Conceal, Protect - By Carol Ericson Page 0,35
and the text message. Or maybe the danger had been drawing them closer. She didn’t mind, although that kind of immediate attraction posed a danger all its own.
He continued staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts.
She coughed. “If they wanted to incapacitate us, they were successful. So why did they force us off the road and then leave?”
“They didn’t leave—not right away.”
J.D. rubbed his chin with his knuckles, and she held her breath, which caused her head to pound even more.
“A patrol car happened to be following us some distance back. He drove up on the scene, saw my truck smashed against the boulder by the guardrail and saw another car, emergency lights flashing, pulled over ahead of us.”
“They did pull over.” She expelled the breath with her words.
“The cop could make out a figure approaching through the snow flurries and called out. He expected the person to follow him to the accident, but as the officer reached us, he heard an engine and the car took off.”
Noelle shivered and pulled the hospital sheet up to her chin. “The person who bumped us was coming to see his handiwork and then took off when he saw the patrol car.”
“Seems like it.
“It could still mean the driver had been drinking and wanted to see how we were but didn’t want the cop to find him out.”
“Maybe.” J.D. wandered back to the window and wedged his shoulder on the wall next to it.
“You don’t believe that, do you? What’s your take?”
“It’s like you said before. The driver ran us off the road and was coming back to see his handiwork.”
“And then what?” Her fingertips traced the bump forming above her temple. “You said you didn’t think he wanted to kill us, just incapacitate us. So why did he come back?”
“To take you.”
Noelle gasped. J.D.’s words were like a punch to the gut.
He reached her bed in two strides, straightened the upended chair and straddled it. “I’m sorry to scare you, Noelle, but that’s what I think. This person doesn’t want to kill you. He wants something from you.”
“He wants to kidnap me?” She drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. “Why are you so sure about this, J.D.?”
He reached back and squeezed his neck, tilting back his head and closing his eyes. “All signs point to it. He could’ve killed you if he wanted. That’s not what he wants.”
“Well, I don’t know what he wants. Maybe he should just ask me.”
“Are you sure you don’t know? Nothing else unusual has occurred recently?”
Noelle bit her lip as Abby’s disappearance flitted across her mind again. Did this have anything to do with her secretive roommate? “Maybe...”
“Yes?” J.D. hunched forward in his chair.
“Maybe this is somehow connected to my roommate in D.C.”
“It’s late.” The nurse charged into the room with a chart and a tray of bandages. “You need to leave now, sir. Visiting hours are over, and we need to change Noelle’s bandage and check a few vitals. You can come back first thing tomorrow morning.”
J.D. looked ready to knock the tray from the nurse’s hands. “A few more minutes?”
“I’m afraid not. In fact, it’s past visiting hours and we need to give this young lady the once-over before she gets some sleep.”
“We’ll talk tomorrow.” Noelle pressed her fingertips against her forehead as another wave of pain and cloudiness suffused her head. The accident jarred through her memory again, and she clutched the side rails of the bed.
“Are you all right?” J.D. scooted his chair closer and smoothed his thumb across the back of her hand.
The nurse clicked her tongue. “That’s what I’m talking about. She needs to rest.”
“I’ll be back first thing tomorrow. I’m going to get a hotel room in town.” He leaned over the bed and kissed the edge of her bandage.
She nodded, already wishing him gone.
Words. Words came at her from all sides. Abby’s words. Ted’s words. Bruce’s words. J.D.’s words—soothing, comforting.
Angry.
* * *
J.D. POUNDED HIS fist against the wall of his hotel room. “Damn it, Jack. She doesn’t know anything about Zendaris. Before I left her hospital room tonight, she was ready to tell me about Abby. She wouldn’t do that if she had something to hide.”
“She’s all right now?”
“She’s fine.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “If you call sustaining a concussion fine.”
“And you?”
“I’m touched by your concern, boss, but I’ve got bigger issues here. Zendaris just stepped it up tonight. His men went after Noelle with me in the