Page 77 of Fighting Fire

She reached out and caressed his face and his eyes fluttered open. He was instantly awake and on his feet.

“How do you feel?” He put up his hand. “Wait, don’t answer that. Your throat is going to be very raw and very sore for a while.”

Her head throbbed and she reached up to touch her forehead.

“That’s where Pete must have hit you.”

“What happened to him? He fell.” Her voice was a raspy croak.

“He’s dead.”

“Oh.”

“He almost killed you.”

“I know, but it doesn’t stop me feeling sorry for him.”

“Lana, you are too generous.”

“Maybe,” she said.

“No doubt about it,” he said and buried his face in her hair.

She was feeling the effects of the sedative in her system as she drifted closer to sleep.

As she floated, losing her grip on consciousness, she heard Sean say, “It’s one of the reasons why I love you so much.”

* * *

Lana was waiting patiently in bed for her father’s arrival. He was bringing her clothes to her. She was being released today. “Come in.”

Sienna and Dane Bryant’s boss, Lieutenant Jason Wright, came into the room.

Sienna hugged Lana. “It’s good to see you looking so good, but are you sure you’re ready to leave?”

“I’ve gotten a clean bill of health but have to stay home another week before they’ll clear me for duty.” She turned to Jason. “It’s a surprise to see you here, Lieutenant Wright.”

“I heard about your investigating skills, Lieutenant Dempsey, and I wanted to offer you a job. I have a vacancy, as you know.”

Lana chuckled. “I heard that and I’m the one for the job. Thank you.”

“Bryant took a deal. He pled guilty in exchange for giving up Morrison. Dane’s sentencing is next week. I’ve got a feeling he won’t be getting out for a long time. The grand jury has also indicted William Morrison. With Dane’s testimony and Jericho’s prosecution, I think Mr. Morrison will also become a guest of the state,” Wright explained.

There was another knock on the door and Lana’s father came into the room.

“Thanks for bringing me clothes, Dad, and the other things I needed.” She was eager to get out of the hospital to confront Sean about what she thought she’d heard him say. He hadn’t been back to see her and she missed him.

“We should get going, Lana,” Sienna said as she and Lieutenant Wright said their goodbyes and left.

While she was getting dressed, she thought long and hard about what she was going to say to Sean. But before she made peace with him, she had to do so with her father.

When she came out of the bathroom, she said, “I need to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“The rest of my life.”

“I was wondering when we were going to get around to this.”