Chapter Fifty

Two hours later, Riley set the chopper down in Canada beside a clinic at the edge of a remote village. As the rotors slowed, a tall, middle-aged man with a graying beard and white coat emerged to investigate the noise.

When he spotted Kat getting out of the helicopter, he walked toward her, shaking his head. "I should’ve known," he shouted over the roar of the decelerating blades.

She smiled and hollered back, "Got some work for you, Eddie. Start with the guy in back. We’ll need a stretcher."

Kat and Kenny talked in low voices in the corner of the exam room while the doctor looked at Riley’s knee and wrist. Kat sported a sling, and Kenny’s facial wounds had been stitched and dressed.

Riley watched them. Kat did most of the talking. Every now and then Kenny would nod. Just as the doctor finished, Kenny left and Kat came to stand by the bedside.

"You patch her up?" the doctor asked Kat.

She nodded.

"Nice job." He turned to address Riley. "You just need some bed rest and you’ll be fine." He nodded toward a new brace he’d fastened around her knee. "That’ll help you get around better. And I can write you a prescription for some pain pills if you want them."

"A few, maybe," Riley answered. Her knee ached badly from flying the helicopter.

The doctor pulled out a prescription pad and started writing. "You can get this filled at the pharmacy in town. Pick up some crutches while you’re there, too." He handed the paper to Riley and turned to Kat. "Need a place to stay?"

"Kenny is taking care of that, thanks," Kat answered. "Riley will be staying at the Trapper’s Inn, Eddie. Would you look in on her from time to time over the next couple of days?"

"Sure."

Kenny reappeared. "Cab is here. Ready to go?"

"Yup," Kat answered. She turned to the doctor. "Thanks, Eddie. You sure you don’t mind keeping Otter here while he recovers?"

"No. I’ll be careful when he’s strong enough to cause trouble," Eddie replied. "He woke up briefly while I was treating him, by the way. He was surprised to be alive, and doubly so when I told him who brought him in."

"I bet." Kat turned to her friends. "Ready?"

The three of them made their way to the taxi. Kenny sat beside the driver, and Kat and Riley got in back.

As soon as they were underway, Riley turned to Kat. "You said I’ll be staying at an inn."

Kat nodded. "Kenny will keep you company. I have to take care of something."

"What are you planning?" Riley asked.

"Tell you later."

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Kat weighed how much she was going to tell Riley. She would rather her friend not know precisely what she was going to do--but there was a chance she might not come back.

Riley kept quiet only until she and Kat were in their hotel room. "Well? What are you up to?"

"Come sit down, get off that knee," Kat said. She helped Riley to the bed and got her comfortable, propped up against the headboard. Kat sat down on the edge of the mattress.

"I need to see Garner. He’ll keep sending people after me until I stop him. Before we can think about the future..." She paused and looked into Riley’s eyes. "I need to take care of this. I have to make sure you’re safe."

"But you’re hurt," Riley argued. "You’re not in any shape to confront a man who wants you killed. Can’t you wait until your arm is better?"

"No. It has to be now." Kat wanted nothing more than to remain with Riley while they both healed, but she knew she’d never be able to resist the temptation to consummate their relationship here in the privacy of the romantic inn. And she couldn’t allow herself to take that step while they were still in danger, knowing she might not return. It wasn’t fair to Riley.

"Once it’s done..." Kat stroked Riley’s cheek. "We can get to know each other without my having to keep looking over my shoulder. Take some time just for us and shut the world out," she promised. "I have plenty of money. We can go wherever you like, do whatever you want to do. I just have to take care of this first."

Riley leaned forward and hugged Kat. "Please be careful. I want to be with you more than anything. When do you leave?"

"As soon as Kenny gets here with the rental car."

"That soon? Shouldn’t you rest?"

"I can sleep on the plane," Kat said. "Don’t worry. I won’t rush into anything I’m not up for. It may take some time to figure out the best way to get close to him. But I’ll be back as soon as I’m able, I promise."

There was a knock on the adjoining door. Kenny called out, "I’m back, whenever you’re ready."

"Be right there," Kat answered. She gazed into Riley’s eyes for a long moment before she leaned in to kiss her. Slowly, gently, conveying the depth of her emotions in a way she never could with words. Their bodies pressed tighter together, and the growing passion between them surged through their bodies in a warm, enveloping wave.

Kat broke the contact. "Rest. I’ll be back before you know it, and then we can finally..." She paused, searching for the right words, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "Well, we can finally...be together. Without worrying about someone interrupting us."

Riley put her hand behind Kat’s neck and pulled her close to kiss her again. This time the kiss grew more heated. Sparks flew. A promise of things to come.

Riley released her hold on Kat’s neck, and their lips separated. "Please come back to me."

"I will." Kat kissed Riley on the forehead and left without looking back.

A week later, Kenny and Riley sat in the inn’s restaurant drinking coffee and eating pie. Riley poked at her nearly untouched piece of rhubarb.

"Stop worrying," Kenny repeated for the tenth time. "She’ll be fine. You’ve seen her in action. She probably just decided to rest her arm before going to see him."

"Then why hasn’t she called?"

They had been over this so many times Riley knew Kenny had no answers. She knew he was concerned too, just better at concealing it. She put her fork down, her appetite gone.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30