Page 96 of Close Pursuit

“What are you doing here?” she asked weakly.

“Your uncle called me.”

A faint frown puckered her brow. “How’d he know?”

Good goddamned question. But he just smiled gently at Katie. “How do you feel?”

“About like you look.”

His smile widened. There was the ole’ McCloud spunk. “Can I get you anything?”

“An industrial strength painkiller for my headache would be lovely. And a glass of water. I’m thirsty.”

She would not be allowed to have anything to eat or drink until surgery was ruled out, but he didn’t tell her that.

A doctor stepped in just then and introduced himself briefly. “Well, young lady, your MRI shows no internal damage. Other than a mild concussion and that goose egg on your jaw, I’d say you’re going to live. Bet you’d like a painkiller, though, wouldn’t you? Are you allergic to any medications?”

“No.”

“I’ll have the nurse bring you something and I’ll write a prescription for you. Bland foods for twenty-four hours, and someone needs to stay with you around the clock for the next few days. Will that be you, sir?”

“Yes,” Alex answered. “And I’m familiar with concussion after-care. I’m a physician.”

“Perfect. We’ll get her release paperwork going, and you’ll be out of here, soon, Miss McCloud.”

Alex expedited her release—it helped that he could casually write a check for her medical expenses—and before long, an orderly had pushed her out to the emergency room exit. The painkiller must be starting to take effect because Katie asked impatiently, “Can I please walk, now?”

“Okay, now,” the orderly finally said as they approached Alex’s rental car.

Alex jumped forward to help her to her feet and she scowled at him. “I’m not helpless. My brothers have slugged me that hard by accident, and I just fell and hit my head. I’ll be fine.”

He refrained from listing the possible complications resulting from blows to the head and tucked her hand under his arm protectively. “You’re coming back to my place.”

“I need to see my brother, first.”

“Where’s your brother?”

“Somewhere in this hospital. I came here to visit him.”

Right. She’d been attacked in the hospital’s parking garage. He was losing his touch to have failed to wonder why she was here in the first place. He wasn’tthathung over. Or maybe he was that distracted by his worry for her.

They walked slowly around the massive building to the regular entrance, and he cut through the red tape briskly. “I’m Dr. Peters. I’m here to see…”

“Ian McCloud,” Katie supplied.

The receptionist answered promptly, “Third floor. Room 3017.”

Katie leaned against his side in the elevator, laying her head wearily on his shoulder. He was so putting her to bed and pampering her thoroughly when he got her home.

They found her brother’s room without too much trouble. “Want me to wait outside?” he offered.

“Of course not. Come on in and meet my brother.”

He followed her into the room and stopped in shock as he spied the man lying in the bed.

“You?” Ian demanded. “What the hell areyoudoing here?” He started to surge upright but subsided abruptly and laid back against his semi-inclined pillows, sucking in air through his clenched teeth.

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. The guy he’d stabbed in Zaghastan was herbrother?

---