Tate (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 6)

by Maryann Jordan

  It had only been two days and Nora missed Tate, thinking of him constantly. Somehow, the time they’d spent together, while short in duration, had managed to heal the breach of so many years. Now, able to look into the past through his eyes, thinking of where he was and what he was doing at the time of their separation allowed forgiveness to settle in. Understanding the past made thinking of the future so much easier.

  Back at work, walking through the halls of the hospital, it became clear that it would be so easy to work somewhere else. I love being a nurse, but it doesn’t have to be here. When she was younger, she longed to see more of the world, but with one loss after another, it seemed as though Rawlins would be the only place she would ever live. Now, the idea of moving somewhere new and different with Tate slid through her, causing her step to be a little lighter.

  “Nora!”

  Her name had been called out from the office she just passed by, and she backtracked to peek inside, observing Dr. Hawkins sitting at his desk.

  “It’s good to see you again. I haven’t had a chance to let you know how sorry I am about what happened. We were all so shocked and upset.”

  She smiled in appreciation of his concern. “Thank you. I was very shocked as well, but I’m fine and all the prisoners are in jail.”

  He glanced down at his desk, his fingers rifling through papers in front of him. “I don’t suppose they gave away much information about their operation, did they?”

  “Are you talking about the drugs they were producing?” Gaining his nod, she shook her head. “I know they had an outbuilding that they were using as a meth lab that was not connected to the cabin where I was held. I was never in that area and even though I was close, I wasn’t there long enough to have been exposed to anything directly. I’m aware of the risks considering there were probably traces of meth in the cabin. So far, I’m fine.”

  “Good, good. I’m glad your ordeal was no worse than it was.”

  Glancing into the hall behind her and seeing it occupied, she looked back at him and leaned against the doorframe, lowering her voice. “Of course, besides me being back at work today, everyone is talking about Mary’s involvement with them.”

  He jerked his head up and down in short nods, shifting in his seat. He slid his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, then sighed heavily, “Yes, that was surprising. We’ve been looking into our procedures here to see what we can do to close up any holes for the staff stealing drugs. It’s a problem in any hospital or medical center, but the higher-ups are looking into what needs to be done.”

  “Good,” she exuded. “I have no doubt that the police and FBI are looking closely at the hospital to see if there was anyone else besides Mary who was involved.

  His gaze jerked up to hers, a surprised, wide-eyed expression passing quickly over his face before settling. “Of course. I know they’ll be looking at everything, but I’m sure Mary must have been acting on her own. I can’t imagine there was anyone else. As a pharmacy tech, she had the access.” He sucked in a deep breath and dropped his gaze back to his desk. “At least I hope she was working alone. Yes, I’m sure she was.” He shook his head and replaced his glasses back onto his face.

  “They were preppers and who knows what else she supplied them with.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she glanced over to the table at the side of his office, noting there were no boxes. Just as quickly, her gaze shot back to his, finding him staring at her.

  A strange sense of unease slithered through her. “Well, if there’s nothing else, I need to head down to the nurses’ station.” She pushed off the doorframe, hesitated, then added, “I’ll go ahead and tell you before you hear through the grapevine, but I plan on turning in my letter of resignation fairly soon. I’m going to be moving to another state and will start looking for a position there.”

  Eyes wide again, he leaned back in his chair. “I thought you were born and raised here.”

  “I was, but my family is all gone, and while I have friends here, I now have the opportunity to travel somewhere else with someone I care a great deal about.”

  “Well, I wish you the very best,” he offered with a smile. “You’ll be missed here.”

  Thanking him, she turned and left his office, heading to the nurses’ station. An hour later, she walked into the cafeteria for an early lunch. After grabbing a chicken wrap, chips, and a drink, she looked around for a seat, her gaze landing on the booth in the back corner. Grinning as she walked over to it, she thought of the week before when Tate slid into the booth seat with her, effectively trapping her in place. She began eating but now felt the loneliness of not having Tate at her side.

  Her phone vibrated and she glanced at the screen, seeing Tate’s number. Connecting, she greeted, “Hey, sweetheart.”

  “I didn’t think you’d be able to answer, babe, but I’m glad to hear your voice.”

  “I’m taking an early lunch, and guess where I’m sitting?” Not giving him a chance to reply, she continued, “I’m sitting in the corner booth where we were a week ago.”

  Chuckling, he said, “I’m surprised you didn’t kick me out of there, but honest to God, Nora, it was the only way I could get you to talk to me.”

  “I’m glad you did. I’m glad you didn’t give up on me.”

  “Never again,” he vowed.

  They were silent for just a moment, then she asked, “Are you finished with your job?”

  “Yes. The job was a pain in the ass and I’m glad it’s over.”

  “Is it super-secret?”

  Chuckling again, he said, “Nah, but I’ll tell you about it when I see you. I know today was your first day back and that’s why I wanted to check and see how you were doing.”

  “That’s sweet, but I’m really fine. I thought it might be strange to walk into the hospital considering the way I was taken out the last time, but it’s almost as though that didn’t happen.”

  “Is everyone being cool with you?” he asked.

  “There are questions, and I get the feeling some people are handling me with kid gloves, but overall, it’s fine. It seems like most people are talking about Mary and her involvement in stealing drugs in the hospital.”

  “Yeah, that’s bound to bring up questions.”

  “I did have a conversation with Dr. Hawkins.” She hesitated, then sucked in a deep breath and blurted, “I let him know that I was going to turn in my letter of resignation sometime soon and would be moving.”

  “Oh, babe, you’ve got no idea how hearing those words make me feel! I want to be there right now to plant a kiss on you to let you know how grateful I am to have you back in my life.” She was silent and he asked, “Are you okay? Do you regret telling him—”

  “No, no regrets. I know it seems rushed, but I don’t want to live without you one day more than I have to.”

  “Was he okay with your plans?”

  “We didn’t talk about it much. He was more interested in what happened at the cabin. I think the idea that a meth lab was there was shocking to him. He wanted to know what they had said to me, if I’d seen it—”

  “What the hell, Nora? Was it just curiosity or was he digging for what you knew?”

  “Uh… well, I’m sure that he was upset that someone from the hospital was caught stealing. He’s the Senior Physician, so he feels responsible for what happens.”

  “Did it seem like more?”

  She thought about Dr. Hawkins’ expressions and the vibe she felt as his gaze searched hers. “Um…”

  “Tell me.”

  In those two words, his tone changed completely, going from loving to concerned. “Well, it’s probably nothing, but he seemed nervous when talking about Mary. It was as though he wanted to convince me that she worked alone and no one else was working with her. When I mentioned that the police and the FBI would be looking into who else could be involved, he got very fidgety.” Tate was quiet, and she felt foolish for having said anything. “I know it’s nothing, just a bit of an overacti
ve imagination right now—”

  “I’m calling Levi.”

  Blinking in surprise, she dropped her sandwich back to the plate. “Tate, there’s no reason to go overboard—”

  “I’m not going overboard, Nora. It’s not like Levi is going to march in there and arrest him, but you’re right about them looking into anyone else who might have had something to do with the thefts. The hospital is going to be looked at carefully anyway, and I’m just gonna let Levi know he needs to keep an eye on the man.”

  “Don’t make me sorry that I talked to you, Tate.”

  “Babe, I’ve just gotten you back into my life and I don’t want anything to fuck with that. Your name is not going to come up to Dr. Hawkins, but there’s no reason not to let the investigators have all the information we can give them.”

  She agreed with what he was saying, but it still felt strange to have someone so protective looking out for her. Wanting to steer the conversation around to something easier, she asked, “So, when are you going to be coming back?”

  “Since we finished early today, we were able to get Babs to get us an earlier flight.”

  “Babs?”

  “She works at LSI and is now married to another Keeper, Drew. They’re both good friends and I can’t wait for you to meet them.”

  “I’m looking forward to that, too.”

  “That was the other reason I was calling—to let you know that I’ll be heading there this afternoon. I think I’ll drive directly to the ranch so I can go ahead and check on my parents and then be ready for you as soon as you get off work.”

  A smile spread across her face. “That is the best news you could have given me!” She glanced at her watch and said, “I’ve got to get back up to the floor. Have a safe flight, and I’ll call you as soon as I get off work.”

  Disconnecting, she threw away her trash and headed back up to her floor, her heart full.

  29

  Nora changed her mind about waiting to talk to HR, stopping by their office on her way back up to her floor. Explaining to one of the administrators that she did not have long because she was due at her station, she told them that she needed to get information on the resignation process so that she would not lose her health insurance before finding another job. The administrator was helpful, giving her the forms and information she needed.

  She could hardly wait to see Tate at the end of the day, letting him know that she had moved the process of her resignation up even more. Hopefully, I won’t have a problem getting a job in Maine! Pushing that thought away, she decided to focus the time with Tate on enjoying his company. After he leaves tomorrow, I can get online and start searching.

  Her afternoon shift was uneventful, and she was grateful that the other nurses on her floor were now used to seeing her and no longer talking about the kidnapping. The gossip about Mary and drug thefts was still going strong, though.

  Near the end of her shift, she typed her patient notes and reports into a computer at the back of the nurses’ station, where she had a little quiet and privacy. Seeing Dr. Hawkins’ name on several prescriptions was not unusual and yet brought his jittery behavior back to mind. Why would he be so insistent that Mary must have been working on her own? How would he know that? Is he simply trying to shine a better light on the rest of the hospital staff, or is he trying to deflect anyone looking at him?

  Peering around and seeing no one close by, she tapped through several screens on the computer, searching for his name on other prescription requests. Considering he was a doctor in a hospital, there were hundreds of prescriptions—not unusual and certainly not alarming. Wondering if there were any drugs he prescribed more than others, she immediately went to pseudoephedrine. It did not require a prescription, but at the medical center, all medications had to go through a prescriber.

  What popped up on her screen was a long list of prescriptions for that drug, and when she clicked through the records, she found that almost all of them were filled at the pharmacy by Mary. Sucking in a quick breath, she looked around nervously to see if anyone was close by. Feeling foolish, she turned back to the computer screen. She considered trying to print the screens she was looking at but didn’t want anyone to find out she was searching. Uncertain what to do, she slid her phone from her pocket and began taking pictures of each screen as she continued to click through the pharmaceutical orders between Dr. Hawkins and Mary.

  Suddenly, the computer screen froze and did not move even when she continued to hit enter or backspace. Somebody else must be on the same pages! Shit! Can they see that I’m in them also? Fearful that it might be evident that someone else in the hospital was looking at these files, she did not have a chance to log off before the prescription screens went blank. Are they being deleted? Can someone even do that?

  Her heart pounding, she quickly logged out. Standing, her eyes still pinned on the now-dark screen, she took a step backward from the computer as though the physical separation would erase the cyber connection. Breathing heavily, she tried to focus. She glanced around but there was no one watching her. The desire to get safely to Tate filled her mind, and she grabbed her purse and coat, and with quick goodbyes to the few other nurses around the station, she hurried out of the building.

  Jumping into her car, she locked the doors and jammed the key into the ignition. Blowing out a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to still her nerves. It was probably nothing… I’ve got a crazy, overactive imagination. Even as that thought moved through her mind, she couldn’t wait to get to Tate.

  Sucking in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, she started her car and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

  “Dad, I thought I’d let you know that Nora has decided to turn in her resignation.” Tate and his father were standing outside the barn, enjoying the snow-covered vista of the ranch after the storm. Thomas had taken Clay inside the barn to show off the horses.

  Frank turned his warm gaze upon him. “Son, I can’t think of anything that makes me happier than knowing the two of you are going to be together. Your mom is going to be beside herself.”

  Shoving his hands into his pockets, he grimaced slightly. “I know she’s been an important part of your life for a long time and now I’m taking her away.”

  “Tate, there’s nothing that a parent wants more for their children than for them to be happy. It’s been our pleasure to have Nora be part of our lives all these years, but we’ve known she hasn’t been happy for a long time. And honestly, because she seemed like your other half, we couldn’t imagine that you were completely happy either. So, if we only get to see her a couple of times a year now, it’s worth it knowing that you're together and happy.”

  Tate turned and looked out over the horizon, the ranch as beautiful as he always remembered. The sunlight sparkled off the snow as the sun started to sink into the west. Hoping that Nora was almost at the ranch, he wanted to share that sunset with her.

  His mom and Caroline stepped onto the wide front porch of the ranch house. “Dinner will be ready as soon as Nora gets here,” his mom called out.

  Looking back toward the barn, he watched as Clay and Thomas walked out, laughing and talking together. Smiling, he knew that he had it all. Good job, good family, good friends, and soon, the woman he loved would be at his side.

  His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he looked down, seeing Nora’s name. “Hey, babe. Are you almost here?”

  “Tate! Somebody’s following me!”

  Immediately on alert, he signaled Clay and started jogging toward the house where the rental SUV was parked. “Talk to me!” He put her on speaker so that Clay, Thomas, and Frank could hear what was happening.

  “I started doing some checking this afternoon and discovered that Dr. Hawkins has been sending a lot of prescriptions for pseudoephedrine with the direction that Mary fills them. I think there may be a connection between him and her when it comes to the drugs that were being stolen.”

  “Goddammit, Nora, wh
o’s following you?”

  “I left the hospital, and I’m on Highway 23. There’s an SUV that's been behind me ever since I pulled out of the hospital parking lot, and I can’t tell, but I swear, I think it could be Dr. Hawkins. He keeps driving really close to my bumper.”

  “I’m on my way to you. Stay on the phone. I want you talking to me the whole time!” Turning, he looked at Clay and said, “Call Levi. Tell him that—”

  “Already on it,” Clay acknowledged, pulling out his phone and dialing.

  “I’ll call Billy,” Thomas yelled, his actions mimicking Clay’s.

  Reaching the vehicles, Tate and Clay climbed into their rental SUV while Thomas and Frank climbed into one of the ranch trucks. Firing them up, they headed out.

  Clay looked at him and said, “Your mom had already invited Levi to dinner since she knew you’d be here. He says he’s on his way and should be close behind Nora.”

  “Nora, Levi is not too far behind you. Drive safely and keep telling me what’s happening and what you see. I want you talking to me the whole time that you’re driving.”

  “When I look in the rearview mirror, all I see is him right on my tail! I know how to drive on snow, but it’s icy! He’s too close and this road curves!”

  “Babe, don’t go too fast, just keep steady and drive as calmly as possible.” Unable to take his own advice, he peeled down the snow-packed lane leading from the ranch house. He could not stand the silence, so he said, “Talk to me, sweetheart.”

  Cutting in, Clay said, “Levi thinks he has them in his sights.”

  “Levi is coming up behind you.”

  “Tate, I can’t see anybody other than who’s right behind me.”

  “Don’t focus on anything other than the road in front of you,” he gently ordered. Heart pounding, he took a curve too fast and started to skid. Correcting the vehicle, he slowed slightly.

  “Man, don’t wreck now. You’re not helping her if you can’t get to her safely,” Clay said.