Page 23 of A Ranger for Christmas
“It’s either me or your dad’s place.”
The drama of Christmas had faded to a distant second. What worried her now was retrieving the memories that would not focus. Lucas had said her work was really important. He’d said lives were at stake. They were running out of time.
“Kyle, I want you to spring me from the hospital.”
That statement startled a laugh. “You can’t just leave.”
“Of course I can. I’m an adult. I stay as long as I want and I want to go.”
“Where are you going?”
She didn’t have the energy to explain or to argue with Kyle. “I need to get dressed and get out of here.”
Chapter 8
Monday, December 22, 3:45P.M.
Lucas sat at his desk staring at the map of Texas and doing his best to cage his roaming thoughts. He kept thinking about Marisa. She was going to be okay, but that didn’t stop his worries that this accident stemmed from her translation work. She’d unlocked the key about the next shipment. He had ideas and theories about when and where the drugs would land, but he had no concrete clues. Texas was too big to strike out blindly. He needed Marisa’s key.
But she now lay in a hospital bed, bruised and battered. Time was running out. Soon the drugs would pass into Texas and he’d be helpless to stop them.
He sat back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to chase away the image of her on that stretcher being loaded into an ambulance. She needed to be safe. Needed time to heal. As he ticked through each logical point, he couldn’t deny he wanted to be at the hospital. He could not explain this pull he had to Marisa, but it was as strong as a cattleman’s well-seasoned lariat.
His phone buzzed, and he snapped up the device and offered a far too gruff, “Cooper.”
“Ranger Cooper.” The cool, smooth voice belonged to a staff secretary who was rarely rattled by the big personalities of the Rangers.
“Fran.” He dialed back his frustration.
“You’ve a visitor.”
“Not now.”
“I told her that and she insists on seeing you. Her name is Dr. Marisa Thompson.”
Cooper’s stomach dropped. “I’ll be right out.”
Grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, he slid it on as he made his way to reception. He found Marisa standing by the desk. She looked pale and small, but the rock-hard determination had returned to her gaze. He released the breath he’d been holding for what seemed like thirty-six hours.
“Dr. Thompson.”
She glanced up at him. “Ranger Cooper.”
“Why aren’t you in the hospital?”
The man standing next to her sighed as if he’d grown tired of hearing that question. “She should be in bed, but she’s not listening. We were driving close by when she announced I had to bring her here.”
Marisa waved away Kyle’s concern. “I’m fine. But I want to talk to you.”
“In my office.”
Kyle frowned. “I’ll wait out here.”
“I’ll see she gets home,” Lucas said. She was his, and he’d take care of her.
Kyle’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t mind waiting.”
“Kyle, it’s fine,” Marisa said. “I’m feeling a lot better already just being away from the hospital.”
