44
Alex was sitting near a beautiful lake, with Krypto next to her. She put her arm around him, and he laid his head on her shoulder. She kissed the gentle dog’s face and then went back to watching the water. She felt so relaxed. She hadn’t felt this good for a long time.
A voice began calling her name. It was so faint she could barely hear it. She didn’t want to leave this place. The voice wanted something, but she had no more to give. Why couldn’t whoever it was just leave her alone? She wanted to stay by the peaceful lake with Krypto.
When the voice called a little louder, Krypto turned around to look, his large head still on her shoulder as he gazed at something behind them.
“No, Krypto,” she said gently. “I want to stay here with you. Please. If we ignore them, maybe they’ll go away.”
Someone reached for her hand, and she started to pull it away. “Alex?” This time the voice was closer. Next to her. Krypto began to wag his tail. This was someone he liked.
She recognized that voice. Logan. She glanced once more at the lake before forcing her eyes open partway. She found herself peering into Logan’s face and smiled.
“I thought that was you,” she said. Her eyes flew open all the way when pain shot through her chest. She looked at the meds machine beside her bed. It wasn’t just her chest that hurt. Her throat felt like she was still hanging from that terrible rope. Everything was sore. It felt as if her entire body was on fire.
Her surgeon came in. “You’re awake?” she said. “I figured you’d be sleeping for a while longer.”
“I’ll sleep more soon,” Alex whispered. She’d wait to push the button. She had to know if she’d be okay, and the meds would just make her drift away again.
The doctor looked at Logan, who sat in a wheelchair. Noah and Monty were here too. “Are these men family?” she asked.
Before any of them had a chance to answer, Alex said, “Yes, they’re my brothers.”
The doctor looked them over, her eyes lingering on Monty a moment longer. Finally, she smiled. “All right.” She turned back to Alex. “No internal damage. I repaired your lung and placed a metal plate on your ribs to make sure they’ll heal correctly. This will also protect your organs. You were lucky. It could have been much worse. You’ll be here a few days until we’re sure you can take care of yourself, and then we’ll send you home. Recovery will take around six weeks. That means very limited activity. You’ll need help, but I’m sure your brothers will pitch in.” She raised her eyebrows and looked at them. “Right?”
Alex had to fight not to laugh. They all nodded solemnly.
“All right, Miss Donovan, if you have any questions, your hospital doctor will have your chart and my notes. He’ll be able to help you.”
“Thank you.”
After she left the room, Logan said, “Do you feel okay to talk? I have concerns about Bayne.”
She smiled at him and reached for the button. When she pushed it, the result was almost immediate. The morphine began to put out the flames.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I have to go back to the lake. Krypto’s waiting for me.”
Logan smiled at her. “Okay. You go on. I’ll talk to you later. It will keep.”
“Okay. I love you, Logan.”
As she walked back toward the lake, she suddenly felt her legs give out. The clear sky filled with dark clouds, and a heavy wind surrounded her. It pulled her away from Krypto as she fought to breathe. Krypto ran over and started to bark. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong.
She tried to call for Logan, but her voice wouldn’t work. Her whole body felt paralyzed. As she kept attempting to call for help, she found herself in the lake. Krypto stood on the shore, barking wildly. She tried to stay afloat, but she couldn’t. As she slipped under the water, she took a deep breath. She knew unless someone pulled her out quickly, she would slip away forever.
“I don’t know what I was thinking,” Logan said as Noah pushed him back to his room with Monty alongside. “She’s had major trauma. She needs to rest.”
“I did mention that fact,” Noah said.
“Did you hear what she said?”
“Yes.”
“That was the heavy drugs, right?”
“I don’t think they make you say things you don’t mean, Logan.”
“But . . . she’s never given any indication . . .”
Noah laughed. “Boy, I could tell you stories about what I went through with Kaely. Look, I’m sure she means it somewhere inside, but I doubt she’s ready to face her feelings for you in the light of day. Not yet anyway. Do you have feelings for her?”
Logan swallowed hard. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Then just give her time. Don’t push it. Let what’s between you grow until she’s ready—and undrugged. Okay?”
Logan wanted to think more about what Alex said, but something else was competing for time in his mind. “I just can’t stop thinking about Bayne. It’s really bothering me.”
“Turn that off for a while too,” Monty said. “You need to rest and get stronger.”
“Not so easy. I find myself analyzing people in the grocery store. Even in church.”
Noah and Monty both laughed.
Logan wasn’t looking forward to more time in bed. He was afraid Bayne would get away, and he wanted him caught. Too many people had died because of him, and Logan was angry because of what he’d done, especially to Alex and Kaely. With the police and the FBI both looking for him, why hadn’t they found him yet? Logan couldn’t shake the feeling that Bayne wouldn’t allow his total defeat at the warehouse to be his curtain call. Psychopaths were too egotistical for that.
“If they don’t catch him, do you think we’ll ever hear from him again?” Logan asked.
“I don’t know,” Monty said. “Sometimes people like Bayne fail. If they can’t find a way to go out with a bang—sorry for the pun—they simply live with their failures.” He frowned. “But if Bayne decides he can’t do that, you’re right. He may try to end things another way, be willing to take chances. He’s used to careful planning, but if he’s at the end of his rope—” He colored. “Sorry again. I’m not trying to be insensitive.”
A sense of dread filled Logan. It was almost overpowering. He looked up at Noah. “Check on Kaely right now. Don’t let anyone into her room, not even medical personnel.”
“I don’t understand,” Noah said.
“I think Bayne’s still here, and he has a grudge to settle. He wants to go out a winner. The one who had the final word after all.” He motioned to Monty. “Get me back to Alex’s room. Now!”
As Noah raced toward Kaely’s room and Monty pushed Logan back to Alex’s, Logan prayed he was wrong. But in his heart, he knew he wasn’t.
As she sank deeper and deeper under the water, Alex looked down. It was dark below her. She hated the dark. She couldn’t go there. She called out to God to save her.
Suddenly, a hand appeared. It reached toward her. She wanted to swim up to grab it, but her limbs wouldn’t move.
“I can’t reach you!” she called.
“Don’t worry, child,” a voice said. “No matter where you are, I am there with you.”
The hand, which looked like it was made of light, reached down and picked her up, gently placing her beside the lake. Krypto was still there, and he licked her face. As she began to breathe better, the lake and Krypto slowly faded away.