Read Online Christmas Cover-Up by Lynette Eason - Free Book Online Page B

records at the office. He found your home insurance number and they’ll be out there first thing Monday morning.”
    For some silly reason, Katie felt tears fill her eyes. She blinked them back. “Thanks. And Mariah?”
    “I’ve filled her in,” Erica said. “She said she’d be by to see you soon.”
    “And these are for you.” Jordan reached behind him and picked up a large vase that held a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. “Oh, my,” she breathed. “Who are those from?”
    Jordan shuffled his feet and she thought she saw a red tint creep into his cheeks. “Me. I thought they’d brighten things up around here.”
    Her heart skittered, skipped a beat then pounded into overdrive. “They’re beautiful. Thank you so much.”
    He shrugged and ducked his head in a gesture of shyness that touched her. And made her appreciate the gesture all the more because she could tell he was uncomfortable.
    Erica cleared her throat and held up Katie’s purse. “Your partner found this in the den and brought it for you. It was a little waterlogged, but I think it might survive.” She placed another bag on the bed beside Katie. “And these are some clothes for when you leave. I don’t think you want anything to do with your wardrobe right now.”
    “Thank you. That’s helpful.”
    Katie moved and winced at the fire racing through her shoulder. “He shot at me. Feels like he hit me. How bad is it?”
    “Not bad at all.” The voice from the door dragged her attention from her visitors. A tall woman with dark skin and even darker eyes approached the bed.
    She held out a hand and Katie shook it. “I’m Dr. Sterling.” She opened the chart. “You’ve got a nice wound, and it’ll take a while to heal. You’ve also got about sixteen stitches. We’ve got you on an antibiotic drip and have treated you for smoke inhalation. That handy little device next to you is a morphine pump for the pain, but we’ll give you a prescription you can take at home if you need it. You should be good to go first thing in the morning.”
    Katie blinked. She’d escaped relatively unscathed. Thank You, Lord . Exhaustion swamped her. All she wanted to do was sleep. “No more narcotics,” she whispered. “What time is it?”
    Jordan glanced at his watch. “Eight forty-five.”
    “Thursday morning?”
    “Yes.”
    She gasped. “My parents. They’ll be worried that I haven’t shown up or called or—” She struggled to sit up but Jordan placed a hand on her arm with a glance at the doctor.
    “Erica called them.”
    “Oh.” She lay back against the pillow as reality sank in. Her parents knew she was hurt and in the hospital, but they weren’t here. Hurt seared her. She would have thought her father would come by even if her mother refused. Then again, maybe it was better if he didn’t.
    Katie swallowed hard and wondered if she’d ever get to the point where she could just accept her mother’s rejection and get on with her life. Maybe. Maybe she would just have to let God’s love be enough. But she wasn’t sure she knew how to do that.
    Even though the pain of her parents’ absence swirled within, her eyelids drooped. Dr. Sterling smiled. “Get some rest. I’ll check back with you in a few hours.”
    Erica patted her hand as the door closed. “Why don’t you listen to your doctor and get some rest? I’m going to sit here for a while.”
    “And I’m going to be around,” Jordan said.
    “What are you doing here? How did you know to show up last night?”
    “I couldn’t sleep.”
    “So you thought you’d come watch my house?”
    “You need a bodyguard.”
    She forced herself to focus on him. “And you’re taking on that job?” she rasped.
    His eyes narrowed, then his face softened. “Can’t think of any other job I’d rather do right now.”
    Katie wanted to respond, but let the drugs and fatigue take over. She felt a smile curve her lips before the darkness crept in.
    She opened her eyes at the sound of the knock on