Troy nodded. “I’ll see you around noon.”
Nathan entered the room. The young soldier was clean shaven with hair cut military-short. He wore a khaki t-shirt accentuating the fact he was fit for duty, and his dog tags hung from a metal chain around his neck. His service pistol was tucked into the waistband of his jeans.
“Chow’s ready. Mrs. Hart and Mandy are still asleep. I told Cassie I’d call her when they awoke. Might as well let her get another hour’s rest while she can. So what can you tell me about this man we’re protecting them from? Cassie didn’t know much.” He sipped from the coffee mug he carried. “By the way, thanks for pulling the strings to involve me in this.”
“Not a problem. I needed a doctor, and you were a perfect fit. Let me get something to eat, and I’ll bring you up to speed.” Nathan followed him back to the kitchen where they sat and continued their breakfast. “We don’t know who our killer is, but his code name’s The Butcher. He’s a freelance contract killer, originally from New Zealand, who operates in Europe. He leaves no witnesses. Each of his executions are well-planned. Nikki and Mandy are the first to survive one of his assaults. He’s left behind bodies, lots and lots of bodies—not only his victims, but his associates.
Nathan whistled. “He sounds like a real bad ass.”
“According to Ivan—he’s the Interpol connection working with us on this—they’ve been chasing him for ten years, and this is the first time they have a viable lead. Let’s hope he believes Nikki is still in the hospital, and they get him there.”
• • •
She shivers. She’s cold, so very cold. She lies on a sticky, red floor. The room’s ablaze, but the fire gives off no heat. There’s someone on the floor beside her, and she tries to get to him, wants to pull him closer to her, and protect him, but he’s just out of reach. Her lungs struggle to draw in the oxygen she needs to survive, but does she want to? She feels hopeless, helpless to do anything. She can’t get closer, and she has to get closer. She can’t leave him there alone. She loves him. He needs her.
The faceless demon who haunts the blackness stands before her, a bloody bag in his hand. He approaches and grabs her by the hair and pulls her to him, away from the one she has to protect. She fights harder to get away and the pain of hair tearing from her scalp brings tears to her eyes. She screams. She tries to pull away from his grasp, but her body refuses to obey. She can’t escape. She’s tired, so tired, too tired to fight anymore, and stops struggling.
“You win,” she mouths. “Just make it stop.”
Suddenly, her angel appears. He glows brightly, eclipsing his face. His wings are spread wide. She hears his voice. He’s trying to tell her something, but she can’t make out the words. All sound is garbled. The demon pulls her tightly against him. She feels the proof of his lust. She struggles, but try as she might, she can’t escape his clutches. The angel reaches for her, his touch comforting, and the demon relaxes his grip. Fear and panic give way to security and comfort, and she slips back into the comforting nothingness of sleep.
• • •
Nikki felt someone staring and awoke with a start. Mandy stood beside the bed, her eyes fixed on her. A grin split her face.
“She’s awake,” she yelled. “Cassie, Mommy’s awake.”
“Good morning, sweetie.” Nikki yawned. She wouldn’t mind waking up to that happy little face each day.
Mandy ran over to the wall and tugged open the heavy drapes concealing French doors.
“Look. We’re not in the hospital, Mommy. We’re in Colorado. Jason said we flew here while we were asleep. Other people are here, too.
She climbed up and sat crossed-legged on the bed next to Nikki.
“They’re protectors. I had a protector at Aunt Mitch’s house, too. Grandpa said the bad people who killed Daddy, Kylie, and Danny might still want to hurt me.”
Nikki frowned. Poor little thing. How much counseling would she need to get past this? Mandy’s last words sunk in and the frown turned to a scowl. Hadn’t her father said he didn’t believe anyone was after them? When had he changed his mind?
“Jason says I can go outside when it stops raining. I had breakfast. Are you hungry? They have coffee here. You like coffee.”
Mandy’s early morning enthusiasm was contagious. Nikki set her dark thoughts aside and smiled. “Then I guess I’d better have some. Do I like it black?” Her voice sounded better this morning. Perhaps the hoarseness in her throat was gone at last.
“Nope, cream and two sugars.” Mandy giggled.
Nikki turned to say something, but her gaze was drawn to the doll in her daughter’s arms. She knew this doll, remembered its baby-powder scent. It was the one in the photo, but it was more than that. She reached for the toy.
“This is Benji, isn’t it?”
“You remember! He used to be your doll when you were little like me! He smells like a baby. No matter how many times you wash him, he still smells that way. Do you remember anything else?” She screwed up her face in concentration. “Do you remember your promise to get me a puppy just like Joey’s?”
Nikki hoped remembering something from her distant past was a good thing. A doll from thirty-some years ago wasn’t much, but it was a beginning.
“No, I don’t remember anything else about me, but I do recall the promise I made yesterday to get you a puppy. Tell me about this dog you want. Is it a big one or a small one?”
“It’s a small, brown, black, and white one with a pointy face.”
“That’s quite the dog. Maybe we can look at pictures on the computer later and see if we can find one like it.”
A tap sounded at the partially-opened door before it opened wider. Jason came in carrying a breakfast tray, loaded with more food than she could possibly eat. He set the meal on the hospital-style tray-table.
“Good morning, ladies.” He smiled warmly at Mandy. “I heard you talking. One like what?”
“Before Mommy got hurt, I was going to get a puppy from Joey. I want a puppy like that one.”
“You mean a Sheltie.” He smiled at Nikki and winked. “Joey’s dog had puppies back in July. It seems his father’s purebred Sheltie met up with a mutt. He tried to get my brother to take one.”
He picked up one of the coffee cups and sipped. “Cassie just made a fresh pot. The munchkin here says you like your morning cup of joe.”
“I must because it smells fantastic.” It felt strange to be having a conversation like this with a man she barely knew in what was supposed to be her bedroom. Sure, he’d seen her in a bed in the hospital, but somehow this was more intimate, even with a five-year-old as chaperone.
“How do you feel? You were restless earlier. I thought you might be having a nightmare, but before I could wake you, you settled again. This young lady, on the other hand, was raring to go, so I took her with me to give you a little more sack time. Cassie’s just finishing her breakfast, and I’m expecting a call from Ivan soon. I thought that, since you want to be kept in the loop, we could take the call in here on speakerphone. That way you’d hear what he has to say yourself.”
“Thank you. That’s most considerate of you.” She was surprised at how much more at ease he was today. She must have been in far more danger than she’d realized. She relaxed and accepted the friendship he seemed to be offering. “Right now though, I need to get out of bed.” She felt her cheeks redden. “Nature’s calling.”
He laughed. “Right. If I carry you to the bathroom can you manage, or do I need to get Cassie?"
Determination and pride warred momentarily and determination won. “If you can get me there, I can take care of my needs.”
He turned to Mandy. “Honey, Cassie is making cookies. Why don’t you go and see if she could use some help?”
“Cookies, yes! Will you keep Mommy company 'til I get back?”
“Sure thing.”
Mandy jumped up onto her knees and bounced up and down on the bed. She must have conveyed her discomfort because Jason grabbed
the child in mid-bounce and carried her, giggling, to the doorway and set her down. He tugged her pigtails.
“Go.”
She ran down the hall, the sound of her laughter echoing behind her. Nikki smiled. This was the second time she’d noticed his easy way with her daughter. He must be a great dad. Sam certainly wasn’t and she doubted Thomas would ever have fit in that category. Sometimes, what you learned from others made as big an impact on you as memories did.
Jason came back to the bed, lifted her up as if she weighed nothing, and carried her to the bathroom. Supporting herself with the counter and wall, she managed to accomplish her business. How could such a simple task tire her so much?
“Jason,” she called softly, and the door opened immediately.
“All done?”
She nodded. He carried her back into the bedroom. “Bed or chair?”
The recliner sat in front of the French doors. “Chair, please.”
He deposited her gently and then wheeled over the tray-table and adjusted it to her level.
That’s when she realized she knew something else about herself. She pointed to the grapefruit. “I don’t like grapefruit, but the rest looks great.”
“Eat what you like, leave the rest. I’m not a fan of it either.”
He sat on the edge of the bed across from her and rubbed the back of his neck.
The nervous gesture made her frown.
“What is it? I know something’s bothering you.”
He chewed his lower lip, reminding her of a young boy about to confess something he knew his mother wouldn’t like.
“You know in the case of a violent crime like this one, we don’t always have a lot of leads, and we had to investigate everyone who might have a reason to want your husband dead.” He took a deep breath. “You’re not going to like this, but I’ve been looking into your family to see who would benefit from Sam’s death and yours.”
Was this what he’d been hiding from her? Was this why he looked guilty when he’d told her about the crime?
”By my family, I assume you mean my parents. Is there someone else? Mandy mentioned Aunt Mitch. Jason, I’m not blaming you. I have no loyalty to these people. I don’t know them, so quit dancing around, and tell me what you’ve found.”
He relaxed and smiled, the gesture transforming his face, making him look younger and far more attractive than she’d thought.
“I looked at your dad, and your husband.”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “But Sam was one of the victims.”
“I know, but he could have arranged to have it done and something went wrong.”
“Now, that’s a pleasant thought,” she replied sarcastically. “My husband, who may or may not have been an abusive imposter, got himself and our son killed trying to kill me.” She took a mouthful of eggs, chewed thoughtfully, and swallowed.
“As much as I’m not a fan of Sam or my father, I find it hard to believe that either one of them would order the death of an eight-year-old boy.”
“I agree. Your father has an alibi, and I couldn’t find anything to connect your husband, but that was before I knew he wasn’t the man I thought he was. We’re digging deeper now. It seems my coworkers uncovered information they hadn’t expected. It’s about you.”
Shock filled her followed by anger as her newly discovered temper erupted. “You think I had my son and my husband murdered and then asked to have myself beaten to within an inch of my life so I’d lose my baby? What kind of monster do you think I am?” She was shaking so badly she had to put down the fork.
Jason jumped up and ran his hand through his hair. She could see, from the stunned look on his face, that he hadn’t expected her outburst.
“Maybe I said that badly. I didn’t mean any such thing. Of course you’re not a suspect, you never were. Ivan sent me a text. He was looking into the financial side of things and found your trust fund. His French-Russian aristocratic background sometimes open doors closed to others. He discovered something he thinks you’ll find interesting.”
Nikki, mollified by his tone, her temper barely under control, nodded.
She added cream and sugar to her coffee to cover her embarrassment over her earlier outburst. “Irene Marion said it wasn’t uncommon for people in situations like mine to undergo personality change. I gather I was a bit of a wimp before. I’m more emotional and outspoken now. I’m sorry for snapping your head off.”
He chuckled. “Anytime you need to rant, feel free. Consider me your whipping boy. I’m tough. I can take it. God knows you’ve earned the right to be angry.”
“What did Ivan discover?”
“I’d rather let him tell you that himself.”
Before she could say anything else, Cassie, Nathan, and Mandy entered the room. Mandy came over and kissed her cheek and then stood beside her. The action calmed Nikki even more. She was going to have to work on her hair-trigger reactions.
“Good morning, Mrs. Hart. I’m Nathan, Cassie’s husband. I’ll be taking care of you for a while. Have you finished eating?”
“I have.” She was surprised to see she’d eaten more than a third of what she’d been given.
“Good. Jason, how about taking Mandy back to the kitchen to watch those cookies.” He winked. “They should be ready to come out of the oven soon. Don’t eat them all.”
Jason nodded. “Cookies? Did someone say cookies?”
Mandy giggled. “Cassie made peanut butter cookies. I helped.” The oven timer bell rang. Mandy grabbed Jason’s hand. “Come on. They’re for Mommy, and we don’t want them to burn.” She began tugging the man at least five times her size out of the room. He went willingly. Nikki smiled.
“I can’t wait to taste them. Peanut butter cookies are my favorite.” And they were.
Mandy stopped. “When I come back, I’ll bring some books and you can read to me again. They have lots of books here, some of my favorite ones, and Cassie brought Drummer Hoff, too.”
Nikki swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. “Sweetie, there’s nothing I’d like more than that.”
The timer rang again. “Hurry, Jason, or they’ll be ruined.” Mandy pulled him out of the room.
Cassie laughed. “She’s certainly full of energy this morning.” She closed the drapes and turned on the lights.
“I’ll just take a quick look at you, and then let Cassie get you ready to face the world,” Nathan said. “We’ve got a walker for you that I’ll bring in later. Moving around, even slowly, will strengthen your muscles faster than any passive exercises we could do. If you need to get up before you master it, Jason or I can carry you wherever you have to go.”
He checked her eyes, her blood pressure, and her pulse. “Any pain? Any blurred vision? ”
“Not really, as long as both eyes are open, I can see fine. I get sharp twinges in my hand every now and then, but for the most part, it’s okay.”
“The twinges are probably from the healing nerves. Your right eye will compensate for your left, but you may want to get glasses when this is over. If you get a headache, let me know. That could be a side effect of overusing your eye. I can see your speech is almost back to normal. You might find yourself hunting for words now and then, but don’t let it bother you. The slight slurring will probably be gone by tomorrow.”
He smiled confidently, and Nikki liked his straightforwardness.
“I looked through your file on the plane. You are one lucky lady.” He turned to his wife. “For now, Cassie, give her the meds Dr. Marion prescribed, but hold off on the Demerol. No point in giving it to her if she doesn’t need it.”
He focused on Nikki once more. “Tell me, Mrs. Hart, have you been having nightmares or strange dreams? The medication can do that. It can cause hallucinations, too.”
“Please call me Nikki. I’ve had some unusually vivid nightmares, but I don’t really remember them—just bits and pieces, most of which don’t make sense. If I stop taking the painkillers, will the horrible dreams stop?”
“They may, but then again, the dreams could be related to the subdural hematoma you suffered. You know, the blood that pooled around you brain because of your head injuries. I can’t say for sure either way, and I don’t want you struggling with pain unnecessarily. Too much pain can actually delay your body’s ability to heal itself.” He moved away from the bed to let Cassie get closer.
“I’m doing double duty here, doctor/bodyguard. I’ve got to do the outside sweep. I’ll be back in an hour, and we’ll do some physio.” He pecked his wife on the cheek and left, closing the door behind him.
Nikki smiled at the nurse. “He seems like a really nice guy. How long have you been married?”
“Three years last month.” Concern crossed her face. “We hadn’t expected he’d be deployed overseas again, but they really need doctors. When his time’s up, he’s going to try and find a nice quiet practice in a small town. I’ll work for him, and we’ll make our marriage a real partnership.”
“Being able to work side by side with the man you love must be a wonderful thing.” Somehow Nikki knew that hadn’t been the case for her and Sam.
“Yeah, and with the baby on the way . . .” She rubbed her belly, and a pang of envy pierced Nikki.
Cassie picked up the discarded food tray and set it on the edge of the bed she’d made while Nathan had examined her.
“Let’s get you ready to face the world. Do you think you can try to stand a few minutes?”
“I’m game if you are. I’m anxious to get on my feet again.” She sobered. “I’ve lost enough time.” And two children. “I want to be able to pull my weight here. I don’t like having to rely on others.”
“Be right back.”
Cassie went into the bathroom and brought back the items she’d need to give Nikki a sponge bath. As she worked, she chatted about all kinds of things, including Nikki’s ordeal. If her intention was to make Nikki more accepting of her help, it worked.
“I can’t get over how far you’ve come and so quickly. I’ve had patients who’ve been injured only half as badly as you, and they take months to rehabilitate to the level you’ve come in three days.”
On His Watch Page 14
