Navy SEAL Rescuer (8 page)

EIGHT

“W
hy’d you have them bring me here?” Eileen
griped as Catherine poured water into a plastic cup and shoved a straw into it.
Three hours after they’d arrived, Eileen had regained consciousness. She wasn’t
happy. Catherine couldn’t blame her. Hooked to an IV, heart monitors on her
chest, an oxygen tube in her nose, she’d woken confused and scared.

Now, she was just angry.

“You were unconscious and unresponsive. If we hadn’t brought
you here, you’d be dead.”

“Right. A diabetic coma. Only I don’t have diabetes. Never
have.”

“You do now. If we hadn’t been at Darius’s place...” She
couldn’t bring herself to finish. If they’d been home, if Eileen had been in her
room, Catherine wouldn’t have checked on her until morning. By that time, it
would have been too late.

“Well, we were, and I’m fine. Let’s go home.” Eileen tried to
push the sheets off, but she was too weak, and the efforts barely moved the
material.

“You’re not fine. You’re dehydrated, and your kidneys aren’t
functioning properly. This is the safest place for you for now.”

“For now, or forever, Catherine Marie? Because I don’t want to
die here. You need to understand that. If I’m going to die, I want you to bring
me home. Let me die where I lived. Promise me that.” She reached for Catherine’s
hand, and Catherine patted her knuckles, her soul aching, her heart shaking with
sorrow.

“I promise. As soon as the doctors clear you, we’ll go home.”
The words were easy to say, and Catherine meant every word. She just hoped she
could follow through. The police hadn’t contacted her, and she wasn’t sure if
they were finished at the house. Wasn’t sure how long it would be until she and
Eileen were allowed back.

“That’s all I wanted to hear.” Eileen shut her eyes, her face
going slack so quickly Catherine wondered if she’d slipped into a coma again.
The heart monitor remained steady, her blood pressure low but normal.

“She’s fine,” Catherine whispered, as if the words had the
power to make it true.

Words. Prayers.

They weren’t the same, but somehow they felt like they were,
the tenuous connection she’d tried to make with God still there.

Had He answered her prayer?

Eileen was alive, stable. More than likely she’d be released in
a day or two. Catherine had asked God for more time, and she’d been given it,
but she wasn’t sure how much of that was God and how much of that was
medicine.

Maybe it didn’t matter.

Maybe she just needed to accept that there were things in life
that were beyond what she saw and heard and felt. Maybe if she reached far
enough, she’d grasp the hand of the Creator and find the kind of peace she’d
always longed for.

Eileen moaned, and Catherine adjusted the blankets again.

Cancer.

Kidney failure.

Diabetes.

Soon, her body would completely shut down. There was no doubt
about that. No miracle to be asked for. Catherine’s throat tightened, her chest
heavy and aching, anxiety snaking through every nerve and muscle and cell. She
needed fresh air, but she’d told Darius that she’d stay in the hospital until he
arrived.

Three hours later, and he was nowhere to be seen.

Had she really expected anything different?

She wanted to say “no,” but the truth was, she
had
expected him to show up. The sadder truth was that
she was disappointed that he hadn’t. Standing in his arms had felt so good, and
she’d wanted to believe that those feelings were real.

Maybe they weren’t, though.

Maybe, they were just a product of stress and need and
fear.

The sun had crested the mountains half an hour ago, and the new
day promised sunshine and blue skies. A new day. A new beginning. Time to grab
control of her life again.

She didn’t need Darius to escort her out of the hospital. She
could go herself, take a bus to the edge of town and walk the three miles to her
place, grab some things for Eileen and for herself.

Then again, a cab might be a better idea.

Just in case.

She grabbed the phone, but the thought of going back to her
place alone...in a cab or not...filled her with dread, and she dropped it back
into the cradle.

She paced the room, feeling caged and restless. If she let
herself, she could fall into that place she’d been in the first days after she’d
been released from the prison, panic attack after panic attack stealing her
ability to think or function.

“I’m trying to sleep, girl, and all your pacing is keeping me
awake,” Eileen grumbled.

“Sorry.” Catherine didn’t point out that Eileen had been asleep
just seconds before or that she’d be asleep again before she took the next
breath. Arguing would only bring her more fully awake, and Eileen needed to
sleep if her body was going to have any chance of healing.

Seconds later, Eileen’s soft snore broke the silence.

Catherine looked out the window and into the parking lot. Even
this early in the morning, it was full, people milling about, talking and
chatting. It wasn’t very likely a killer was lurking among them. She’d just step
outside, stand under the hospital’s portico, get a few deep breaths of fresh
air, try to ease her tension before she had a full-out panic attack.

She walked into the hall, closing the door softly.

Just a few minutes. That’s all she needed. Then, she’d come
back.

A nurse smiled as she passed, but Catherine felt too brittle to
do anything but keep moving. Onto the elevator, then out of it again. Finally
into the lobby, and then the fresh new day.

She breathed deeply, the cool summer air filling lungs that
felt too small.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Ease the tension. Let go of the panic.
Everything is fine.

Only things weren’t fine. Eileen was dying. Someone wanted
Catherine dead.

“You’re supposed to be waiting for me inside.” Darius appeared
at her side so suddenly Catherine jumped.

“Where did you come from?”

“I was coming out of the cafeteria and saw you walk through the
lobby. Here.” He shoved a carryout cup toward her, his jaw tight, his eyes
flashing with irritation.

“Thank you.” Her hand shook as she sipped the lukewarm
liquid.

“You realize coming out here was a mistake, right?” He took her
arm and walked back into the lobby. She could have pulled away. His grip was
loose and easy, and she knew he wouldn’t try to hold on if she didn’t want him
to.

She didn’t pull away, though, because having him close felt a
lot better than being alone.

“I needed some air.”

“You
needed
to wait for me. You
should
have waited.”

“It’s been three hours, Darius. How long did you expect me to
wait?”

“Forever if that’s what it took.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“So is walking outside without protection when someone is
trying to kill you.”

“You’re right. I wasn’t thinking,” she conceded, and he
sighed.

“Just so we’re clear, when I say something, I follow through.
Next time, keep that in mind. Come on. I was planning to get you something to
eat, but I wasn’t sure if you were a fruit kind of gal or a muffin kind.” He led
her into the cafeteria.

“Neither. Both.” She grabbed a muffin and a cup of fruit
because she
did
need to eat.

“How is Eileen?”

“She’s better. Conscious. Ornery when she’s awake. That’s a
good sign.”

“Good. I’ve been praying and hoping she’d recover. I would have
been here sooner, but Logan heard the ambulances and came to the house. He
wanted to go over the information I’d provided again.” Darius still had his hand
on her arm as they walked to a small table, and Catherine knew that people were
watching. Probably most of them knew who she was. Probably some of them would
speculate about Darius and who they were to each other. By noon the town would
be buzzing with the news of her new love interest.

For once, she didn’t care.

She was too tired, too worried about Eileen for anything else
to matter.

“Why?”

“Because a police officer tagged a black Toyota parked on I-90
yesterday morning right around the time you were attacked. Logan said it was
parked on the other side of your field in the breakdown lane. Could be that the
guy walked through the field to get to your place.”

“Was there a license plate on the car?”

“No. The officer put in a call to have it towed, but when the
truck arrived, it was gone. Logan wanted to make sure I was certain about the
car I saw in your driveway. I am.”

“So, it was the same guy.”

“Logan thinks so. I think he’s right. When will Eileen be
released from the hospital?” He took a grape from Catherine’s fruit cup and
popped it into his mouth.

“The doctor said a day or two. Why?”

“Because I don’t think it’s a good idea for you two to go back
to the farmhouse.”

“Me, neither, but I promised Eileen. She wants to spend her
last days at home.”

“Even if that means they’re going to be your last days, too?”
he asked bluntly.

“Yes.”

“There are other options, you know. You could hire a caregiver
to take care of Eileen, and you could go into hiding until the police catch the
person who is after you.”

“Is that what you would do?” She broke the muffin in two and
handed the larger portion to Darius.

“No.”

“Then, how can you expect me to? I’ve already lost so many
years, Darius. I can’t get them back. If I go into hiding and leave Eileen
behind, I may lose the last bit of time that we have together. I can’t stomach
that.” She chewed a bite of the muffin. It tasted like cardboard and went down
about as easily.

“So, what are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you
want
to do about it?”
He finished off his half of the muffin and took a sip of coffee, his eyes clear
green and surrounded by thick black lashes. No doubt about it, he was one of the
handsomest men Catherine had ever sat across a table from, but it wasn’t his
looks that warmed Catherine’s heart. It was the way he leaned toward her,
touched the knuckles on her hand, looked at her as if every word she said
mattered.

“If I had a choice, I’d pack the Buick and drive me and Eileen
to the Oregon coast. I’d rent a little beach cottage and watch the tides flow in
and out. I’d listen to the gulls and collect seashells, and try to decide what I
want to do with the rest of my life.”

“Sounds nice. I’ve never been to the Oregon coast. Maybe when
this is over, we’ll take Eileen. She’d probably love it. But it’s not an option
right now, Catherine. You know that.”

“Then, what
is
an option, Darius?
I’m sure you have some kind of plan.”

“I was hoping you’d ask. Twenty-four-hour protection is the
only thing that can keep you safe and keep Eileen at home. I’ve already spoken
to Ryder, and he’s agreed to help with that.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Don’t sound so appalled, Catherine. I’m not going to be the
one providing the protection.”

“Then who is?”

“We have a team set up.”

“Well, tell your team to stand down, because I’d rather have
you hanging around than a bunch of total strangers.” The words slipped out, and
he smiled. It transformed the hard angles of his face and gave him a boyish look
that made Catherine want to lean across the table and brush aside the thick lock
of hair that had fallen across his forehead.

“Good to know, but one person can’t do the job alone. Even if
you’re not worried for yourself, you should be for Eileen. She’s too frail to
put up a fight if someone breaks into your place.”

“I know.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to think of
a better solution.

She couldn’t.

“Fine. Tell Ryder I appreciate the help. Now, I really have to
get back to Eileen’s room. You can have the rest of this if you want.” She
shoved the half-empty fruit cup across the table and stood.

“I’m good.” He didn’t take her subtle hint and stay at the
table.

She should be upset, but she liked having him at her side as
she walked through the cafeteria. She liked that his presence transformed her
from the pariah that Pine Bluff loved to hate into Catherine Miller, the woman
who may have hooked up with her very handsome neighbor. Let the town talk about
that for a while instead of rehashing the trial, the conviction, the
exoneration.

“You’re smiling,” Darius said as he pushed the elevator
button.

“I’m just thinking that the town gossips will have more to talk
about now.”

“More than someone attempting to murder you?”

“More than speculation about my innocence or guilt.”

“Seeing as how a doctor is now in jail for the crimes you were
convicted of, I don’t see how anyone could be convinced otherwise.”

“A jury of my peers was convinced otherwise, Darius. It isn’t
surprising that the town still has its doubts.” The fact that she’d shut herself
into the old farmhouse and refused interviews and television appearances hadn’t
helped. In a town where everyone knew everything about everyone else,
Catherine’s refusal to open up to public scrutiny had been viewed as
suspicious.

“It must be tough having that hanging over your head. No wonder
you want to escape to the coast.” He walked beside her as she headed to Eileen’s
room, his gait only slightly hitched. If he hadn’t told her he was an amputee,
she wouldn’t have known. Obviously, he had a life that went beyond rushing to
Catherine’s rescue, but that was the only way she’d ever seen him. Running to
the rescue, acting competent and steady and trustworthy.

“What about you, Darius? Did you end up in Pine Bluff because
you wanted to escape something?” she asked, because she needed to put him in
context, make him into something less than what he appeared to be. Otherwise,
the secret place in her heart that still had room for dreams might just open up
for him, and then where would she be?