Page 46 of Nowhere to Hide

She disappeared, coming back with a nurse about the same size as she was.

This was going to be awesome, except not.

The two of them got to my bedside and craned the bed back.

I gripped the handrails.

“Easy. Just using some gravity to help us.”

I nodded and gasped when they pulled the sheet under me and scooted me to the top of the bed.

“There we go.” They settled me with pillows and lifted the bed so I could sit up.

Suddenly exhausted, I collapsed back on my pillows.

“It’s going to take a little time to get your strength back. Your body went through a serious shock. You lost a lot of blood, and your incision went through a few layers of muscle.”

“You don’t say.”

The doctor chuckled. “Do you have anyone to help you in your recovery?”

I opened my mouth, but a deep voice rose from behind the doctor.

“She does.”

Locke stepped forward. He was in the same clothes as last night. I thought I’d dreamed that he’d stayed. When I woke, he was gone and a nurse was taking my vitals, as well as pushing meds in me.

I cleared my throat. “I appreciate that, but I will figure it out on my own.”

“And where will you go? Do you have someone coming to take you home?”

“I...”

“Yeah, I thought so.” He glanced at the doctor. “What’s her mobility?”

Dr. Mercer gave me a soft smile. “Is this your husband?”

I choked and started a coughing fit.

Locke moved forward and grabbed my little pink pitcher and filled my glass, pushing it on me. “No, we aren’t married.”

My mouth dropped open. “We aren’t anything.”

He settled a hand on my shoulder. “It’s a sore subject. We’re traveling in a boat.”

“We’re—” His sharp look had me spluttering.

“My girl’s a little tired of me, but I think some time on the ocean will be good for her.”

The doctor looked uncertain, but she nodded slowly.

She was just as lost as I was.

Detective—or was it officer?—Stone came into the room as well. He was wearing plain clothes today. A button down shirt over dark washed jeans and boots. He looked a lot more put together than Locke. “We want to make sure Cilla is as safe as possible while she heals.”

“It won’t be a quick process. Where she was wounded is easily reopened. I need to have her check in with her primarycare within two weeks to make sure the sutures are healing. She has both muscular sutures that will dissolve on their own and staples.”

And I felt both.