Page 32 of Forever Country (Forever Bluegrass #24)

“We don’t disclose patient information and even if he were here, it’s family only,” the nurse said, not even blinking under Aiden’s glare. ER nurses were hardened. They’d seen some unimaginable things in their careers.

“Please,” Annaleigh said quietly. “Can you at least check with him? His family isn’t here.

I’m his girlfriend, Annaleigh Astore,” she said, holding out her identification.

“And Aiden Creed is private security and a longtime friend. Let me see my boyfriend so I can see with my own eyes that he’s okay.

And let Aiden do his job, just as you’re doing yours now.

I will leave the second his family gets here.

I don’t expect you to just let us back, but check with Holt.

He’ll want to see us. Please. I’m scared to death for him. ”

The nurse glared at Annaleigh and Aiden before standing up from her station. “I’ll see if we have a patient with that name here.”

“Take a deep breath,” Aiden told her, raising his hands to rub her upper arms. It was then that Annaleigh realized her whole body was shaking.

Two locked doors slowly swung open and the nurse from earlier was standing there. “Follow me.”

Annaleigh felt as if her whole body was detached from her mind as she moved jerkily to follow.

Her nerves and her heart were in overdrive.

They wound their way through the underbelly of the hospital, went through another secure set of doors and took a staff elevator to a quieter part of the hospital.

Two security officers were guarding a door and Annaleigh almost rushed by them to get to Holt, but refrained when Aiden put a gentle hand on her arm.

“If you could let his family know where his room is, and tell them they’ll need to check in with security in the lobby.”

“I can do that, thank you,” Aiden told the nurse. Then the door was opened and Aiden stepped back to let Annaleigh rush in.

She wasn’t expecting to see Holt sitting on the edge of the bed laughing. His eyes met hers and she burst into tears. “Are you okay? I’ve been so scared.”

“I’m good, sweetheart. This is Dr. Gantly. He’s just cleaning everything out. I got lucky that nothing important was damaged. The bullet tore through the muscle but missed my arteries and bones. I won’t need surgery, but will need a lot of physical therapy.”

Annaleigh looked at the bag of blood, a smaller bag, and fluids on the IV pole.

“Don’t worry, it’s only preventative,” the older doctor told her, as he saw where she was looking.

“We also gave him a tetanus shot and have him hooked up to some antibiotics. Then with this cleaning we will further reduce the risk of infection by applying a medicated bandage. He’ll be in a sling for several weeks to reduce the chance of re-opening the wounds. ”

Annaleigh sighed and sank into the chair near Holt as Aiden sent the message to the Keeneston chat.

There was a knock on the door and Lieutenant Scripps, who had talked to Annaleigh about her stalker, walked in.

“Is now a good time to get your statement, Mr. Everett?”

“I’m just about to finish up here,” the doctor said, wrapping a bandage around Holt’s arm. “He’s all yours. When the IV is done, a nurse will come in and unhook you. You’ll be able to go home then.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Holt said as the doctor yanked off his gloves and left the room.

“Did you catch who did this?” Annaleigh asked.

Scripps frowned. “No. We haven’t. To be honest, there’s very little evidence.

We determined the building where the shot was fired from, but no one saw anything out of the ordinary and while there were security cameras on the inside of the building and at the front and back exits, there weren’t any in the side alley where the suspect climbed the fire escape and broke into the third floor, which is currently under renovation. ”

“I don’t know why anyone would want to hurt Holt.” Annaleigh squeezed his hand when what she really wanted to do was to hold him tight and never let him go.

Scripps frowned again and didn’t look at Holt but at her.

“I think it’s a good guess that your stalker is escalating things.

Sheriff Walz from Keeneston told me about the attempted vehicular homicide in Keeneston after the video of you two kissing went viral.

This person thinks you two were meant to be together.

He’s angry at you for not choosing him, and he could very easily see Holt as the reason for it.

In many stalker cases, the stalkers take revenge on the person whom they perceive to be getting in the way. In this case, that would be Holt.”

“Take me out, and that opens the path to getting Annaleigh back,” Holt said, nodding in understanding.

“But I was never his to begin with,” Annaleigh said with frustration.

“You know that and I know that but this stalker doesn’t,” Scripps said patiently. “I do think you'd better pull out of tomorrow’s award show. Not that you’d feel up to it after being shot, anyway.”

Annaleigh nodded her head in agreement. She wanted to get Holt someplace safe and lock him up forever to protect him.

“Or,” Holt said, and a boulder dropped into Annaleigh’s stomach. “You use me as bait tomorrow to capture this guy.”

“On an internationally televised show? Security is already tight. This guy isn’t going to be able to get in to have a shot at you,” Scripps told Holt. “Now, the blue carpet is something else.”

“He would if he were a guest.” Annaleigh froze at Holt’s words as she was about to tell Holt no.

Scripps looked as if he were now pondering it.

“The profile says it’s someone Annaleigh knows, which is most likely someone in the music industry.

All of whom will be there tomorrow, right?

” Holt asked, rhetorically. “And right now, I am enemy number one. I would rather have the target on me than on Annaleigh.”

“I can call in some help,” Aiden said into the silence. “You know Piper has tuxes now. Not quite Syd, Inc. level of stylish, but it’ll protect you unless it’s a headshot.”

Annaleigh gasped and began to chant no, but Holt wasn’t listening to her.

“Call in Dylan and Abby. Hell, just ask the text tree,” Holt said, nodding in agreement as he and Aiden began discussing security and how to set him up as the target.

“I can’t officially sign off on putting you in danger or using civilians,” Scripps said, cutting them off.

Thank goodness because Annaleigh was about to lose it.

“I do believe an increase in undercover police will be necessary though. Now that I have your statement, my job is done. What you and your private security work out is between you all so long as you don’t break any laws.

I’ll see you there, but pretend you don’t know me. ”

“Stop!” Annaleigh cried out when Scripps put away his notebook and moved to leave. “You can’t let Holt be the bait like that.”

“There’s nothing I can do as long as he’s not doing anything illegal.”

Scripps left, and rage started to boil in the pit of Annaleigh’s stomach as Holt and Aiden made plans as if they weren’t putting Holt’s life in danger and she wasn’t sitting right there.

“No!” Annaleigh slammed her hand on the rolling bedside table, finally getting Holt’s and Aiden’s attention.

“You were just shot because of me . I will not let you put your life in danger because of me . Or I’ll. ..” Annaleigh trailed off.

“You’ll what?” Holt’s face was masked in seriousness as he stared her down. He was going to make her say it, but no matter how Annaleigh tried, she couldn’t say the rest of the sentence. She wouldn’t, no she couldn’t, leave him.

“Be heartbroken. I already blame myself, and if you get killed... Holt, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Please, I love you.”

“I’m doing this because I love you, Annaleigh. Because I want a future where we’re not looking over our shoulders for the next sneak attack. I understand you’re feeling powerless right now. What would make you feel better?” Holt reached over and took her hand in his and waited for her answer.

Annaleigh’s mind spun as she tried to get it to slow down enough to think this through. “I want to be part of the planning.”