Chapter Seventeen. #2
If I took Julie, I wouldn’t have time to handle the PI’s piece of trash.
But if I shot her and killed her, then during the chaos, I could grab Julie and escape.
Nobody would bother with an orderly. I just required a few items to carry out my plan.
Something to drug Julie with, a wheelchair, and a few other things.
I began walking down corridors, looking for Julie and that PI’s bitch, and figuring out what I needed to deal with them both. Today would be a good day for real men!
April
I heard a shuffling and looked up. A janitor passed by my window, pushing a mop and bucket with his cap pulled low over his eyes.
The janitor glanced at me and nodded before moving on.
A frown crossed my face; he hadn’t appeared friendly at all, and I didn’t recognise him.
Unlike many, I made it a point to get to know the cleaning staff because they were the backbone of the hospital.
I shrugged him away and looked around. Nobody was in sight; Slaughter had taken Clara home and was staying there until relieved.
With Margrave loose, I hadn’t wanted her to be alone, and Stone had agreed.
Together, we had overruled any arguments she put up and sent her home with a bodyguard.
Jinx would take over from him when he left here.
Currently, Jinx was guarding Julie while the police organised a guard for her overnight.
Stone was planning to stay the night with me, but, after he witnessed the swill the hospital had served, he had popped out to get real food.
The doctor had said I could eat something light, and I was starving now.
I spotted movement again and frowned as the janitor passed by, then suddenly spun around and headed for my door.
I hit the alarm before he even opened the door and yanked off my heart monitor. Alarms screamed as I stared at Margrave, who hesitated in the doorway. He aimed a weapon in my direction, and I held his gaze.
“You won’t leave here alive,” I hissed.
Margrave didn’t flinch. “But you’ll be dead too!” he snarled and raised the gun.
I wouldn’t cringe; he wouldn’t get that satisfaction as I gazed at him. Margrave grinned, with his finger on the trigger.
“Gun!” someone shouted. Margrave glanced over his shoulder and hesitated. Hate flashed across his face, and he glared at me.
“This is all your fault,” he yelled and raised the weapon once more.
His finger tightened, and then there was a gunshot.
I closed my eyes and waited for the agony.
After a few seconds, when nothing happened apart from my existing pain, I peeked.
Margrave stared at me from the doorway and then gradually collapsed to the ground.
There was blood splatter up the doorframe and door itself, and my gaze slowly moved to the inside window, and I gaped at the figure standing there.
Jinx remained with his arms outstretched and pointing a gun where Margrave had stood. He looked shocked and worried, but he kept the weapon trained on Margrave.
“Is he dead?” Jinx asked into the stunned silence.
“Keep that weapon on him, son,” Dr Fredericks said, coming forward. He crouched by Margrave and checked his pulse. After a few moments, Fredericks shook his head.
“He’s dead.” Fredericks moved into my room and silenced the alarms.
“Oh God,” Jinx exclaimed and dropped his stance. He fumbled with the gun and then held his hands up. “I’m licenced to carry. Shit, I killed a man.”
Jinx turned white and headed for a toilet in the corner of the ward.
Suddenly, the deathly silence was shattered as several women shrieked and men began yelling.
Minutes ticked past as I stared at the dead guy in my doorway.
People screamed again when men burst through the ward’s entrance with guns out.
I recognised Detective Lio in the lead.
“Jinx shot Margrave; he was going to kill me!” I yelled before Jinx could be arrested or shot himself.
Lio sent me a surprised glance. “The kid did this? Secure Margrave’s weapon and don’t let anyone in.”
“Harlequin’s not here!” I cried.
“Let Harlequin in from Hellfire MC. He’ll tear the hospital apart to get to his girlfriend,” Lio amended. “Where’s Jinx?”
“I believe the young man is presently throwing his guts up,” Fredericks said and pointed to where Jinx had disappeared.
An officer approached with Margrave’s gun in a bag. “Weapon secured.”
“Can you please get him out of here? I don’t want to see him,” I cried. Even though I wasn’t looking at him, I sensed Margrave’s dead eyes staring through me.
“Hang in, April. We need to take some pictures, and then we can move you.”
“I don’t want to stay here with a dead body!” Screeching, I felt that gaze boring into me.
“I’m here,” Stone stated. He stepped over Margrave and glowered at Lio before standing in front of me.
“Eyes on me, babe,” he said. I looked up at him. Stone reached down and hit my pain relief button, and then tore the other wires from me. He unhooked my fluid bag and bent.
“Sorry, April, this will hurt a little.”
Without another word, Stone picked me up and carried me out. “April’s going to the Rogers’ room,” he told a nurse. Jinx exited the toilet and stared at him wordlessly as we passed, and then Jinx followed us. He once again took up a protective stance in a doorway as Stone carried me through.
“Thank fuck,” Stone muttered as he saw a second bed, and Mr Rogers jumped to his feet and yanked back the covers. Stone laid me down, and I curled up in pain.
“I’ll fetch a nurse,” Mr Rogers said. I was appreciative that neither of them asked me what had happened. Julie stared wide-eyed at me and then at Stone. Her mouth opened and then closed, and she blinked.
“I need to check on Jinx, and I have to call Chance,” Stone murmured, kissing me.
“Jinx is in shock. Get somebody else to Clara’s, not Jinx, Stone, please. Make him go home and talk to someone,” I begged.
“I’ll look after Jinx, babe, don’t worry. A brother will be here shortly while I deal with Lio and Jinx,” he replied.
Julie was flicking between us, looking scared and confused.
“Okay,” I replied. Stone moved away and yanked his cell out.
I watched as he headed for Jinx and hauled the young man up.
Stone clasped Jinx to him with one arm, and Jinx lowered his head on Stone’s shoulder.
His shoulders shook, and I didn’t know if that was shock or tears.
Stone spoke into his phone and then hung up.
Without another word, Stone wrapped his other arm around Jinx and held him.
“What happened?” Julie finally whispered.
“Margrave was here dressed as a janitor. He tried to shoot me again.”
“Oh my God, are you okay?”
“Yes. Jinx killed him. That’s why he’s in shock.” I looked from her to the door and back again. “Jinx saved my life,” I muttered.
“I saw Jinx jump up and rush away, but I didn’t know why, and then there was a gunshot. That was Jinx shooting Margrave?”
“Yes. Jinx saved both our lives,” I replied.
“He’s a nice man,” Julie said, and I nodded.
“April, are you okay?” Teagan cried as she followed Julie’s dad into the room.
“Pain relief would help. Stone kinda crunched me up,” I admitted.
“I can see blood on your bandages as well. Let me check you over,” Teagan ordered, and I lay down and let her sort me out. The instant the pain meds hit, I sighed in pure relief.
Harlequin
Jinx was a mess. It was the second time the kid had shot someone dead, and it was eating at him.
Chance was riding in with Sailor, bringing the SUV and Dollar.
Dollar would ride Jinx’s hog back as Jinx wasn’t in any fit state to ride.
They arrived on the ward and were barred from entering until Phil Gold admitted them.
Rascal was on his way to relieve Slaughter, and I was grateful.
I couldn’t leave April, but Jinx and Clara both needed somebody.
Margrave might be down, but I didn’t like the thought of Clara being unprotected tonight. There was still the issue of April’s mysterious stalker. Even as I approached Chance, a deliveryman handed Gold a huge bouquet.
“It’s for April,” he said, giving it to me. I opened the card and passed it to a nurse. She looked surprised.
“April won’t want them,” I stated. “This person is stalking her.”
“Damn, is she ever going to get a break?” the nurse wondered and took the flowers. “I’ll give them to the old lady down the ward. She’s not had any visitors or gifts.”
“That’s cool. Thanks.” I pocketed the card and walked over to Jinx.
Chance was standing close by, and although Jinx was pale, he looked more together.
“Thank you. I owe you everything. If he’d shot her… I can’t even think about it.”
“It’s okay. April’s safe now,” Jinx replied quietly.
“Yeah, but I owe you big time. If you ever need me, I’ll be there for you.
No questions, no judgement. What you did tonight means the world to me.
April’s alive because you took that shot.
It cost you, but you still did it. Thank you.
” I cupped the back of his neck and bent his forehead to meet mine.
We stood like that for a moment before I withdrew.
“Come on, prospect. Let’s get several top-shelf whiskeys into you and tuck you up. You’re staying with Clio and me tonight,” Chance said.
Jinx looked surprised and drew back, shaking his head. “I’m fine in my bunk.”
“Prospect, you better not be refusing my old lady’s hospitality and her chance to spoil you because I’ll let her loose on you in the clubhouse if I have to,” Chance threatened.
Jinx sent me a beleaguered glance, but followed Chance as our president headed for the exit.
I stared at the circle of cops surrounding April’s former room and grimaced.
Shit, I’d only gone to get her food, how the hell did this crap continue happening?
From now on, I was going to glue April to my side.
One way or another, I’d keep her safe.