Page 11 of Desperate Justice

The doctor came over and began his examination. At least Dr. Charles, unlike some of the jerk ER residents working the weekend shift, was courteous to nurses and didn’t act like God.

Elena began muttering in Spanish.

Her command of Spanish wasn’t as great as her coworkers, but she was fluent enough. Allison soothed her patient, trying to reassure her.

Don’t let her die.

What would Rafe do if that happened?

* * *

He hated waiting in a hospital emergency room. His family didn’t like it, either, but other than the usual bumps, bruises or accidents with kids, none of them experienced what he had.

Waiting to hear bad news.

Sofia, sitting with her court, who looked as traumatized as she did, came over and joined him in pacing. “Uncle Rafey, Tita has to be okay. Right? We can’t lose her.”

“Princesa, the nurses and doctors are doing all they can.”

“Like they did with you last year? We thought...” Tears glistened in her dark eyes. “We thought you were going to die in this hospital. Mama was even talking about funerals and burial plots.”

Inwardly he cursed his thoughtlessness. Here he was, remembering the agents he’d lost and his family had been here, waiting to hear if he lived or died. Guilt filled him. Oh yeah, this was a well-known emotion. When he focused on the job, he neglected his family.

When he focused on his family’s need, the job and his team took second place.

So where do I stand? I’ll think about that later. They need me now.

Rafe hugged Sofia. “I’m here. I’m a tough guy. Elena is tough as well. You come from stock that’s tempered as fine steel.”

He glanced at his cell phone as Sofia brushed away her tears and walked off. Nearly two hours. Not a word. It could mean anything...

His family milled about the waiting room. Elena was the glue holding them all together.

Rafe knew his grandmother never fully approved of his dad. She always worried something would happen to him, leaving her beloved Carmela a widow. And then the worst happened.

Small wonder I have commitment issues.

He looked at his niece, who was doing her best to try to hold it together.

The double doors swung open, but instead of a young, tired resident doctor, Allison hurried out. She spotted him and started toward him, but his family beat him there.

They formed a circle, anxious looks on their faces. Rafe knew instantly it would be okay. Allison was smiling.

Through the relieved shouts and exclamations, he could barely hear her. Broken sentences reached him, including, “going to keep her overnight,” “meds adjusted,” “less stress” and “a couple of you can see her for a few minutes.”

Relief made all his tensed muscles relax. He rubbed the back of his neck to ease the knot there. Allison looked at him.

“Headache?” she asked, amid the happy buzz of voices.

“Yeah. I’ll live.”

She looked him up and down. “Yeah, you will. Too bad.”

He blinked as she flashed him her sassy grin. Rafe rolled his eyes.

Allison gestured to Sofia. “Let me guess.Quinceañeraparty interrupted?”

He nodded. “My niece Sofia’s. No one will want to return to the hall. Most of the guests have left anyway.”