In Harm's Way (Heroes of Quantico Series, Book 3)

by Irene Hannon

  All at once the hand holding hers disappeared. She immediately missed the comforting pressure-and the warmth.

  She tried to lift her heavy eyelids. Once. Twice. When both efforts failed, she let herself drift.

  Some time later ... a minute, an hour, she had no idea ... the murmur of voices pulled her back. She felt someone take one hand in a gentle grasp. The other hand received the same treatment. She tried again to lift her eyelids. Managed to drag them open.

  "Rachel, can you hear me?"

  Nick's voice. At least she thought it was his. But he sounded hoarse. As if he'd caught a cold.

  She blinked, trying to focus. Realized her glasses were missing. She attempted to ask for them, but could get only a hoarse croak past her aching throat.

  "It's okay, Rachel. Don't try to talk" Nick leaned in close and gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. Though the pressure was slight, she winced. He loosened his grip at once. "Don't squeeze her hand:' Nick aimed that remark at someone to her right. "The frostbite must be painful:"

  Frostbite. She had frostbite?

  Another figure leaned in, looming over her. Rebecca.

  Rachel looked from one to the other. Now that they were closer, she could make out their features. Sort of. Everything looked fuzzy. But she could see enough to set off alarm bells in her mind. Rebecca's face was way too pale. Nick was sporting a shiner worthy of a bar fight.

  She tried to speak again. Couldn't form the words.

  "You're okay, Rachel:" Despite Rebecca's encouraging message, a tremor ran through her words. "Nick found you in time. Megan too. She's safe. The nightmare is over."

  Her sister's words registered, but Rachel began to drift again. It was so hard to concentrate. She wanted to ask questions. But she couldn't muster the energy. Or get the words out.

  She knew one thing, though. If Nick and Rebecca were with her, she was safe. She could let herself sink back into oblivion. And maybe the next time she surfaced her mind-and tonguewould be functioning again.

  Nick took a sip of black coffee as he stood at the foot of Rachel's bed. After she'd awakened forty-five minutes ago, he'd convinced an exhausted Rebecca to go back to the hotel and get some sleep. Now, at 3:45 in the morning, as the tension in his body slowly eased, he, too, was fighting to stay awake. He couldn't remember ever being this tired, not even on his longest stakeout.

  The doctor had urged him to go home and get some sleep. But she'd also said Rachel could awaken at anytime. Her temperature had risen to ninety-seven, and as far as the medical folks were concerned, she was pretty much out of danger. They'd taken her off the heated oxygen a few minutes ago, and the staff wasn't hovering as much. While the doctor wanted to keep her in the hospital for twenty-four hours because of the concussion, plans were being made to move her to a regular room. It was possible she'd sleep through the night.

  He didn't need to stay.

  But he couldn't go home, either. Not until he heard her speak. He needed to assure himself she was back-and lucid-before the last knots of tension in his shoulders would ease enough to allow sleep.

  "Nick?"

  At the whispered summons, his hand jerked and he almost spilled the coffee. Grasping the cup with both hands to steady it, he skirted the foot of the bed and moved beside her in two long strides, noting in relief that her eyes were clear.

  "Hey there" He dredged up a shaky smile. "I was beginning to think you were going to sleep around the clock"

  "What happened to your eye?" She tried to lift her hand to touch his bruised and swollen skin, but it was buried under a blanket.

  He pressed it back into place with a firm but gentle touch. "You're hooked up to industrial-strength IVs. Don't try to move much. Lie still and rest:"

  "If I promise to be good, will you tell me what happened to your eye?"

  Her voice was raw and raspy, but at the teasing light in her gold-flecked irises, his grin came more easily. "You're in no position to bargain, you know. I could always call the nurse if you don't cooperate"

  "If you do, see if she can find my glasses, would you? Everything is fuzzy."

  "I'm afraid they're in an evidence bag"

  "There's a spare pair in a case on my piano" She gave him a hopeful look.

  "I'll see what I can do:"

  "Thanks. Back to your eye. Did you put ice on it?"

  She'd almost died, and she was worried about his eye. He swallowed past the lump in this throat. "Yes, ma'am, I did:"

  "What happened to it?"

  "I forgot to duck:"

  "Not a good enough answer:"

  "I'll expand on it later."

  To his relief, she dropped the subject and moved on to more important things.

  "Nick ... when Rebecca was here earlier ... she did say Megan was okay, didn't she?"

  Setting his coffee cup on the bedside stand, he reached under the blanket to take her hand again in a loose, reassuring clasp. This time her fingers curled around his, warm and responsive, though he could feel the blisters and swelling on a couple of them.

  "Yes. Megan is fine and sound asleep as we speak in a hotel room with Rebecca, Colin, and Bridget"

  "So the woman who abducted me ... she was Megan's kidnapper?"

  "Yes" Nick eased onto the bed beside her and brushed some strands of hair back from her face. "How much to you remember about what happened, Rachel?" he asked gently.

  A frown creased her brow, and he detected an immediate change in her respiration. "Pretty much everything, I think. Mostly, though, I remember being cold. And praying you'd find me before it was too late. I'm assuming the kidnapper saw the media coverage about my so-called psychic abilities and got spooked:"

  "That's our assumption. You were a threat she was determined to eliminate"

  Tears welled in Rachel's eyes. One spilled out to trickle down her cheek, and Nick brushed it away with his free hand.

  "Sorry" She tried to smile. "I'm not usually the weepy type"

  "You're entitled today, after all you've been through"

  "When I think how close she came to succeeding. . " A shudder rippled through her, and she tightened her grip on Nick's hand. "The worst part was feeling so helpless"

  "You were hurt, and she had a weapon. You did everything you could to help yourself. We found your gloves. And the rock you used to work on the hinge:" He stroked her hand with his thumb, then skimmed a finger over the discolored skin on her neck. "You fought back too, if these bruises are any indication"

  Rachel closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. "Just b-before we got to the shed, a deer ran out of the woods. She was distracted, and I figured that was my last chance to escape. I pushed her. When she fell and dropped the gun, I tried to get to it, but I had handcuffs on and I ... I couldn't do it" She swallowed and opened her eyes. "She wasn't lucid, Nick. Her mind wasn't ... normal. Do you know anything about her?"

  "Some:" He gave her the highlights, keeping his recap as brief as possible.

  "How sad;' Rachel murmured after he finished. "She's obviously a very disturbed woman. I feel sorry for her, in a way."

  Since he was the professed Christian, Nick knew he should be the one offering understanding and forgiveness. But he wasn't there yet. Not even close. The terror he'd felt when he'd thought he might lose the special woman now clinging to his hand was too fresh.

  "She'll get professional help, Rachel. I'm more worried about you.

  She glanced at the monitors surrounding her bed. "I'm a little afraid to ask about my prognosis, considering half of the hospital's equipment seems to be parked in my room"

  "It's a good one. The hypothermia's almost gone, your frostbite shouldn't leave any permanent damage, and your concussion hasn't caused any serious problems. The doctor said you can go home tomorrow:' He checked his watch. "Sorry. Make that today."

  "What time is it?"

  "Getting close to four o'clock."

  "In the morning?" Her eyes widened.

  "Yes:"

  "Go home, Nick
. Get some sleep:"

  "I will. Later"

  "Now:"

  One side of his mouth hitched up. "You must be feeling better. You're getting bossy"

  "Only because I care about you. A lot" She shifted her hand to entwine her fingers with his.

  The soft, candid comment took him off guard. As did the tenderness in her eyes.

  "And I can't leave for the very same reason." His words came out husky. Leaning over, he brushed his lips across her forehead. Might as well put all his cards on the table.

  At the touch of his lips against her skin, Rachel closed her eyes, smiled, and sighed. "I never thought I'd find anyone like you, she murmured.

  "I feel the same way."

  "Do you know what one of my biggest regrets was, right before I lost consciousness?" Her gaze locked on his as she whispered the question.

  "What?"

  "That we'd never have the chance to see where our relationship might lead"

  "Well, you can put that fear to rest" He cupped her delicate jaw with his hand and rested his fingers against her cheek. "Because as soon as you're out of this place, I intend to make that investigation my top priority. And I'm a very thorough investigator" He grinned and winked. "Just ask my boss"

  Four and a half hours later, after a sound sleep not even a gurney ride could disturb, Rachel awoke in a different room with a new cast of characters clustered around her bed. Of the group, she'd met only Rebecca, but she recognized the others from the photos her sister had shared with her on her first trip to St. Louis. The tall man with the silver-flecked dark hair and pleasant face was Colin; the flaxen-haired toddler on his hip, finger in mouth, was Bridget; and the brown-haired baby nestled in Rebecca's arms had to be the little lady whose kidnapping had started the whole incredible chain of events.

  "Welcome back:" Rebecca smiled at her. "I thought it was time you met your family."

  My family.

  The words resonated sweetly in Rachel's heart.

  "Hi, Rachel. I've already heard a lot about you" Colin smiled and bounced Bridget on his hip. "Say hi to your aunt Rachel, Bridget"

  The child buried her head in Colin's shoulder but peeked out to give Rachel a shy smile.

  "And this is Megan:" Rebecca said the name softly and moved closer. "Colin, would you crank up the bed so Rachel can hold her?"

  As he searched for the correct button, Rachel pulled her arms out from under the blanket, eager to gather the infant close despite the throbbing in her fingers. But she retracted her hands in dismay when she caught sight of them. Clear blisters had appeared on several fingers, the skin around them swollen and red. She had the same throbbing sensation in her toes, and she suspected they looked no better.

  "Oh, Rachel ... do they hurt much?" Rebecca hovered over her, lines of concern etching her features.

  "A little. But I'd still like to hold my niece:"

  The bed settled into position and Colin helped Rachel adjust the pillows with his free hand. Then Rebecca placed the sleeping baby on Rachel's lap, avoiding the IV line that remained in her left arm.

  "She's perfect:" Awed, Rachel examined the peaceful features of the sleeping infant.

  "Wait until you see her real hair color. I'm going to wash that dye out as fast as I can" Rebecca perched on the edge of the bed beside her as she fingered Megan's locks. "Rach..:" At the sudden uncertainty in her sister's voice, Rachel transferred her attention from the child in her arms to her twin. "Mom and I had a long talk this morning. And I think we'll be having more long talks in the coming days. But I do know she deeply regrets her decision to keep my adoption-and your existence-a secret. She'd like to meet you, when you're feeling better. Would you consider it?"

  Rachel thought about the request. It was hard not to resent the woman who'd consigned her to a solitary existence for so many years. Who'd deprived her of the family connections she'd always yearned for. She and Rebecca had missed so much. But forgiveness was part of being a Christian. She'd learned that much already, from the two services she'd attended. If she wanted to embrace that faith-and during her cold, dark entombment she'd decided she did-forgiveness would have to be part of her life. This was as good a time as any to start practicing it. Besides, with God's grace, she and Rebecca would have many more years to make up for the time they'd lost.

  "Yes"

  Moisture welled in Rebecca's eyes, and she swiped at them with a sheepish smile. "I'm such a sap for happy endings:"

  Rachel smiled through her own tears. "Me too. Must run in the family"

  As Colin lifted Megan back into his arms and Rachel fished a tissue out of the box on the bed beside her, a slight rustle at the door caught her attention. A huge basket of colorful flowers floated in. Once it cleared the narrow entry corridor, Nick leaned around the mini garden and smiled.

  The curve of his lips flattened, however, when he saw her tears, and he came to an abrupt halt. "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing," Rachel assured him. "These are happy tears"

  The sudden stiffness in his shoulders eased.

  "Where in the world did you get those at this hour of the morning?" Rebecca gestured toward the basket.

  "I have a few connections. Mark picked them up for me on his way here to drop off my car. I happen to know a special lady who likes fresh flowers' He gave Rachel a tender smile and set the basket on a cabinet near the foot of the bed. "He brought these too:" He passed Rachel's glasses to Rebecca, who handed them to her sister.

  She put them on and gave the flowers an appreciative scan. "Wow! They're beautiful, Nick. Thank you"

  "You're welcome" His words were like a caress, and for a long moment his gaze held hers. Then he cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Listen, I didn't know you had visitors. I can come back later. I need to clean up and shave anyway."

  "You look fine. And we're not visitors. We're family," Rebecca told him.

  He hesitated and glanced at Rachel.

  She smiled and held out her hand. "Please stay, Nick"

  Rebecca looked back and forth between them. "Colin, I think our two little stinkpots are overdue for a diaper change. Let's duck into the waiting room for a minute"

  Without giving either Nick or Rachel a chance to protest, Rachel's newfound family disappeared through the door.

  "I feel like I chased them away." An unrepentant Nick drew close and cradled her blistered hand in his.

  "They'll be back" She lifted her free hand and touched the swollen, discolored skin above his eye. "We're quite a pair, aren't we? No beauty contests for us anytime soon:"

  "The good news is, we'll both heal:" He sat beside her and brushed his fingers across her cheek. `And we have so much to be grateful for."

  I know'

  Smiling, he leaned close, until his face was mere inches from hers. "Remind me to thank Rebecca for her impeccable timing"

  And then he lowered his head to claim her lips in a sweet, gentle, exploratory kiss that spoke of hope and promise and new beginnings. A kiss that offered a tantalizing taste of a future filled with love and tenderness and sharing.

  As Rachel lost herself in Nick's embrace, her heart overflowed with joy. A few short weeks ago, she'd been alone in the world. Now, thanks to a chance encounter with a tattered Raggedy Ann doll, she had a sister. A family. A man to cherish. And the seeds of a faith she knew would grow and flourish and nurture her through all the days of her life.

  Except Rachel chose to believe her rendezvous with the doll hadn't been just a chance encounter. Once, long ago, she'd read a quote that now replayed in her mind: a coincidence is a small miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous.

  Now, cherished and safe in the shelter of Nick's arms, she gave thanks for miracles great and small.

  Four Months Later

  Rachel pulled into Nick's driveway, rolled to a stop near the front door, and set the brake on her car. It was going to be tight, but she was determined to finish the mural in his dining room by her self-imposed deadline of Fourth o
f July.

  Tomorrow.

  Reaching for her purse on the seat beside her, she shook her head. Talk about a photo finish While the date hadn't seemed unrealistic when she'd begun, progress had been far slower than she'd expected. Two of the fingers on her right hand continued to give her problems, the tips alternating between tingling and loss of sensation. Though the aftereffects of the frostbite were diminishing, holding a paintbrush-or playing the piano-still proved challenging. It had taken her two months to recover enough dexterity to perform at tea again, and even now she stuck with simpler pieces. She'd gone back to painting a couple of months ago too, but completing a scene took far longer than usual.

  Although Nick didn't seem in the least concerned that his dining room had been transformed into an art studio and had urged her not to push herself, she wanted to finish before Coop and Monica came into town with their baby for the long holiday weekend. Tomorrow, when they gathered here for a barbecue along with Mark and a newly expecting Emily, she wanted them to be able to appreciate the tranquility of the scene she'd painted rather than be distracted by the clutter of a work-in-progress.

  As she stepped out of the cool car, the stifling air of a typical Missouri July enveloped her in a muggy embrace. On such days in the past, she'd been prone to complain about the oppressive heat of St. Louis summers.

  Never again.

  She knew all too well that the other extreme was far worse.

  Pulling the key Nick had given her out of her purse, she slipped it into the lock of his stately brick home. Now that school was out, she was able to put in a lot of time on the mural during the week while he was at work. All that remained today were a few finishing touches that shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to complete.

  She turned the knob and entered the gracious foyer, marveling as always at the sense of homecoming she felt whenever she stepped through Nick's door. She liked it best when he was there to welcome her with a warm hug and kiss. But even alone in the house on workdays like today, she felt happy and content.

  Perhaps because she felt happy and content with Nick.

  As she deactivated the security system and set her purse on the dining room floor, she inspected her mural. Like the painting, their relationship had grown in the preceding months, taking on depth and dimension. Spurred by the dramatic incidents early in their acquaintance, their initial romance had quickly blossomed into something far deeper. While both believed in the value of prudence and patience, and both wanted to avoid the pitfalls inherent in hasty decisions, it was clear to Rachel they were headed down a serious path. Barring some sort of bizarre twist of fate, she expected that one day in the not-too-distant future Nick would ask her to marry him.