could say that, but anyone can send an email. That doesn’t mean they’d concoct a plan to come after me.”
“We’ll need to look at those emails,” Nate said. “In the meantime I’ve assigned an off-duty officer on the cabin until we find the assailant.”
Frustration bubbled up in Spence’s chest. “Yeah, right. We don’t even know what he looks like.” Spence stood. “I need an aspirin.”
“I can get it.”
“No,” he snapped at Maddie. “You need to leave.”
“Spence?” Nate questioned his friend’s abruptness.
“Look, if you’re right and I’m in danger then I don’t want Maddie anywhere near me.”
“But—”
“Thanks for making dinner, Maddie,” he interrupted her. “Please let yourself out.” Spence marched into his bedroom and shut the door, feeling like a total jerk, but he truly didn’t want to put Maddie at risk.
Besides, he craved peace and quiet to calm the annoying anxiety taunting him. He struggled to accept the fact that he could be a killer’s primary target. He’d tried joking it off because the thought of someone coming for him in his current, damaged state was more than he could process.
His head ached and his world seemed to be teetering on rocky ground. All he wanted was time alone to regroup. Instead Maddie was here offering to get him aspirin; cooking him dinner.
Blinking those adorable green eyes at him.
Singing heartfelt songs about love.
He stumbled toward the bed and flopped down on his stomach. It was rude to walk out on Nate and Maddie like that, but he didn’t have another ounce of energy to continue the conversation. Hopefully she’d pack up her things and leave.
Go home.
Where she’d be safe.
* * *
An hour later Maddie had finished the food prep, done the dishes and set the table for Dr. Spencer’s dinner. There were no more excuses to hang around.
He’d given her a firm order to leave, which meant technically she was trespassing.
Something niggled at her brain as she headed for the door. Hesitating, she glanced at his bedroom door, wondering if she should check on him before she left. His assistant wasn’t going to be here for another hour.
A soft knock echoed from the front door. She cracked it open and greeted off-duty police officer Red Carrington.
“Hi, Red.”
“Maddie. The chief wanted me to make sure you were okay in here.”
“The chief should be focused on his date.”
Red frowned in confusion.
“He’s out with my cousin Cassie.”
“Ah, right. How’s the doc?” Red glanced over her shoulder into the cabin.
“I was actually going to check on him before I left. Did you want some coffee or dinner? There’s plenty of food.”
“Nah, I brought a sandwich from home. I’ve got the key to the cabin to lock up after you leave.”
“Great, thanks. Just give me a few minutes.”
“Take your time.”
She shut and locked the front door, grateful to Nate for assigning an officer to Dr. Spencer’s cabin. No matter how aloof he seemed, the doc knew he was in trouble and it had to terrify him, especially in his current state.
Heading for his room, she decided she’d take his pulse and check him for a fever, not that she expected him to have one. If he seemed okay, she could leave with a clear mind and calm heart. She wouldn’t be up all night worrying about him.
Really, Maddie? She wondered how she’d become so attached to the doc and figured it was twofold: she could never repay him for saving her cousin Cassie’s life, plus, Maddie was a fixer at her core. If she saw someone in emotional turmoil, she did everything within her power to help ease his pain.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Dr. Spencer was certainly in trouble.
She turned the doorknob to his bedroom, relieved that it wasn’t locked. “Dr. Spencer?”
The room was dark except for the shaft of light streaming in from the living room behind her. The doc was stretched diagonally across the bed on his stomach.
She considered her options. She didn’t want to turn on the light and rouse him from much-needed sleep. He got little sleep last night in the hospital thanks to nightmares that plagued him until about 3:00 a.m. It was a good thing she’d stayed to awaken him from the terror each time he’d called out the name Bobby.
Maddie went to his bedside, knelt and took his pulse. Solid at sixty beats per minute. She placed her palm across his forehead. It was cool to the touch, not warm and clammy. Still, should she wake him to check his pupils?
No, if Dr. Carver suspected it was more serious than a mild concussion she wouldn’t have discharged him. Maddie pulled the comforter across the bed to cover his body. He looked so peaceful. She sighed, glad he wasn’t thrashing about, tortured by nightmares.
Since there was nothing more she could do for him, she decided to scoot. If Spence awakened and found her hovering, he’d surely be cross. She’d leave the doctor in the capable hands of Officer Carrington.
As she made her way to the front door, she considered taking a personal day off work tomorrow. She had plenty coming, actually enough days to piece together a nice trip somewhere. A vacation would be perfect right about now, especially after the craziness of the last twenty-four hours.
She opened the front door and froze.
The driver’s side door of Officer Carrington’s car was open but he was nowhere in sight.
“Red?” she called out.
A gunshot echoed across the property.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной,
