Personal Protector

by Debra Webb

  The orderly indicated the door with an impatient gesture, but Ric looked him dead in the eye and said, “I don’t think so.” There was no mistaking the challenge in Ric’s tone or posture.

  The orderly threw up his hands and backed off. “Work it out with the doctor.”

  He left the room. Which was good. Ric didn’t really want to have to fight him right now. He felt relatively certain that his current, slightly battered face lent credibility to his willingness to do just that, however.

  “Can you tell me if she’s taking any medications or is allergic to any?” the nurse examining Piper asked.

  “No medications. No allergies.” Lucas had insisted that Ric know all there was to know about Piper. The only thing he hadn’t read in her file was how she got that little scar on her chin. “Is she going to be okay?” he ventured hesitantly, his defiance dissolving.

  “The doctor will have to answer that question for you,” she told him flatly. “All I can tell you is that her BP and pulse rate are a little high.”

  “Martinez.”

  Ric’s gaze went instantly to Piper at the sound of her weak voice. “Everything’s going to be okay, querida.” He smoothed her silky hair back from her damp face. “They’re going to take good care of you.”

  She closed her eyes and groaned as a fresh wave of pain hit her. “That woman,” she managed to mutter.

  Ric leaned closer. “Did she hurt you somehow?” Though he couldn’t see how that was possible, he had to ask.

  Piper shook her head. “She was trying to tell us something. Send Townsend—” Piper screamed in agony.

  Ric’s heart shuddered. Dammit, there had to be something they could do. “Can’t you give her something?” he demanded of the nurse still monitoring Piper’s vitals.

  “Not until the doctor sees her,” she told him patiently.

  Piper grabbed Ric by the shirt and pulled him to her. “You have to listen to me,” she whispered hoarsely.

  “Don’t try to talk now, querida,” he urged. “You can tell me later.”

  She shook her head, then licked her lips as if she were thirsty.

  “I think she needs some water,” he snapped. Ric shot an accusing glare at the nurse. Why the hell was she just standing there? Doing nothing!

  “The doctor has to see her first,” the nurse repeated.

  “Send Townsend,” Piper groaned. “Send him to talk to her.”

  “I will,” Martinez assured her. He had a few questions for the crazy old lady himself. But right now he had to make sure Piper was all right.

  “I’ll need you to wait outside, sir.” A tall, thin man, Dr. Petersen, according to his name tag, stepped into the room and paused next to Ric, a folder in his hand. He offered a pleasant smile, then added, “I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as I know.”

  Ric nodded. He didn’t know what else to do. He’d never felt this helpless before in his life. He stared down at Piper for a moment, then pressed a kiss to her temple. Without looking back, he turned away and forced himself to leave her.

  He stood in the empty corridor and grappled for composure. He wasn’t supposed to fall apart like this. Piper was counting on him. The sound of her cries taunted him through the closed door. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the images that accompanied the sounds. She was in terrible pain. A cold sweat had broken out over her skin. He’d felt it when he touched her. He had never seen anything happen so fast. Every instinct told him that this was somehow connected to the SSU. But his more rational side kept asking how that could be possible.

  Finally, when he felt certain his legs would give way under him any moment, he braced his hands on the wall for support to wait for the doctor’s report. Ric pressed his forehead against the cool painted surface and replayed every second of every minute of their day. Nothing struck him as out of the ordinary…or as a possible contributing factor to Piper’s sudden illness.

  “Mr. Martinez.”

  Ric looked up to find the doctor standing in the hall next to him. “Yeah.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, and to his surprise found it damp with the emotions careening out of control inside him.

  “My first guess at Miss Ryan’s condition would be appendicitis. But I can’t be certain without further testing.” Behind the doctor, the orderly, who’d attended to Piper before, hurried into her room. “So, we’re going to take her up for an ultrasound and the necessary blood work to try and confirm that diagnosis.” The nurse and the orderly wheeled Piper from the room and down the hall, away from Ric.

  “Is she going to be all right?” He had to know now. He couldn’t survive another minute of not knowing.

  The doctor offered a curt smile. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. We just have to locate the trouble and take care of it.”

  Ric nodded, too emotionally drained to speak.

  “When I know more, I’ll give you an update.”

  Ric watched him disappear down the hall just as Piper had.

  He supposed that he should go back out to the lobby and tell Townsend, then call the station. And he’d have to notify Lucas, if Jack Raine hadn’t already. But somehow he couldn’t make his feet take the necessary steps. So he simply stood there, waiting.

  And hoping with every part of his being that she would be all right.

  Chapter Six

  The waiting room was empty except for Ric. Townsend had gone to further question Mrs. Olsen, for the good it would do. And Agent Green paced back and forth outside the emergency entrance, puffing one cigarette after the other.

  Ric glanced at his watch again—1:22 p.m. Two hours had passed since their arrival. He swallowed hard. No one had bothered to keep him informed of Piper’s condition. Each time he asked the attendant at the desk for a status, she only repeated her practiced answer in that annoyingly hushed tone that there was no word yet. “Be patient,” the woman had advised, “I’m sure we’ll hear something soon.”

  He didn’t want to be patient. He wanted to know now how Piper was doing. The sound of her agonized cries echoed inside his head. Ric blew out a weary breath and forced the haunting memories from his mind. He hadn’t been able to reach either Dave or Lucas. Both men would probably go ballistic when they got the messages Ric had left for them.

  Restless and frustrated, Ric stood. He paced the carpeted floor, back and forth, his step keeping time with his thoughts. He couldn’t stand to just sit there a minute longer. Frowning, he considered the green-and-brown upholstered chairs that lined two walls of the waiting room. The empty chairs only enhanced his feeling of desolation. A wide wall of windows, blinds closed, faced the street. Current issues of several magazines were fanned across the top of a fake-wood table. His brow furrowed as he surveyed the desolate room once more.

  Ric tried to think what it was that bothered him about the place. It was nothing he could put his finger on. But some indiscernible something nagged at him.

  He glanced at the lady behind the admissions desk. He supposed her shift didn’t end until three. Maybe he’d be lucky and get somebody with a little more personality and ambition. He sure as hell hadn’t seen anyone else to ask anything of. The place felt deserted. But maybe it was just his restlessness that had him off kilter. It was a private hospital and it wasn’t as if one-thirty on a weekday afternoon was prime business time for injuries anyway.

  Ric shoved his hands into his pockets and rolled his neck, releasing the tension knotting there. With his eyes closed, the vivid memory of holding Piper in his arms…of kissing her captured his senses. Her scent, the sweet taste of her lips. Her tentative touch. The feel of her body pressed firmly against his. He licked his lips, almost tasting their brief but fiery kiss. He knew better than to become personally involved with a case. And if he’d forgotten, the sound of Lucas Camp’s voice had been a better reminder than a hard slap in the face or an ice-cold shower.

  Victoria would be more than a little upset with him if this assignment got screwed up—if he lived through what Lucas did
to him. Ric opened his eyes and stared at the stained beige carpet. It was more than that. It was the difference between daylight and dark.

  Ric had loved his parents. They’d died younger than they should have, both working hard in deplorable factory conditions to make a better life for their two sons. He’d grown up poor and with a distinctly jaded outlook on life. Then, when he was just twenty, he’d fallen in love with a woman ten years his senior. He’d thought she loved him, too, but the fact of the matter was they were from different worlds and the relationship was doomed from the beginning. He had nothing to offer a woman like that and she’d soon realized that undeniable truth and moved on to bigger and better things. The last he’d heard she was engaged to some hotshot lawyer. She was probably married to him by now. Maybe even with a couple of kids.

  Ric rubbed at his neck and kicked those unpleasant memories from his head. He’d gotten over the raw deal life had dealt him and his brother as orphaned teenagers. And he’d had his share and more of female company. He was only twenty-eight. There was plenty of time for lifetime commitments and settling down. But he had learned one very powerful lesson: never fall in love with a woman out of your league.

  Like Piper Ryan.

  She was a rising star. Her upbringing was so different from his that it seemed impossible that they were even from the same planet. Though she was definitely attracted to him, she didn’t like him. Or, at least, she didn’t want to like him. Ric had been down that road before. He wouldn’t consciously take that journey again. He had learned the hard way that love does not conquer all. Some gaps are too wide even for love to fill. The one that yawned between Piper and him was mammoth in size.

  Ric scrubbed a hand over his face and swore at himself for even mulling over the ridiculous thoughts. This was an assignment. As soon as it was over he’d never see Piper Ryan again except maybe in the news. Forcing that thought from his mind, he located the men’s room and splashed some cold water on his face. He needed a clear head, and worrying about things that would never be wasn’t the way to get it. Ric stared at his reflection in the mirror. His lip was healing but still hurt like hell. He swallowed hard when the taste of Piper’s sweet mouth popped into his mind. She’d felt so good in his arms.

  He shook his head, banishing the memory. That kiss had been a stupid move and he knew it. Piper had been royally ticked off at him for getting so close—even though she’d liked it. She’d responded to him, even pulled him closer when he would have stopped. Ric exhaled a heavy breath. “You’re not her type, Martinez,” he told the slightly worse-for-wear reflection staring back at him. “Get over it.”

  Ric walked back into the waiting area at the same time that the sliding door opened to allow someone entrance. Townsend strode straight up to Ric.

  “Any word on Miss Ryan yet?”

  Ric shook his head. “If I ask the lady at the desk again, she’s probably going to kick me out.” Man, he was tired.

  Townsend looked a little down in the mouth. “Mrs. Olsen split on us. The place was clean. I’d be amazed if we could even lift a print.”

  Worry and irritation made Ric’s tone sharper than he intended. “Did you really expect her to hang around? It was a damn setup. Those bastardos are playing head games with us. They’ve got us chasing our tails. And scaring the hell out of Piper in the process.”

  Townsend nodded. “You’re right. But we have to follow every lead.”

  Ric glared at the admissions desk once more. Why the hell didn’t someone call? “Yeah, well, I know that. But I don’t have to like it.”

  “Weaver has agreed to go into protective custody.”

  Weaver was the only other remaining journalist besides Piper. Ric cocked an eyebrow in clear skepticism. “Any chance he’ll survive it?”

  “I resent that,” Townsend snapped. “It’s not like you’ve been faring any better. Think about it,” he ground out. “They got to Miss Ryan in the ladies’ room while you stood right outside the door.”

  Ric wanted to kick himself for being a complete ass. “You’re right, man. That was way out of line.” He plowed a hand through his hair. “I’m just worried about Piper.”

  Townsend shrugged wearily. “We’re all a little touchy right now.”

  Ric chucked him on the shoulder. “Let’s get some coffee, man. I think we both need a shot of caffeine to revive us.”

  Townsend followed Ric back down the hall toward the men’s room. Ric remembered seeing a lounge. When he stepped into the deserted room labeled Lounge, that annoying feeling that something wasn’t quite right swamped him again. Two tables, each surrounded by metal-and-plastic chairs sat in the middle of the room. But absolutely nothing else. No vending machines of any kind.

  “Well, this sucks,” Townsend griped.

  “Yeah, big-time,” Ric agreed.

  “Mr. Martinez.”

  Ric whirled toward the voice. The doctor stood in the doorway. Ric tried without success to read the man’s expression. He supposed doctors were like poker players, trained to keep their emotions hidden. “How is she?”

  Dr. Petersen’s expression remained impassive. “Miss Ryan’s going to be fine.”

  Ric sagged with relief. Damn, he’d never been so glad to hear anything in his life.

  “We didn’t find anything on the ultrasound and her blood and urine tests were fine,” the doctor said, now directing his comments to Townsend. “And just to be certain it wasn’t an atypical appendix, I performed an exploratory laparoscopy.” He shrugged. “I didn’t find anything. I can only speculate that the episode was a viral infection that mimicked a hot appendix.”

  “What happens now?” Ric asked, anxious to see Piper, but a little irritated that the doctor seemed to want to ignore him.

  “We’ve been watching her in recovery for about an hour and everything is as it should be,” he answered, his attention still directed toward Townsend as if he’d asked the question. “I don’t see any reason not to send her home. Of course, I’ll send along a mild pain reliever in case she needs it, but I don’t think she will. She does have a couple of stitches where we performed the exploratory, but other than that, she appears to be doing well.”

  Ric didn’t give a damn what the doctor’s problem was, nor did he bother to ask why the hell someone hadn’t let him know an hour ago that she was in recovery. All that mattered to him at the moment was that she was going to be fine.

  “Thanks,” Ric said tightly, garnering himself more of a grimace from the doctor than a smile. To his credit, Townsend stayed out of the conversation. “I appreciate everything you did.”

  “Just doing my duty, Mr. Martinez. If the two of you would follow me to the lobby, the orderly is bringing Miss Ryan down.”

  A frown creased Ric’s forehead at the doctor’s choice in words. The headache that now pounded fiercely in the back of his skull didn’t help. Maybe the guy was ex-military. He supposed it was a doctor’s duty to help his patients.

  “What’s his problem?” Townsend said quietly as he and Ric followed the doctor as instructed.

  Ric shrugged. “Cabrón.”

  “Whatever you said—” Townsend chuckled “—I agree.”

  Ric didn’t smile. The strange doctor aside, the whole situation still bugged him.

  The same orderly who had taken Piper away brought her into the lobby, only this time in a wheelchair. She looked dazed and entirely too vulnerable.

  “I’ll get the vehicles ready to go,” Townsend said quickly before starting for the door.

  Ric only nodded, all other thought faded into insignificance. He couldn’t take his eyes off Piper. He didn’t like seeing her like this. “Anything else I should know?” He glanced at the doctor, an edge in his voice. “Any symptoms to watch for or possible problems?”

  “I would suggest that someone keep an eye on her tonight in case she needs anything. Rest is the best medicine under the circumstances.” His gaze locked with Ric’s as he completed his recommendations, something less than friendly
clear in his eyes.

  “I’ll personally see that she gets plenty of rest,” Ric assured him, his tone clipped. He had no intention of leaving Piper in her apartment alone. He turned his attention back to her then. He fully intended to make sure nothing else happened to her.

  “YES, UNCLE LUCAS, I’m well aware of that.” Piper bit her lip as she tugged at the tape holding the plastic over her bandage. She felt immensely better after her shower. Martinez had insisted that she go straight to bed, but she wouldn’t listen. She needed a shower. All she had to do was keep her bandage dry. She ripped the last section of tape loose and barely stifled a yelp. She flung the sticky tape and piece of plastic into the trash.

  “Yes, I’m resting exactly like the doctor said,” she lied when her uncle demanded to know what she was doing. “Yes, Martinez is here.”

  Piper frowned when Lucas asked if Martinez was being nice to her. “What do you mean, is he being nice? Of course he is. Taking care of me isn’t exactly in his job description. I’d say he’s going way beyond nice.” But she didn’t have to tell Martinez that. His ego was overblown as it was.

  “I know you’re only worried about me.” Piper smiled. Lucas had been like a father to her. She probably should show a little more appreciation for his concern. “I told Dave I would take the next couple of days off.” Piper shook her head when Lucas took that inch and ran a mile with it. “No, that doesn’t mean I’m going to lay low until this is over. It means a couple of days, that’s all.”

  Piper rolled her eyes and mouthed the words that followed. Her uncle’s personal safety speech. She’d heard it so many times, she knew it by heart. “I promise,” she vowed. “I love you, too.”

  Glad to have that conversation out of the way, she pressed the off button and tossed the receiver onto the bed. She needed something comfortable to wear. Though the incision in her belly button wasn’t large, it was definitely tender. She frowned when she considered how bad this virus or phony appendicitis attack had hurt. She’d never had anything grab her so fast with such intensity. She licked her lips and swallowed. She supposed the bad taste in her mouth was from the anesthetic.