“I’ll see if I can find a doctor for you, Katie.” He kept his voice low and soothing.
The receptionist had finally got over her shock and was printing off directions.
“No. No, I’m not going to hospital.” Kate jumped off the counter, flinching as she bent her wrist.
“I’m sure the lady has included a doctor in her list,” Adrian said and looked at the woman, his eyes telling her to agree.
“Of course,” she said and she printed another page.
Adrian first had to get her into a car and then he’d worry about the rest.
“Promise?” Kate asked him. “No hospitals?”
George came striding out of the elevator. Adrian swung Kate back up into his arms to distract her and carried her toward the parking area.
He wasn’t going to make promises he couldn’t keep.
***
Libby stood and paced the room. Adrian was going to be devastated. Would he blame Libby for attracting attention to him?
It had never occurred to her she would be photographed. So few people recognized her when she was out, and she wasn’t newsworthy enough to have her picture regularly in the paper. But even if someone had recognized her, how had they recognized Adrian? The bookseller in the airport hadn’t and she’d been right next to him. There was nothing that linked Adrian and Libby except the talk show.
Libby stopped pacing.
Emily.
It had to be. She must have taken the photo and then sent it in, telling the magazine who Adrian was. If you compared a picture of Adrian with Kent, you’d see the similarity.
Could Emily really be so indignant at Adrian that she’d want to hurt Kate as well? It didn’t make sense. Emily was the one who’d quit. But then again, Libby only had Adrian’s word that Emily had quit.
Libby’s cell phone rang and she answered it.
“They’re in the lobby. Kate’s been hurt and needs to go to hospital,” George said.
Libby’s heart raced. “How badly?”
“I don’t know. I’ll call when I have more news. In the meantime, try and find out what else has been printed about Adrian.” George hung up.
Libby started pacing again. She wanted to run downstairs and see what was wrong with Kate, but she didn’t dare. She might make matters worse, especially if there were reporters downstairs.
Damn it! She wanted to be with them, not kept in her room like she’d done something wrong.
She stopped pacing. What if Adrian blamed her for this? That would explain why she was being kept away.
If she’d remembered to tell him about Emily sooner, this might not have happened.
Was it her fault?
She sat back down at her computer, all thought of writing already out of her head. She needed to discover the extent of the problem. What was being said about the three of them? If she could put together a list, she could plan how to address it.
And it might distract her from worrying about Kate.
***
One of the hotel staff had taken them down to the valet parking car park so they could avoid the media. Adrian scanned the list the receptionist had given him. The best option was the Sydney Children’s Hospital. He gave the directions to George and climbed in the back seat with Kate.
“What happened?” George asked as they drove out of the parking area.
“The reporters were waiting outside for us but I don’t know how they recognized us.”
“It’s on the internet. A photo of you and Libby and the four of us on the docks from yesterday.”
Yesterday. No one could have known they were going to be there. It had been a spur of the moment decision. It was if someone had been following them.
“Emily.” He said it as a swear word.
“She signed a confidentiality agreement,” George growled. “If she has anything to do with this, I’ll sue her for everything she’s got.”
“The damage is done.” Adrian’s voice was quiet and flat. It didn’t matter if he did sue her. There was no way he could go back to being one of the crowd. People knew who he was now and they knew about Kate. Kate would always be easily identifiable with her long, curly, red hair.
He turned his attention to Kate. “How’s your wrist?”
“It’s really not too bad, Uncle Ade. I think I made a mistake about it being broken.”
He didn’t believe her for an instant. “Let me have a look.” Gently he took her wrist, noting the swelling, and she gasped in pain before he could even try to move it.
She looked at him with fearful eyes.
“We’ll get it checked out, just in case,” he said.
“Please, Uncle Ade. Don’t make me go to the hospital.” Her eyes were wide and watery, beseeching him.
It cut him to the core.
“The hospital is the best place to fix you. We’ll get them to put a fancy cast on your wrist and then go back to the hotel.” He hoped that was all that was required. “I won’t leave you.”
George pulled up into the emergency department.
Kate flattened herself against the back seat as if trying to disappear. “No, no, no, no, no.”
Adrian’s heart wept. “Kiddo, I know you’re scared. You need to be brave for me.” He couldn’t use his example of being scared of the dark because she didn’t know he was. “Remember how scared Libby was yesterday on the bridge?”
Kate nodded, but he wasn’t sure she was really listening.
“She still got up and finished the climb. You can be as brave as she was.” Adrian saw George had fetched an orderly with a wheelchair. “You can even have a ride in a wheelchair.” He pointed.
Kate looked outside, but Adrian knew he hadn’t convinced her. “Let’s take it one step at a time.” He got out, walking around to the other side and opening the door for her.
She sat there watching him.
What else could he say to convince her? He smiled for the first time since this all began. “What would Lilly Lionheart do?”
Kate’s seemed to focus at the mention of her superhero character from her book. She swallowed. “She’d get out of the car.”
Adrian waited as Kate slowly stood up and then sat in the wheelchair that was waiting for her. The orderly pushed her toward the doors.
“Uncle Ade,” Kate cried.
Adrian strode next to her and took her good hand. “We’ll take it slowly,” he said. The look he gave the orderly dared him to disagree. The orderly nodded.
As the doors to the emergency department slid open, the scent of antiseptic, vomit and hospital hit him. He hated hospitals.
Kate took a deep breath and tensed, her hand squeezing Adrian’s tightly. “No. No, I can’t. Not here. I won’t stay here. Get me out of here.” Her voice rose to a screech as she tried to get out of the chair.
“Katie, be brave for me.” Adrian moved in front of the chair, stopping her from getting out.
Her eyes were filled with panic. He knew she couldn’t hear him. Adrian heard George calling for someone to get a sedative. Adrian didn’t want that, but he had to make sure Kate was all right.
“Kate, talk to me about Lilly Lionheart. If she was scared, what would she do?”
His words didn’t penetrate. She pushed against him with her good hand and kicked at him.
“Get out of my way.”
“Adrian, hold her down for a minute.” George was next to him with a nurse holding a syringe.
God, they were going to sedate her. He took hold of her forearms and held her while Kate screamed and the nurse injected the sedative. A minute later Kate was calm, staring at him with accusatory eyes.
His heart crumbled and he forced himself to look away.
He had failed Kate. Failed to protect her and betrayed her trust.
“Bring her through here,” the nurse said.
Adrian followed the orderly and George through to the wards.
“We need to X-ray the wrist. We’re not too busy this morning, so it shouldn’t take long.
Someone will be along shortly to take her details.”
The nurse placed an icepack on Kate’s wrist, gave Adrian a reassuring smile and left.
He couldn’t bear to look at Kate sitting lifelessly in the chair. Instead he looked at George.
“She’s going to be fine,” George said.
Adrian knew that rationally, but that wasn’t the point. The point was he’d put Kate’s life in danger. It was his fault she’d been injured. If he’d listened to his instincts, or reacted faster, the reporters wouldn’t have got near her.
He’d promised Susan Kate would be protected from the media and he hadn’t been able to keep his promise.
Maybe he should send Kate back home after she came out of hospital. Maybe Susan was right – life on the road was no good for her. Maybe he was just a complete failure as a guardian.
Kate’s eyes had been so accusing.
“It’s not your fault.” George had an uncanny way of knowing what he was thinking.
“It is. I put her in harm’s way.”
“No, Emily did that by revealing your identity.”
That made Adrian stop. He had forgotten about the article George had mentioned. “Show me.”
George took out his cell, found the article and handed it to Adrian. Adrian scrolled through it, making note of the pictures and what was written.
He handed the phone back to George as the nurse arrived to take down Kate’s details and then they wheeled her into the X-ray room.
“You can stay here,” the nurse said in the hall outside the room.
“No. I’m staying with Kate.” Adrian was going to keep this promise. “Give me one of those lead-lined vests. I’m not leaving her.”
The nurse sighed and handed over a vest before getting Kate set up. Adrian held Kate’s good hand while the X-rays were being taken and then wheeled her out of the room.
“We’ll have the results in a minute and a doctor will come and see her,” the nurse said, and showed him the way back to where George was waiting.
George was scowling at his cell.
Adrian almost didn’t want to ask. “What now?”
George hesitated and Adrian tensed. George never hesitated.
“I’ve been thinking about the Emily thing.”
“Go on.”
George checked Kate, who was still sitting sedately in the chair. “We only have Libby’s word that it was Emily on the docks.”
Adrian drew in a breath, but George continued.
“Libby said a woman came to the room, she said a woman was taking photos, and then when you showed her the photo, she said it was Emily. We have to consider that maybe it was Libby who tipped the press. Whoever it was would have been paid a lot for the story.”
Adrian had forgotten that Libby had been broke. But she couldn’t have possibly done this. Adrian refused to believe it. “She couldn’t have taken the photo. She was in the photo.”
“She could have got someone else to.”
The pain in Adrian’s chest was surprising. It was sharp and ripped through him.
“Where is she now?” he asked George.
“I told her to wait in the hotel.” George’s phone rang. “Speak of the devil.”
Adrian could hear Libby’s voice on the other end of the phone, asking how Kate was.
George raised an eyebrow at Adrian. Adrian nodded his permission to tell her.
“We’re waiting for X-ray results. She may have broken her wrist,” he said. Adrian heard Libby’s voice again, but couldn’t hear what she was saying. “Adrian’s fine,” George said. “I’ll call you in a couple of hours when we get out of here.” He hung up.
“How did she sound?” Adrian asked.
“Concerned.” George sighed. “I like her too, but I have to think of every option.”
“I’ll talk to her when we get back.”
George seemed surprised.
He had to talk to her. It would eat him up inside if he kept thinking Libby could have betrayed him like this. He was sure she was innocent, but he needed to be certain.
A doctor approached them. “Good news. It’s only a sprain. I’ll wrap it up and give you some painkillers. Then it’s just following the RICE principle – rest, ice, compression and elevation.”
“She doesn’t need a cast?”
“No. She’ll be out of here in an hour.” The doctor glanced at Adrian. “The sedative will be close to wearing off then.”
“Thank you.” Adrian was sure trips to the emergency department weren’t usually this quick.
“Can I ask where her fear comes from?” the doctor asked as he wrapped the bandage around Kate’s wrist.
“Car accident a year ago.” Adrian wasn’t going to say any more.
“I suggest you see she gets some therapy for it. Next time it could be a matter of life or death,” the doctor said.
“I will.” The thought of having to go through that again was not something he wanted to contemplate.
After finishing the bandaging, the doctor handed Adrian a pamphlet on sprain care and some tablets.
“She’ll be groggy for the rest of the day from the sedative, so just keep her quiet. If you have any concerns, phone this helpline, which will put you in touch with a nurse.” He gave Adrian a card.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll sort out the bill.” George walked out.
Kate groaned. Adrian watched her eyes flutter. He needed to get her out of here. “Is there anything else?” he asked the doctor.
“No, you’re fine to go.”
Adrian took hold of the wheelchair and pushed Kate toward the entrance. The car was still parked where they had left it and Adrian lifted Kate in, doing up her seatbelt.
“Uncle Ade?” Kate’s voice was quiet and sleepy.
“Just rest, Katie. I’m taking you back to the hotel.”
“All right.”
George came out and hopped into the driver’s side.
By the time they arrived back at the hotel, Kate was asleep.
***
Libby couldn’t concentrate on her writing. After she had found all the articles about her and Adrian and phoned George to see how Kate was, she’d tried to get back to her editing, but she found herself staring off into space.
She’d already had Donna on the phone asking her about the article and Libby had forwarded all the emails from media outlets to her. Donna said she’d review them and then advise Libby how to respond.
At the moment the publicity was the least of her concerns. She wanted to be with Kate, to see for herself the girl was all right, and she wanted to hold Adrian’s hand and help him through this, because he would be frantic.
The phone rang. Libby lunged for it.
“We’re back. Do you want to come over?” It was Adrian’s voice, sounding exhausted.
“I’ll be right there.”
She hung up and dashed down the hallway to the room. Adrian answered the door, his face a picture of sadness. Libby ran her hand down his arm and smiled at him. He said nothing, but gave a sad smile back before leading Libby into the living room. Kate was lying on the couch with a quilt over her.
“How are you, Kate?”
Kate didn’t respond.
Concerned, Libby glanced at Adrian.
“She had a panic attack at the hospital. They had to sedate her. She’s still recovering.”
Libby hugged him. “I’m so sorry.” No wonder he looked so tired. “Will it wear off soon?”
“Yes.” He stepped back.
“Did she break her wrist?”
“No, just a sprain. I’ll take you through the details later.” He gestured for her to have a seat at the dining table, where George was sitting waiting. “We need to talk.”
“Of course.” They had to figure out what to do about the media attention. “I sent George all of the links I could find.”
“What I want to know is how Emily knew where we would be,” George said.
Libby was pleased he’d come to
the same conclusion as she had. “She must have followed us.”
“Followed, or been tipped off?” George watched her.
Libby frowned and then realized what he was insinuating. Her mouth dropped open. “You think I told Emily about the bridge climb?” She glanced at Adrian, who didn’t look at her.
Did he believe it too?
Her chest constricted so tightly it hurt to breathe. “How could you think that?” She addressed her question to George but meant it for Adrian.
“You said you were broke. The money you would have been paid for that photo would help you immensely.” George’s voice was mild.
He thought she would put Kate in danger for money? “How dare you?” Libby stood. “I would never do anything to hurt Kate. Ever.”
Adrian put a hand on hers. She met his gaze and saw he believed her.
“Good,” George said.
“I didn’t think you would,” Adrian said.
Her outrage softened. “You believe me?”
“Of course,” Adrian said.
“I had to ask,” George told her.
Libby couldn’t prevent the doubt creeping into her mind. Had it been Adrian’s idea and George was just playing bad cop? They couldn’t really trust her if they had to ask the question. Libby tried to see it from their point of view. There weren’t many options and she had been one of them. Still, the pain was palpable. Slowly she sat again. “So what do we do now?”
“We deny it,” George suggested. “Get Kent to make a statement asking the press to leave the poor guy alone.”
Libby shook her head. “It’s too late. You just need to put a photo of Kent and Adrian side by side and see the similarities. After this morning there are plenty of shots to compare.”
“I can’t think about this now,” Adrian said. “Not until Kate is back to normal.” He glanced over at the couch.
Hearing her name, Kate turned toward them and yawned. “Aren’t we going to the movies, Uncle Ade?”
Adrian jumped up and went over to her, sitting on the edge of the couch. “We had to cancel, kiddo. You hurt yourself.”
Kate squinted down at the bandage and flinched when she tried to move her hand. “What happened?”
“There were reporters outside who recognized me. You fell and hurt your wrist.”
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