Page 21 of Fighting for Julia (Laguna Beach Cops #6)
Memories of that hot kiss he’d shared with Julia flooded his mind, and his body flooded with long pent-up desire.
How long had it been since he’d been with a woman?
He’d lost track. From the moment he’d met Julia only a few days ago, she’d awakened something in him he’d never thought he’d feel again—alive.
Alive with sexual appetite and alive with an even more powerful emotion—hope.
The kind of hope that made this mission riskier.
He’d already lost one woman he loved to an Anderson, and he did not want to lose another possible love to the vengeance of a pair of psychopaths, who happened to be Julia’s half-siblings.
Miguel finished eating and pushed aside the mobile tray. He used his cell phone to check in with Trey. “Hey, McAdams.”
“Miguel! Jesus, I’m relieved to hear your voice. How are you feeling?”
“Better. Stronger, I think. Any updates you can share?”
“The Andersons have disappeared. According to the authorities I’ve been in contact with, there haven’t been any sightings of them.
No one fitting their description has been treated at the hospitals, no break-ins at clinics of any kind.
That doesn’t rule out terrorizing private citizens, however.
Tex, and Beth Turner, down in Texas, are keeping track of reports of stolen vehicles. ”
“Yeah. I knew when they escaped from us at the safe house that they’d get spooked and go deeper off the grid.
” Miguel paused and drank some water. “Trey, I need you to work out a strategy to get us into Mexico. Julia knows border guards and I have relatives, but it’s not going to be enough.
I don’t think we can get to General Escobar before the Andersons do. ”
“I’m working on it with my father and uncle. You just concentrate on your recovery.”
“Speaking of, a physical therapist is here. Keep in touch, Trey.”
“Will do.”
The physical therapist, an Asian man in in his thirties, Miguel guessed, introduced himself and asked him to verify his birthdate. “Very good, Agent Rivera. Ready to get out of this bed?”
“Yes,” Miguel declared and threw back the light blanket and sheet. He swung his legs over the side of his bed and sat up.
“Any dizziness?”
“A little,” he confessed. Though he wanted to lie and reply that he felt fine, he also didn’t want to do or say anything that could jeopardize his recovery. He needed to be stable and on his feet in three days.
“Take a moment to acclimate yourself.”
The dizziness passed within a few moments, and Miguel nodded. “I’m good now.”
“All right. Inhale deeply, exhale, and stand up.”
Miguel wobbled, but the physical therapist steadied him. “Your IV pole will have to come with us.”
Miguel wrapped his hand around it and took a couple of tentative steps. He grimaced in pain. “God, it feels like I’ve torn my stitches.”
“Trust me, you haven’t. We’ll stroll down to the nurses’ station and back.”
By the time Miguel returned to his room and emptied his bladder, sweat ran down his face and pain made him nauseous. The physical therapist helped Miguel back into bed.
“I’ll tell your nurse to bring you something for the pain.”
“Thanks.” Miguel’s chest heaved from his exertion.
His nurse must have known he needed pain medication because she entered the room as the physical therapist left. “Here you go, Agent Rivera.”
Miguel swallowed the oxy and gasped, “No more oxy. I’ll take tramadol instead.”
“Dr. Solomon will have to order it. He’ll be here later this afternoon to make his rounds. I do have good news, though. Because your labs look great and your vitals are strong, he said you can be taken off the IV. Just drink plenty of water.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Miguel settled back against his pillow as the nurse removed the IV and covered the site with a cotton ball and paper tape. The oxy took effect, and he drifted into sleep.
The same nightmare prevented Miguel from sleeping peacefully.
It invaded his dreams repeatedly, playing like songs on cassette tapes that he and his siblings rewound over and over.
Each time, he found himself in the snowcapped mountains of central Mexico where he used to hike and camp with his relatives.
The dark green forest contrasted sharply with the gray crags of the mountains and their white caps.
A thick mist obscured his vision as he searched for Julia.
“Julia! Where are you?”
“I’m here, Miguel!” Her voice echoes through the disorienting mist.
“Where? I can’t see you!”
“Here. Here ? —”
A scream pierces the air. It bounces off the rocky face of the mountain.
“Julia!”
Miguel runs, blinded by the mist, stumbling, falling, driven forward and mad with fear.
He finds her. Her battered, bloodied body strapped to an altar stone.
Axis and Axalia stand over Julia. A large, serrated knife is in their hands, dripping with dark red blood.
They leer at him.
“You’re next, River. Welcome to our feast.”
Miguel screams. He tries to run. He’s frozen to the ground. Icicle chains bind his feet. He feels a sharp, burning pain as the knife plunges into his chest.
Miguel cries, “Julia!”
The knife slices him open, and everything goes dark.
The panic in his chest, his pounding heart, forced Miguel awake.
He could barely breathe. As he reached for a cup of water, his hand trembled.
Miguel gulped the water too fast and choked.
His coughing and gasping and moans of pain brought Julia quickly to his bedside from the bathroom.
He had no idea that she’d returned to the hospital.
“Miguel! Are you all right? Shall I summon a nurse?”
He waved away her concern. “I just choked on some water, that’s all. Coughing hurts.”
“Do you need pain medication?”
Miguel shook his head. “No. I’ll deal with the discomfort.
” He studied her appearance. There was a fresh glow about her.
She wore a pink I Heart Alabama T-shirt, a pair of light blue jeans, and a pink baseball cap.
Her dark hair hung down her back in her usual ponytail.
Julia’s natural beauty without makeup captivated him.
With makeup, she’d look like a movie star.
“You’re staring,” she said in a soft voice.
“I can’t help it. You’re beautiful.”
Julia blushed. Her modesty attracted him even more.
“Thanks. You’re?—”
“Not at my best. I need to take a shower and brush my teeth.”
Julia glanced around and found one of those plastic kidney-shaped containers kept in hospital rooms next to the sink. She held up a small tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush. “Voila!”
“Terrific.” Miguel began to push himself off the bed.
“Miguel!” she exclaimed in a sharp tone. “What are you doing?”
“Walking five steps to the sink. I can’t stay in that bed any longer. I’ve already walked down to the nurses’ station and back today.”
“All right.” Julia stood near him in case he needed her.
Miguel brushed his teeth, then used a small bottle of hospital soap to scrub his face, hands, and arms. “Man, I feel better,” he declared as he used a hand towel to dry himself. “I want to walk some more.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. It’ll be easier now without the IV pole.”
Outside his hospital room, Miguel wanted to head in the opposite direction from the nurses’ station.
Around the corner he noticed a supply closet and a staff breakroom.
Past those, they found the emergency exit in case of a fire.
Down another corridor, Miguel counted the number of occupied and empty rooms. He wondered where the pharmaceuticals were kept.
A syringe filled with a sedative might come in handy.
His gait slowed as he pondered various scenarios and options.
In his and Julia’s vulnerability, it would be an ideal time to strike.
Miguel’s instincts wouldn’t let the possibility rest.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Julia’s voice cut into his whirling thoughts.
He didn’t need to explain. They were connected; she understood him without words. “We need to be prepared. Axis and Axalia are wily. Because they’re teenagers, they might not appear as threats to the public.”
“I agree.”
Though it cost Miguel physically and required a pain pill afterward, he and Julia mapped out an escape route if they needed one.
“We might be overreacting, but I would rather err on the side of caution,” Miguel said as he settled back into bed.
“I trust my intuition,” Julia replied. She used a damp washcloth to wipe the sweat from his face.
“So do I.”
Before Miguel dozed off, Dr. Solomon visited him during his late afternoon rounds. Encouraged by Miguel’s progress, he replaced his clear liquid diet with a soft food one. Miguel cheered at the good news. Solid food meant more fuel for his body.
He’d hardly closed his eyes when Julia’s cell phone dinged with an incoming call. She placed it on SPEAKER, and Tex’s urgent voice came on the line.
“I have news. A fishing boat and its captain went missing from Gulf Shores, Alabama. Looks like the Andersons will be landing in Mexico by boat.”