Tough As Nails

by Jackie Manning

  He gave a quick glance along both ends of the hall before opening the supply-room door. Once inside he flipped on the light then shut the door. Reaching for the cardboard case of hospital supplies on the back shelf, he opened it. Instead of boxes of catheters, he pulled out a black over-night bag containing the getaway clothes that he’d stashed earlier.

  With orderly precision, he yanked the stethoscope from his neck, unclipped the photo ID from his pocket and whipped off the dark wig from his head. Next he removed the brown contact lenses from his eyes and dropped them into the lens case. He slipped the green shirt over his head, then rolled everything into a tight ball. In one deft move he unsnapped the belly pouch from around his chest, then the padded shoulders and vest he’d worn. Untying the drawstring around his waist, he slipped out of his trousers.

  In less than five minutes, he’d sailor-rolled all trace of Leonard Braewood and packed the gear into the black bag. He snapped off the light then peered into the deserted corridor before making his way toward the elevators.

  The black ankle-length cassock brushed his calves as he limped along the corridor. An old man’s limp was enough contrast to that of the lumbering Leonard Braewood. When he turned the corner, he saw a bald man wearing a furniture mover’s uniform leaning against a file cabinet loaded onto a dolly.

  The man turned. “Hello, Father.”

  “Good day to you,” he said pleasantly, a slight Irish brogue to his words. He gave the worker a welcoming smile, one that would be expected of a man of the cloth. Within a few minutes, the elevator dinged, then the doors opened and two uniformed hospital-security men bolted onto the floor.

  The ruddy-faced man, Rafe Erickson, by his name tag, blocked his way into the elevator. “Excuse me, Father. Did you happen to see a large, heavyset man dressed in scrubs come by just now?”

  “Why, no, sir.” He shook his white head for effect. “I was here to visit a friend, but he’s been moved to another wing, I’m told.”

  Erickson looked at the bald-headed mover.

  “Me neither, but I wasn’t payin’ much attention. Folks have been parading up and down all day. We’re supposed to have everything moved out of here by third shift.”

  “Thanks,” said Erickson with a scowl. “Sorry to detain you.” He took off down the hall, the younger man after him.

  Idiots, he thought as he stepped inside the elevator. The rage he’d felt when that dumb bitch had gotten away from him had faded. Now he was almost glad that this attempt had failed. For, in that one brief moment when their eyes had locked, he knew by the terror he’d seen in her face, that the bitch realized he was the one hunting her.

  He’d felt a thrill akin to sexual pleasure in that one brief moment. Just think how pleasurable it will be to finally get his hands on the bitch.

  He’d made one miscalculation, however. Even though he’d staked out the hospital and knew its inner workings, it was still her turf.

  Next time, he’d get her on his own turf, by his own rules. She’d be so caught up that she wouldn’t know what hit her until it was too late.

  Chapter Seven

  The dessert course was being served by the time Brianna and Mike finally arrived at the guest table and took their places. “What happened?” Larry Cunningham asked Brianna as soon as she took her seat beside him. He scowled at Mike when he sat down at the reserved chair across from Brianna.

  “Nothing to be concerned about,” she whispered, nodding and smiling to several colleagues seated farther down, at the end of the table. She turned her attention back to Larry. “I’ll be away from my apartment for a few days. But if you need to reach me, call my answering service. And I hope to be in the office on Monday.”

  “You hope?” His thick eyebrows furrowed in surprise. He shot a look across the table at Mike. “And where does he fit into this?”

  Brianna felt the first stirring of irritation. She and Larry had no personal relationship. However, if she hadn’t initially stated in their partnership agreement that there would be no personal fraternization between colleagues, Larry might have come on to her. She knew he wanted more than what she was willing to give. The few times they’d had drinks after work or attended a black-tie affair, he’d often held her hand a little longer than necessary, been a little too attentive or lingered a little too long after they’d said goodbye outside her door. But she respected him for never crossing the line at what she’d considered inappropriate behavior. Until now.

  “Not now, Larry. This isn’t the time or the place to discuss it.”

  He grabbed the goblet of water by his plate and took a few gulps. Then he settled back in his chair, crossed his arms and gave the appearance of listening to the president of the Cityside Women’s Shelter deliver the opening speech.

  Brianna gave an embarrassed glance to Mike across the table.

  Although his expression was neutral, she knew he’d heard Larry’s questions and her reply. Feminine instinct told her that Mike didn’t approve of Larry, although Mike would never say so. She wondered if Mike had really believed her when she’d told him that Larry was just a colleague and that they didn’t have a personal relationship.

  If Mike were to probe into her personal life, it wouldn’t take him long to learn that she hadn’t been involved with anyone since her last relationship. Something Mike might offer to remedy, she thought, the idea causing her insides to tremble. Good thing she wasn’t interested.

  Was Mike dating someone special? More than likely, yet he’d been too professional to mention it.

  Dear God, whom he slept with was none of her business. She glanced back at the speaker, forcing her mind to focus, but try as she might, her mind wouldn’t concentrate on Helen Warren’s speech.

  She glanced at her watch: 9:05 p.m. Had hospital security found Leonard Braewood yet? How could he have slipped past all the guards and disappeared from the sealed building?

  A mixture of fear and frustration spiked through her. She jumped when a waiter approached her side to remove the untouched chocolate-filled whipped-cream concoction in front of her. Her throat felt so tight that she couldn’t swallow.

  Applause rippled through the ballroom and she glanced up to see that Helen Warren had introduced the mayor to the speaker’s podium. Brianna scanned the ballroom and the hundreds of smiling faces seated at the round white linen-covered tables. Several prominent sports figures and Hollywood celebrities were here for special awards. Their charitable work with the women’s shelter was deeply appreciated.

  Her gaze continued to roam the faces in the ballroom. Was Leonard Braewood here?

  She blinked away the question. Of course not. The charity dinner for the Cityside Women’s Shelter attracted a great deal of attention. Not only was the event covered by tight security, it was a media circus. Even the bold Leonard Braewood wouldn’t run the risk of a cable-news camera catching him on film.

  She risked a glance at Mike, who was engaged in small talk with Lisa Caleb, a vivacious, brown-eyed woman seated to his right. She was a child psychiatrist, one of the finest in the city. And she was also an incurable romantic. Brianna knew by the gleam in Lisa’s eyes when Mike had escorted Brianna to their table that Lisa would want to know everything about Brianna’s handsome escort.

  Mike Landis in a tuxedo was something to notice. She’d never seen him wearing a tux before. Those broad shoulders and lean hard body were outlined to advantage by the expensive tailoring of his suit. Custom-made, no doubt. She smiled when she remembered how she’d told him the affair would be black-tie, and his offhand remark about finding something suitable.

  Mike said something amusing and Lisa laughed. God, how could he sit and banter back and forth, pretending he didn’t have a care in the world? Yet she also knew that Mike was spring-loaded, ready for anything.

  Never had she seen a man take control of a situation with such authority and control as Mike had. Once she had seen Mike bolt onto the Psych Unit floor, she knew he’d risk his life to keep her safe.

&nb
sp; His blue eyes met hers for an instant while he conversed with Lisa, and she felt a shot of desire. God help her, but on a primitive level, she still wanted him. And in a few hours she’d be spending another night with him under the same roof.

  Oh, Mike, why couldn’t we have been more suited to each other? But some personalities could never be compatible. She and Mike were complete opposites who, unfortunately, had been drawn to each other physically. From that first flush of hormonal attraction, their relationship was doomed.

  She knew the dynamic of a relationship. Sex wasn’t a relationship. And sex wasn’t something she wanted with a man who was so unsuited to her personality. If only she would remember that, she’d survive this ordeal, and when the stalker was caught, she’d return to her well-ordered life and never have to think about Michael Landis again.

  A waiter appeared to fill her coffee cup, but she refused with a shake of her head. She forced her attention back to the podium, but her thoughts kept straying back to the man seated across from her.

  Had their divorce hurt him more than she realized? Funny, after all these years, this was the first time she’d ever considered the question. Before, she’d always remembered what he had done to her. He’d never tried to stop her when she threatened to leave him. Although the deep pain of that rejection had faded, she had been wrong to think that he didn’t love her enough to want to work on their marriage. Her training and work as a psychologist had proven, over and over, that some people simply weren’t meant to be together for the long haul.

  She thought with her heart; Mike thought with his head. Because he’s afraid of his feelings. That didn’t mean he didn’t care for her. But she wanted more from the man who would share her life. She wanted someone who needed her, who wanted children as much as she did, and who would be true to their marriage vows. And until she found such a man, she wouldn’t settle for second best.

  The room filled with thunderous applause. Glancing at the podium, she was surprised that she hadn’t heard a word of the mayor’s speech.

  “And now, I’m pleased to present this year’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. This year’s winner is an exceptional woman who has given unselfishly of herself by initiating the dream of helping unfortunate women and their children, and culminating that desire into the founding of the Cityside Women’s Shelter. I’m pleased and honored to present the Crystal Award to Dr. Brianna Kent.”

  The ballroom burst into applause. As Brianna rose to her feet, she didn’t fail to catch Mike’s surprised look, then exhilaration crossed his face as she smiled at him. He was the first at their table to stand when the crowd gave her a standing ovation. Hundreds of cameras flashed as she shook hands with well-wishers along the route toward the dais.

  Mike’s gaze followed her past the tables of admirers as she climbed the steps and took her place at the microphone. He’d been surprised when her name was called, but admiration and pride quickly won over his surprise. Now he realized why she’d said she couldn’t miss the awards ceremony. A business dinner, she’d called it. She’d known the award was for her, yet she hadn’t said anything. What the mayor had said about her service and devotion to the battered women and children of Cityside Shelter wasn’t a surprise, but Mike didn’t know that she’d been its founder.

  He could imagine her clients admired her, as well. Brianna had the knack to delve right to the heart of a problem, forgoing hand-wringing and fretting. It took a lot to ruffle her feathers. And she’d proved it again, today.

  Standing there in that sexy short black dress, which showed off her long shapely legs, diamonds gleaming at her ears, her hair twisted in a shiny blond coil at the nape of her neck, and a soft smile on her lips, he found it hard to believe that less than two hours ago she’d been face-to-face with a stalker.

  She’d always been cool under pressure, and he’d always admired that. Most women he knew would have fainted or been in hysterics if they’d faced what she had today.

  Yet, standing on the stage of a ballroom the size of Rhode Island, she appeared as cool and elegant as a goblet made of Waterford crystal.

  He thought of the other wealthy women he’d dated since his divorce. Most of them cared very little except for themselves. Brianna gave of herself because she believed in being generous. It was as ingrained in her nature as breathing.

  But someone out there didn’t appreciate her. Someone was in the city, lurking, watching, waiting to strike. And Mike’s hunch was that the stalker was connected to her clients. A psychologist as nurturing and giving as Brianna might not see the danger signs, especially if the nutcase disguised it well.

  He made a mental note to ask Cindi Nichols, the FBI profiler whom TALON-6 had used successfully in the past, to give him a call. If Brianna would talk to Cindi, maybe she could help her pinpoint which of Brianna’s clients might be the stalker. It was worth a try.

  “Known Brianna long?” Larry Cunningham asked from across the table.

  Obviously Brianna hadn’t told Larry that Mike was her ex-husband. “Yeah,” Mike said, amused at Larry’s obvious curiosity.

  “From college?”

  “Before.”

  Larry scowled. “Before college?” He paused, and Mike could see his gears whirling, wondering how she could have met Mike when she was a student during her sheltered boarding-school years. “Then you’re not a patient?” Larry asked finally.

  Mike grinned at his attempt at humor. “Not yet.”

  Larry’s eyes narrowed, not sure whether Mike was leading him on or not. Mike’s first hunch had been correct. Larry was definitely attracted to Brianna, might even believe himself in love with her. But she obviously didn’t return the feeling. She’d admitted as much, and Mike knew that when Brianna cared deeply for someone, she’d never deny it.

  Did Larry think that if a stalker was after her, she might turn to him?

  “Did you return to the office yesterday afternoon, Larry?” Mike asked innocently.

  “No. On Fridays I teach at Princeton.”

  Mike remembered seeing him about midafternoon when Brianna and Mike had stopped at her office. “You didn’t teach yesterday?”

  “Yesterday was unusual,” Larry snapped back. “I’d taken the day off. I had a matter to discuss with Brianna and I’d been waiting to see her. That is, if it’s any of your business.” His scowl deepened. “Why the questions? You sound like a cop.”

  Mike grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He reached for his wine and took a sip, ending the conversation as he turned back to watch the proceedings onstage.

  The microphone filled the ballroom with Brianna’s smoky contralto, the words of her speech outlining her vision of the future for the Cityside Women’s Center. Mike listened, transfixed as she wove a spell around the audience, calling upon them to work even harder for the cause. Mike felt transported as he took in her every word, his lips slightly parted.

  WHEN BRIANNA FINISHED her acceptance speech, the applause was deafening. She smiled at Mike, who was clapping wildly. Her heart lunged as she realized that all the applause in the world wasn’t as important as Mike’s approval.

  The thought brought a sharp intake of breath. She turned, forcing herself to feel composed as she greeted the mayor, shaking his hand again as a swell of well-wishers swarmed around her. Simone, her secretary, clasped her hand and gave her a hug. “Well done,” she said, wiping a tear from her cheek.

  “Thank you, Simone.” Briefly, she introduced Mike to her secretary. Several doctors who had donated their time to the women’s center offered their congratulations.

  She felt claustrophobic for the first time in her life. She tried to break through the wall of people, but the long procession of admirers and greeters seemed endless. She looked up to see Mike come up beside her, his eyes gleaming. A flood of relief made her realize how nervous she’d been. How had he managed to wade through the crowd and appear at her side so quickly? All she knew was that she was so grateful. If only they could escape and go someplace wher
e they could hear themselves breathe.

  “Let’s get out of here,” she whispered in Mike’s ear. Lisa Caleb, a huge smile on her face, stuck her hand out. “I couldn’t be more delighted, Brianna.” She winked, then cocked her head, motioning at Mike. Brianna caught Mike watching and could tell by the grin on his face he’d been aware of Lisa’s double entendre.

  “Thank you, Lisa,” Brianna said, then laughed as she gave her friend an it’s-none-of-your-business look.

  “Call me if you have the chance,” Lisa said as Mike drew Brianna from the ballroom.

  Outside the crowded entrance of the hotel, Brianna tucked her beaded bag under her arm and cradled the tall crystal statue in her other arm. She saw a uniformed driver standing beside a white stretch limo waiting for them at the curb. Surprised, she looked up at Mike for an explanation.

  “I thought we should celebrate,” he said, taking her arm as they strolled under the canopy-covered walk to the curb. “Besides, what could be more fitting for the first lady of Cityside Women’s Shelter.”

  She frowned. “Mike, do you have any idea how much food the shelter could buy with the money a limo costs for one night?”

  He laughed. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning on adding it to your bill. Let’s say this is my treat.” He smiled that crooked smile that caused her insides to flutter.

  She was surprised that with everything else on Mike’s mind, he had found the time to order the limo. Then she remembered when they were first married, he had always surprised her with little gifts and unexpected tokens that let her know she was never far from his thoughts.

  “Thank you,” she said, forcing her mind back to the present. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness.” When she saw him smile, she narrowed her eyes in feigned disapproval. “Just be sure you don’t do it again.”

  “Point taken.”

  She grinned. It felt good to kid with him again, especially after such a nerve-racking day.

  The limousine driver reached over and opened the door for them. When they were comfortably reclined against the supple leather of the back seat, Mike gave the driver the address of the Crib, then closed the panel of the door that separated them from the front seat.