Mountain Ambush

Was gone.

A ball of pain knotted in his throat.

“Breathe,” a woman said.

He blinked, and Maddie McBride’s round face framed with rich auburn hair came into focus. She offered an encouraging nod and squeezed his shoulder.

He glanced past her and realized he was in a hospital room, but he wasn’t the attending physician. He was the patient.

“You’re okay,” she said.

There was something in her voice that didn’t sound so sure. Her green eyes studied him with concern.

“Who’s Bobby?” she asked.

Right, he’d been sucked down into the childhood nightmare. He shook his head and closed his eyes, hoping she’d leave him alone with his shame.

“Are you in pain? Want me to call the nurse?”

“No and absolutely not.” His response was more clipped than he’d intended, but he didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to be a patient.

“Okay then,” she said with that same note of sarcasm she’d used in the mountains. “Do you remember how you got here?”

“I...” He shook his head. Had they carried him down?

“What’s the last thing you do remember?”

“Some guy assaulted me. Then you—” He opened his eyes. “You shot him?”

“No, I fired off a round to make a point. And—” she paused before continuing “—you’re welcome.”

He must have looked puzzled.

“For saving your life?” she prompted.

He nodded. It all seemed so unreal.

“How’s Gwen?” he asked.

“Much better. Breathing on her own. You did good work out there, especially considering your condition.”

“My condition?”

“Yeah, your brain trauma,” she said as if it was the obvious answer. “Intubating with a concussion? Gutsy.”

She started to slip her hand off his shoulder and he caught it in his own. He wasn’t sure why, but the feel of her warm skin eased the panic in his chest. Her bright green eyes widened and her head tipped slightly.

“I... I think...” He struggled for the right words, wanting to thank her for coming along when she did, and for being here to wake him from the torturous dream.

A knowing smile eased across her lips. “How about I get you some water?”

She slipped her hand from beneath his palm and took the plastic pitcher to the sink. He sensed she knew that he struggled to find words, to make sense of the thoughts jumbling around in his brain.

Man, his head hurt. Maybe he should call for the nurse. No, the last thing he wanted was for hospital staff to think of him as broken and unable to do his job. He needed to appear strong, even if he felt weak. He wanted respect, not pity from his peers.

“What happened to the man you shot?” he asked.

“Shot at,” she corrected, walking back to the bed. “They’re still searching for him.” She handed him a cup of water. “Chief Walsh said when they find him they’ll charge him with assault and question him about what happened to Gwen.”

“She texted me, wanting my help, but I assumed she was alone.”

Maddie’s brow furrowed. “Poor kid. She seemed so lost when we brought her in.”

Lost. Exactly how Spence felt right now. Confused, fragile and powerless. Not a feeling he was used to.

“How’s the head pain?” she asked.

“About a two.”

“Uh-huh.” She narrowed her eyes. “I saw what happened, remember?”

“Wait, that sound... You were singing?”

“That sound? Wow, thanks.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“It’s fine, I know I’m no Carrie Underwood. I figured singing would distract the guy long enough for you to get the upper hand. Well-done, by the way.”

“Thanks.”

“But then, how did he get the advantage?”

He struggled to remember. “Gwen was gasping for air. Guess I got distracted.” He sipped his water. “Why am I in a room?”

“They’re keeping you overnight for observation.” She tapped her forefinger to her own forehead. “Concerned about the brain trauma.”

“I’m fine.”

“So you’ve said. If the MRI comes back clean you’ll be good to go. I think it’s scheduled for tonight.”

He felt bad for keeping her from her life.

“You should go.” That didn’t come out right, and the thought of her leaving him alone twisted his gut into a knot. What was wrong with him? Maddie was nothing more than a paramedic he occasionally ran into at the hospital.

“Oh, so you’re dismissing me?” she said, in a strange tone.

Had he offended her? “I meant you don’t have to stay and babysit me.”