Page 71 of Dangerous Secrets
“He didindeed.”
She wished she could seehim, talk to him,bewith him.
If she could do that, everything wouldbe okay.
They had issues to workout, but hope glimmered that maybe, just maybe, theycouldbe workedout.
“You’re both fortunate tobe alive,” Clara murmured.
Her grandmother had always looked sostrong, but today she seemed frail.
“Do you want to talk aboutit, to tell us what happened?”Keeley asked.
“I will, but later.Doctor’s instructions are that I need to rest so the police aren’tallowed to ask what happened until tomorrow at the earliest.Adeputy was assigned to me today and gave orders that I’m not totalk about what happened with anyone until they can talk to me.Something about preserving my memory without outsideinfluences.”
Keeley nodded.“That’sunderstandable.”
“We should go,” Clarasaid.“We promised the nurse not to stay long so we don’t tire youout.”
Keeley gave Delaney a hug.“Your granand I drove together so don’t worry about her driving back toSisters by herself.We’re watching out for each other.”
“You guys are thebest.”
Clara wrapped her granddaughter in ahug and murmured, “I was so scared.I thought I’d lost youtoo.”
“I’m okay, Gran.”Claradrew back, worry making the fine lines of her face deeper.Delaneyrushed to assure her.“Really.I have a minor gunshot wound and aconcussion, but other than being told to take it easy for a fewdays, I’m fine.I plan to be ready to open the farm asplanned.”
“We’ll see about that.”She kissed each of Delaney’s cheeks.“Rest and heal, and we’ll beback tomorrow.I’ll bring a change of clothes for when they’reready to release you.”
Keeley gathered up her purse.“All ofSisters is worried about you.Word got out you could be somewherein the mountains.Owen organized a search party that left at firstlight.
“They were called backwhen word came you were found.Add that Jerod Fetterly has comeback from the dead and kidnapped you, there was a huge sigh ofrelief to learn you were safe.”
Her head cocked and she asked, “Do youwant me to stay with you tonight?I can drive your gran home andcome back.I’d be happy to if you’d rather not be alone.”Sheindicated a vinyl covered chair against the wall.“I could curl upthere and I’d be fine.”
Delaney would rather not be alone, butshe wasn’t sentencing anyone to spending the night sleeping on achair.She shook her head, wincing a bit in discomfort.“I’m okay,just exhausted.I don’t think I’ll have trouble sleepingtonight.”
***
Delaney wasn’t sure what woke her.She’d gotten pain meds and her headache had eased, and she stillhad an IV in her arm dripping fluid from a bag on a stand.Thelights were dimmed, leaving the room in shadows.The clock high onthe wall said it was nearly two in the morning.The chair that’dbeen against the wall was now beside her bed where a dark shapesprawled.A sudden fear had her sitting up.Had Jerod Fetterlysomehow gotten free and made his way to her room?
“Laney.”
One word in that voice and her anxietyeased.“Walker?What are you doing here?”
He rose slowly to his feet to standbeside the bed.“Shh.They find out I’m here, I’m busted.They’llkick me out.”
“You just hadsurgery.You should beresting.”
“It was minor surgery, andresting wasn’t an option until I saw you for myself.”
He was a dark shadow, but she didn’tneed light to raise a hand and touch his face, trailing her fingersover his cheek.He felt solid, real, and made the terror of thenight before recede.
“I was so scared.”Shehated the quaver in her voice.
He brought her hand to his lips.“Youmay’ve been scared, but you kept your head.”He leaned forward, hisforehead touching hers, his breath warm on her cheek.
“Is it over?”
