Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
B laine removed his headset and waited while the pilot powered down the helo’s engines, rubbing at his tired, burning eyes. He’d finally been able to leave the hospital at four, then had had various meetings with providers, one after the other, until he was satisfied with the plan put in place.
It had taken a lot of convincing before he was willing to leave with the promise that he would terminate anyone who dropped the ball. Then sue them into oblivion along with the others responsible for this fucking disaster they’d caused.
The vibrations slowed. The noise of the rotors died down enough for the pilot to speak without the headset. “Good to go. You want me to hang around until you finalize your plans for tonight?”
“No, you head back. I’ll be staying here for a few days at least.” In the short gaps between dealing with all the problems today, all he’d thought about was Xanthe.
About getting back to her. Getting to hold her again, bury his face in her soft hair, and remind himself that there were still good things in his life.
He wanted to help her as much as possible. He’d texted her a few times but hadn’t heard back after the last one. Her response put him on edge.
Thanks again for last night. For everything.
It sounded way too fucking much like a goodbye to him. Like she was brushing him—them—off. Him leaving so suddenly hadn’t helped their situation.
Part of him wanted to sit her down and explain everything. The other part told him that was a colossally stupid move until and unless they got serious. Even then, the idea of telling her his darkest, most private secrets made him writhe inside.
He was sure she was up to her neck with insurance stuff, dealing with investigators, and getting her belongings from the cabin. Thankfully, Allistair, Willow, and Tripp had been there to pick up his slack. He owed them. Right now, all he wanted to do was get home and take care of her.
On the short walk over to where he’d left his car, he checked his phone again. Still nothing from her. He texted her anyway.
Just got back. Getting in the car now to head home. Text me, and I’ll meet you somewhere.
On the off chance she was back at his place and either hadn’t received the text or was sleeping, he called Maddy, who had just returned herself a few hours ago.
“Hey, you back yet?” she asked.
“Just. Is Xanthe there?”
“No, I haven’t seen her. You haven’t heard from her?”
“Not for a few hours. She was with Willow, Tripp, and Allistair. I’m headed home now. Be there in about twenty.” He’d clean up, keep trying Xanthe. If he didn’t hear from her, he’d head over to Willow’s place to see if she was there.
“Sounds good.” She paused. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Even to his own ears he sounded exhausted.
“So that’s a no.”
An ironic smile tugged at his mouth. “Okay, I’ve been better.
I’ll fill you in when I get there.” Maddy knew his secrets because he’d told her to make her feel less vulnerable after her traumatic experience in Syria and wasn’t sure if she could fully trust him yet.
But there had never been anything remotely romantic between them.
He wanted to be with Xanthe and only her. Knew in his gut that they could be amazing together if she would let him in. She was deep under his skin now, had already stolen her way into his heart.
But his current situation made him wonder if their relationship was doomed from the outset. And the logical part of him didn’t think it was fair to either of them to pretend this was going to work out long term. His life was complicated and not likely to get easier anytime soon. If ever.
That thought was depressing as hell.
“You’d better spill,” Maddy said.
“I’ll be out of signal range pretty much until I get home.”
“Got it. Drive safe.”
“Will do.” He got in the car and headed west across the island. Thick forest bordered either side of the road as he drove over the hump and down through the cut following the glacier-carved valley at the center of the island.
A call came through just as he came back within signal range. He didn’t recognize the number. “This is Slater.”
“It’s Doctor Fanelli.”
The grave tone instantly set Blaine on edge. “Something wrong?” He’d just seen him before leaving the hospital.
“Yes. She’s gone.”
The blood drained from his face. “She’s what ?”
The doctor sighed. “We’re still trying to figure out what happened, but the new nurse arrived and reported her missing from her room.”
Oh, fuck. Missing.
Unforgiveable.
He pulled in a deep breath. Steadied himself, his hands clenched around the steering wheel.
“As of when?” he demanded when his blood pressure leveled off, panic and anger whipping through him.
He fucking knew he should have taken her to a private facility, but the public hospital had been closer and quicker in a time-critical situation. Dammit.
“Almost three-and-a-half hours ago.”
“For Christ’s sake!” he exploded, ready to rip the car around and head back to the landing spot. Another call came through. Maddy. He ignored it. “I was still over there then. Why the hell didn’t you tell me as soon as you noticed?”
“As I said, everything was confused. We didn’t realize she was missing until the new nurse arrived. I apologize profusely?—”
“Save it for the impending lawsuit. What are you doing about it?”
“Uh, well, we’re searching the hospital now and have alerted the police.”
Jesus Christ. “I’m on the island.” Practically home now. His pilot would probably have left the hangar back on the mainland by now. The best Blaine could do was catch the next ferry out of Whalebone Cove. “I can’t get back there for at least another two hours.”
“Okay, don’t turn around just yet. We’ve got the facility on lockdown, and we’re checking all the security cameras. She may have just wandered off to another ward.”
May have.
He bit back a string of curses, forced out a breath. “I’m two minutes from home. I’ll work my contacts from there, but if you haven’t found her in the next thirty minutes, I’m coming back, and there’ll be hell to pay when I get there.”
“Yes, sir, we completely understand, and please accept our deepest apologies for this unfortunate incident. I’ll be in touch.”
Blaine ended the call without reply, chest tight. He thought she’d been stable when he’d left. She’d been calm, in her bed. Vitals normal. No visible sign of distress. The closest thing to peaceful in a long, long time.
The lower windows of his house were lit from within when he pulled through the gates. He parked at the top of the driveway, hurried through the rain to the front door.
“Blaine?” Maddy called out when he walked in. She appeared in the kitchen entryway a moment later, her face taut with worry. “I tried to call you, your?—”
Blaine stopped in his tracks, staring in shock at the woman standing behind her at the counter.
“Mom?” He would have sagged in relief if he hadn’t been so damned stunned to see her. This made no sense. “What are you doing here?”
He moved toward her quickly, scanning her from head to toe. Her hair and clothes were disheveled, soaked from the rain. And her face was… “How did you get here? They just reported you missing. You were asleep when I left the hospital.”
The initial spark of warmth in her eyes at seeing him extinguished like a snuffed candle. A warning prickle crawled up his spine.
A manic light replaced it. That terrible, desperate, evil light he knew all too well. Just like he also knew he couldn’t stop the imminent explosion about to hit. “Yes, that’s right. You left me there, even after I begged you not to.” Her voice shook, her slight frame trembling with fury and fear.
He took a step toward her, fighting to keep his expression calm, movements slow. “That’s not what happened. I?—”
“Yes it is!” Tears flooded her eyes. Before he could move, she whipped a hand toward the butcher block.
Blaine cursed and lunged at her. Too late.
She seized a chef’s knife before he could reach her, the lethal blade glinting in the light. Maddy’s shrill cry ripped through the room as his mother drove the weapon up toward her own throat.