Out of Time

by Shirlee McCoy

  Susannah wanted to feel the same, but all she felt was sick.

  If anything happens at the opening ceremony, Ms. Jorgenson, I will hold you personally responsible.

  “Smile, kid. You won.” Oliver grinned, and Susannah tried to smile.

  “It doesn’t feel like a win. It feels like I just stapled a bull’s-eye to my back.”

  “What you did was impress a lot of people. Including me.” The sincerity in Levi’s words was matched by the warmth in his eyes, and Susannah’s cheeks heated.

  “I agree.” Melora Hudson moved toward them. “It was a well-thought-out presentation. I can see how much love you have for the site you’re guarding.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Enjoy your day, and don’t let Hank Zarvy’s words worry you. He’s all talk and very little action.” She walked away, and Susannah took a deep breath.

  “I guess that’s it then.”

  “What’s it?” Levi pressed a hand to her lower back, guiding her out of the room and onto the elevator.

  “The Alamo Rangers keep control of the Alamo. And if anything goes wrong—”

  “Nothing will.”

  “You can’t know that, Levi.” Anything could happen. All the preparation, all the training, all the foresight and planning, couldn’t keep trouble from coming.

  Susannah was living proof of that.

  “No. I guess I can’t, but I trust that it’ll be true. I have faith that all those plans you put together will work out.”

  “More faith than me, I guess.”

  “Because I have more faith in you than you have in yourself.”

  It was true.

  She knew it was.

  She’d doubted herself for months. Doubted her ability to know good from bad, to know evil from righteousness. She’d thought Aaron was one person, and he’d been someone else entirely, and that had shaken her.

  “I guess it’s good someone has faith in me, because if something goes wrong, Zarvy will be gunning for me.”

  “Zarvy is a blowhard with more money than sense. You know that, right?” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks, walking back toward the Alamo with long, brisk strides.

  “Then why are you upset?”

  “Who says I’m upset?”

  “You’re walking faster than I can ever hope to go.”

  “Sorry.” He slowed, offered a half smile. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t like the idea of you continuing to work at the Alamo, and the more I think about it, the more I don’t like it.”

  “I don’t have a choice.”

  “Sure you do. Call Chad and tell him you can’t be there.”

  “I don’t work that way, Levi. I don’t quit before I finish a job.”

  “I’m not saying you should quit. I’m saying you should play it safe.”

  “I played it safe when Aaron was stalking me. I got an alarm system. I watched my back. It didn’t matter. What was going to happen, happened. The same is going to be true at the Alamo. We can put every security measure into place, but whatever is going to play out, will.”

  “Look, maybe I should just be blunt.”

  “Maybe you should.”

  “Work all you want all week, but today, I want you to go home, turn on your alarm and lock yourself in.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m working rotation at the hospital tonight.”

  “The hospital?”

  “We’re keeping tabs on our key witness in Greg Pike’s murder case. We need twenty-four-hour watch to make sure whoever tried to kill him doesn’t make another attempt. Tonight is my shift.”

  “Okay.”

  “No. It’s not okay. I can’t be in two places at once, Susannah, and I don’t want you at the Alamo alone.”

  “I’m not going to be alone. Chad will be there.”

  “Chad doesn’t have a vested interest in your well-being.”

  “I’m not sure if I should be flattered by that comment or insulted.”

  “Neither. It’s simply a statement of the facts as I see them.” He stopped near her car, his hand resting on the hood of the Mustang.

  “I’m a twenty-eight-year-old woman, Levi, perfectly capable of taking a vested interest in myself. I don’t need you or Chad to take care of me. If anything else were the case, I wouldn’t be able to do my job.”

  “Who said anything about anyone needing to take care of you?”

  “It isn’t what you said. It’s what you didn’t say.” She opened the car door, dropped onto the seat.

  Levi towered over her, but she didn’t care. She was too frustrated and too tired to do more than glare at him.

  He looked like he was going to argue.

  Instead, he took a deep breath, shook his head. “You’re right. There’s plenty I didn’t say. Like, even though we just recently reconnected I can’t imagine life without you. Like, when I’m with you, I feel complete.”

  “Levi—”

  “That’s what I didn’t say. And now you know why I don’t want you working tonight. Now you understand why I want to be around to protect you.”

  “You don’t have to—”

  He leaned down, cutting off her words with a kiss that filled her up, emptied her out. All her thoughts gone. All her arguments spent.

  And then he was backing up, moving away.

  “I don’t want you to work, but I understand why you have to. So, be careful, Susannah.”

  “I will.” She agreed, not even sure she knew what he’d said. Her lips were still warm from his kiss, her pulse humming as he walked away.

  A minute passed.

  Then another.

  Levi’s scent still hovering around her, his kiss still warming her lips, but her mind was working again, telling her what she should have realized before: she’d just been distracted by a kiss.

  She’d planned to remind Levi that she didn’t need him or anyone else looking out for her.

  One kiss and she’d forgotten everything she wanted to say, forgotten everything but how good it felt to be in his arms.

  “Scoundrel,” she muttered, pulling out onto Alamo Street.

  But he was a charming one, a caring one.

  So maybe not a scoundrel at all.

  Maybe a guy she’d have loved once upon a time.

  The thought was a bittersweet reminder of all she’d lost, and she pushed it away as she pulled up into her driveway and hurried into her empty house.

  FIFTEEN

  There was nothing more boring than guarding a silent witness. At least, not in Levi’s opinion. He paced the small hospital room, wishing he could shake Quin awake and demand the guy open his mouth and speak. Once they got the information they needed from him, they could move him into protective custody in some other town, let the federal marshals take charge until the murder trial.

  If there ever was a murder trial.

  He shoved the doubts away, focusing his attention on the man who lay silent and still in the hospital bed. Quin had come close to dying, had been in a coma until recently, but for reasons Levi didn’t understand, God had chosen to spare his life.

  And take Gregory Pike’s, instead.

  All these months later, it still didn’t make sense.

  Quin stirred, shifting in his sleep and moaning softly. He was still too weak from his injuries to talk. It could be hours or days before he was finally able to speak, and there was no guarantee that what he would communicate would help put Pike’s murderer in prison.

  But the Texas Rangers of Company D were counting on Quin’s memories. He was found shot and unconscious next to Gregory and was potentially the only witness to Greg’s death. They were laying all their eggs in his basket and hoping it would pay off big-time. A name. A face. Surely Quin had seen something, knew something. They just had to keep him safe until he could speak, guard him until he was able to tell them what he knew.

  Levi paced across the room again, stopping in front of the painting of the Alamo that decorated th
e wall. Quin had pointed to it more than once since he’d regained consciousness, gesturing with a deliberateness that left no doubt about his purpose. He was warning them. Whatever had gone down at Pike’s house, it was connected to the Alamo.

  And Susannah was there.

  Levi didn’t like it, had even thought about calling Chad and explaining all the reasons why it wasn’t a good idea. Fortunately, his good sense prevailed and he’d let go of the idea, tried to let go of his worry. Susannah had survived a brutal attack, and she’d done it without a hero running to her rescue. She’d made it clear that she didn’t need one now. He respected that.

  But Levi wanted to be there for her. Reconnecting with her had filled an empty place in his heart, a place he hadn’t realized needed filling until Susannah stepped back into his life. He wasn’t ready to let that go. He wasn’t sure he ever would be.

  Footsteps sounded outside the room, and Levi glanced at his watch. Nearly one in the morning. Could be the nurse was coming to check Quin’s vitals. Could be a patient was wandering through the hospital.

  Or it could be danger coming to call.

  There’d already been one failed attempt on Quin’s life, and Levi had no doubt that the men who were after him would try again if they had the opportunity. He didn’t plan to give it to them. He moved to the door, waiting as the footsteps drew near. Voices carried into the room, a deeper voice and a higher-pitched one. A man and a woman. Nurse and patient? Man and wife?

  A soft knock.

  The doorknob turning.

  Levi dropped a hand to the butt of his gun. Let it fall away as Captain Ben Fritz walked into the room, his fiancée, Greg Pike’s daughter, Corinna, close to his side. They were dressed for an evening out. Ben in a sports coat, Corinna in a black dress that skimmed over her slim dancer’s body.

  “If bringing you to the hospital to visit a witness is Ben’s idea of a good time, you might want to reconsider marrying him.” He offered Corinna an easy smile, knowing that the last few months had been more than difficult for Greg’s daughter. Losing her father had been bad enough, but knowing his killer was still free must be eating her up inside.

  “I’d go anywhere with Ben. Even the hospital. Though I can think of a million other places I’d rather be.” She returned his smile, but her gaze was on Quin, and she moved to the side of the bed, staring down at him as if she could will him to wake up and speak.

  “So, what’s up? Because I know for sure you wouldn’t bring Corinna here if there wasn’t something going on,” Levi asked Ben.

  “There’s been more trouble at the Alamo.”

  “What kind of trouble?” Levi’s pulse jumped, his mind going to a place he’d been trying to avoid all night.

  Susannah, lying in a pool of blood, a knifeman standing above her.

  “I don’t have all the details. Just that they’re transporting a patient here. I’m hoping she’s coherent and able to give us a description, because this phantom intruder can not show up there Sunday.”

  “She?”

  “One of the Alamo Rangers. I think—”

  “When did you get the call?”

  “Ten minutes ago.”

  “So they should be here by now.”

  “They were still stabilizing the patient when I left the theater.”

  Still stabilizing the patient?

  “I’m going to need to ask you a huge favor, Ben.”

  “Ask? It looks like you’ve already decided I’m going to help out.” Ben gestured toward the door Levi was opening.

  “Can you call someone else in to babysit Quin?”

  “I’m not sure anyone is going to be thrilled to hear from me this time of the night, but I’ll give it a try. I take it you’re going down to interview the patient.”

  Interview? That hadn’t even occurred to him.

  He went with it anyway.

  “Right.”

  “I’ll meet you once I find someone to fill in for you and get someone to escort Corinna home.”

  “There’s no need for an escort. I can find my own way home.” Corinna slid an arm around Ben’s waist, and the look the two exchanged was so filled with secret messages and unspoken words that Levi had to look away.

  “You can, but I’d rather you didn’t.”

  “Ben—”

  “I’m going to leave you to your argument. Corinna, it was nice seeing you again.” Levi offered a quick wave and walked out of the room.

  Soft sounds drifted into the corridor as he made his way through the unit. Beeps and hisses as machines breathed life into people. A cough. The sound of someone crying. That, more than any of the others, tore at Levi’s heart. As much as hospitals were a place of healing, they were also a place of sorrow.

  A nurse looked up as he approached the station, a soft smile hovering at the corners of her mouth. “Can I help you with something, Ranger?”

  “A friend of mine is being transported here from the Alamo. I’d like to know where to meet the ambulance.”

  “I heard there was a patient coming in. I think their ETA is five minutes. Just go down to the first floor and follow the signs to Emergency. Someone there will be able to tell you more.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.” She smiled again, went back to her paperwork, and Levi hurried onto the elevator, slamming his finger into the button and praying the door would close quickly.

  It slid shut inch by agonizing inch, the elevator finally jerking to life. He wanted to claw the door open as soon as it reached the first floor, race through the lobby and into the emergency room.

  “Can I help you, sir?” A young woman looked up from her place behind glass, a pleasant smile easing the tired lines of her face.

  “A friend of mine is being brought here from the Alamo. I’d like to know if she’s arrived yet.”

  “Name?”

  “Susannah Jorgenson.”

  “Hold on.” She typed the information into the computer and frowned. “She’s not here yet. Let me check something else.” She punched a few more keys, nodded. “Okay. We’ve got a transport coming from the Alamo. Two by ambulance. Looks like Trauma One.” She frowned, the sympathy in her eyes settling deep in Levi’s gut.

  “Any idea what happened?”

  “I can’t say, sir, but you can go wait by the ambulance entrance if you’d like. That way you’ll know when your friend arrives.”

  “Where’s the ambulance going to unload?”

  “Come on, and I’ll show you.” She opened a door, gestured for him to walk back through a long corridor lined with curtained triage areas. “See those double-wide doors? They’ll come through there. Stay out of the way, though, and if anyone asks, I’m not the one who told you to wait there.”

  “Thanks,” he offered, but his attention was already on the door and the sirens he could hear beyond it. Coming closer. Voices shouting. The door flying open.

  He moved back, hugging the wall as an ambulance crew rolled a gurney in. Blankets covered the prone figure they were transporting, and Levi strained to see a face, hair, anything.

  “Sir, you’re going to have to go back to the waiting room.” A dark-haired man approached, his gaze dropping from Levi’s face to his badge and then settling on his face again. “The patient is in no shape to answer your questions.”

  “I’m not here to ask questions. I’m here to make sure she’s okay.”

  “Levi?”

  He turned as a second gurney was pushed toward him, Susannah levered up on her elbows on top of it, her emerald eyes staring out from a stark white face.

  “Ma’am, you need to lie back.” An EMT pressed her back down as Levi ran to her side, tried to assess the damage. Her shirt had been ripped from her shoulder and thick gauze pads soaked up blood. Too much blood.

  “What happened?”

  “I thought you weren’t here to question me.” She offered a weak smile, reaching for his hand and holding on tight.

  “I’m not.” But he wanted to,
because he wanted to find the person who’d hurt her and make him pay. Anger clawed at his gut, made him want to storm from the hospital and track down the criminals. Made him want to forget that he was a Texas Ranger, sworn to uphold the law, and not a vigilante.

  “You are.” She squeezed his hand, but her grip weakened, her fingers barely clasping his. He tightened his hold, refusing to let go as she was wheeled into triage.

  “Sir, you’re going to have to leave.” A security guard approached, saw Levi’s badge and paused. “Sorry, Ranger, but I’ve been asked to get you out of here. They need to work on your friend.”

  Levi nodded, but he didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to let go.

  “Are you going to be okay?” He leaned close, whispering in Susannah’s ear.

  “Yes, but I need you to do something for me.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Find out about Chad. He…didn’t look good when I found him.”

  “Found him?”

  “We were doing rounds. He was on the east side. I was in the gardens. He called for help, and I ran, but I got there too late. He’d already been shot. Next thing I knew, I was hit.” She blinked rapidly, and he knew she was trying to hold back tears.

  “It’s okay, Susannah.”

  “No. It’s not. He has a family, Levi. Kids and a wife. Go make sure he’s okay. Please. I have to know.”

  He nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead before backing away.

  It hurt more than he’d thought it could. Hurt to the depth of his soul to walk away from her. He’d watched her grow up. Little Susannah with the wild red curls turning into an awkward adolescent, then a graceful teen. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her until he saw her again, but if she disappeared from his life, he didn’t think the missing would ever stop.

  “Hey, Levi! What’s going on? I got a call from Ben. He said there’s been more trouble. Said a couple of Alamo Rangers had been shot.” Oliver hurried across the emergency room waiting area.

  “That’s all the information I have. Susannah—”

  “Susannah was shot?”

  “Yes. She and Chad were doing rounds. Chad must have run into someone on the grounds. He called for help, and Susannah found him shot. She was going toward him when she was shot.”