Chapter Four
Quaid jumped into the water and gripped Alanna around her waist. Keeping a strong arm around her, he forced her upright. Coughing and gagging, she struggled to get air.
“Put your feet down, Lani. It’s not deep.”
Quaid pulled her weapon from the leather holster and set it on the edge. Water poured from it.
“Breathe, Alanna.” Quaid slapped her firmly on the back to expel the rest of the water from her lungs.
The first inhale jerked through her – ragged and rough like the broken glass all around them. Her ears trickled with blood, and her face and arms were littered with scrapes.
Desperate, Quaid turned her face to his. “Are you all right?”
She shook her head, and coughed more, spitting out water.
Quaid checked the side of the pool for shards and found a clear spot. He
lifted her and deposited her on the side. Considering how testy she was about being touched, he was surprised she made no fuss. Shock. Crap. Levering himself out, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her shivering body.
“Talk to me, Williams.”
She tipped her head, staring at him with confusion clouding her eyes. “I’m okay.” She coughed again.
Holding up two fingers, he flashed them in front of her eyes.
“I can see your fingers fine.” Alanna slapped his hand out of her face. “I can’t hear you. Jesus Christ, what was that?”
“You can’t hear me?” She stared at his mouth. Quaid helped her stand. Her trembling body twisted fear and anger in his gut. His tough girl didn’t tremble.
“It’s muffled. Is a fire alarm going off? I can hear that, maybe.”
The sprinklers had come on in the suite, and the alarm blared.
Alanna glanced back and saw a big man leaning through the hole in the window. Her scream was more of a squawk. The shift of her weight upset her balance and tipped her towards the water.
Quaid grabbed her, easing her against his chest until she stabilized. “It’s Barker.” Even speaking against her ear, he wasn’t sure she’d heard him.
You two okay?” Barker took in the scene, eyes wide.
Quaid fought his fears and found control. “We need a paramedic. Alanna’s hurt.”
“Taken care of. Fire Department is here and on the way up. What exploded?”
“I don’t know. Where were your men?”
“Knocked out in the fire escape.” Barker ducked back inside.
Turning Alanna, he pointed to the other side of the pool away from the broken glass. Once there, he turned her around. Her shirt was soaked with blood.
“Yeah, I’m missing a few layers of skin.” Alanna coughed again and studied the blood on Quaid’s hands. “The breakfast cart.”
“I don’t understand.” He turned her toward him and shook his head.
“Breakfast cart, by the dining room table. It made this funny clicking sound before it exploded.”
Quaid hadn’t ordered breakfast, but sometimes the staff prepped his favorites and brought a cart to the room. What was with all the breaches this man was making in their security perimeter?
“The other guy shot at us.” She fingered her lip, another cut there. “Not the same MO.”
Quaid grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist. Hearing the explosion had been nothing compared to watching her blow through the window like a broken doll and fall into the pool.
Alanna dabbed at her face with the towel. “It was him, though, wasn’t it? How did he find us?”
“Unknown.” He spoke directly to her, but shook his head again, too.
Barker broke out the remaining panels of glass in the sliding doors. “Paramedics.”
He bent to make eye contact. “Paramedics here. Hospital for you.”
She vehemently shook her head.
Quaid nodded as fiercely back. “You might have ear drum damage.”
He stepped aside to let the medic through. “She can’t hear. Force of the explosion, I’m guessing.”
The striking woman had dark hair and stood tall in her blue uniform. She checked him over with wide eyes. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I was in the pool.” Leaning over the side, horror ripped through him at all the shards in the water.
“Shoes. You’re gonna want them.” Her dry tone forced him to get a handle on his emotions. “She’s gonna need transport. We can’t check her hearing here.”
“Understood.”
Before the medic finished speaking, Quaid saw Niles at the broken windows.
“Niles, I need shoes. And call QM and tell them we need assistance from Bets in the ER at UCSD.” She was the day-time charge nurse there and worked part-time for QM.
Niles didn’t hesitate. “Immediately, sir.”
A few moments later, his loafers and a robe were in his hands. Niles checked Alanna, cataloging her needs, too. It’s what he did.
Quaid struggled with his focus. A gurney came through the damaged area with another couple of firemen.
Alanna shook her head. “I can walk.”
The medic smiled at her, shaking her head. “We give everybody a ride. It’s the way it works.”
The fire alarm abruptly silenced. Thank God.
Alanna cooperated, but barely. Stubborn woman.
He followed the gurney up the stairs to the main living area of the suite.
The fire department was spraying the smoldering remains of the cart and the living room furniture.
Three fireman were standing in the entryway talking with Barker.
“Quaid?” Alanna grabbed his wrist.
Surprised, he took her hand. “I’m coming with you.” He did a sign to convey his words.
“You might cause a stir that way.” The medic grinned.
Old Quaid might have flirted back, but he didn’t do that anymore and wasn’t in the mood. “Can you hold three minutes? She can’t go alone.”
The medic smiled. “That’s sweet.”
“No, that’s security. This wasn’t an accident.”
Niles interrupted. “Sir, clothes. They’re on the bed.”
He made a sign to Alanna and went to his room. “Get Mackey. We have to go unarmed. He can meet us at the hospital.”
“Noted, sir.” Niles shut the door.
He talked as he dropped the towel and checked for glass again. In less than the three minutes, he dressed and grabbed his wallet. “Sweep the room, get all our gear, and I’ll let you know where to meet us. Make sure every hotel employee is all right and if not, organize assistance.”
“Understood. Be careful.”
“Tell Barker to do a thorough check of all cameras, doors, and personnel, then talk to Mackey. I’m sticking with Alanna.
” Quaid stopped by the door and closed his eyes.
Tiredness crashed through him. This wasn’t about him.
It was about Alanna. The surety came from his gut, but obvious was staring him in the face.
“I’ll meet you at the hospital with more clothes and supplies for Ms. Williams.”
Quaid turned back to him. “I don’t say it much, but I am grateful I have you at my back.”
Niles cleared his throat. “Likewise, sir.”
Quaid joined the medic as she was about to leave him behind.
She smiled at him. “Good timing.”
“Not good enough.” Fuck.
&&&&&&&&&&
Emergency rooms were an exercise in patience, even when you had the charge nurse and one of the best physician’s pulling strings. Their stay at the LA General Hospital had been brief. QM’s helicopter pilot had swooped in and carried them both back to San Diego.
Quaid kept the pissed at bay by pacing. They were in an open area with no support or weapons. He could handle whatever came his way, but he’d prefer a full response team with weapons loaded.
Dr. Swami Paramar, orthopedic surgeon and colleague of Cait, hurried in. He had a surgery scheduled with Cait when she got back. “Bets called me. What happened?”
Quaid shook the man’s hand. “It’s not orthopedic, but we got caught in an explosion. Alanna’s hearing is compromised, and she dropped through a plate glass window into the pool. Fifteen feet, approximately.”
Paramar pointed at the doctor with Alanna. “He’s the on-call ER Doc. Dr. Ben Trolley. He’s the best. Smart, experienced, but I’ll check with him. Get an update.”
“Appreciated, Doc.” Quaid eyed Bets moving toward him.
“Cait won’t be happy,” the doctor added.
Quaid groaned. “You’re telling me.” The man slapped him on the back and went into the treatment room.
Quaid stayed in the hall on guard. Alanna’s eyes never left him until the ER Doc stepped into their line of sight.
Bets stopped beside him. Petite and perky, the woman had mocha skin, wide brown eyes, and an attitude that allowed her to use body language for command results. “ENT Doc will be here momentarily. I didn’t wait for doctor’s orders. What happened?”
“Someone has us in his crosshairs. Other than that, I have no idea.” Quaid shifted to put Lani back in his line of vision.
When had he started calling her Lani?
Mother freaking unprofessional.
Bets adjusted the drape over the cubicle. “These assessments take awhile, but it’s necessary.”
“I’m worried about security. Two attempts in less than twenty-four hours. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“I hesitated to alert security. It can sometimes trigger a police presence I wasn’t sure you wanted.”
“Thanks for that. You’re right. Mackey will be here soon.” Although, he had no burner phone to confirm. “Can you text QM?”
“No, but I can call the main office. Who do you want?”
“Harrison, if possible.”
“Let me get my personal phone. I’ll be back.” She darted away, directing other incoming patients to rooms with the ease of a slow day. Which it wasn’t.
Dr. Trolley and Dr. Paramar both exited the room and came to his side. “Numerous bruises, one cut needing stitches, and an ENT consult. Her eardrums are trashed. I’ve order meds to handle the pain. Once the adrenaline wears off, she’s going to be hurting. What about you?”
Quaid shook his head. “I was getting out of the pool. Not even close.”
“Any cuts.”
“None that need attention.” He wouldn’t have them messing with him if Alanna needed him. “QM has a medic, and my body man is a medic. They can handle it.”
“Dr. Meeks should be here shortly. Once we get his assessment, we can proceed with stitches and get you both released.” Dr. Trolley’s short, practical assessment settled him. “Especially since Dr. Paramar and Bets can provide backup. Dr. Hunter should be available to you in a day or so.”