Read Online Lone Defender (Love Inspired Suspense) by Shirlee McCoy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shirlee McCoy
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mean?”
“Whatever works.”
“I don’t have to tell you that nothing will work, do I?”
“I’d appreciate the effort, anyway. If you can’t get her on the plane…I hate to ask, but—”
“I’ll keep an eye on her. Do what I can to help with the investigation.”
“I can pay you an hourly wage. Same rate I pay my part-time investigators. Just submit a bill once she’s back home.”
“No. And don’t insult me by offering again. I’ll keep you posted.” He disconnected before Kane could argue. They’d been friends since college, had supported each other through some tough times. He’d help because of that, and because he wasn’t going to walk away and leave Skylar to fight her battle alone.
A nurse looked up as he stepped off the elevator, offering a quizzical smile. “Can I help you?”
“I’m here to visit Skylar Grady.”
“I’m sorry. That won’t be possible. She can’t have visitors, yet. Maybe, tomorrow—”
“It’s going to have to be today. I just spent fifteen hours getting her out of the desert, and I want to make sure she’s okay.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened, and she smiled. “You’re the Shadow Wolf who finally managed to track her down.”
“I was a Shadow Wolf, ma’am. Now I’m a contractor.” Apparently news was traveling fast. He’d known when he’d handed Skylar to Tanner Morgan that it would. They’d been buddies in high school, had lost touch for a few years and reconnected when Jonas moved back to Arizona.
“Sorry.” She blushed. “Ms. Grady’s room is just down the hall to the left.”
“Thanks.” He strode down the corridor, nearly walking into Skylar as she stepped out of her room.
“Jonas! What are you doing here?”
“Coming to see you. Seems like I was almost too late.”
“Actually, you’re just in time. I need a ride back to Cave Creek.”
“You don’t really think I’m going to give you one, do you?” She was hooked up to an IV, and he slid the pole from her grasp, gently urging her back into the room.
“I was hoping.” She collapsed onto the bed, bare feet and legs sticking out from under a cotton hospital gown. Knicks and scratches covered both shins, and her feet were blistered and raw. Someone had braided her hair, pulling the wild mane of curls back to reveal sunburned cheeks and a bruised forehead.
“Tell you what, I’ll give you a ride to the airport. Get you on a plane to New York.” He grabbed a chair, settled into it.
“You don’t really think I’m going to let you do that, do you?” She threw back at him, closely mimicking his response to her request.
“I’d probably be disappointed if you did. Or think you were a lot sicker than you look.”
“I look like a train wreck, and this isn’t doing anything to improve things.” She plucked at the neck of her hospital gown, her fingers brushing the arrowhead he’d given her.
“I see you still have this.” He touched the cool stone, then her cheek, feeling for a fever. Warm. Not hot. Smooth and silky despite the sunburn and scratches. He had the urge to linger there, let his fingers explore the sharp angle of her cheekbone, the gentle curve of her jaw. Surprised, he dropped his hand away.
“They tried to take it from me in the emergency room, but I told the nurse if she reached for it again, I’d take her arm off.”
“Nice.”
“I wasn’t in the best frame of mind. What with you ditching me and heading back into the desert alone and all. I figured if you died, your family might want this, and I didn’twant the hospital to lose it. Since you’re here—” She started to drag it over her head, but he stopped her.
“Do you always try to return gifts?”
“It wasn’t a gift. It was an award. Something given in jest.”
“I don’t give anything in jest, Grady.”
“Then, thank you. It’s beautiful. I couldn’t see it last night, but your grandfather was quite an artisan.” She let the arrowhead fall, her fingers twirling one of
“Whatever works.”
“I don’t have to tell you that nothing will work, do I?”
“I’d appreciate the effort, anyway. If you can’t get her on the plane…I hate to ask, but—”
“I’ll keep an eye on her. Do what I can to help with the investigation.”
“I can pay you an hourly wage. Same rate I pay my part-time investigators. Just submit a bill once she’s back home.”
“No. And don’t insult me by offering again. I’ll keep you posted.” He disconnected before Kane could argue. They’d been friends since college, had supported each other through some tough times. He’d help because of that, and because he wasn’t going to walk away and leave Skylar to fight her battle alone.
A nurse looked up as he stepped off the elevator, offering a quizzical smile. “Can I help you?”
“I’m here to visit Skylar Grady.”
“I’m sorry. That won’t be possible. She can’t have visitors, yet. Maybe, tomorrow—”
“It’s going to have to be today. I just spent fifteen hours getting her out of the desert, and I want to make sure she’s okay.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened, and she smiled. “You’re the Shadow Wolf who finally managed to track her down.”
“I was a Shadow Wolf, ma’am. Now I’m a contractor.” Apparently news was traveling fast. He’d known when he’d handed Skylar to Tanner Morgan that it would. They’d been buddies in high school, had lost touch for a few years and reconnected when Jonas moved back to Arizona.
“Sorry.” She blushed. “Ms. Grady’s room is just down the hall to the left.”
“Thanks.” He strode down the corridor, nearly walking into Skylar as she stepped out of her room.
“Jonas! What are you doing here?”
“Coming to see you. Seems like I was almost too late.”
“Actually, you’re just in time. I need a ride back to Cave Creek.”
“You don’t really think I’m going to give you one, do you?” She was hooked up to an IV, and he slid the pole from her grasp, gently urging her back into the room.
“I was hoping.” She collapsed onto the bed, bare feet and legs sticking out from under a cotton hospital gown. Knicks and scratches covered both shins, and her feet were blistered and raw. Someone had braided her hair, pulling the wild mane of curls back to reveal sunburned cheeks and a bruised forehead.
“Tell you what, I’ll give you a ride to the airport. Get you on a plane to New York.” He grabbed a chair, settled into it.
“You don’t really think I’m going to let you do that, do you?” She threw back at him, closely mimicking his response to her request.
“I’d probably be disappointed if you did. Or think you were a lot sicker than you look.”
“I look like a train wreck, and this isn’t doing anything to improve things.” She plucked at the neck of her hospital gown, her fingers brushing the arrowhead he’d given her.
“I see you still have this.” He touched the cool stone, then her cheek, feeling for a fever. Warm. Not hot. Smooth and silky despite the sunburn and scratches. He had the urge to linger there, let his fingers explore the sharp angle of her cheekbone, the gentle curve of her jaw. Surprised, he dropped his hand away.
“They tried to take it from me in the emergency room, but I told the nurse if she reached for it again, I’d take her arm off.”
“Nice.”
“I wasn’t in the best frame of mind. What with you ditching me and heading back into the desert alone and all. I figured if you died, your family might want this, and I didn’twant the hospital to lose it. Since you’re here—” She started to drag it over her head, but he stopped her.
“Do you always try to return gifts?”
“It wasn’t a gift. It was an award. Something given in jest.”
“I don’t give anything in jest, Grady.”
“Then, thank you. It’s beautiful. I couldn’t see it last night, but your grandfather was quite an artisan.” She let the arrowhead fall, her fingers twirling one of
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