Chapter Eleven
Stace snapped to attention when she saw the hand-painted sign that had pointed Ally in the right direction. It was faded and weather-beaten now, more of a reminder of what had once been than the welcome it was originally meant to be. But it was all Stace needed to have her heartbeat speeding up. Adrenaline coursed through her. She couldn’t make up for the past, for not being there. But she could make sure she was there from now on and that Chloe knew whatever she wanted to do or be, Stace would fully support her.
The medical staff had beaten them to the camp and were already carrying out people and loading them into ambulances. Officers flooded the area as they tried to help and question at the same time.
“I’m going with Ally and Blake to talk to the officer in charge,” Shep said, pulling two face masks from a bag in the back of his truck. “Put this on when we get out. Looks like your sister is getting loaded up over there. I’ll see you at the hospital,” he added, giving her a quick kiss before letting her go.
Stace ran to the stretcher Chloe was on and took her sister’s hand. Chloe was hot, her skin burning to the touch.
“I’m her sister,” Stace explained when the EMT glanced at her. He took one look at her face and nodded.
“You can ride with us, but you need to stay out of the way,” he snapped.
“Anything,” Stace agreed, knowing his only concern was for Chloe. Stace understood that completely, would have it no other way.
“Would you be able to answer some medical questions for us?” he asked. “Any known allergies or current medications she’s on? Medical history?”
“Absolutely.” Stace nodded, gaze on her sister as she answered everything they asked. Thankfully, medical history was something she knew as well as allergies. Both she and Chloe had always been healthy.
Her sister didn’t open her eyes for the entire ride to the hospital. It was disconcerting to see her lying there so still and silent. Chloe was always the bubbly type and rarely ever without something to say. Stace leaned forward and took her sister’s hand in hers. The EMT looked up but didn’t say anything.
“Chloe,” Stace spoke, needing to talk to her sister. “It’s me, Stace. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me. I’ve done that a lot, I know. But I want you to know, it’s all in the past now. I’m back, and I’m staying this time. I’m going to be around so much you’ll wish I’d go away.” She laughed and wiped at the tears running down her cheeks. “First thing is to get you feeling better. I’ve never seen you this quiet before, and I have to tell you, I don’t like it. I want to hear you laugh, see you smile. We have so much to talk about, so many things I want to tell you and questions I want to ask you.”
Stace kept talking rambling on about this or that, probably making little sense and more than likely repeating herself several times. But she needed to talk, needed Chloe to know she was there with her and everything would be okay.
She stood back as they arrived, and staff rushed Chloe into the emergency room. Stace was directed to the waiting room and paced back and forth as she waited for news on her sister. To finally find her and still not be able to talk to her, to laugh with her, to hug her close and tell her she loved her was cruel. She had no idea how long she’d been wearing a hole in the carpet when she ran into a solid wall of muscle. Shep was there, his arms wrapping her tight against his chest.
“Any news?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“Chloe didn’t wake up on the ride here,” she said. “Have you heard anything on the others they found?”
“Several of the people are doing better,” Shep said. “No one has died from whatever they have. That’s the good news. I overheard some of them saying it looked like some type of airborne bacteria. That’s why no one was getting better. They were all in the same room so the sick just kept passing it back.”
“So, antibiotics, rest, and fluids?” Stace asked. “If she isn’t re-exposed, then she should be fine, right?”
Shep nodded. “She’ll be fine. Physically at least.”
Stace knew what he meant. Her sister would have to deal with her kidnapping, how she was taken, and what she’d endured. Those things would take a mental and emotional toll on Chloe.
“She’s strong,” Shep said. “Everything I’ve learned about her says so. She’ll get through this.”
“She will. I’ll make sure she has everything she needs to heal.” Stace would provide every means within her power to see Chloe healthy and happy again. She’d seen too many returned to family with the light dimmed in their eyes. Whatever Chloe might have faced, Stace hoped it wouldn’t diminish the light from her sister.
“What about Ally and Blake?”
“They headed back to Legacy,” Shep told her. “They both needed to get back. Ally won’t say anything but linking like that takes a lot out of her. Blake will make sure she rests and relaxes for a few days. Moira, she’s Jack’s daughter and married to Griff’s oldest brother Gil, will talk Ally into hanging out. That should be interesting now that Moira and Cass are pregnant.”
“Why will that be interesting?”
Shep laughed. “Moira is a menace. So, is Cas. Must admit, it’s been fun to watch them both lead their husbands on a merry chase.”
“Exactly how many people are in this extended family?” Stace asked, knowing if things continue to progress between her and Shep as she hoped, she’d eventually meet every one of them.
“You’ve met Jack Madigan. His wife, Julia, is a detective in Legacy. She works with Moria’s husband, Gil, and his best friend, Ben. Ben is married to the youngest Daniels sibling, Katie. They have a little boy, Michael Thomas, but everyone calls him Mikey.”
“The birthday boy,” Stace remembered.
Shep nodded and kept sharing a glimpse of all the people who mattered to him. “You met Jack’s right hand, Roman, who is married to the matriarch of the Daniels family, Catherine, mother to Gil, Doug, Griff, and Katie.”
“All of them are married except Griff?” Stace asked.
Shep nodded. “Then there’s Damon, who co-owns Daniels Construction with Doug.”
“Wait. Didn’t you say Cas is married to both Doug and Damon?”
“Exactly,” Shep confirmed. “Damon also changed his last name to Daniels after the wedding. Then there’s Chetan. I can’t remember if you met him when you came to Midnight, Inc.”
“Briefly,” Stace said, remembering the other man. “Dark ponytail and gray eyes?”
“That’s him. He’s a great guy. Charlie and Miranda Tate are recent additions to our group.”
“Daniels or Madigan?” Stace asked.
“Neither or both, depending how you look at it,” Shep said. “Both are detectives. Charlie is close friends with Gil and Ben while Miranda is partners with Jack’s wife, Julia. Miranda recently gave birth to twin boys.”
“That’s a lot of people and growing. Three babies and both Moria and Cas pregnant.”
“Jack’s ecstatic. So is Catherine. I think both of them have been waiting for grandkids to spoil,” Shep offered with a laugh.
“Anyone else I should know about?”
“Ben’s grandfather, Thomas, and his girlfriend, Bertha, visit as often as they can. If you go by the gym Moira owns, you’ll meet several people there. Tyler Andrews shows up every now and again. We were in the Army together. There are always a few others here and there, but I’ll introduce you to them as they join us.”
The easy way he said that, as if she’d be there for those rare occasions, as if he had no doubts where all this was headed between them, made her breath catch for a moment.
“Shep, I—” Stace broke off as a doctor finally came into the room.
“Anders?” he asked.
“Over here,” she called, gripping Shep’s hand tight and moving toward the doctor stood.
“Your sister is being moved up to a room now,” the doctor told them. “We’ll be keeping her for a few days, so we can rehydrate her while the fever breaks. She’s fighting an infection. We’ve run several tests, and I’ll be able to tell you more as soon as I get those results back. Do you have any questions?” he asked.
“How long until I can see her?” Stace asked.
“Give us time to move her up to a room,” the doctor told her. “She’ll be on the third floor. There’s a waiting room up there where you can wait. I’ll have someone get you when you can go in to see her.”
“Thank you,” Stace said, and when he walked away, she turned to Shep. “And thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” Shep offered, shaking his head.
“I do,” Stace disagreed. “I really do. I couldn’t have done this without you, without Ally. My sister would be out there, sick, without medical care if not for your help.”
“It’s what I do,” Shep said.
“I know,” Stace said. “But I also have a feeling you don’t call Ally in on all your cases. You’re too protective of her. You did that for me, didn’t you?”
He nodded. “You’re special. I’m not sure what it is about you. No, that’s not true. It’s everything about you. I couldn’t walk away if I wanted to, which I don’t.”
“I don’t want you to, either,” Stace replied.
“That’s good since I just took told Jack I was taking some vacation time to stick around and see what I could do to help you,” Shep told her with a smile.
“What did Mr. Madigan say?” Stace asked.
“He said to be sure to let him know when I’ve convinced you to come back to Legacy with me,” Shep chuckled. “He informed me to tell you that you have a job when you want it, as long as we promise he won’t find us going at it in an office somewhere.”
Stace laughed. “Why would he think something like that?”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about this wild Madigan-Daniels family I’m lucky enough to be a part of,” Shep said. “But I’m hoping you’re willing to stick around and find out.”
“I’d like that,” she said. “I’d like that a lot.”