Page 56 of Ace (The Deuces Wild #4)

Her head bobbed as she straightened his blankets.

“Oh yes, sir. You arrived here with one of the rarest strains of avian flu in the world, and China’s on the top of our avian flu watch list. Let me tell you,” she said through a chuckle, “you had every scientist and pulmonary specialist from here to Georgia jumping. I’ve never seen so many CDC doctors and investigators descend on our hospital at one time.

But they sure did, and they all came to see you.

” She said that with pride in her voice. “Only you showed them. ”

Keller held his breath. Avian flu? CDC, as in the Center for Disease Control? Holy Christ, what happened while he’d been sleeping? When one of the many machines at his bedside beeped an alarm, his talkative nurse turned her attention to that. He had to ask, “I showed them?”

“Yes, Mr. Boniface, you certainly did,” she said softly as she quieted the alarm and turned her sharp gray eyes back on him.

“It took all those doctors the entire first morning just to agree which super antibiotic to give you. But by then, the antibodies in your system were already fighting the infection. Your doctor decided which antibiotic to use, and then he intubated you to help you breathe. You’d lost a lot of blood by then, and you were nearly on your deathbed.

I dare say he’ll be in to see you by and by.

Doctor Singh’s from India. You’ll like him. ”

Keller’s nurse looked up as the door opened. “Ah, here she is. The pretty woman of your dreams. I’ll leave you to get reacquainted then.” On her way out, she stage-whispered to Savannah, “He’s all yours.”

How Keller wished. But Savannah stayed at the closed door dressed in jeans and a pale-yellow button up blouse. Her exotic complexion was somehow pale, and her slender fingers trembled. She was frightened? Of who? He opened his arm to her, needing her body next to him.

She came to him easily, out of breath as she took hold of his hand instead of letting him wrap his arm around her. Probably just as well with all the wires and tubes in his way. “You’re shaking,” he murmured, his voice more wimpy whisper than manly baritone.

“They’re moving you,” she said, her eyes not yet settled on him.

Keller resorted to their private channel. ‘Talk to me, Savannah. What’s going on?’

She shook her head, still not making eye contact. ‘Later, okay?’

‘No. You’re scared now. Tell me.’

She looked around as if someone might be hiding in the corner.

‘I’m not scared. Just worried. I thought I could locate Rudy John.

I thought I could help your team track him.

I said all the prayers. I blessed myself, b-b-but…

’ Her throat convulsed as if she couldn’t swallow.

It took a full minute before she said, ‘I have to go to Sanctuary.’

‘No,’ he declared with certainty.

‘Yes, I have to. Only—’

Keller wanted to scream. Instead he growled, ‘I’ll kill him! He’s not worth saving. Did he touch you?’

She shook her head again. ‘This is not about RJ. You have to trust me.’

Another orderly interrupted with a cheery, “Time to move,” as he began piling the throwaway patient supplies onto the bed.

But Keller wasn’t about to let Savannah go. ‘How long have I been out?’

‘The longest two and a half days of my life. Tate Higgins came by earlier. Your boss sent him to help track RJ, but he stopped by to see you first.’ Savannah stepped out in the hall, trailing the bed .

‘Tate was here?’ Keller couldn’t see her, but for once, his gift kept them securely linked.

Man, he’d been a fool, refusing to explore what that unique mental ability offered.

Like telepathic communication. Like camaraderie and finally belonging.

Like working with, instead of against, an arrogant, egotistical boss who wasn’t afraid to man the helm of the brilliant Deuces Wild team, even though it most likely meant political suicide for Tucker.

Like feeling Savannah’s love when she was out of sight.

That he’d called Tate proved Tucker’s innate ability to lead.

Tate Higgins was one hell of a tracker. Yet except for his obvious Marine swagger and his innate ability with animals, Keller didn’t know much else about his fellow agent.

Tate wasn’t usually in the DC office. For whatever reason, Tucker kept him embedded inside California’s beleaguered border patrol.

To Keller’s shame, he didn’t know much about Tate because he’d never asked.

Not once. All this time, he’d been a stuck-up pain in the ass, keeping himself removed and remote from coworkers and second chances.

It was time to man up. Still mainlining those two IVs, he waved Savannah back to his side.

‘How’d I get here? I know I’m in intensive care, but where? Which state? Which hospital?’

She gave his free hand a squeeze. ‘You’re still in Florida, at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville.

Mr. Chase and an ambulance brought you here the night he found you near a barn south of Fontenette’s stables.

We don’t know for sure, but your boss thinks RJ stashed you where Fontenette was already keeping Sand Dollar.

RJ’s the one behind the avian flu you contracted.

He was going to let you bleed out. Then when someone eventually discovered your body, they’d contract the flu and it would spread.

Don’t worry, Sand Dollar and the rest of Fontenette’s horses are in FBI custody.

They’re safe and under the care of a team of veterinarians.

They aren’t sick and Fontenette’s in jail. ’

‘And John?’

By then the orderly had wheeled them onto an elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor.

Keller squeezed Savannah’s slender hand, so damned thankful he had this particular woman at his side.

I love her, he admitted to himself. But I don’t deserve her.

I never will. But I’m still going to spend the rest of my life trying to measure up to whatever she sees in me. I can do that. I will do that.

She stared at the floor indicator over the elevator door, her lower lip quivering. Damn that rat bastard RJ for hurting her. I’ll kill him. I will!

It wasn’t until Keller was settled in a private room and after the orderly left, that Savannah let her guard down.

Finally, she settled at his side, her hand in his, and the love shining in her sad, chocolate eyes killing him softly.

How had he ever gotten this kind of lucky that she cared enough to stay? He honestly didn’t know.

“Talk to me, baby,” he breathed out loud.

She gulped, then said, “I heard a voice, but it wasn’t RJ. He’s not the warlock.”

“Then who is?”

“I’ m not sure. This voice was... peculiar. Not male or female. Just—old.”

Was she holding something back? “Then who?”

“Keller, I don’t know. The only thing I’m certain is I need to go to Sanctuary or this person will kill my animals.”

“Bullshit!” Keller hissed, immediately regretting forceful verbal communication. It hurt! He switched back to telepathy. ‘That isn’t going to happen, baby. I can’t let you go alone to Sanctuary.’

A sad smile tugged the corners of her mouth . ‘And how are you going to stop me? I have to go. It’s the only way. Only—”

‘Only what?’ She needed to spit it out.

‘RJ always considered himself better than everyone else. He’s one of those people who demeans or minimizes others to make themselves look smarter and better.’

Keller nodded. He knew people like RJ. A certain witch in Turkey Creek sprang to mind.

Savannah paused as if searching for what to say next. ‘But he’s smart, not wise. He might think he’s clever, but he isn’t. Not really. Gran Mere told me to watch out for the warlock, but I think she might’ve been wrong. I know who the rose is, but I believe the warlock is really a witch.’

‘What’s the difference?’

‘A warlock is male, a witch, female.’

‘Who’s the rose? ’

‘It’s you,’ she said with a tender smile. ‘I saw you in the bayou that night. You were at home there, weren’t you?’

He shrugged. ‘Well, yeah. Life’s simple there. It’s easy. Uncomplicated. That doesn’t make me a flower.’

‘But you wouldn’t mind getting lost there, living off catfish and gators.’ That same smile reeled him in.

‘I could, yes.’

‘Which makes you as rare as those roses only Gran Mere knew about. Don’t you see? She knew you were coming. She meant for me to look for you, not some flower.’

That… Keller was going to have to think about. Rangers were not roses or pansies or—Jesus. His team had better not catch wind of this. He’d never hear the end of it.

‘I don’t know for certain,’ Savannah whispered, as if she thought someone were listening, ‘but I believe this witch is behind whatever RJ’s doing or plans to do. I saw your team’s threads turn to ash. She means to kill all of you. She is evil.’

Could it be? ‘You think this witch is... Elaine?’ That seemed a stretch. What did she have to do with Gran Mere?

Savannah nodded. ‘Yes. I believe your mother is the entity who commanded me to go to Sanctuary. I might be wrong, but I sense RJ’s already there. I think she’s using him. He’ll kill my animals if I don’t at least go talk to him.’

‘And I said no, damn it. Boss!’ Keller all but bellowed for the man he’d tried to ignore since he’d been swallowed up by the Deuces Wild team. ‘Damn it, Boss, can you hear me? I—’ Shit, This was hard to admit. ‘—I need you!’

‘Copy that,’ Tucker’s deep throaty affirmative came back instantaneously. ‘Whatzup, Kell?’

‘RJ. Is he at Sanctuary?’

‘Yes. Tate’s already there with Eden. They’ve got eyes on John. What’s the problem?’

‘Savannah just got a call… I mean, a psychic message from some witch.’ Who just might be my mother. Could he sound more hysterical? Closing his eyes, Keller summoned his inner Ranger and said, ‘Savannah believes RJ means to destroy her animals unless she shows. You have to stop him.’