Annie was filling in on the critical care ward—something she often did when she needed overtime money—when the TSP came into Kelsie Royce’s room. The woman hadn’t woken fully since she’d been moved from surgery to recovery. This was her second surgery.
Allen had discovered that an infinitesimal shard from the bullet had been missed in the initial surgery and had had to remove it, as well as a portion of tissue behind it. It was a more complicated surgery than the first. But the patient was expected to recover.
Now everyone was just waiting for her to wake.
Annie was in the room with her when she did.
Compassion filled her for what the woman had gone through. Annie had a friend from W4HAV that had been shot twice in the past year. The second time had been by her own father, three days after the tornado had struck. Annie hadn’t been able to be there for Bailey, but Izzie and Nikkie Jean both had.
Kelsie Royce was new to town, someone had said. Had only been on the job a few weeks, and was a transplant from the TSP Academy in Wichita Falls. She had no friends in the area.
Wanda had said she didn’t have any family at all.
Annie was determined Kelsie wasn’t going to wake alone. None of the TSP officers she worked with had been allowed to sit with her. Annie wasn’t entirely certain why.
“What happened?” A voice came from the bed.
“Hello, Officer Royce. I’m Annie, a nurse here at the hospital. Do you remember what happened?”
“Yes.” Blue eyes looked into hers. Kelsie tried to look around but couldn’t. Annie knew exactly how she felt. They’d had her on similar pain medications after her own injury.
“Don’t try to move too much. I have everything covered. You’re going to be just fine.”
“I need to talk to my brother.” Her words were low and broken. Annie struggled to understand. “Import...Danny McKell—”
“Daniel McKellen?”
“Yes…only…to him. No one else. Or Elliot.” Officer Royce’s eyes met hers. “Need to talk to someone. Important.”
“I’ll have someone call the TSP. Let them know you’re awake.”
“No!” The woman’s hand half-rose, even with the IV. Tears were in her eyes. Fear. Lots of fear. And Annie sensed it had nothing to do with the injuries she’d sustained. “Can’t trust…Only Daniel. Elliot. Secret. Promise.”
Annie nodded. “I’ll call Daniel myself. I know him, a little. And I know Elliot, too. He’s a friend. I’ll make sure they come.”
“Thank you. If I don’t live…”
“You will. The doctors say full recovery.”
“If they don’t come to kill me again…you promise. Tell my brother…inside. Inside man did this. Tell Danny…I’m sorry. Love him.”
“I will. Who is your brother?”
“Daniel. Daniel McKellen. It’s a secret. I don’t want them to kill me. They will. They will try to kill me again.” Wild fear was in the woman’s eyes. It overshadowed even the pain.
Annie couldn’t leave her like that, not that afraid. She knew far too well what that kind of fear felt like. “I’ll call Daniel; I promise. I won’t let them hurt you again.”
Annie’s break started in five minutes; she could stay with her a few more minutes until she drifted off. “Just rest. It’ll be ok, I promise. I’ll stay.”
Once the woman was asleep, she stepped into the hallway.
An officer was there. One she thought she recognized from somewhere, but she couldn’t be certain.
“Nurse…how is she?”
He wasn’t supposed to be back there. That had Annie hesitating.
The TSP was notorious for internal corruption. She’d heard stories most weren’t privileged to know from the chief’s wife Gabby, his sister-in-law Brynna, and Mel. All three women were former TSP. They’d nearly died because of the TSP. Because of someone on the inside.
That had her shaking her head quietly. “She’s still not wakened, Officer. I’m not sure she will tonight. It may be early morning.”
“Is she going to survive? We’ve…been friends for years.”
He choked up for a moment. But Annie wasn’t a fool. There were no tears in his eyes. His green eyes were calculating in a way that chilled her. Her father had had eyes just like that. Whenever he was angry with her over something.
“You’ll need to leave; we’re not allowing anyone in with her. To prevent infection, of course. She’s still in a very fragile condition. It could go either way.” It was a lie, but it would buy her time to make a phone call. “I’m afraid I’m not allowed to say more.”
That woman was as vulnerable as it was possible for a woman to be.
Annie thought about going to Rafe. That made the most sense. Telling him what she’d learned and letting him decide what to do next. But that would involve him in this. And the woman wanted it kept quiet.
It was probably nothing. Kelsie Royce had just come out of surgery; lucidity wasn’t a guarantee. Far from it. Annie barely remembered the hours after her own rescue from the tornado. She hadn’t exactly been lucid.
Although…she had remembered what had happened to her. It was entirely possible the same was true for this woman, too. Either way, she’d asked for something that Annie could do, with absolute faith that it would be ok. Daniel McKellen and Elliot Marshall weren’t going to let anything happen to that woman in there. Far from it. Annie would trust them with her sons’ lives in a heartbeat. A simple phone call to one of them wouldn’t hurt at all.
Annie darted into the breakroom. The only occupant in the room was a familiar woman with two braids and purple glasses with Mickey Mouse on the side. Nikkie Jean was fast asleep in the large recliner in the corner.
Annie calmed, seeing her friend there. It was such a familiar sight. Normal.
She could do this.
She’d call Daniel McKellen—Jake’s supervisor—and tell him exactly what the woman had told her. Then she’d get back to work.