Chapter Eleven

The next morning the doctor looked at Cain’s injuries longer than usual. Uncovered, the gunshot wounds looked rather gruesome, but Dr. Elton said Cain would be almost back to normal in another month, barring any major setbacks. Cain and Emma smiled as he carefully enunciated that she would be in the hospital at least two more weeks so he could keep a careful eye on her.

“Good morning,” Todd, their orderly, said as he walked in with an arm loaded down with towels right after the doctor left.

Todd was working the day shift beginning that morning, and he was starting his rounds in Cain’s room. For the last twenty-four hours his new boss had been confined to listening to only the conversations that had taken place in the main room, but the two new hundred dollar bills in Todd’s pocket were about to fix that.

“Just do it the same way as before, only this time pick someplace that isn’t going to get wet.” Those were his orders, and as he scrutinized the room, he chose the toilet paper dispenser. The talks with the FBI agent he was working for were emboldening him, and Todd had offered to take some pictures if the man could get him a small enough camera. However, the guy seemed content to stick to the bugs for now.

A little bit of what looked to Todd like silly putty was all he needed to put the device in place. He put the towels away, leaned to the dispenser, and whispered, “Testing one, two, three,” before heading back into the room. The guard who sat with Cain sometimes was in the corner, but so was Cain’s blond companion, and Todd ogled her for a moment longer than he intended.

“Is there a problem?” Cain asked. She’d had enough of this guy, and it was time to put a little fear into him.

The man listening from across the street leaned forward in his chair to get closer to the speaker and felt the beads of sweat break out across his forehead.

“No, ma’am, I was just getting your bathroom supplies put away. Can I get you anything else?” Alert, Cain did look a little more imposing, and he didn’t want to hang around any more than he had to. If all the stories about her were true, he could only imagine what she’d do to him if she figured out what he was up to.

“Not a thing, but thanks for asking. I want to compliment you on the great job you and the others are doing in taking care of me.” Cain felt a slight pinch to her side from Emma as she let her know she was laying it on a little thick.

God, what a sucker this idiot is. Todd smiled as he thought of her ignorance. “It’s my pleasure.”

With a flick of her hand, Cain sent Merrick after the short wannabe detective as he went about his other duties. “I think our little friend has a crush on you, love,” she told Emma.

The man listening to them let out a relieved stream of air from his lungs when he heard Cain’s comment. “Ah, my boy’s eyes lingered too long on that bit of fluff you keep around, did they, Casey?” He’d known her long enough to realize she didn’t ask questions of anyone without reason. When the idiot he’d hired had whispered into the bug, for a second he’d thought they’d blown it.

“I don’t seriously think you have a thing to worry about.” Emma leaned over and kissed Cain long enough for her breathing to deepen. Free to express how she felt, Emma was having a hard time keeping her hands to herself. “At the moment you have other concerns.”

“Do tell,” Cain said, before she gently took Emma’s bottom lip between her teeth.

Emma pulled back just a little. “I’ll be happy when I get you in a room with a lock on the door. For now you’ll have to be content with me just sitting here and making eyes at you.” Emma pecked the enticing lips once more before helping Cain to her feet. They’d started for the door when the phone at the bedside rang.

“Hello.” Emma entwined her fingers with Cain’s as she listened to the explanation on the other end. “I told you later on today, so don’t bug your uncle Jarvis to bring you over here.”

Cain smiled, imagining the answer their son most probably had practiced before calling.

“I know you miss her, Hayden, but Mom needs her rest so we can bring her home. Once she does you’ll get to see her all the time, so just sit tight, and I’ll come by and get the two of you later. How’s your sister?”

The conversation obviously wasn’t going to end soon, so Cain stepped into the bathroom and scouted around. Afraid if she bent over she wouldn’t be able to get back on her feet without Emma’s help, Cain took Emma’s small mirror from the bathroom counter and ran it along the bottom of the most conspicuous thing in the room. She found what she looking for in the center, almost too close to the edge to be seen. However, something about it didn’t seem right, aside from the fact they had used Todd to plant both the devices. He was ballsy, she gave him that, but he wasn’t highly intelligent.

“I’ll be over around four when Mom takes her nap to pick you both up.” Emma wrapped the cord around her finger and smiled. Hayden was too smart for his own good sometimes, and he must have sensed something was up and was ready to come to the hospital and ask them about it. “Stop laughing or I’ll tell her you’re making fun of the fact she has to take a nap.” She smiled at whatever his response was and glanced at Cain. “I’ll tell her, sweetheart, and I love you too.”

“Getting cabin fever already?” Cain asked. She stepped farther into the room to hide the fact she’d been in the bathroom at all.

“He just misses you and wanted to come see you. Though he used his sister as an excuse to get me to come earlier.” Emma pointed to the bathroom and cocked her head to the side.

Cain nodded and sat on the bed. She really did need to have a long talk with Emma, but her options were limited as long as they were in the hospital together.

“He said Hannah was crying for you all morning, and we shouldn’t keep her waiting.”

“I’m sure he’s done his fair share of missing you as well, Mama.” Cain chuckled for the benefit of her listeners and pointed to the IV in her arm. She wasn’t anywhere near being up to her full strength, but it was time to go back to work.

With a sigh Emma took a Band-Aid off the table and went about the task of what she assumed Cain wanted, without any interruption in their innocent conversation. “I guess he thought he could talk me into letting him stay home from school another day.” The small catheter slid out of Cain’s arm, and Emma let it just drop to the ground as she covered the puncture with the strip.

Cain was now free of her IV pole. In her purse Emma had the necessary prescriptions they’d need to see Cain through the next few weeks. There was no reason she couldn’t start taking her medications orally.

“And you didn’t fall for that?” Cain said. “What kind of mother are you?” She stood and gratefully accepted Emma’s help in getting on a pair of pajamas and robe, tossing the hated hospital gown on the bed. The fatigue from such a simple act amazed her, but she just plowed through it and stood once again. “How about I take a nap now, and I’ll be ready for him by the time he gets out of school. Besides, I’m sure Hannah would love to see you.”

“Then let’s get you tucked in.” The bed linens rustled as Emma pulled the blankets up and fluffed the pillow. “I love you, honey.”

She whispered the sentiment to the standing Cain and almost cried when Cain pulled her into the strongest embrace she could manage. Hopefully all of this wouldn’t take long and they could return to the business of rebuilding their family.

“Trust me, lass, everything’s going to be fine.”

For the first since Emma had come back, she totally believed that.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14