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towards me and I saw the red laser land in the centre of his chest.” Jessup shook his head. “He’s a goddamn television star. Why would someone equipped with a fucking laser sight try to kill him?” The more worked up he became, the harder it was to catch a decent breath.
    Priest held up his hands. “Calm down or you’ll have this place swimming with doctors and nurses.”
    “I’ll be in here for at least another three days. I need you to watch over Brac for me.” He reached out and put his hand on Priest’s arm. “ Brac hasn’t told me, but I think he’s scared. The sheriff and his partner have been taking shifts at the cabin, but I’d feel better if you were there.”
    He was probably crazy for putting Priest in the same room with Brac —after all, the man loved to fuck like a machine—but maybe putting the two of them together was the only way to prove to himself that Brac deserved his trust.
    Warning Priest off would only make it a challenge for his old friend, so Jessup kept his mouth shut.
    “What about the shooter? You want me to look for him?” Priest asked.
    “No. Brac’s my primary concern right now. Keeping him safe means everything. If the shooter discovers where he’s being housed, I’ve no doubt he’ll try again. I’m counting on you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
    Priest stood, dislodging Jessup’s hand and scratched the top of his bald head. Jessup stared at the lone dark finger that refused to bend. Priest had broken the finger in a remote area of Laos during one of his missions and had refused to abandon the job long enough to seek medical attention. At the time Priest’s only reply had been to thank God it hadn’t been his trigger finger.
    Jessup waited for Priest’s answer. He had no idea what his friend had been working on before he’d received the call, so the fact that he had come said volumes for his unspoken feelings for Jessup.
    Priest sighed. “Give the guy a call. Tell him what to expect so I don’t scare the shit out of him when I show up.”
    “I will.”
    After a nod, Priest started for the door. Before he made it out of the room, he turned back to Jessup. “Think he’d be willing to give me some inside information on that show he’s on?”
    “Was on. He just found out his contract won’t be renewed. Honestly, no, I wouldn’t bring it up.”
    “You’re fucking kidding me. He was the best thing on that show,” Priest said before throwing the heavy door open with ease and disappearing into the hall.
    It wasn’t until the door shut that Jessup realised Priest’s mistake. Jessup hadn’t mentioned Brac’s full name, so how did Priest know so much about him?
     
    * * * *
     
    Brac punched the hospital phone number into his new cell phone and prayed Jessup wasn’t resting. The phone rang four times before Jessup finally picked up.
    “Hello?”
    “It’s me. I didn’t wake you, did I?” Brac asked.
    “No. I’ve been trying to call you. Where’ve you been?”
    For some reason the irritation in Jessup’s voice warmed Brac’s heart. “Your phone ran out of juice and since I didn’t have the charger, I just had Rio pick me up a new cell when he went to Sheridan. If you have a paper and pen, I can give you the new number.”
    “Hang on.”
    Brac heard noise in the background as Jessup obviously searched for something to write on. An expletive sounded before Jessup got back on the phone. “I can’t reach a pen right now.”
    “Well don’t hurt yourself. I’ll call you back around dinner time. Have one of the nurses get you a pen before then.” Brac wandered out of the living room. He liked Rio and Ryan, but was tired of them shadowing him everywhere. “When’re you getting out?”
    “Three more days.” Jessup cleared his throat. “I tried calling earlier…”
    “I know, but like I told you, your phone is dead,” Brac said, cutting Jessup off.
    “Well, what I wanted to tell you was that Priest’s on his way to the