Bright light blinded Raylyn’s vision. She blinked rapidly; tears formed. Someone dabbed her face.
“Finally, you wake.”
“Wh-where am I?” She croaked, her throat dry and scratchy.
Alfonzo replied, “You are in the San Cristóbal hospital. You gave us quite a fright. The doctor on call performed CPR while the orderlies rolled you along the hallway. It is a miracle you survived.”
She went to rub her head and noticed the plaster cast.
“Ah, a gift from Guerrero. Your arm is fractured in multiple locations.”
“Where’s Jack?”
“You must feel better. This is good. Jack is here as well.”
She struggled to sit upright. Alfonzo restrained her. “You must take it easy.” He adjusted her pillows and elevated the bed.
“What happened?” She was tired of his fussing and wanted answers.
Alfonzo sighed and resumed his seat. “The police refused to let him get to you.”
She cocked a brow. What was he talking about?
“You must understand. Rory passed this information to me, so I do not have an eyewitness account, but it took five officers to hold him away from you. They struck the back of his leg as well as other areas before he gave up.”
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye. She swiped it away and leaned her head into the plush pillow. He’d come for her. He’d saved her.
“They’ve replaced his ruined prosthesis and set his broken bones. He should be free to leave about the same time as you.”
Throat cleared of emotion, she asked, “Where’s Tabitha?”
“Who? Oh, yes, the made-up doll. She left as soon as Jack explained that he loved you.” He didn’t appear to note her silent tears flowing faster or the flush that covered her face as he continued, “His dad has been with me and Manuel. If not for Tina, Olin’s wife, we would have sent him somewhere. The elderly gentleman is a veritable wreck. Said he hadn’t worried in years, and it felt good to be concerned about someone. The notion is ridiculous, but he insisted.”
Alfonzo described hours at the local church spent on their knees. “When we heard that the police were called to Juan’s compound, we knew you had been found. It was a big shock to read in the papers about Josue. He was—“
She squeezed his arm. “You knew Josue?”
“Yes. Josue was the designer of the box. He disappeared some years ago. We thought he’d gone home to be with his family in Brazil. He always said he would create the perfect distraction. I thought he'd meant the box, but now I realize his statement meant so much more.”
“I don’t understand.”
Alfonzo cradled her hand. “Rory and the authorities described your escape. It is clear he sacrificed himself.”
The gruesome scene replayed in Raylyn’s mind. Josue interrupting Juan as he attempted to drag her from the underground prison, his silence when interrogated, how he incited Juan to increased wrath. Josue had sacrificed himself so she could escape.
Nurses entered, took her vitals, and shooed Alfonzo. “The patient needs to rest.”
He squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
When the nurses left and she was alone, the events of the past week ran through her mind, and she wished she could erase the painful memories.
She rolled onto her side and rose to a sitting position. Her vision swam, and she held to the headboard.
“Whoa. Where do you think you’re going?” Jack placed a hand under her arm and steadied her.
“I-I—”
“You were coming to find me, right? It’s about time. You’ve been resting too long…”
He continued to berate her as he assisted her to a seat, all while never looking her directly in the eyes.
“Dad has been worried that he caused this. I tried to explain it was a product of Juan’s sin. And through it, one of the most notorious terrorists has been apprehended and all the prisoners released.”
She squeezed his unbandaged hand, and he stopped talking. He scooted a chair close to hers.
“I should have told you long ago what you mean to me. If I’d told you when we first met, maybe we wouldn’t have had to go through so much to find each other again.”
She smoothed a wayward hair from his brow.
“I have loved you since I heard your voice while I lay in the hospital. You’re what brought me out of the coma and gave me hope. After my father became so angry at me, I thought I’d never have anyone to care about me. But I knew from your voice that you cared. I knew we had something.” He sighed. “Maybe it should matter that you left while I recovered, but I just don’t care anymore. I just want the rest of our lives to be spent together.”