need blood drawn for a tox screen,” Kade reminded Dr. Mickelson.
“Will do. Any possibility there’s something going on other than drugs?” the doctor asked. “Maybe an infection or something?”
Kade could only shake his head. “I’m not sure. She’s been held captive for months. I have no idea what all they did to her. And neither does she.”
“I’ll run a couple of tests,” Dr. Michelson assured him, and he motioned for Kade to wait outside.
That made sense, of course, because Dr. Mickelson would want to check Bree’s C-section incision. Maybe other parts of her, too. Kade didn’t want to be there for that, especially since Bree had already had her privacy violated in every way possible.
Kade eased the bedroom door shut, leaned against the wall. And waited. It didn’t take long for the bad thoughts to fly right at him.
What the devil was he going to do?
McClendon’s visit was a hard reminder that he hadn’t left the danger at the motel in San Antonio. It could and maybe would follow them here to the ranch, the one place he considered safe.
He couldn’t bear the thought of his baby girl being in harm’s way, though she had been from the moment of her conception. What a heck of a way to start her life. But there was a silver lining in all of this. Leah was too young to know anything about her beginnings. She knew nothing of the danger.
Nothing of a mother who wasn’t totally acting like a mother.
Yeah. That was unfair, and it caused Kade to wince a little. Bree needed to get her footing, and when she did…
Kade’s thoughts went in a really bad direction.
When Bree got that inevitable footing, what if she wanted full custody of Leah? Until now, Kade hadn’t thought beyond the next step of his investigation—and that step was to find Bree. Well, he’d found her all right.
Now what?
It sent a jab of fear through him to even consider it, but could he lose custody of his baby?
He shook his head. That couldn’t happen. He wouldn’t let it happen. Besides, Bree was a Jane and by her own admission not motherhood material. She worked impossible hours on assignments that sometimes lasted months. Then there was that whole confession about her being raised in foster care and never having planned to be a mother.
But Kade hadn’t thought he was ready to be a father until he had seen Leah’s face. Just the sight of her had caused something to switch in his head, and in that moment Leah became the most important person in his life.
He would die to protect his little girl. But his best chance of protecting Leah was to stay alive. And keep Bree alive, as well. There were probably some much-needed answers trapped in Bree’s drug-hazed memories, and this exam by the doctor was the first step in retrieving those memories.
Kade’s phone buzzed, and he saw on the screen that the call was from Mason. Mercy, he hoped nothing else had gone wrong. He’d had his gone wrong quota filled for the day.
“I’ve got news,” Mason answered. As usual, there was no hint of emotion in his brother’s voice. Mason definitely wasn’t the sort of man to overreact, even when all hell was breaking loose. “I just got off the phone with Nate.”
Kade breathed a little easier. Well, at first. Nate was handling the situation at the Treetop Motel in San Antonio where the gunman had tried to kill Bree and him. “Please tell me nothing’s wrong,” Kade commented.
“Not that I know of. But then all I got was a thirty-second update. Nate wanted me to tell you that he has his CSI folks out at the motel. They’re going through the room where Bree was. His detectives also plan to comb the area to look for anyone who might have seen Bree come in.”
That was a good start. “Any chance of surveillance cameras?”
“Slim to none. That neighborhood isn’t big on that sort of thing.”
Probably because it was a haven for drug dealers, prostitutes and a whole host of illegal activity. Still, they might get lucky.
“Will do. Any possibility there’s something going on other than drugs?” the doctor asked. “Maybe an infection or something?”
Kade could only shake his head. “I’m not sure. She’s been held captive for months. I have no idea what all they did to her. And neither does she.”
“I’ll run a couple of tests,” Dr. Michelson assured him, and he motioned for Kade to wait outside.
That made sense, of course, because Dr. Mickelson would want to check Bree’s C-section incision. Maybe other parts of her, too. Kade didn’t want to be there for that, especially since Bree had already had her privacy violated in every way possible.
Kade eased the bedroom door shut, leaned against the wall. And waited. It didn’t take long for the bad thoughts to fly right at him.
What the devil was he going to do?
McClendon’s visit was a hard reminder that he hadn’t left the danger at the motel in San Antonio. It could and maybe would follow them here to the ranch, the one place he considered safe.
He couldn’t bear the thought of his baby girl being in harm’s way, though she had been from the moment of her conception. What a heck of a way to start her life. But there was a silver lining in all of this. Leah was too young to know anything about her beginnings. She knew nothing of the danger.
Nothing of a mother who wasn’t totally acting like a mother.
Yeah. That was unfair, and it caused Kade to wince a little. Bree needed to get her footing, and when she did…
Kade’s thoughts went in a really bad direction.
When Bree got that inevitable footing, what if she wanted full custody of Leah? Until now, Kade hadn’t thought beyond the next step of his investigation—and that step was to find Bree. Well, he’d found her all right.
Now what?
It sent a jab of fear through him to even consider it, but could he lose custody of his baby?
He shook his head. That couldn’t happen. He wouldn’t let it happen. Besides, Bree was a Jane and by her own admission not motherhood material. She worked impossible hours on assignments that sometimes lasted months. Then there was that whole confession about her being raised in foster care and never having planned to be a mother.
But Kade hadn’t thought he was ready to be a father until he had seen Leah’s face. Just the sight of her had caused something to switch in his head, and in that moment Leah became the most important person in his life.
He would die to protect his little girl. But his best chance of protecting Leah was to stay alive. And keep Bree alive, as well. There were probably some much-needed answers trapped in Bree’s drug-hazed memories, and this exam by the doctor was the first step in retrieving those memories.
Kade’s phone buzzed, and he saw on the screen that the call was from Mason. Mercy, he hoped nothing else had gone wrong. He’d had his gone wrong quota filled for the day.
“I’ve got news,” Mason answered. As usual, there was no hint of emotion in his brother’s voice. Mason definitely wasn’t the sort of man to overreact, even when all hell was breaking loose. “I just got off the phone with Nate.”
Kade breathed a little easier. Well, at first. Nate was handling the situation at the Treetop Motel in San Antonio where the gunman had tried to kill Bree and him. “Please tell me nothing’s wrong,” Kade commented.
“Not that I know of. But then all I got was a thirty-second update. Nate wanted me to tell you that he has his CSI folks out at the motel. They’re going through the room where Bree was. His detectives also plan to comb the area to look for anyone who might have seen Bree come in.”
That was a good start. “Any chance of surveillance cameras?”
“Slim to none. That neighborhood isn’t big on that sort of thing.”
Probably because it was a haven for drug dealers, prostitutes and a whole host of illegal activity. Still, they might get lucky.
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