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“I’ll watch for your texts. Otherwise, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Kade.”
Or sooner if there was any news, but he didn’t want to say those words out loud. Instead, he ended the call after saying goodbye. His second call was to his new boss, Brendan Sudaki. Kade explained that getting on a plane anytime in the near future would be impossible due to circumstances outside his control. Sudaki had said he understood, but Kade was smart enough to realize this wasn’t the best way to start a new job.
Working on a rig was a tough gig to get, and he needed this career to pan out because there was no Plan B. This was it. Work the rig for three years, save every dime he didn’t absolutely need to live on, and then buy a cabin on a lake, along with a bait and tackle shop. An annoying voice told him nothing could stop those relentless nightmares that woke him in the middle of the night, his lungs clawing for air, his forehead soaked as he watched while his best friend was filled with bullet holes.
The door opened behind him, and the doctor emerged, breaking into his heavy thoughts.
“I’m Dr. Miller.” The doctor shook Kade’s outstretched hand. The man was a solid six-foot-two-inches and youngish, in his late thirties if Kade had to guess. He had sandy-blond hair and blue eyes. No band on his wedding finger.
“Kade Sturgess. How is she?” His first concern was for Bree. The image of her lying helpless in his truck a little while ago assaulted him. The face—her face—that had the ability to light up the day with a smile had been so lifeless.
“We won’t have labs back for another hour or two. We’ll know more then. Are you her next of kin?”
Kade positioned his feet in an athletic stance and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Close enough.”
“Deputy Barrett said the two of you were connected. I wasn’t sure how. She’s lucky you found her when you did.” Dr. Miller shook his head. “She has contusions. There’s edema to her—”
“Plain English, please.”
“There’s head trauma. We won’t know how severe it is until she regains consciousness. A nurse will come by in a few minutes to take her for an MRI, but I’ll caution you not to expect too much this early.” Dr. Miller spoke with his fingers steepled and his shoulders strong. “I think there’s every reason to remain hopeful. A patch of her skin has been cut on her right shoulder.” His left eye twitched. The man had probably seen a lot in his medical career. He had the stance and bearing of an ex-military man, which caused Kade to wonder if Miller had gone into the service for his medical training. “The area is red and irritated, but we should have caught it early enough with antibiotics to keep infection at bay. That’s it for major concerns. She’s dehydrated and needs nourishment. The IV is replacing fluids.”
The question that had been bottled in his throat broke free. “And the baby?”
“There’s no immediate signs of distress,” Dr. Miller said. It seemed to dawn on him that he was most likely speaking to the father. “We’ll keep a close eye on both mother and child.”
It was too soon for relief.
“Is the head trauma the reason she’s unconscious?” he asked, still very much concerned about Bree’s condition.
“I suspect the labs will give us some indication as to whether or not she’s been given something to make her more compliant.” An apology was written all over Dr. Miller’s features as he spoke but a stiff, almost detached expression quickly covered. Kade knew a thing or two about creating emotional distance. Hell, he’d become one of the best.
“I’m guessing any drugs in her system would affect the baby,” Kade reasoned.
“From what I’ve been told, you found her within hours of the abduction,” Dr. Miller said. “Because of that, we have every reason to hope for a good outcome.”
Not exactly reassuring, but Dr. Miller came off as a straight shooter. Normally, Kade found a kinship with those who’d served, but Miller didn’t give off those vibes. Medical personnel were a different breed. He chalked it up to those who’d seen action versus those who’d patched folks like Kade up. “Thank you for the update, sir.”
“You can go in to see her now. Deputy Barrett is already waiting inside the room. He said you’d most likely spend the night. It might be a long one in an uncomfortable chair. I’ll make sure you’re kept abreast of any developments,” Dr. Miller said.
“I appreciate it, sir.” Kade almost saluted. He noted scars on Miller’s hands. Had he been in the field?
Kade walked into the room where his childhood friend stood, looking out the window. It had been long since dark, and the lights inside were low. There were two beds, and Bree occupied the one closest to the door. A curtain between the beds was left open.
Kade moved to the window where he could keep an eye on the door and Bree’s bed.
Travis turned around. Worry had etched a deep groove in his forehead.
“Travis Barrett, how have you been?” Kade asked, keeping his voice low.
“It’s good to see you, Kade. Didn’t think I would before you took off again.”
“I’m here now,” Kade said with a glance toward Bree. He and Travis greeted each other with a bear hug.
“She’s gonna be okay, man. You got there in time.” The optimistic tone sounded forced. Kade appreciated the sentiment anyway.
“The doc said something about an MRI,” Kade said.
“It’s precautionary. He doesn’t want to miss anything.” Travis was close to Kade’s height and build. The two of them went way back. Back to high school sports. Kade figured the two of them would’ve been friends to this day if he’d stuck around Saddle Junction.
