Page 12 of Reasonable Doubt (Wounded Heroes: The Redemption #7)

Two days after Christmas, Noreen worked late at the clinic.

Darkness had fallen and she’d turned out the lights in the clinic’s main room.

She sat in the office in front of the computer finishing up the charts from the ten patients she saw today.

Everyone else had gone home, though the night guard was outside in his car.

She’d leave as soon as she finished because she was tired.

Pregnancy was sapping her usual high energy.

Christmas had been exhausting. When Nick froze at the present Nicky had gotten, she knew something was wrong. After a bit, he rebounded, and everybody else had eyes on the kids, so they didn’t know that anything had happened. Poor Nick.

Since then, she’d given her pregnancy a lot of thought and decided to have the child. She planned to go straight to his house after she was done here and tell him tonight.

She made herself concentrate on the charts. It was slow though, when all she wanted was to be at Nick’s and cuddle with him.

When she finally finished, she switched off the computer then called the guard outside, who all the employees had on speed dial, to tell him she was leaving by the back door.

She turned to get her coat. And saw a man standing in front of the closet.

He was big and dressed in black. His face was covered with a mask.

Her heart started to gallop in her chest. After realizing her unpreparedness on Christmas Eve, she’d purchased Mace and rigged up her key chain to use it as a weapon if necessary. But they were both in her purse. “What do you want?” She hoped her voice was strong.

He came closer and removed his mask. What… what ? She realized then that she had to handle this right. “Hello, Hank.” She folded her arms across her chest so he wouldn’t see her hands shaking. “Why did you come here tonight? You know the rules of a restraining order.”

“I didn’t like the way we left things on Christmas Eve.”

“Left things? What things?”

His dark brows rose and one hand fisted. “Our relationship.”

“Hank,” she said gently. “We don’t have a relationship.”

“Of course we do.” He stepped even closer. His eyes were frenzied. “I’ve come to get you. To take you to my house.”

“Look, Hank. I’m in love with another man.” She put her hand on her belly. Maybe this would sober him. “I’m having his baby.”

“You cheated on me?” He lifted his arm and slapped her face. She stumbled back and hit the chair. But she righted herself and raised her chin. He’d turned his back on her and was mumbling, “She cheated…She cheated…” He punched the wall.

She took a step back and her phone bumped against her from the pocket of her scrubs. She whipped it out and pressed the numbers in.

He whirled around. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“I called 911.”

He yelled, “You slut,” and stalked toward her. Fear curled in her belly. When he reached her, he slapped her across the face again. His hand was hard and cold. She put up her arms to shield herself but he yanked them away. “Slut, slut, slut.” He hit her on each word.

Dizzy now, she dropped to her knees. He did too. He was close enough to say into her ear, “I’m gonna fuck you like you deserve.”

Terror erupted inside her. She thought, No, no, no. This isn’t going to happen again .

He ripped at his belt and opened his pants. She leapt to her feet and when he reached out for her, she smashed her foot into his exposed groin.

He howled and clutched his genitals.

Again, she lurched toward the door.

He caught her leg and yanked. She fell—right on her stomach.

He turned her over and her whole body shuddered.

Sirens sounded in the distance. He stumbled to his feet. “I’ll get you alone again, whore.”

Then he raised his foot and kicked her in the stomach.

She curled into herself with the pain. And screamed.

* * *

Nick breaded the chicken and placed it in the sizzling pan. He glanced at the clock. Noreen was late, but she probably got held up at the clinic. He put the glass pan in the oven then turned to get the broccoli out of the fridge.

Suddenly a chill went through him.

He grabbed for his phone. But it rang before he could punch in numbers. “Nick here.”

“Nick. I’m glad I got you.”

“Pax?”

“Yeah, listen something’s happened to Noreen. She’s at Memorial in the ER. She keeps asking for you.”

“Is she all right? Did she have an accident?”

“No, Nick. She’s not all right. She was attacked at the clinic.”

Fear shot through him but he remembered to turn off the stove burner then hurry to the closet by the garage door and get his coat. “I’ll be right there.”

He climbed into his car and took off. Syracuse was thirty minutes from the small hospital that serviced Westwood. He made it in twenty, leapt from the car and rushed into the Emergency Department. Pax stood by the reception desk. “Come on, I’ll show you where she is.”

After crossing the small waiting room, they walked through the door to the treatment area and entered cubicle 3. A nurse sat next to the cot on a chair, holding Noreen’s hand. “Ah, this must be your guy.” She stood. “Are you Nick?”

“I am.”

“She’s been asking for you.”

He rushed to her bedside and took the nurse’s place. Dear God in heaven, her whole face was bruised and swollen. One eye was black and blue and the other was shut. She lifted a hand but it fell to the bed. He covered it with his. “I’m so sorry, love.”

When she didn’t respond, he looked to Pax.

“The police called me. She was finishing up at the clinic and someone broke in.”

“Nick,” she whispered.

He bent over so she could speak in his ear. “The baby. She’s gone.”

Pax swallowed hard. “She told the doctor her attacker kicked her in the stomach.”

Nick felt sick inside. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. So sorry.”

“I…wanted to keep her.”

Tears coursed down his cheeks. “I did, too.”

Pax stepped back from the intimate moment. “I’m going to leave you two alone for a bit.”

Nick said as calmly as he could, “Don’t focus on that, now. First and foremost, you have to heal.”

“I must look awful.”

“You’ve been beaten up. But everything is temporary.”

She put her hand on her stomach and a tear escaped her good eye. It broke his heart. “Not this.”

A man in scrubs came into the cubicle. “Hello, Dr. Shannon.” He turned to Nick. “You must be Nick.”

“Yes.”

He asked Noreen, “Do you want me to share information with him?”

“I do.”

“I’m Ian Cook, an OBGYN. I’m sorry to say that Dr. Shannon had a miscarriage.”

“She just told me.”

“We had to do some work on her but nothing was damaged beyond repair. She’s still capable of having children.”

“That’s great news. Did you hear that sweetheart?”

She mumbled something.

“She’s been given strong painkillers. There are bruises all over her body.”

Her good eye closed.

Nick had to know. “Did he…was she raped?”

“No. She fought back hard.”

Noreen mumbled, “I kicked him in the groin.”

He gave her a gentle smile. “That’s my girl.”

“Do you have any questions, Mr. Redmond?”

“Who attacked her?”

“She told us it was a fan, who apparently became a stalker.”

“Hank Pierson? The jerk from the book signing?”

A weak, “Yes,” from her.

“So much for a restraining order.”

“Dr. Shannon, you need to rest. When you wake up you’ll be stronger. We’ll move you to a room in the hospital as soon as one opens up. Meanwhile, we’ll take care of you down here.” To Nick, he asked, “Will you stay with her?”

“Of course. I’ll stay as long as she’s hospitalized.”

He never wanted to leave her again.

* * *

“Arrgh.” Noreen awoke to pain everywhere. It hurt to even move her hands. Her feet. She struggled to counteract it but she couldn’t. “Ah….”

“Hello, darling.” Her mother’s voice soothed her.

“M-mom?”

“I’m here, sweetie.”

She opened her eyes, and everything was blurry. Then it cleared some. “I can’t see very well.”

“One of your eyes is swollen shut.” Another voice.

“Nick? Are you still here?”

He moved into her sight line. “I’m here. I haven’t left and I won’t.”

“I want to sit up.”

Her mother said, “I’ll raise the bed.”

She was brought upright and scanned the room. “Where am I?”

“In Memorial Hospital. Do you remember what happened?”

“I was at the clinic…I was attacked there.” It hurt but she moved her hand to her stomach. “The baby?”

“She’s gone, love.”

“Now I remember.” Tears coursed down her cheeks.

Her mother took her hand. “We need to concentrate on getting you healed.”

Noreen managed to gather some strength. “H-how hurt am I? There’s pain everywhere.”

“Do you remember what happened at the clinic?”

“Someone came. He slapped me and kicked me. I tried to protect the baby but I couldn’t.”

Eve squeezed her hand. “That’s enough for now. You need rest.”

She dozed…

When she awoke again, she was lying flat. She looked around and realized it wasn’t a dream. Hank Pierson had come to the clinic and killed her baby. He was deranged.

Nick was in the chair next to her. “Want to sit up again?”

“Yes.”

He brought the bed to an upright position again, then sat back down. His face was lined with worry, but he forced a smile. “Hello, again.”

She gripped his hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Of course I am.”

“Where’s my Mom?”

“She went to get coffee. She’s quite a lady. Strong. That’s where you get it from.”

“I guess.” She frowned. “Everything’s changed.”

“How so?”

“My life…it isn’t what I thought it was going to be.”

“I can see how you’d feel that way right now. We think maybe you should talk to a counselor.”

“Maybe. I certainly gave that recommendation to patients enough.”

“Sweetheart, one thing hasn’t changed. I’m still in love with you. I want a future with you.”

She softened. “I love you, too, Nick.”

“Good.”

“When can I get out of here?”

“I can answer that question.” A man in scrubs appeared. “Dr. Shannon. I’m Dr. Cook. Do you remember me tonight?”

“I do.”

“You’re feeling better?”

“Yes. Did you up my meds?”

“A bit. On a scale of 1-10, what’s your pain level?”

“Maybe a 5?”

“That low?”

“From the meds, probably. When can I go home?”