat near the back and out of the way.
“Looks like you’ll need a few stitches and probably have a broken rib.”
I nodded. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” I looked down at Jared. “How’s Kay?”
“We don’t know yet,” he answered.
“Any word on Logan?” I asked.
“He’ll be alright. They drugged him with a sedative so he’ll be out for a while but should be okay.” Jared smirked.
I smiled. I should have known he wouldn’t have let them take Kay without one hell of a fight. Drugging him would have been the only way to stop him.
“Now we just need to make sure you’re okay.” Jared added.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse.”
He nodded.
“What about the suspects?” I tried to focus on Jared and not what the EMT was doing.
“They are all dead.” Jared nodded.
“Bannister too?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Jared nodded again.
“Michael Nichols?” I secretly hoped he was for betraying Kay the way he did.
“Him too.”
I nodded and closed my eyes. Well at least this madness would stop now. I just needed Kay to pull through and I hoped there weren’t any more surprises. “Call the DC Office and put them onto Bannisters company,” I said.
“Stephanie is already on it. I imagine they’ll be shut down by the end of the day.”
He was right. I was lying in a hospital bed watching images of an FBI led raid on Bannister’s corporate offices. Computers and boxes of files were carried out of the building and loaded into vans. A few people were being marched out in handcuffs. I smiled. It was almost a perfect ending if you didn’t count the gunfight, kidnapping, and high-speed chase.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kay
The night was hot and humid, the air was heady with the scent of Gardena. I sat on the front porch taking it all in. I loved summer, the heat, the heat lightning, the humidity, and the lightning bugs. I loved it all. I had lost track of time and wasn’t sure how long I had been sitting there when the headlights shone up the street. I sat very still watching until they stopped in front of the house. I smiled as I watched Ethan step out of the car. The leaves in the trees began to rustle just then, as if the trees were as happy to see him as I was. I waited until he walked through the iron gate and was at the bottom of the steps before I rose.
“Kay, don’t get up!” He rushed up the steps to help me sit back down.
“Ethan, I’m not made of glass. I can get up and down.”
“Humor me.” He sat down next to me. “How are you feeling today?”
“I feel fine. I’m going back to work on Monday.”
“What? No, please Kay, give it a few more days.”
“Ethan, I’ve been gone for too long already and I’m going out of mind staying home with nothing to do.
“I know, but I don’t want you to push this, you’ve been through a lot.”
“Yes, well…” I let it go. “What about you? You were shot...” I countered.
He looked sheepish for a moment.
“You didn’t waste any time going back to work.” I reminded him.
“That’s different.”
“How so?” I pushed.
“I’ve been shot before. How many times have you been kidnapped?”
“I don’t see the relevance; it is like apples and oranges.” I argued.
“You’re right, being kidnapped twice and nearly killed twice is much worse.” He stood his ground.
I could see there was no point in arguing. “How was your day?” I attempted to change the subject.
“Long. I didn’t like not being able to see you. You know that, right?”
“Ethan, you have to stop blaming yourself. There was no way to know this was going to happen. You can’t watch me twenty-four hours a day.”
“Yeah, well that doesn’t mean I don’t wish I could.”
“Me too,” I smiled. “Are you hungry? Have you eaten today?”
“Not really.”
“Not really, so you’re not hungry or you haven’t eaten?”
“I haven’t eaten.” He admitted.
“Come in. I have some dinner staying warm in the oven.” He followed me inside and sat down at the kitchen table.
“I can do that,” he said as I took dinner out of the oven.
“Ethan, I swear if you don’t sit down and stop treating me like a china doll, I’m going to do something drastic.” I shook the serving spoon at him.
“Like what?” He looked amused.
“I don’t know, maybe bungie jumping or something.”
“I’d like to see that.” He knew I was afraid of heights.
I put a plate in front of him and sat down. “How’s Logan doing?”
“It’s hard to say, he was a grump before the attack at the hospital.” Ethan observed.
“He did his best. He knows I don’t blame him, right?” I said.
“Doesn’t matter, he blames himself.”
“Seems to be a trend.” I muttered. I watched Ethan eat with some satisfaction. I had been ordered to stay home for at least a week. I decided to use the time to try and improve my cooking skills.
“Maybe I should talk to Logan,” I mused.
“You can try. If anyone can get through to him it might be you.”
“Maybe I’ll stop by tomorrow with some brownies or something.
“He’d like that I’m sure.” Ethan nodded between bites.
“What about you?”
“I’d love just seeing you.” He smiled and I thought about how much I had grown to love him.
“Mac called today.” I noticed he bristled slightly at the mention of Mac’s name.
“He just wanted to know how I was doing.”
“I bet.”
“Ethan, I’ve told you there never will be anything there.” I was a little sadden by the whole affair. Mac was very special, and I would always have a place in my heart for him. But he helped me understand that my heart always belonged to Ethan.
“You sure Mac knows that, right?” Ethan held my gaze.
“Yes, I was very clear with him that while I appreciated everything he did while he was here, you were my one and only hero.”
Ethan rolled his eyes.
&nb
sp; “You want more?” I said taking his plate.
“No, I’d better not this late at night, I’ll never get to sleep.”
“It is terribly late so why don’t you stay here tonight.” I nearly bit my tongue off. The words had come out without my thinking about it.
“You meant that?” He cocked a hopeful eyebrow in my direction.
“Yes,” I couldn’t take it back now.
“I could sleep on the sofa.” He offered.
“Don’t be ridiculous. This house has enough bedrooms.” I laughed.
He didn’t sleep on the sofa or any of the guest rooms.
We went upstairs together. I felt awkward at first, but I knew Ethan and I were meant for each other. We slowly undressed and climbed into bed. As much as I would have been happy to make love with him, we were both tired and I’m sure despite his bravado his ribs were still sore. I was happy to fall asleep in his arms with gentle sweet kisses.
◆◆◆
The next morning I baked brownies. I made enough for the whole office and a separate plate just for Logan. Then drove to the FBI field office.
“Excuse me, Logan?” I said entering the office.
“Kay?” He looked surprised.
“Is there somewhere we can talk?” I asked.
The color drained from his face and he glanced at Ethan. I’m sure he was looking for help. I had told Ethan what time I would be stopping by in case they were busy.
“Why don’t you two go into the kitchen? I think here is fresh coffee.” Ethan offered.
That was clearly not the answer Logan was looking for.
I smiled sweetly. “Thank you, that will be perfect.”
Logan stood and pointed the way to the kitchen. He immediately went to the coffee maker which allowed him to turn his back to me.
I began unpacking the bag I was carrying. “I brought these for you I know it isn’t much. I was trying to think of a way to say, ‘thank you’”.
That got his attention. He spun around to face me. “Thank you for what?”
“For protecting me in the hospital.”
“Hmmpf.” He wasn’t buying it.
“You put up one heck of a fight.” I nodded to his hands which were still bruised.
He looked like he wanted to argue but held his tongue.
“Will you sit with me?” I asked pulling out a chair.
