Page 15

He blinked, jolted straight out of his thoughts. Belatedly, he realized she’d been calling his name.
“Are you okay?” Her brows furrowed. “You look upset.”
“I’m fine.” His tone was gruff, but he was irritated to have lost focus. And he absolutely did not want to talk about his failed marriage or the reason his throat had thickened with tears. “Ready to go?”
“Yep.” She held out her hands. “I’ll take Owen.”
“I’ve got him.” Daniel might not want to talk about the baby he’d lost, but he wasn’t ready to relinquish the one in his arms just yet. Owen’s head was still nestled against his chest, his fingers absently playing with the buttons on Daniel’s shirt. He wanted to savor the feeling a bit longer.
“Uh-oh,” Ellie teased as they exited the doctor’s office into the hallway. “You’ve fallen victim.”
“Excuse me?”
“That little guy has just about everyone in Silver Creek wrapped around his finger. You should see how the ladies of the sewing circle fight over him. I have to practically wrestle him away from them in order to take him home.” Her lips curled into a soft smile. “Seems like Owen worked his magic on you too. Like I said, another victim.”
Daniel slanted a glance her way. “What happens when he screams like he did during the exam? I’m sure the ladies of the sewing circle are happy to give him back when he gets grumpy.”
She laughed. “You’d think so, but nope. They just rush to do his bidding. He's going to be spoiled rotten if I don't find a way to…” Her voice trailed off as a pained look crossed her face. “Never mind.”
“No, finish the thought.”
Ellie stayed quiet. And suddenly, Daniel understood exactly what she was waiting for. He halted midstep, drawing her to a stop beside him. “You called for an extraction, didn’t you? For you and Owen.”
“How did?—”
“I saw the cell phone.” His mind whirled. The cell phone was still in the bag. The same bag slung over his shoulder. “Who did you call, Ellie?” His gaze fixed on her intently, his tone demanding. “Who?”
The elevator dinged and then swooshed open. The movement caught Daniel’s attention. Two men exited wearing scrubs. His pulse spiked as he noticed their medical masks and dirty boots. Not doctors. Not nurses.
“We have to move.” Daniel wrapped an arm around Ellie’s shoulders and turned her away from the men. His voice was pitched low to keep it from carrying as they traversed the long hallway. “The stairwell. Hurry.”
With luck, they’d escape before the men spotted them.
To her credit, Ellie didn’t ask questions. Her complexion pale, her steps quick, she kept pace alongside him. A family spilled out of a nearby doctor’s office, their loud voices reverberating down the hall. Daniel kept going. The weight of Owen in his arms added pressure to the moment. It also complicated things. He couldn’t pull his weapon.
Five more steps and they’d be at the stairwell. Ellie lengthened her stride and reached the door first. She yanked it open. Daniel risked one glance back.
And made direct eye contact with one of the masked men as he pulled a small handgun from the pocket of his scrubs.
“Run!” Daniel ducked into the stairwell and raced down the first flight of stairs behind Ellie. Her braid flew behind her as she bounded down the stairs.
Feet pounded above them. The attackers were coming.
Adrenaline surged through Daniel as he kept pace with Ellie. The diaper bag bounced against his back and Owen, jostled by their sudden dash down several flights of stairs, wailed. His screams covered the sound of the approaching men, but Daniel knew there wasn’t a moment to waste. Chest heaving, he burst onto the ground floor of the hospital. The stairwell opened into the ER lobby.
“Which way?” Ellie gasped.
It was a good question. They needed to escape, but there was no way of knowing if another set of attackers waited at the car. He considered their options in half a heartbeat. “Into the emergency room.”
Ellie didn’t hesitate. She pivoted on her heel and raced ahead. Owen’s screams attracted attention, and Daniel wanted to comfort him, but there was no time. The stairwell door crashed open behind him. Gasps followed as the men spilled into the waiting room. Daniel didn’t waste time looking back.
Please, Lord, let this plan work.
Clutching Owen to his chest, Daniel pushed through the swinging doors into the emergency wing. A security guard had already stopped Ellie, and another moved to intercept him. Daniel shifted Owen to reveal the ranger badge pinned to his chest. “I’m law enforcement. She’s with me. Two men dressed in scrubs and masks are chasing us. They have guns.”
Before either security guard could ask more questions, Daniel grabbed Ellie’s hand and pulled her farther into the emergency room. They weaved around doctors and patients crowding the hallways. He turned a corner and found a break room. Ducking inside, he acted quickly, handing Owen over to Ellie and then removing the burner phone from the diaper bag, along with her personal one. “Give me your smart watch.”
All the devices could be used to track them. Daniel suspected that whoever Ellie had called for rescue was not a friend to her.