Page 1 of Code Trauma (Extreme Measures #1.5)

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N urse Practitioner Holly Cooper shut the door of her Honda CRV and clicked the remote to lock the car. She let her gaze roam the hospital parking lot while she turned her collar up against the biting wind.

Was he watching? She walked toward the entrance of the hospital, unable to stop herself from tossing another glance behind her. She’d been doing that a lot over the past two weeks.

Ever since the threats had started.

Notes on her windshield at work, her mailbox at home.

Even a note in her locker at work.

Leave and don’t come back.

You’re not wanted here.

Go away.

She shuddered and hunched her shoulders against another strong gust and the shiver that danced up her spine. She despised the fear that consumed her but couldn’t seem to do anything to stop it.

She’d reported the incidents to the sheriff, who was looking into them, but he’d come up empty so far. The same with hospital security.

Holly had closed all her social media accounts and tried to make sure she took precautions when it came to walking to her car before and after a shift.

But she was still scared.

You could call Andy , a little voice whispered.

No. She couldn’t. She shut off that line of thought and breathed a relieved sigh when she stepped safely through the automatic doors and into the hospital lobby.

Why would someone threaten her? Who had she angered?

The only person she could think of was Garrett Mann, the doctor who’d repeatedly asked her out and whom she’d consistently turned down. He was flirty and cute, true, but she’d seen the fallout of his relationships and wasn’t interested in being his next conquest. But more than that, while her current relationship was in a state of ... what? Limbo? Uncertainty?

Whatever the word, it didn’t change the fact she was in love with someone else. She’d told Garrett that, of course, but it didn’t seem to make a difference to him.

“Come on, Holly,” he’d cajoled just yesterday, “all this playing hard to get is just wasting time that could be better spent having fun. You know you want to go out with me.”

She’d rolled her eyes and walked on while she considered filing a harassment suit against him. Then again, if she went out with him once, he’d probably lose interest. Or she could encourage him to a DEFCON 1 level of annoyance.

Since that held absolutely no appeal, all she could do was pray that if she ignored him long enough, he’d leave her alone. If not, she’d talk to her boss and HR.

She reached the base locker room and pushed inside. Her locker was on the last row, and she scanned the room, noting part of the night shift crew, Carrie and Pam, getting ready to leave. Their presence helped calm her nerves. Slightly.

“Holly?”

She jumped and spun, her heart racing. Okay, maybe she needed more calming. She placed a hand over her thudding chest and shook her head at the woman who’d stepped up behind her. “Penny. You scared me.”

“No kidding. Are you all right?” The redheaded, gray-eyed, Penny Satterfield had been a close friend from the moment Holly had met her. Funny and smart, she had an openness about her that invited friendships and fun. And her skill as a medical helicopter pilot was legendary throughout the business.

“Yes.” Holly hesitated then sighed. “Actually, no.”

“What’s wrong?”

With a glance at the other ladies, she whispered, “Someone’s threatening me.”

Penny gaped then. “What do you mean? Threatening you how? Since when?”

“Shh!” Holly motioned to the far corner of the locker room. “Come back here. I’ve got about ten minutes before I need to clock in.”

Penny followed her, but it was busy right at shift change. “Hey, Holly, Penny. Good morning.” The greeting came from Sylvia Blackmon, one of the flight nurses who often picked up other shifts in the ER when she wasn’t working on the chopper.

“Morning, Sylvia,” Holly said while Penny waved.

Once the woman had slipped out of the room, Holly opened her locker and Penny leaned against the one next to it.

“Who’s threatening you?” her friend whispered.

“I don’t know. If I knew that, I wouldn’t be so stinkin’ jumpy.”

“Tell me more.”

Holly glanced around. No one was paying them any attention. “It started a couple of weeks ago. Someone on my social media page sent me a private message telling me to leave town or else. I didn’t recognize the name, and when I clicked on the profile the person had no friends or even a picture. I think it was a bogus account set up to specifically target me. The sheriff thinks so, too. He tried to track it, but the IP address ended up being from a local coffee shop that tons of people use every day, so there was no way to trace it.”

“You’ve been to the sheriff. That’s good, because all of that is so weird. And scary.”

“Tell me about it.” Holly quickly locked up her personal items and headed to the computer so she could clock in.

“I wondered why you hadn’t posted anything lately,” Penny said, following her. “What are you going to do?”

“I mean, what can I do?” Holly shrugged. “The sheriff knows.” She paused. “Then again, I’m not so sure how hard he’s working on it. He’s retiring in a couple of months, and right now, there’s no one stepping up to take his place.”

“Have you called Andy?”

Andy. Holly could no more stop the skip of her heart any more than she could will it to stop beating. She and Detective Andy McKittrick had reconnected from their elementary school days and had been seeing one another on the weekends. She thought he might have been close to asking her to marry him, but then two months ago, his partner had been killed in a nightclub shooting.

Their romance had come to a screeching halt, and no matter what she did, she couldn’t seem to reach that place inside him where he’d gone to deal with the trauma. “No. I can’t call him right now.”

“What? He’s practically your fiancé. I can’t believe you haven’t told him about this.”

Holly groaned. “It’s complicated.” She hadn’t told anyone Andy had basically ghosted her. When the subject came up or when someone asked where he was, Holly just said they were taking some time to make sure their relationship was what they both wanted.

“Complicated or not, he’ll want to know—and being a police detective, he’ll know what to do, too.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“He’s asked me for space, Penny. I promised to give it to him.”

Penny’s eyes went wide. “Wait a minute. He asked you for space?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

“Right.” Holly swallowed the sudden tightness in her throat. How she missed him.

“I still think you should tell him.”

“No. I want to, but no. He’s dealing with the death of his partner, and I don’t want to ... infringe on that.”

But Penny was shaking her head. “I think you’re making a mistake.”

“Sometimes I think I am, too, but for now, I’m going to honor his request.”

Her friend frowned. “Just how much space does he need? Is there more to this than just him trying to work through the death of his partner?”

“Yes,” she said, working to keep the tears at bay, “there’s more.”

“And you didn’t think that was important enough to share?”

“I didn’t want to talk about it, to be honest, so I’ve just kind of avoided the topic, but things are up in the air at the moment with Andy and me, and I’m not sure when—or even if—we will work things out.”

Penny’s eyes were wide. “Wow, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. I’m a lousy friend that I didn’t see this.”

Holly smiled. “You’re not a lousy friend. I’m the lousy friend for not telling you.” The smile faded and she drew in a deep breath. “But, now you know. And it is what it is for now.”

“I could always ask Holt to look into it.”

“Penny, this is not a case for the FBI.” And while Penny’s husband, FBI Special Agent Holton Satterfield, would come to her aid if asked, Holly just couldn’t bring herself to believe she needed that much help.

“Is he at least getting therapy?” Penny’s question jolted her out of her thoughts.

“Yes.” At least he was. She wasn’t sure if he was still going. She glanced at the time. “I’ll be over to base shortly. I promised I’d stop by the ER and check on a friend.”

“Who?”

“An older gentleman I go to church with.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go. See you for lunch if you’re around?”

“Sure.”

Holly hugged her well-meaning friend and hurried off to clock in. She said a silent prayer for the man she loved and asked for wisdom.

And protection. For both of them.

* * *

You’re an idiot. We all love you and think you’re an amazing man, but you’re definitely an idiot.

Andy pushed his half-eaten biscuit away from him and frowned when he read the text from Penny, one of Holly’s best friends. He’d thought she was his friend, too. But if it came down to a choice between him and Holly, Holly would win every time. Not that Penny should be made to choose.

Why is that?

You’re going to lose her. If someone doesn’t kill her first.

He sat up on the sofa.

What are you talking about?!

Someone’s threatening Holly so you’d better do something. Fast.

The breath left his lungs. He rose to pace the length of the kitchen before making his way into the den, where he dropped to the sofa to stare at the screen as though the words might change into something else.

They didn’t.

“What’s going on?” His brother, Jacob, walked into the den to frown at him.

“Something about someone threatening Holly.”

“What?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Oh, right, because you refuse to talk to her or let her be with you at the worst time of your life like the woman you plan to marry should be.”

Andy scowled. “Shut up.”

Jacob planted his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Whatever, man.”

Andy ignored him. Like most younger brothers, Jacob could be annoying—even if his intentions were good. Andy dialed Penny’s number and grimaced when it went to voice mail.

He tried Holly’s. Also voice mail. They’d both be working and probably had their phones on Do Not Disturb. Or they were just ignoring him.

“No answer?” Jacob asked.

“No.” He shook his head. “Holly’s being threatened, and she didn’t reach out.”

Jacob huffed. “Why would she? You basically told her to stay out of your life. I’m sure she took that to mean you were staying out of hers, too.”

Andy winced. He loved her, and he’d pushed her away. But he’d pushed her away because ... because he was a coward. He’d pushed her away before she could walk away. His therapist had nailed it when he’d stated that fact three sessions ago. Andy had been wrestling with it since then, trying to find the courage to face Holly and beg her forgiveness. “Jacob, I just...”

“What? You think because what’s-her-face walked out on you because you showed emotion in front of her that Holly’s going to do the same thing?”

Andy froze. Stared at Jacob and swallowed. Even his brother had figured that out? “No. Of course not,” he lied.

Jacob raised a brow, obviously seeing right through him.

Andy groaned.

“You need to go to her,” Jacob said. “Or you’re for real going to lose her. If you haven’t already.”

He let that sink in. Someone had threatened Holly. As a detective, he’d seen all kinds of things he wished he could wipe from his mind, the latest being the death of his partner. He rolled to his feet and paced to the window to look out. He wasn’t able to help his partner as the man lay dying on the asphalt outside the nightclub. What if he lost Holly, too?

He’d asked Holly for space, and she was giving it to him—and he was almost mad that she hadn’t stormed his apartment and demanded he let her be with him.

Add immature brat to idiot and coward. But, she needed him. Maybe. Regardless, it was time to stop thinking about himself and focus on Holly. If she’d even let him at this point.

“I’m going to her.”

“Good. I’ll help you pack.”

“I got it.” He packed an overnight bag and headed for his truck.

“You want me to come?” Jacob called from the doorway.

“No. You have a shift tonight. I’ll figure out what’s going on and text you.” Jacob worked for the local fire department.

“You better.” His brother stepped back and shut the door.

Once in the driver’s seat, Andy tried calling Holly again.

Still nothing. He backed out of his driveway, his adrenaline pumping.

He’d known Holly since fifth grade—and had vowed to himself that he was going to marry her the day he’d saved her from the playground bully. And then, just a few short weeks later, he and Jacob had been shipped to another foster home.

But he’d never forgotten Holly.

Reconnecting with her a year ago via social media had been an amazing thing, and he only wished he’d done it sooner. They’d dated and made the distance between them a minor inconvenience.

And then his partner, Chris, had died. Killed by a drunk with a gun. They’d responded to the scene of a bar fight because they’d been one street over. When they’d arrived, Chris had rushed through the door and taken a bullet to the head.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why hadn’t he waited?

But he hadn’t. His partner of six years had led the way into the building with Andy pulling up the rear.

Now, Andy sped down the highway toward Asheville, located about an hour away from his home in Spruce Pine. He was thankful for the flashing light on his dash, which made it possible for him to cross the Asheville city limit in just under forty-five minutes.

Now to find Holly.