Chapter Five
CAM RELUCTANTLY LEFT the examination room and closed the door to a narrow opening.
He glared at the barrier between him and Sedona.
Even though he was only feet from her, the distance was still too large.
He wanted the right to stand by her side through thick and thin, but he didn’t have it, and it was his own fault.
She didn’t know how he felt because he’d been afraid to bare his soul.
He leaned against the wall and settled in for a long wait. Having the right to stay by Sedona’s side was the makings of dreams. Cam would give anything to have a real chance with her.
His hands fisted as he considered the repercussions. If she had been assaulted, chances were high that trusting a man to be more than a friend would take a long time. He didn’t care how long it took. He’d wait as long as necessary for her if she would grant him that privilege. But would she?
Cam sighed, watching the foot traffic in the hallway. He should have spoken up before now. He snorted. Some Delta Force soldier he was, letting a little fear stop him from going after the woman he needed more than his next breath.
What would he do if Sedona turned him down? Fight for her. What else could he do?
Because he couldn’t fix the problem right now, he pushed it to the back of his mind.
He had more important things to consider at the moment, like how to help Sedona remain safe.
Although he hadn’t talked to the men who kidnapped her for long, one thing was obvious.
Someone wanted a face-to-face talk with Sedona Hart.
Why he or she couldn’t just pick up the phone and ask for an appointment made little sense to him unless the talk was about something illegal that Sedona shouldn’t have heard or seen. The problem? Their target had partial amnesia. Whether it was permanent or temporary remained to be seen.
Also, he wouldn’t take out an ad in the paper to tell the enemy that she couldn’t remember what they wanted to know. They wouldn’t believe she had amnesia, or they would take care of a loose end before she remembered.
One thing Cam knew. He would be at Sedona’s side until this was over. No one would touch her without him vetting them first.
Cam watched as the foot traffic picked up in the hallway. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when the exam room door opened and Cunningham motioned for him to join them.
Steeling himself for whatever he might hear, Cam walked straight to Sedona and held out his hand, hoping that she would accept his invitation to provide comfort for her.
A second later her dainty hand wrapped around his. Oh, yeah. He could get used to this. Cam turned to Cunningham. “What can you tell me, Doc?”
“No evidence of assault. I’ll still send the tests to the lab to be sure and give you a report when the results are back. I’m concerned that she might have been drugged, so I’d like to keep Ms. Hart until tomorrow for observation. She’s refusing to stay, however.”
“I have to go to school in a few hours.” Sedona rested her hand on his forearm. “I have to be there for my kids, Cam.”
“We’ll talk about it.”
Her eyes narrowed. “We’ll talk about how you’re going to work out the details so I can do my job and keep a promise to my students.”
He squeezed her hand and stifled a grin. He turned back to Cunningham. “How soon can I get her out of here?”
“As soon as her release forms are finished.”
Cam gave a curt nod. “Thanks, Doc. We appreciate you taking such good care of Sedona.”
He turned his troubled gaze back to Sedona. “I wish you’d reconsider your decision, Ms. Hart.”
“I appreciate your concern for my well-being. I promise that if I develop any problems, I’ll come back. No protest.”
Yeah, she would because Cam wouldn’t be more than a few feet from her side for the next forty-eight hours. He’d be on his guard and keep a watchful eye on Sedona. “I’ll monitor her, Doc.”
Cunningham reeled off a list of symptoms for Cam to watch for. “If you see any of those, bring her back in immediately.”
“You’ve got it.”
The doctor hurried from the exam room with his nurse a few steps behind.
As soon as the door closed behind the nurse, Sedona’s shoulders slumped. “I thought they would never leave,” she murmured.
His suspicions rose. “Why?”
She shifted. “Um, my headache might be a little worse than I told Dr. Cunningham.”
“Sedona.”
“I didn’t want him to keep me in the hospital. My kids are scheduled to go on a field trip today. They’re going to the zoo, some of them for the first time. I can’t miss this, and I can’t reschedule. Their school tour slots are filled for the rest of the year.”
Cam’s lips curved. “The zoo sounds fun.” Good thing, since he would also go along for her protection and for the children. “What’s the dress code for visiting the elephants?”
Sedona stared. “Why does it matter?”
“I don’t want to look out of place. Can’t have elephants laughing at me.”
More staring. “You’re not coming to the zoo. You have a job.”
Cam studied her face, noting the guarded look in her beautiful eyes.
“So do you. You need to focus on your students. I’ll focus on you, the students, and our surroundings.
As good as David is, I doubt he’ll have arrested all the people involved in your kidnapping by the time the bus leaves for our field trip. ”
He caught the guilty expression that was on her face for a split second, then banished under a pleasant mask.
Cam knew Sedona hadn’t lied to him. She had once told him telling the truth was simpler, so she made it a point to always tell the truth.
That didn’t mean she wasn’t holding something back, though.
“All right. Let’s have it. What have you been holding back? ”
Her gaze dropped.
Gotcha, sweetheart. “Sedona.” He folded his arms across his chest and waited her out. Shouldn’t take long. It didn’t.
She growled. “I got the impression that Simpson doesn’t tolerate failure. The man Elliot nabbed was the leader of the trio, and he was afraid of Simpson, too.”
That’s what he’d been afraid of. The duo he and David captured weren’t smart enough to put together a kidnapping operation.
He’d have to wait until he saw Elliot again to get his impression of Muscle Man.
He might be smart enough to keep his partners in crime in line, but he didn’t seem the type to plan something this big, either.
Why would anyone kidnap a kindergarten teacher? Sedona didn’t live a high-risk lifestyle. “Did Dr. Cunningham have a guess why you have amnesia?”
Again, her gaze dropped from his. Oh, no, babe. Can’t have that. Cam captured her chin in his palm and lifted her head close to his. “Tell me.”
“He didn’t have any guesses because I didn’t tell him about the bump on my head.”
He scowled. “Those clowns hit you?”
“I don’t know if they did or not. I can’t remember anything except a flash of pain in my neck, and I only discovered the bump on my head a few minutes ago.”
A quick knock on the door interrupted them.
Cam turned and put his body between Sedona and the intruder.
Seconds later, Cunningham’s nurse walked into the exam room with a sheaf of papers in her hand.
“Once I go over these with you, Ms. Hart, you can go home.” Five minutes later, the nurse handed the papers to Sedona.
“Please, come back to the ER if you have any problems, all right? We’ll be glad to help.
” With that, she turned and left the room.
Cam held out his hand. “May I help you off the table?”
“Of course. Thank you, Cam.”
When Sedona was steady on her feet, he released her and stepped back. Cam glanced down at her sock-clad feet. “Where are your shoes?”
She frowned. “I don’t know. I have flashes of running through the forest with my shoes on. Do you think the EMTs took them?”
Concern knotted his gut. Why did she remember having her shoes in the forest but not remember who took her shoes? “I don’t think so, but I’ll bet someone at the nurses’ station knows where they are.” He gripped Sedona’s upper arm and guided her to the corridor and to the nurses’ desk.
A nurse with blond hair looked up and smiled. “May I help you?”
“I brought my friend in here about two hours ago. Somewhere through the process, someone took her shoes. Do you have any idea where we might find them?”
“Sure.” She stood and came around the desk. “Come with me.” The nurse, Mandy, led them down the corridor and turned left, leading them to another wing of the ER. “This is the clothes morgue. Since you’re wearing street clothes, you must not have been hurt too badly.”
After unlocking the door, Mandy glanced over his shoulder at Sedona. “What’s your name, hon?”
“Sedona Hart.”
Mandy scanned the numbers on the lockers until she came to a particular locker and tapped it with her finger. “Here you go.” She shoved a key into the lock and twisted it.
After a moment, Sedona’s eyes widened. “There they are!”
Cam reached into the locker and retrieved Sedona’s shoes. When he handed them to her, Sedona clutched her shoes with an expression of relief.
He also caught the moment her nausea reasserted itself. Distress filled Sedona’s expression as she glanced around the area. “Thanks for the help, Mandy.”
“Sure.” Then Mandy’s gaze swung to Cam. “Hey, listen, I don’t normally do this, but I want to give you my cell number. I’d love for you to call me sometime.”
Cam smiled. “That’s sweet of you to offer, but I’m involved with someone, and she doesn’t share.” At least he hoped she didn’t. He certainly didn’t share.
Cam glanced down at Sedona, who stared back at him with a blank expression on her face. Was that a good sign? Hopefully, the big hint was obvious.
Mandy shrugged and gave him a rueful smile. “Can’t blame a girl for trying. If you ever dump your girl, come look me up.”
“Won’t happen, but thanks.” Cam steered Sedona to a nearby waiting room and seated her. After placing her foot against his thigh, he slid the shoes onto her dainty feet and tied the laces. “Okay?”
Sedona nodded. “Thank you.”
Still no expression on her face. Cam wanted to smile but held back. He waited until they were in his SUV. After plucking her from the asphalt and seating her in the shotgun seat, Cam fastened her seatbelt, then tipped her face toward his. “Aren’t you going to ask?”
She blinked. “About what?”
“Who I’m involved with.”
Her cheeks turned pink. “It’s none of my business who you’re involved with.” She kept her expression carefully neutral, even as her emotions threatened to spill over. Of course Cam had someone. Believing otherwise was wishful thinking.”
“Sedona, look at me.”
Her eyes flicked up to his. “You don’t have to explain.”
“Yeah, babe, I do.”
Sedona’s eyes widened at his endearment.
“I’m off the market, Sedona, because the only woman I’m interested in is you.”
She stared. “What? That can’t be right.”
“Why not? Do I have some competition for your attention?”
She laughed. “I have dated no one since the day you hit town. Cam, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought you knew, so any discomfort or pain you felt is on me. I’m sorry I wasn’t man enough to tell you how I felt.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Easy. Say yes.”
“Yes to what?”
“Dating a retired Delta Force soldier who is now a cop.” And maybe something more if Fortress Security’s Brent Maddox had his way about it. Time would tell if Maddox’s soft inquiry led anywhere.
He had barely finished speaking when Sedona broke in with a fast, “Yes.”
“We’re exclusive, right?”
“What? Of course. Did you think I would run off at the first chance to date someone behind your back?”
“Sorry. I’m a guy. We say stupid things.” Cam dropped a quick kiss on her mouth, stepped back, and closed the passenger door. A moment later, he slid behind the steering wheel and turned to face Sedona. “You won’t regret trusting me with your heart. I’ll take good care of you.”
“Let’s make a bargain. You take care of me, and I’ll take care of you. That’s what happens when you care about each other.”
He more than cared, so that promise wasn’t a hardship. Cam beamed at her. “Exactly. So, we’ll give a relationship a go?”
“We’ll try.”
He stopped. “We do it or we don’t. It’s your choice. If you don’t trust me, we’ll wait until you do.”
“No. I’m sure, Cam.” Her cheeks turned red. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted more time to be sure.”
He slid his palm over her nape, leaned over the console, and took her mouth with his. Not sure? He was nuts about Sedona Hart and had been for months.
Cam finally eased back. “What does that tell you?”
“Our chemistry is off the scale. Holy cow, Cam. How did I not know this about you?”
He chuckled. “I could ask you the same question. You were hiding some serious kissing skills.” Cam drove from the parking lot and headed for Sedona’s home. He glanced at her. “I was serious about going to the zoo with you and your class.”
She yawned. “I’m more concerned with my energy level than your fashion sense. Trust me, no one will care what you wear.” She paused. “Except you’re not supposed to carry weapons into the zoo, and I have parents who oppose any weapons near their children.”
“I understand.” Didn’t mean that he would comply. “I’m a cop, Sedona. I go nowhere without a weapon. I can, however, conceal the weapon so the kids won’t know that I’m armed. Will that work?”
She nodded.
“Thanks.” He settled back in his seat and checked each mirror. Although he saw nothing suspicious, Cam’s trouble-meter was dinging loud and clear. Something was coming, but from where? “Still have your seatbelt on?”
Sedona’s head whipped toward his. “What is it?”
“Just a feeling.”
“Caleb Montgomery always tells me to trust my instincts. Are your instincts telling you that we’re in danger?”
“They are.” His lips curled. “My famous trouble-meter is dinging like mad, but it’s not helpful enough to tell me where it’s coming from.”
A split-second later, a gunshot came from his left, hitting his side window and shattering the safety glass.
“Get down, Sedona!” He followed that order by unlatching her seatbelt, cupping the back of her neck, and urging her to curl up on the floorboard in front of her seat.
“Don’t get up until I tell you it’s safe. ”
“What about you? You don’t have a window to protect you.”
He chuckled. “Looks like it wasn’t much protection to begin with. I’ll be fine.” His primary concern was protecting Sedona.
Cam made a quick right turn, doing a controlled skid onto a cross street, and stomped on the gas pedal. As the SUV leaped forward, more bullets slammed into the rear window.
He handed Sedona his phone. “Call David. Tell him we’re heading to the station and coming in hot.”
Cam hoped the Montgomery brothers arrived before he and Sedona became casualties.