Explosive Attraction - By Lena Diaz Page 0,19
clear.”
The SWAT team stopped on the landing. “We’ll do a sweep, just to be sure. We’ve cleared the lower floors.” He looked at Darby. “Is she okay? Does she need a medic, sir?”
Rafe scooped Darby into his arms. “I’ll take her to the E.R. and have her checked out.”
“Officer Terry will escort you to the elevator on the next level down, sir, while we sweep this floor.”
Jake and the SWAT officer led the way down the stairs to the next landing.
The SWAT leader held the door open.
Jake’s mouth tightened as Rafe approached him with Darby cradled to his chest. Jake glanced at Darby, then jerked to the side to allow Rafe to pass.
Rafe wasn’t sure what to make of his brother-in-law’s reaction, but he didn’t have time to think about it now. He needed to get Darby help. The SWAT officer led him down the long hallway, through the double doors to the bank of elevators. Rafe stepped inside the nearest one and punched the button for the first floor.
As the doors began to close, Jake stepped in front of the elevator, his eyes intent, his hands clenched into fists. Rafe didn’t bother holding the door for him.
Chapter Five
Dawn was still a few hours away, which had Rafe itching to leave the hospital. He wanted to get Darby out of here, into hiding, before the bomber came looking for her. But he couldn’t do that until the doctors cleared her to leave.
She wasn’t critical, and wouldn’t even be in the intensive care unit except that Rafe had insisted. She’d woken up from that trance almost as soon as he got her to the E.R., which was a huge relief. But a psychiatrist was in with her now. And since the walls in the ICU patient rooms were all glass, this was the perfect place to watch over her, even though Rafe was currently standing in another patient’s room directly across the hall—Captain Buresh’s room. Buresh had proved to be harder to kill than Rafe had given him credit for.
“I thought you were here to see me, but I guess I was wrong.” Buresh’s voice sounded weak but amused.
Rafe dragged his gaze back to Buresh. “About time you woke up. You look like hell.”
“You don’t look so great yourself. The way you’re frowning, I expect you still have a devil of a headache. And you look like you’re ready to fall down from exhaustion.”
“I’m fine.”
Buresh snorted. “I bet the doctors disagree with you.”
Rafe didn’t bother to respond. Buresh knew him well enough to know he wasn’t one to follow doctor’s orders. He grabbed a plastic chair from across the room and dragged it over to the bed. He straddled the chair and rested his arms across the back. “I’ve heard a few of the details, but I want your version. What happened after you left my room last night?”
Buresh’s hands fisted against the sheets. “You heard about Daniels?”
“I heard he was killed, yes.”
A look of pain flashed across Buresh’s face. “It’s my fault. I didn’t post enough officers here at the hospital. I figured the bomber would go to ground, that he wouldn’t risk showing himself again so soon with half the police force searching for him.”
Having gone through his own blame game for the past year, Rafe understood his boss’s guilt all too well. Nothing Rafe could say would make him feel better. Only time would do that. And even then, there would still be moments when the past would slam into him so hard it would steal his breath. He’d relive every agonizing moment of what had happened. Fear would twist his gut, make him wake up in a cold sweat. Rage would pulse through him, making him clench his fists so hard his nails cut into his hands and made him bleed. But no matter how many times he replayed the past in his mind, the result was still the same.
Because no one can change the past.
No matter how desperately they wished they could.
“You want me to come back later?” Rafe asked.
Buresh shook his head and let out a deep sigh. “Waiting won’t change anything. Might as well tell you the details while they’re still fresh.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Apparently the bomber stole a lab coat from a doctor’s car in the parking lot. When a couple of ambulances pulled up to the E.R., he walked right in. In the confusion, no one noticed an extra doctor walking around.”
He absently toyed with the IV