Chapter 38: Chapter Thirty-Seven

Lila loitered outside the hospital room, cracking her knuckles and shifting back and forth on her feet. She lifted her fist, then dropped it back at her side.

“Just knock,” the Viking grumbled.

She glanced at him. “I hate hospitals.”

“Imagine how he feels. He’s the one stuck in the bed.”

“I know exactly how he feels,” she muttered.

Lundquist frowned. And with that, Lila knocked and entered the room before she was given permission.

Brent rolled his head her direction. “Hey, Dayne,” he croaked.

She smiled. “Hey. Sheriff said you were asking about me.”

“Yeah.” He tried to push himself upright.

Lila rushed to the bed. “I wouldn’t recommend that.” She located the button to raise the bed and propped him up at a comfortable angle. “If you strain your abdomen, you’ll rip the sutures.”

“Apparently, she speaks from experience,” Lundquist said from his position by the door.

Brent peered around her. “Kyle.”

The Viking gave a curt wave.

“I do speak from experience. Just take it easy and listen to the doctor.” Lila found a safe spot and sat on the edge of his bed. “What did you want to see me about?”

Brent took her hand, he stared at it. “Ellie told me what happened with the Kauffmanns. And about my father and my mother.”

“Kinda messed up.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” He cleared his throat, and lifted his gaze, and curled his fingers in hers. “She also told me why you’re actually here.”

Lila turned cold. “She did?”

“As motivation, for me.”

She looked back at Lundquist, who had inched out of his spot in front of the door. He still had yet to learn the truth, and Lila wasn’t sure if she was ready for him to know.

“Lila.”

Her attention returned to Brent.

“I want to return to the department. Dr. Thorpe isn’t sure I’ll be able to work as a cop again. Ellie says you were able to do it.” He stared at her like he was willing her to give him the answer he wanted. “Will you help me get back?”

Drawing in a breath, she bit her lip. She had suffered greatly at the hands of her attacker. She’d lost her ability to have children and her kidney was damaged, but the worse was the mental scars. She didn’t know if she was capable of helping another person do what she had done. Her motives went deeper than just getting back on the job.

“Please, Lila,” he whispered.

She laid her free hand over their joined ones. “Let’s see how you heal first before we jump into working on getting you back. Okay?”

Brent blinked at her for a moment, then he nodded. He relaxed into his pillows, fatigue dragging on his young face.

“We’ll let you sleep. Believe me, it’ll help you heal faster.”

He made a soft sound in his throat, his eyes drifting shut. Lila placed his hand across his chest, and reclined his bed.

Lundquist held the door open as she exited. Together they walked through the hospital and to their patrol car. Settled in the driver’s seat, Lundquist hesitated before starting the engine.

“Lila?” He looked at her. “Are you ever going to tell me the truth?”

She rolled up onto her hip and leaned across the divide, putting her face next to his. “I’m damaged goods.”

His gaze flicked down to her mouth, and then back to her eyes. “What are you insinuating?”

She pressed a light kiss to his lips. “Nothing.” She settled back into her seat. “Let’s go before the sheriff puts out a BOLO on us.”

Lundquist gave her a grin full of promise as he turned over the engine. “I doubt that. She’s too busy with her ex.”

Elizabeth closed the door to the spare bedroom where her ex lay in a healing sleep. Dominic had released Joel to her care since his injuries were not as life-threatening as Brent’s had been. And Joel was well-versed in the art of recovery.

She returned to the main living area of her home, stopping in the spot where Joel had bled on her floor. The puddle had been removed by a special team of cleaners days ago. But it would never be erased from her memory.

Bentley jumped to her feet at the heavy boot falls on the porch. Elizabeth commanded the dog to stay. She opened the door with her sidearm pressed against the doorframe, in sight. Her visitor gave a wicked grin.

“Ahh, she is learning.”

“What are you doing here, Kelley?”

He held up his hands as a sign of peace. “I just wanted to check on Joel.”

“He’s sleeping. There, you checked, now leave.”

“Such animosity. Will you ever find it in your heart to let bygones be bygones?”

“With you? Never. We have a temporary truce. Once the Kauffmanns and Sophie become a problem of the state’s, that truce will end. I know you’re hiding more than your connection with that whole ordeal, and I will see you in jail.”

His grin widened. “I look forward to the game, Sheriff.”

“I’m sure you do.”

With an acquiescent nod, Sheehan turned on his heel and exited her property. Certain he was truly gone, Elizabeth closed the door and set her firearm on the table next to the door.

“Who was that?”

She turned. “You are supposed to stay in bed.”

Joel tilted up one corner of his mouth. “When have I ever listened to an order given from you?”

“Those are your doctor’s orders.”

“Them either?”

Stalking across the floor, Elizabeth invaded her ex’s personal space. “For once in your life, don’t be such a stubborn cuss.”

He hooked his good arm around her waist and tugged her flush to his body. “Ellie, for once in your life, stop trying to control everything and everyone around you. Relax.”

“I kissed Rafe.”

“Really? About time.”

She frowned. “He was upset about it, and you act like it was long overdue.”

“Well, it was.” Joel pressed his forehead to hers. “Do you love him?”

“I don’t know.”

“Because you still have a piece of your heart in my hand.”

“Joel, I can’t go back to what we used to be. I’m not that same person.”

“Watching you for the past week, I know that now.” He brushed his thumb against her cheek. “Rafe was always the right one for you.”

“That is ironic coming from his jealous brother.”

“As soon as I’m able, I’m going back to the base. This wound won’t stop me from being an instructor. It just seals my retirement from active-duty status.”

“Maybe you need to seriously consider full retirement.”

Joel kissed her forehead. “That’s never going to happen. Just like you’ll never give up being a good sheriff. Remember that, Ellie.”

The End.

About the Author:

Winter Austin perpetually answers the question: “were you born in the winter?” with a flat “nope,” but believe her, there is a story behind her name. A lifelong Midwest gal with strong ties to the agriculture world, Winter grew up listening to the captivating stories told by relatives around a table or a campfire. As a published author, she learned her glass half-empty personality makes for a perfect suspense/thriller writer. Taking her ability to verbally spin a vivid and detailed story, Winter translated that into writing deadly romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.

When she’s not slaving away at the computer, you can find Winter supporting her daughter in cattle shows, seeing her three sons off into the wide-wide world, loving on her fur babies, prodding her teacher husband, and nagging at her flock of hens to stay in the coop or the dogs will get them.

She is the author of multiple novels.

Visit her website at winteraustin.com.