For the love of a seal, p.24
For the Love of a SEAL, page 24
“I’ll make sure she stays in bed.” Isaiah’s head bobbed as though his solemn promise wasn’t enough.
The doctor smiled. “I’m sure you will, young man. Your mother is lucky to have you.” She jammed her pencil behind her ear and stepped to the next occupied cubicle.
“How do you feel?” Blake mentally kicked himself. The answer was obvious, and he’d just become one of those hospital visitors who couldn’t think of anything better to say.
“Like what I imagine I’d feel like if I’d been hit by a bus.”
Blake stepped up beside Isaiah and squeezed her hand. “Ready to go home?”
Tori nodded but held on to his hand when he tried to pull it free. Her brow furrowed as she scanned his face, then glanced quickly at Isaiah.
“We’re ready. Aren’t we, Isaiah?”
“Yeah. It’s already dark outside, Mom.” Isaiah threw his hands in the air as though he couldn’t believe they’d been here since midday.
Blake could relate.
Tori hadn’t yet asked about Harv or the reasons leading up to her kidnapping, and she clearly didn’t want that conversation to happen in front of her son. Blake was happy to postpone it because he didn’t have any answers for her.
Coop and Rafael had been on the phone all afternoon trying to connect Harv Farrington to Sebastian…with no luck. Special Agent Roberts had gotten nothing from his FBI wiretap or other sources in his quest for information on PTS Security’s flight mechanic. Apparently, Harv had told Blake the truth when he’d said it wasn’t Sebastian who hired him.
Though he’d found no rock-solid evidence Harv had been the one who sabotaged the Beechcraft’s fuel gauge and warning system, Blake would have bet money he was the culprit. His lack of action had nearly cost Tori her life, something that would no doubt haunt him for a long time.
He brushed his fingers along her jaw and smiled when she looked at him. “Are we good?” It had hurt her deeply when she’d learned he and his bosses had suspected she was involved with Sebastian’s group. He’d made a good start at clearing the air on the side of that cliff but regaining her trust wouldn’t happen overnight.
Surprise flashed across her face. “Of course. I owe you for saving my life…again.”
Didn’t she realize all of the attempts on her life had been because of him? It seemed counterproductive to remind her. “Yeah, you do, and I’ll be collecting on that, starting now.” He winked just to see her pretty cheeks turn red and then stepped away. “I figured you’d probably had enough of helicopters, so I sent Coop and the crew back to the house. Kellie went with them and drove my truck back. She’s in the waiting room. I’ll give her a heads-up so she can keep you company while I bring the truck around to the emergency entrance. I think she brought your phone…in case you need to call your sister.”
“Blake?” Tori’s serious tone stopped him in his tracks. She sat up and slid her arm around Isaiah’s shoulders, pulling him in close for a hug. Was she going to tell him she didn’t need his help, that she wasn’t going home with him?
“Yeah?”
“We’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve done for us. I should apologize for jumping in your helicopter that first morning and causing you so much trouble…but…I’m not really sorry.”
The fist that had gripped his throat when she started talking suddenly let go, and Blake could breathe again. With Isaiah right there beside her, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Me either, sweetheart,” he whispered. Threading his fingers through her hair, he tipped her head back and stared into her smiling eyes until Isaiah sighed heavily.
With reluctance, he released her, a grin pulling at his lips. “Um…yeah…the truck…I better…” He gave up on talking and simply pointed to the exit.
Tori laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Don’t be too long. I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Back in a flash.” Nothing could keep Blake away any longer than necessary.
He was fully aware of how damn lucky he’d been to find her on that piece of rock where she’d fallen. If Crenshaw hadn’t spotted her—if she’d died on impact…or slid just a little bit farther—if he hadn’t gotten to her in time… So many things could have gone wrong. That she was alive, with no serious injuries, was nothing short of a miracle. That she was willing to give him a second chance, after he’d practically accused her of being Mata Hari, was mind blowing.
Stopping at the admittance desk, he asked if there was any paperwork that needed to be taken care of and requested a wheelchair. He found himself staring at a bouquet of roses on the woman’s desk. Too bad he hadn’t thought ahead and ordered Tori some flowers.
“Pretty, aren’t they?” The woman tipped her chin toward the vase.
Blake smiled. “Special occasion?”
“My husband and I have been married twenty years today.” The woman beamed.
“Congratulations! He’s a lucky man.” Blake started to leave.
“Take one for your girlfriend.”
Blake glanced back, not sure he’d heard her right.
The woman blushed. “I saw the two of you when you brought her in. It’s obvious you love her very much. Take one. I won’t miss it.”
Blake gaped at her. She thought he was in love with Tori? Was he? Impossible. That ship had sailed years ago. He just…liked having her around…for as long as it lasted. That was all it was.
The woman made a clucking sound, separated one of the long-stemmed roses from the others and handed it to him. “Go on. She’ll think it’s romantic.”
Blake was pretty sure he hadn’t been romantic a day in his life, but he took the flower she held out. “Thank you. I’m sure she’ll love it.” He waved to the woman as he walked away.
The waiting room was busy, and Blake had to scan the area twice before finding Kellie. She saw him at the same time, tossed her magazine on the stand beside her and strode toward him. “Aw…is that for me?” She made a grab for the stem.
Blake jerked it out of her reach. “Hell, no. It’s for Tori.”
Kellie jammed her hands on her hips. “Did you really think I didn’t know that? Where’s your sense of humor, Sorenson?”
After MacGyver, Kellie was the best friend he had, and, yeah, he should have known she was throwing shade. He grinned, sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s been a long damn day.”
“You’ve got that right. How’s she doing?”
“Great. The doc said she can go home. I’m going to the parking garage to get the truck and bring it around. Would you push her wheelchair to the exit when she’s ready and wait with her and Isaiah?”
“You know I will.” Kellie stared at him for a second before a smile broke over her face. “How are you doing?”
He could read her take on the situation in the folding of her arms across her chest and…damn it…he’d never been able to lie to her. “I don’t really know, but there’s a good chance I’m losing my fucking mind.” He dragged his hand down his face, feeling the heavy whiskers he hadn’t had time to deal with.
Kellie’s smile broadened. “Why? Because you care about her and Isaiah? You know, Blake, the love of a good woman isn’t the worst thing that could happen.”
Love again? What’s with these women? Tori wasn’t thinking long term. She’d said as much. Blake groaned and raked his fingers through his hair. “Unless she’s not on the same page.”
“That’s what you think? Blake, you don’t have a damn thing to worry about. Tori is crazy about you.”
“How could you possibly know that?” He threw his hands up, not sure if he wanted her to be right or wrong.
“I just do. Have I ever steered you wrong before? Now go. Get the truck and take us home.” She one-armed him aside as she walked by on her way to find Tori.
Blake stared after her. Women! Always thinking they’re one up. She has no more idea than I do. How could she? He rubbed his chin whiskers with thumb and forefinger as Kellie disappeared inside the ER. On the other hand, Kellie was a smart girl. She could be right, couldn’t she? Remarkably, he didn’t see a single thing wrong with that. A smile slowly spread and refused to go away.
Well, I’ll be damned.
On the elevator ride down to the parking garage, Blake started whistling, the sound unfamiliar at first. How long had it been? Hell, he even had a bounce in his step.
Maybe he’d have a conversation with Tori, get everything out in the open. Could he talk her into staying in Cypress Point long enough to see if there was something between them worth pursuing? More concerning, could he change her mind about military men? If she had feelings for him like he did for her and the boy, surely she’d give them a chance. They just needed to spend some time, get to know each other. He could prove to her that he’d come to terms with his PTSD. He’d never hurt her or Isaiah.
Blake lifted the rose and breathed in its scent. He could learn to be romantic. Kellie would tease the hell out of him, but she’d help him if he asked.
The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. Blake turned right as Kellie had instructed when she’d told him where she’d parked. The truck should be eleven spaces this way, along the wall.
“Hey, buddy, got a light?”
Blake jerked around, not aware that anyone else was nearby. The man stood beside one of the parked cars, wearing Army fatigues and boots. An unruly beard covered his face. He held an unlit cigarette in his fingers, and his question made more sense.
“No. Sorry. I don’t smoke.”
“No problem.” The man walked on toward the elevator.
Blake turned to watch him. Damn! He’d been so caught up in his plans, he hadn’t been paying a bit of attention to his surroundings. Stupid rookie mistake. The man’s sudden appearance had jarred him. He knew better. Had taught young sailors to know better.
He clutched the rose and continued his path until he came to the white Tundra…right where Kellie had said it would be. Shrugging out of his backpack, he held it and the rose in one hand while he unlocked the driver’s door with the other.
It was only a small sound amid many others, but this one made the hair stand up on Blake’s neck. Familiar—like someone blowing through a water pipe. He froze, concentrating on where it had come from. Turning slowly, he scanned the garage. Nothing moved. Faint voices came from the far end, other people looking for their cars.
He’d swung three quarters of the way around when a sharp pain bit his neck. His hand came up to brush at the irritation and encountered something hard. He yanked it free. A dart?
His vision blurred as a fog blanketed his mind. He staggered forward, but his knees wouldn’t hold him. I have to get back to Tori. Falling, he flung out his hands to catch himself, but not in time. His cheek smacked the concrete floor alongside his backpack. The rose landed an instant later and rolled under his truck.
A car skidding to a stop…urgent voices coming closer…he’d been drugged…or poisoned…
Blackness swirled around him.
Chapter 22
Tori shot out of the wheelchair, frowning at the disapproving nurse who hovered nearby, daring any of the hospital staff who looked on with curious stares to say anything. She limped across the slab of concrete to the edge of the sidewalk and back. To say she was spoiling for a fight would not have been an exaggeration.
Nearly an hour and a half had passed. Any minute, Blake would wheel into the emergency entrance in his white Tundra. He’d flash his sexy grin, the one that made her weak in the knees. And then he’d take her and Isaiah home. That was what she’d told herself every few minutes, anyway. But he hadn’t appeared. Something is terribly wrong.
Kellie had shared Tori’s concern. She’d called MacGyver fifty-five minutes ago. He’d be here soon, with Travis, and anyone else they could spare from the house. They’d find Blake. They have to. And while they were at it, they could give Tori something to do before she lost her mind.
What’s taking them so long?
Forty-five minutes ago, hospital security had begun a methodical search of all four floors of the hospital, and two orderlies had accompanied Kellie to the parking garage at the request of the hospital administrator, Dr. Fallon. They’d found nothing unusual.
Maybe Blake had decided to run an errand. Maybe the truck had failed to start, and he’d gone to find jumper cables. Maybe he’d run into a friend and stopped for a beer. These and other ludicrous suppositions had been proposed by Dr. Fallon and swiftly rejected by Tori. Dr. Fallon had shrugged his aging shoulders and reluctantly got behind Kellie’s call to the Cypress Point PD.
Of course, Gary Addison would have to be the detective sent to investigate their missing person. The law enforcement officer stood with his back to the admittance desk, hands on hips, towering in Kellie’s face with whatever excuse he was currently spouting for not doing his job. Is it too much to ask for the detective to actually look for clues in Blake’s mysterious disappearance?
Kellie threw her hands in the air and spun around, hurrying toward Tori with a scowl darkening her green eyes. “Holy shit! Your friend is a piece of work. I finally convinced him to send some officers to search the parking garage in case we missed something. He said he’d take a look, but that’s all he can do until we file a missing person’s report…which he’ll then sit on for twenty-four hours before committing any resources.”
Tori gave the detective’s retreating back the evil eye before folding her arms over her chest. “He’s not my friend!” They knew each other, kids in the same class. Addison had been an ass that night too.
Kellie reached for her hand, worry creasing her brow. “Should you be standing?”
“Oh, please, not you too! I’ve been sitting in that chair for a solid hour, feeling helpless, and I can’t do it anymore.” Damn it! No. She would not sit there doing nothing while Blake was God only knew where.
“I’m sorry, Tori. If it’s any consolation, I know how you feel.”
It wasn’t. He said he’d be back in a flash. It wasn’t simply something he’d said and didn’t mean. Okay, so you had to be there and witness the way he’d looked at her. The promise in his eyes. Blake would have returned had he been able to. There wasn’t a single doubt in Tori’s mind. It’d been far too long. Where is he?
“Where’s Isaiah?” Kellie sounded slightly panicked as she halted beside her.
“One of the nurses offered to take him to the break room and find him an iPad. I’ll check on him in a little bit. He doesn’t understand what’s going on yet, and I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible.” Tori didn’t understand either, but her gut instinct was that Blake hadn’t returned to the ER because someone had prevented him from doing so. Paranoid much? Maybe so, but too many strange things had happened in the past few days. She was afraid for Blake deep in her bones, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do.
Detective Addison, flanked by two police officers, strode out of the ER and directly to where Kellie and Tori stood. He greeted Tori with a grim smile. “A preliminary search turned up nothing of interest. There’s no sign of a scuffle. No blood. Nobody down there heard or saw anything. I’m sorry, Tori, but there’s absolutely no reason to suspect foul play at this time.”
Hopelessness washed over Tori, followed immediately by a splash of like-hell determination. Beside her, Kellie gave a surprised squeak and pointed to something Addison was holding next to his leg. “What’s that, Detective?”
Addison held up a single red rose, the bloom drooping for want of water. “We found this under his Tundra. I doubt if Sorenson was much into flowers, so—”
“That’s Blake’s!” Kellie jabbed her finger into the detective’s chest. “He had it when he came to tell me Tori could go home.” Her glance swept Tori’s face. “He said it was for you.” Again, the finger stabbed Addison. “He wouldn’t have just dropped it. If Blake Sorenson left that garage under his own power, that rose would have gone with him.”
Tori stared at the rose, trying desperately to keep up. It’s for me? He wouldn’t have dropped it. If he left under his own power… The words replayed in her head like an old black-and-white film from the forties. A sob shook her, and she covered her face, but it was too late to stop the deluge now that the floodgates had opened. She spun around to run, but Kellie caught her and held on.
“Do your job, Detective.” Kellie hissed the words before helping Tori escape the spotlight she’d suddenly found herself in.
Inside the emergency room waiting area, Liz Peltier, the doctor who’d examined Tori, took pity and showed them to a small room beyond the bustle. It was sparsely but comfortably furnished with a conference table and six chairs. Best of all, it was quiet.
“You can stay here as long as you need to.” Dr. Peltier smiled sympathetically. “If you need anything, just ask one of the orderlies to find me.”
“Thanks, Dr. Peltier.” Tori collapsed on one of the chairs as the doctor softly closed the door behind her. Now that she had some privacy, the wretched tears wouldn’t come. She sensed Kellie studying her, probably wondering how long before her meltdown became permanent.
Tori flipped her hands up in frustration. “I’m sorry, Kellie. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not usually such a hot mess.”
“Are you kidding? You’re doing fine. We all have our moments where our men are concerned. Lord knows they give us enough to worry about.” Kellie dropped into a chair across from her.
Tori started to shake her head. “It’s not like that. Blake and I aren’t—”
“Don’t even go there, girl. I might have believed you before today, but something changed when Blake found you on that rock this morning. It’s written all over your face, and—don’t roll your eyes at me—this is a good thing.”
“You don’t understand. I don’t date men with military backgrounds,” Tori blurted.
The doctor smiled. “I’m sure you will, young man. Your mother is lucky to have you.” She jammed her pencil behind her ear and stepped to the next occupied cubicle.
“How do you feel?” Blake mentally kicked himself. The answer was obvious, and he’d just become one of those hospital visitors who couldn’t think of anything better to say.
“Like what I imagine I’d feel like if I’d been hit by a bus.”
Blake stepped up beside Isaiah and squeezed her hand. “Ready to go home?”
Tori nodded but held on to his hand when he tried to pull it free. Her brow furrowed as she scanned his face, then glanced quickly at Isaiah.
“We’re ready. Aren’t we, Isaiah?”
“Yeah. It’s already dark outside, Mom.” Isaiah threw his hands in the air as though he couldn’t believe they’d been here since midday.
Blake could relate.
Tori hadn’t yet asked about Harv or the reasons leading up to her kidnapping, and she clearly didn’t want that conversation to happen in front of her son. Blake was happy to postpone it because he didn’t have any answers for her.
Coop and Rafael had been on the phone all afternoon trying to connect Harv Farrington to Sebastian…with no luck. Special Agent Roberts had gotten nothing from his FBI wiretap or other sources in his quest for information on PTS Security’s flight mechanic. Apparently, Harv had told Blake the truth when he’d said it wasn’t Sebastian who hired him.
Though he’d found no rock-solid evidence Harv had been the one who sabotaged the Beechcraft’s fuel gauge and warning system, Blake would have bet money he was the culprit. His lack of action had nearly cost Tori her life, something that would no doubt haunt him for a long time.
He brushed his fingers along her jaw and smiled when she looked at him. “Are we good?” It had hurt her deeply when she’d learned he and his bosses had suspected she was involved with Sebastian’s group. He’d made a good start at clearing the air on the side of that cliff but regaining her trust wouldn’t happen overnight.
Surprise flashed across her face. “Of course. I owe you for saving my life…again.”
Didn’t she realize all of the attempts on her life had been because of him? It seemed counterproductive to remind her. “Yeah, you do, and I’ll be collecting on that, starting now.” He winked just to see her pretty cheeks turn red and then stepped away. “I figured you’d probably had enough of helicopters, so I sent Coop and the crew back to the house. Kellie went with them and drove my truck back. She’s in the waiting room. I’ll give her a heads-up so she can keep you company while I bring the truck around to the emergency entrance. I think she brought your phone…in case you need to call your sister.”
“Blake?” Tori’s serious tone stopped him in his tracks. She sat up and slid her arm around Isaiah’s shoulders, pulling him in close for a hug. Was she going to tell him she didn’t need his help, that she wasn’t going home with him?
“Yeah?”
“We’ll never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve done for us. I should apologize for jumping in your helicopter that first morning and causing you so much trouble…but…I’m not really sorry.”
The fist that had gripped his throat when she started talking suddenly let go, and Blake could breathe again. With Isaiah right there beside her, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Me either, sweetheart,” he whispered. Threading his fingers through her hair, he tipped her head back and stared into her smiling eyes until Isaiah sighed heavily.
With reluctance, he released her, a grin pulling at his lips. “Um…yeah…the truck…I better…” He gave up on talking and simply pointed to the exit.
Tori laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Don’t be too long. I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Back in a flash.” Nothing could keep Blake away any longer than necessary.
He was fully aware of how damn lucky he’d been to find her on that piece of rock where she’d fallen. If Crenshaw hadn’t spotted her—if she’d died on impact…or slid just a little bit farther—if he hadn’t gotten to her in time… So many things could have gone wrong. That she was alive, with no serious injuries, was nothing short of a miracle. That she was willing to give him a second chance, after he’d practically accused her of being Mata Hari, was mind blowing.
Stopping at the admittance desk, he asked if there was any paperwork that needed to be taken care of and requested a wheelchair. He found himself staring at a bouquet of roses on the woman’s desk. Too bad he hadn’t thought ahead and ordered Tori some flowers.
“Pretty, aren’t they?” The woman tipped her chin toward the vase.
Blake smiled. “Special occasion?”
“My husband and I have been married twenty years today.” The woman beamed.
“Congratulations! He’s a lucky man.” Blake started to leave.
“Take one for your girlfriend.”
Blake glanced back, not sure he’d heard her right.
The woman blushed. “I saw the two of you when you brought her in. It’s obvious you love her very much. Take one. I won’t miss it.”
Blake gaped at her. She thought he was in love with Tori? Was he? Impossible. That ship had sailed years ago. He just…liked having her around…for as long as it lasted. That was all it was.
The woman made a clucking sound, separated one of the long-stemmed roses from the others and handed it to him. “Go on. She’ll think it’s romantic.”
Blake was pretty sure he hadn’t been romantic a day in his life, but he took the flower she held out. “Thank you. I’m sure she’ll love it.” He waved to the woman as he walked away.
The waiting room was busy, and Blake had to scan the area twice before finding Kellie. She saw him at the same time, tossed her magazine on the stand beside her and strode toward him. “Aw…is that for me?” She made a grab for the stem.
Blake jerked it out of her reach. “Hell, no. It’s for Tori.”
Kellie jammed her hands on her hips. “Did you really think I didn’t know that? Where’s your sense of humor, Sorenson?”
After MacGyver, Kellie was the best friend he had, and, yeah, he should have known she was throwing shade. He grinned, sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s been a long damn day.”
“You’ve got that right. How’s she doing?”
“Great. The doc said she can go home. I’m going to the parking garage to get the truck and bring it around. Would you push her wheelchair to the exit when she’s ready and wait with her and Isaiah?”
“You know I will.” Kellie stared at him for a second before a smile broke over her face. “How are you doing?”
He could read her take on the situation in the folding of her arms across her chest and…damn it…he’d never been able to lie to her. “I don’t really know, but there’s a good chance I’m losing my fucking mind.” He dragged his hand down his face, feeling the heavy whiskers he hadn’t had time to deal with.
Kellie’s smile broadened. “Why? Because you care about her and Isaiah? You know, Blake, the love of a good woman isn’t the worst thing that could happen.”
Love again? What’s with these women? Tori wasn’t thinking long term. She’d said as much. Blake groaned and raked his fingers through his hair. “Unless she’s not on the same page.”
“That’s what you think? Blake, you don’t have a damn thing to worry about. Tori is crazy about you.”
“How could you possibly know that?” He threw his hands up, not sure if he wanted her to be right or wrong.
“I just do. Have I ever steered you wrong before? Now go. Get the truck and take us home.” She one-armed him aside as she walked by on her way to find Tori.
Blake stared after her. Women! Always thinking they’re one up. She has no more idea than I do. How could she? He rubbed his chin whiskers with thumb and forefinger as Kellie disappeared inside the ER. On the other hand, Kellie was a smart girl. She could be right, couldn’t she? Remarkably, he didn’t see a single thing wrong with that. A smile slowly spread and refused to go away.
Well, I’ll be damned.
On the elevator ride down to the parking garage, Blake started whistling, the sound unfamiliar at first. How long had it been? Hell, he even had a bounce in his step.
Maybe he’d have a conversation with Tori, get everything out in the open. Could he talk her into staying in Cypress Point long enough to see if there was something between them worth pursuing? More concerning, could he change her mind about military men? If she had feelings for him like he did for her and the boy, surely she’d give them a chance. They just needed to spend some time, get to know each other. He could prove to her that he’d come to terms with his PTSD. He’d never hurt her or Isaiah.
Blake lifted the rose and breathed in its scent. He could learn to be romantic. Kellie would tease the hell out of him, but she’d help him if he asked.
The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. Blake turned right as Kellie had instructed when she’d told him where she’d parked. The truck should be eleven spaces this way, along the wall.
“Hey, buddy, got a light?”
Blake jerked around, not aware that anyone else was nearby. The man stood beside one of the parked cars, wearing Army fatigues and boots. An unruly beard covered his face. He held an unlit cigarette in his fingers, and his question made more sense.
“No. Sorry. I don’t smoke.”
“No problem.” The man walked on toward the elevator.
Blake turned to watch him. Damn! He’d been so caught up in his plans, he hadn’t been paying a bit of attention to his surroundings. Stupid rookie mistake. The man’s sudden appearance had jarred him. He knew better. Had taught young sailors to know better.
He clutched the rose and continued his path until he came to the white Tundra…right where Kellie had said it would be. Shrugging out of his backpack, he held it and the rose in one hand while he unlocked the driver’s door with the other.
It was only a small sound amid many others, but this one made the hair stand up on Blake’s neck. Familiar—like someone blowing through a water pipe. He froze, concentrating on where it had come from. Turning slowly, he scanned the garage. Nothing moved. Faint voices came from the far end, other people looking for their cars.
He’d swung three quarters of the way around when a sharp pain bit his neck. His hand came up to brush at the irritation and encountered something hard. He yanked it free. A dart?
His vision blurred as a fog blanketed his mind. He staggered forward, but his knees wouldn’t hold him. I have to get back to Tori. Falling, he flung out his hands to catch himself, but not in time. His cheek smacked the concrete floor alongside his backpack. The rose landed an instant later and rolled under his truck.
A car skidding to a stop…urgent voices coming closer…he’d been drugged…or poisoned…
Blackness swirled around him.
Chapter 22
Tori shot out of the wheelchair, frowning at the disapproving nurse who hovered nearby, daring any of the hospital staff who looked on with curious stares to say anything. She limped across the slab of concrete to the edge of the sidewalk and back. To say she was spoiling for a fight would not have been an exaggeration.
Nearly an hour and a half had passed. Any minute, Blake would wheel into the emergency entrance in his white Tundra. He’d flash his sexy grin, the one that made her weak in the knees. And then he’d take her and Isaiah home. That was what she’d told herself every few minutes, anyway. But he hadn’t appeared. Something is terribly wrong.
Kellie had shared Tori’s concern. She’d called MacGyver fifty-five minutes ago. He’d be here soon, with Travis, and anyone else they could spare from the house. They’d find Blake. They have to. And while they were at it, they could give Tori something to do before she lost her mind.
What’s taking them so long?
Forty-five minutes ago, hospital security had begun a methodical search of all four floors of the hospital, and two orderlies had accompanied Kellie to the parking garage at the request of the hospital administrator, Dr. Fallon. They’d found nothing unusual.
Maybe Blake had decided to run an errand. Maybe the truck had failed to start, and he’d gone to find jumper cables. Maybe he’d run into a friend and stopped for a beer. These and other ludicrous suppositions had been proposed by Dr. Fallon and swiftly rejected by Tori. Dr. Fallon had shrugged his aging shoulders and reluctantly got behind Kellie’s call to the Cypress Point PD.
Of course, Gary Addison would have to be the detective sent to investigate their missing person. The law enforcement officer stood with his back to the admittance desk, hands on hips, towering in Kellie’s face with whatever excuse he was currently spouting for not doing his job. Is it too much to ask for the detective to actually look for clues in Blake’s mysterious disappearance?
Kellie threw her hands in the air and spun around, hurrying toward Tori with a scowl darkening her green eyes. “Holy shit! Your friend is a piece of work. I finally convinced him to send some officers to search the parking garage in case we missed something. He said he’d take a look, but that’s all he can do until we file a missing person’s report…which he’ll then sit on for twenty-four hours before committing any resources.”
Tori gave the detective’s retreating back the evil eye before folding her arms over her chest. “He’s not my friend!” They knew each other, kids in the same class. Addison had been an ass that night too.
Kellie reached for her hand, worry creasing her brow. “Should you be standing?”
“Oh, please, not you too! I’ve been sitting in that chair for a solid hour, feeling helpless, and I can’t do it anymore.” Damn it! No. She would not sit there doing nothing while Blake was God only knew where.
“I’m sorry, Tori. If it’s any consolation, I know how you feel.”
It wasn’t. He said he’d be back in a flash. It wasn’t simply something he’d said and didn’t mean. Okay, so you had to be there and witness the way he’d looked at her. The promise in his eyes. Blake would have returned had he been able to. There wasn’t a single doubt in Tori’s mind. It’d been far too long. Where is he?
“Where’s Isaiah?” Kellie sounded slightly panicked as she halted beside her.
“One of the nurses offered to take him to the break room and find him an iPad. I’ll check on him in a little bit. He doesn’t understand what’s going on yet, and I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible.” Tori didn’t understand either, but her gut instinct was that Blake hadn’t returned to the ER because someone had prevented him from doing so. Paranoid much? Maybe so, but too many strange things had happened in the past few days. She was afraid for Blake deep in her bones, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do.
Detective Addison, flanked by two police officers, strode out of the ER and directly to where Kellie and Tori stood. He greeted Tori with a grim smile. “A preliminary search turned up nothing of interest. There’s no sign of a scuffle. No blood. Nobody down there heard or saw anything. I’m sorry, Tori, but there’s absolutely no reason to suspect foul play at this time.”
Hopelessness washed over Tori, followed immediately by a splash of like-hell determination. Beside her, Kellie gave a surprised squeak and pointed to something Addison was holding next to his leg. “What’s that, Detective?”
Addison held up a single red rose, the bloom drooping for want of water. “We found this under his Tundra. I doubt if Sorenson was much into flowers, so—”
“That’s Blake’s!” Kellie jabbed her finger into the detective’s chest. “He had it when he came to tell me Tori could go home.” Her glance swept Tori’s face. “He said it was for you.” Again, the finger stabbed Addison. “He wouldn’t have just dropped it. If Blake Sorenson left that garage under his own power, that rose would have gone with him.”
Tori stared at the rose, trying desperately to keep up. It’s for me? He wouldn’t have dropped it. If he left under his own power… The words replayed in her head like an old black-and-white film from the forties. A sob shook her, and she covered her face, but it was too late to stop the deluge now that the floodgates had opened. She spun around to run, but Kellie caught her and held on.
“Do your job, Detective.” Kellie hissed the words before helping Tori escape the spotlight she’d suddenly found herself in.
Inside the emergency room waiting area, Liz Peltier, the doctor who’d examined Tori, took pity and showed them to a small room beyond the bustle. It was sparsely but comfortably furnished with a conference table and six chairs. Best of all, it was quiet.
“You can stay here as long as you need to.” Dr. Peltier smiled sympathetically. “If you need anything, just ask one of the orderlies to find me.”
“Thanks, Dr. Peltier.” Tori collapsed on one of the chairs as the doctor softly closed the door behind her. Now that she had some privacy, the wretched tears wouldn’t come. She sensed Kellie studying her, probably wondering how long before her meltdown became permanent.
Tori flipped her hands up in frustration. “I’m sorry, Kellie. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not usually such a hot mess.”
“Are you kidding? You’re doing fine. We all have our moments where our men are concerned. Lord knows they give us enough to worry about.” Kellie dropped into a chair across from her.
Tori started to shake her head. “It’s not like that. Blake and I aren’t—”
“Don’t even go there, girl. I might have believed you before today, but something changed when Blake found you on that rock this morning. It’s written all over your face, and—don’t roll your eyes at me—this is a good thing.”
“You don’t understand. I don’t date men with military backgrounds,” Tori blurted.
