Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Andy stood at the back of Narelle’s room. Her parents were huddled on either side of her, holding her hand. They hadn’t been pleased with him when their daughter had muttered about not being alone and he’d reassured her that she wouldn’t be.
After he’d walked in in time to see the nurse raise the syringe, while she covered Narelle’s mouth, he didn’t need any more convincing that she was in danger.
From whom, he had no idea. But he wasn’t going to rest until he found them.
He’d been closing in on stopping the imposter nurse, when he’d been hit in the side by what, or who, he didn’t know. All he remembered was that one minute he was running, the next he was flat on his back winded.
By the time he’d staggered to his feet, the nurse and whoever had helped her, were long gone. At least he had the awareness to message Wilt, asking him to hack the hospital’s security system to see if he could find out which direction they disappeared to. He was still waiting to hear back from him.
The urgency to get to Narelle had propelled him through the pain. His ribs were going to be bruised, but he was still standing, and so was Narelle.
He’d burst into her room to find her parents and a doctor at her bedside.
If he hadn’t recognized the medical professional, he would’ve hauled him out of the room and demanded he show him his credentials and his staff pass.
Before the doctor walked out, he’d reassured her parents, and by default him, that Narelle was unharmed, and was just sleeping due to the events she’d endured.
Andy shifted from one foot to the other, wanting to be the one sitting next to Narelle, holding her hand.
This possessiveness for a woman was so out of character for him. Fighting it was proving to be impossible, so he grasped it with both hands.
He didn’t feel comfortable with her remaining in the hospital after what had just happened. If one person could get in without suspicion, the chances of someone else doing the same was high.
Although would they risk trying to harm her again? It had been brazen of them to try it, but there was no telling if they would try again.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have a say in her medical care.
Apart from her parents, no one in the room had known who he truly was to Narelle.
If he was honest with himself, he didn’t know where he stood with the woman sleeping soundly, but he wanted to explore something with her.
Not to mention protect her. No way was he leaving her alone again.
His stomach grumbled and he realized that with everything that had gone on, he hadn’t been able to get any food, but if he didn’t get something soon, he was going to pass out.
“Do you need to eat something, Andy?” Julie’s question surprised him. How had she known what he’d been thinking?
“Are you a mind reader?”
Julie cracked a small smile. “I could say yes, but it’s more of the fact that I heard your stomach grumbling.”
“I am, but…” He glanced at the bed. How could he leave her again when he’d told her he wouldn’t?
He’d already done that once, and something happened to her. He’d almost lost her.
His thoughts were going in circles. A sure sign he needed something in his belly. And maybe he needed a walk to clear his head.
His guilt that he’d failed Narelle was gnawing at his gut. Guilt was becoming a companion to him.
“She’s sleeping. She won’t know you left if you want to get something. We’re here, too,” Julie assured him, as though she could read his tumultuous thoughts.
“I know.” And he did. He couldn’t bring himself to leave, though.
“You won’t do Narelle any good if you pass out because you feel guilty you weren’t here when she was in danger. She wouldn’t want that either,” she finished quietly.
How could he argue with that? “You’re right. Thanks for the reminder. Can I get you both anything?”
“I’d love an iced coffee,” Mike said.
“Oh, that sounds good.” Julie touched her husband’s arm, and he smiled tenderly at her. “I’ll have one too and a cake as well. Your choice, I’m sure I can trust you pick to yummiest one.”
“I won’t be long.” Andy closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall. He was working on minimal sleep, something he’d done without issues when he was in the Army, and even when he’d been on some assignments with the AFP.
Yet this tiredness and fatigue he was experiencing was draining.
Andy scanned the hallway, checking for anything out of the ordinary. It looked like what it was—a busy hospital. There was no one lurking that could be waiting for the right moment to enter Narelle’s room and harm her.
Recalling the statement he’d made to Narelle’s parents that he’d be quick, he got his feet moving and headed for the cafeteria.
The place was abuzz with conversation, and he welcomed the normalcy of it.
Life went on around him, and most of the people in the room didn’t know danger was always lurking everywhere.
Or maybe they did, but it was a different kind of danger than what Andy was used to dealing with. The danger for these people came from accidents. From seemingly mild cases of illness, that masked something more sinister which they had to fight.
There were evils everywhere, they just wore different costumes to the ones he was used to experiencing.
The people in this room were heroes just as much as ones like him, who rid the world of sex traffickers, terrorist leaders, and drug kingpins.
And just like when they eliminated one evil and another popped up, the same could be said for doctors and nurses.
They might find the cure or a treatment for one disease, and a day or two later, a newer more lethal disease is discovered.
The parallels between the medical profession and the military were very similar.
Shaking off his thoughts, he smiled at the woman who’d asked him for his order. He placed it and then went to stand where others were waiting.
He glanced at his watch, willing them to hurry up so that he could get back to Narelle.
There was still so much he needed to tell her.
They’d only scratched the surface of the coincidence of him being at the intersection at the same time as her.
And he had to tell her that it hadn’t been accident at all.
Then again, maybe she already knew that, considering the attack she’d endured.
The mystery of why Narelle was being targeted could only be solved by asking the woman herself. If she didn’t know why, then he would double down on his efforts to solve it.
One way or another, he would keep Narelle safe.