Beyond Duty

by Stanalei Fletcher

  His smiled faded as he turned away from the mirror, pulled a couple more paper towels from the dispenser, and wiped his hands and face one last time. He walked into the waiting room, and found Fiona sitting there, thumbing through a magazine.

  “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in a hospital bed?”

  She looked up with a smile that gave Riley a pretty good idea how Senator Burnsworth had fallen for her. “I’m fine. As horrific as the circumstances were, I was never injured. Not like what they did to Chip or Lorraine.”

  “Have you seen Ms. Voras? How is she doing?”

  “She’s on the mend. They are releasing her into my care. We’ll fly back to Washington tonight. I just wish I could take Chip with us.” She glanced toward the hallway, worry evident on her face. “No word yet.”

  He followed her gaze and nodded. “This waiting is driving me crazy.” Unable to sit, he began pacing the floor. What was taking so long?

  A moment later, the same doctor who’d treated Lorraine appeared in the waiting room doorway. “Mr. O’Neal?”

  Finally. “Yes?” Riley replied. Fiona came to stand beside him.

  Dr. Taylor crossed the room. “I believe we met earlier.”

  “Yes, when we brought in Ms. Voras.”

  “You’ve had an interesting day.” The doctor had a questioning look on his face, but didn’t press for details. Instead, he removed the stethoscope from around his neck and stuffed it in his pocket. “I’ve been attending to your wife.”

  Fiona opened her mouth, possibly to correct the doctor about Chip being his wife, but Riley touched her arm and gave a brief shake of his head. He had filled out the admission forms with O’Neal as her last name so the nurses would let him stay with her, plus, they’d established their cover earlier in the day when Chip had her injuries examined. He didn’t want Fiona to disavow Riley’s position as her husband. “How is she?”

  “Let’s sit down.” The doctor gestured toward the hard plastic chairs that lined the waiting room walls. Sitting was the last thing Riley wanted to do. He wanted to see Chip, but the doctor looked expectantly at him so he sat on an empty chair and Fiona sat on another beside him.

  “She’s resting quietly.” Dr. Taylor rubbed his shadowed jaw. “She was banged up pretty good, but it’s nothing that won’t heal in a few weeks.”

  “How badly was she hurt? Does she have a concussion?”

  The doctor nodded. “Based on the information you gave us, we suspect she received an initial concussion when she was struck the first time. Obviously, her brain hadn’t sufficiently recovered before she received the second blow. We need to keep her here a couple of days for observation. With proper concussion protocol, she should make a complete recovery. She’ll require a week’s worth of quiet and rest at home. After that, she’ll need to avoid any physical activity that would put her at risk for another head injury for at least six months.”

  “Is she conscious?” Fiona leaned toward the doctor. “Can we see her?”

  The doctor turned to include Fiona in the conversation. “She woke up a few minutes ago. I’ll let you see her, but not for very long. We’ll be moving her soon to the second floor for the night.”

  “Thank you.” Fiona gave the man a grateful smile.

  Some of Riley’s anxiety eased. Chip was going to be okay.

  Dr. Taylor escorted them through the clutter of gurneys and medical equipment to a room at the end of a hallway. A nurse answered his quiet knock on the door.

  “This is Mrs. O’Neal’s husband and her friend,” he told the nurse. “They can see the patient for a few minutes before she’s moved.”

  Riley stepped inside and held the door for Fiona. She rushed to Chip and enveloped her in a hug. “Chip! The doctor said you’re going to be okay.”

  Riley held back, his throat constricting as he took in the sight. His feisty lieutenant lay propped up on the hospital bed. The mottled bruises stood in stark contrast against pale skin, marring her beautiful face. Dark lashes fanned her cheeks, accenting the deep circles under her eyes from the long ordeal. An IV fluid bag hung near the bedside and a tube from it wound through a monitoring machine before connecting to her arm. For Riley there was not a sight on earth that gladdened his heart more. She was alive.

  He glanced down at her left hand patting Fiona’s back. Even though Chip had only worn the wedding ring for a couple of days, there was a light tan line visible on her fourth finger. A feeling of fierce protectiveness clutched him. He vowed never to let anything happen to her again. He would do everything in his power to protect her. She was his partner. But she was so much more, and at this very moment, he whispered a silent prayer he’d be able to keep his promise.

  “I’m so glad you’re safe, Fiona.” Chip’s voice came out in a dry whisper. “I wish this had never happened to you.”

  “Don’t even think about me. I want you to get well. Then we’re going to have the biggest party to celebrate this happy ending.” Fiona pulled back, a hint of tears in her eyes. “I have to leave soon. Andrew sent a car to take Lorraine and me to the airport. He chartered a jet to get us home tonight.”

  “Don’t ever doubt his love for you.” Chip gave her friend’s hand a final squeeze.

  “You know I won’t.” Fiona wiped a tear from her face and glanced over at Riley. She leaned in and whispered in Chip’s ear. Whatever she said brought a bloom of color to Chip’s pale cheeks. “I’ll leave you two to catch up on unfinished business.” With those words, Fiona turned and gave Riley a quick kiss on the jaw. “Remember what I told you back at the cabin.” Then she was gone.

  Fiona’s words rolled through his mind as he ached to gather Chip in his arms. Don’t give up on her. He wasn’t going to give up on Chip, but he was afraid she’d give up on him. She was in this bed because he’d failed to protect her.

  Despite his feelings of failure, he stepped closer and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, then brushed fingers gently down her cheek, feeling the heat of her bruise against his skin.

  Chip stared up at him, her eyes locked onto his face.

  Riley’s gaze devoured her like a starving man.

  Even through her pain, she smiled at him and his heart lurched against his ribs. It had only been days, but he felt like he’d been watching her expressions for a lifetime.

  Pulling a chair from the corner, he placed it next to her bed and sat. “You look like hell.” His voice broke, ending his attempt at humor.

  Chip licked her lips and tried to speak. Riley found a small paper cup sitting on a table next to the bed and filled it with water. He leaned over and cradled her head while she drank. Fury rose inside him at how she’d been forced into this weakened condition. He quickly smothered it, refusing to let his anger upset her. She pushed the cup away and he gently lowered her head to the pillow.

  “You came.” Her voice sounded a bit stronger now.

  “Of course I came.” He didn’t blame her for thinking he was capable of abandoning her.

  “How long?”

  “How long were you out?”

  She nodded.

  It felt like years, a lifetime. He looked at his watch. “A couple of hours, maybe.”

  “Feels longer.” A shadow seemed to cross her eyes.

  “It was.” He took her hand and cradled it in both of his.

  “Fiona’s really okay?”

  “You saw for yourself. She’s a very strong woman.”

  ****

  Chip sighed with relief. She’d done her job. Fiona was safe. Then she looked down to where her hand disappeared into the warmth of Riley’s large, capable hands. She recalled how strong, yet so very gentle, they’d been as he held her during that heart-stopping kiss in the cabin. The chill that had permeated her limbs since she’d regained consciousness eased. In his presence, she grew warm and safe. Riley made her feel safer than she’d ever felt before. Even her fighting skills hadn’t accomplished that.

  “I wanted to escape.” She was certain he must thi
nk her very weak because she’d gotten captured.

  He placed a finger on her lips to quiet her. “You couldn’t leave Fiona.”

  His tender gesture brought tears of frustration. She shut her eyes tight to push them back, but one lone tear escaped. She should have been able to do more.

  Riley brushed away the tear with his thumb, then laid the back of his hand against her face. She leaned her cheek into his caress, wishing away this weakness so she could show him how she felt. Swallowing the tears, she opened her eyes and met his gaze. The knocks to her head must be messing with her eyesight, for when she looked at him she saw desire mixed with the tenderness. Afraid she was hallucinating, she looked away and took a deep breath.

  “How did you find us?” Talking about the rescue was a safer subject than the one filling her mind with images that would never come true.

  “Those drones the senator is planning to use on the border came in handy.” He stroked her face. “We can review the details later. What’s important is that you and Fiona are both safe.” She started to protest—to insist he tell her more, but he interrupted. “You need rest. I’ll come back in the morning. We’ll talk then.”

  On cue, the nurse opened the door. “Time to move you to your room for the night, Mrs. O’Neal.”

  Riley was barely out of the way before the nurse started taking Chip’s blood pressure and other vitals. He returned the chair to the corner of the room, but remained just inside the door while the staff prepared her for the move to the second floor. Through all their caring ministrations, Chip sent a silent plea for him not to leave. He nodded as if to say he understood, but they’d have plenty of time to talk—later.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chip opened her eyes when she heard the door to her hospital room open. She expected Riley anytime, since he’d promised to return and explain the events leading to her and Fiona’s rescue. She reminded herself that was the main reason she wanted to see him again, but found she was looking forward to his arrival all day, just like returning home after her first deployment. Even the pounding headache didn’t detract from her anticipation.

  Instead, the man who walked into her room wasn’t quite as tall as Riley, but carried himself with the same level of confidence and poise. He was also someone she had known for a lifetime.

  “General!” She sat a little straighter, pleased the dry croak in her voice was gone.

  “Lieutenant.” Her father addressed her with the same pride in his voice he’d had when she’d completed officers’ training.

  General Marion Anderson strode over to her bedside and placed a gruff kiss on her forehead. He smoothed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes and looked fondly at her. “Looks like you took another trip through boot camp.” His wry comment didn’t hide the emotion glittering behind his eyes.

  “I’m a little banged up, but they tell me I’ll be fine.” Self-consciously, she touched the small bandage on her cheek that covered the cut. “Why are you here?”

  “Don’t you remember what happened?” Her father settled into the chair next to her bed and gave her a concerned look.

  Chip closed her eyes, recalling the last twenty-four hours. So much of it was fuzzy, except for Riley’s tender visit last night. “I know they took me hostage with Fiona. The rest is still a bit vague.” Then she remembered the video camera and a realization hit her. “The kidnappers tried to force you to do something, didn’t they?”

  Her father’s silence was proof enough she was right.

  “What? What did they make you do?”

  He remained silent. “Daddy, you can’t keep the truth from me. You know I’ll eventually find out. I’d rather hear it from you.”

  General Anderson stared at her, then gave her hand a squeeze before he stood. He walked over to the second floor window, his posture tense, as though trying to avoid the inevitable. When he spoke, the words came slowly. “It appears your assignment played right into the hands of the very people you were trying to find.” He turned to look at her.

  Chip shifted on her bed, unclear what he meant. He continued, “You and O’Neal did a damn good job of finding the people who were blackmailing the Senator. But at some point in the investigation, your cover story was discovered. The kidnappers knew I was the military advisor on the UAS project—and that you were my daughter.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Riley and I were sent into that trap on purpose?”

  He looked appalled at the suggestion. “Of course not! I would never give my permission for something like that.” He cleared his throat and seemed to slip back into officer mode.

  “Why was I abducted?” Chip stared her father straight in the eyes.

  “The people who abducted you and Fiona were desperate to stop the bill. They threatened to kill you both if I didn’t rescind my support during last night’s debate.”

  She was speechless as the implications settled over her. Because of her officer’s status, she personally took on important responsibilities within her unit. Even on the job at Youth Corrections, she maintained strict accountability while working with the juveniles. Yet, never had the balance of the nation’s security been placed squarely on her shoulders.

  She studied the face of the man before her. A father’s face. But more than that, the face of a general in the United States Army, sworn to protect and serve the U. S. Constitution and if necessary, lay down his life for it. Or the life of his daughter.

  She finally asked, “You didn’t give in to their demands, did you?” She knew her father’s convictions ran deep. Her own feelings of patriotism came from the same roots. His example of sacrifice to God and Country was one of the reasons she had wanted to serve. How did a man choose? How did a father choose between his duty and honor, and the life of his daughter?

  Chip had never seen her father shed a tear in her twenty-six years, until now. The old man’s eyes glistened.

  “He didn’t have to.” A voice from the doorway saved the general from answering. Byron O’Neal’s lopsided smile was warm as he walked into Chip’s room and came to stand on the other side of her bed.

  Chip didn’t miss the look that passed between the two men. A silent promise had just been kept. In that moment, Chip gained an insight regarding the relationship between two old soldiers.

  “Byron’s right. Riley and the troops rescued you and Fiona before the debate took place. The bill passed today with a nearly unanimous vote. Byron flew here with me as soon as we could get away.”

  To make certain his friend’s daughter was safe, or to make sure the assignment was on track, Chip wondered?

  She knew part of these two men’s story. A relationship born of trial and triumphs from their days in Vietnam where they’d served together. After the war, Marion Anderson had remained in the military to carry on a life of service, while Byron joined the CIA before switching to a career in personal security.

  Chip looked from her father to Byron O’Neal, who nodded in agreement with her father’s statement. Nothing more would ever be said about the circumstances the general had been forced into. The file was locked and both men had thrown away the key. They stood across from each other like sentries guarding age-old secrets. She studied their faces, wondering what other things she would never learn.

  “Where’s Riley?” She switched to a topic she might get answers on. One that had bothered her all morning. He’d promised her details about the rescue. Had he decided now that she was safe, she wasn’t a priority after all?

  Byron answered her. “I’ve sent him to finish the job. We still have to find the mastermind of this whole operation. And we suspect there’s an informant—someone who knew you and Riley were investigating the kidnapping and blackmail. I want him found.”

  “This is my assignment, too.” She lifted the covers to get out of the bed. “I should be helping him.”

  “You’re not going anywhere, young lady.” Her father gently grabbed the sheet and held it in place. “You’ve had enough adventure for one week. When
the doctor releases you from the hospital, you’re coming home with me.”

  Chip pushed herself straighter in the bed to protest, but the stabbing pain from her headache reminded her how difficult it would be to carry out her objections. Difficult, but not impossible.

  “Your father’s right.” Byron joined the conversation. “Your cover story isn’t required any longer. Riley can finish the job on his own.”

  Chip’s disappointment added to the discomfort of her headache. “I let you down, Byron. I let Riley down, too. I’m sorry.”

  “Nonsense.” Byron looked surprised that she’d think such a thing. “Thanks to you and your good work, we’ve got a lead on who’s behind all this.”

  “I let myself get kidnapped. That’s not what I would call helping.”

  “We apprehended a roomful of bad guys. Mrs. Burnsworth and Lorraine Voras are safe. If you hadn’t been on the case, we wouldn’t have anything. The men we took into custody will soon be singing a very lovely song.”

  “I should be doing more.” She should be next to Riley, apprehending Weston.

  “You’ve done more than you realize,” Byron replied. “Consider your participation in the assignment completed with flying colors.”

  “Won’t there be a trial? You’ll need me as a witness.”

  “We can spare you that ordeal. When you were rescued, all the proof of the abduction was right there on the premises. We hope we’ve given the ringleaders second thoughts before they try something like this in the future. And by sticking to our guns and passing the vote, we’ve put a huge dent in the drug trade.”

  “I know Dean Weston did the actual kidnapping, but do you know who’s behind the blackmail?”

  “We don’t know who called the shots yet, but we’re getting close.” Byron stepped to the bed and laid a hand on her shoulder. “You can relax, Chip. We’ll do the rest.”