Page 16 of Her Steadfast Hero

“I’m fine,” came the clipped response.

“You talk to our chief, we’ll take care of the trash,” the older woman said in a soothing tone.

David looked in amazement as Carlos walked up.

“How did you get here so fast?”

“Carmen wanted a ride to the docks. She said you were taking too long.” Okay, now Carmen was annoying him again. David explained the situation about the doctor.

“Do you need me to make a statement?” Sarah asked Carlos.

“I’ll take it,” David said. “You can take the prisoner to our temporary holding cell, and then take Carmen to the docks.”

“Sounds good,” Carlos said as he turned to Sarah. “We’re going to have a man at the clinic by lunch. We don’t want you left undefended.”

“We have weapons locked up in our supply cabinet. We’re covered.”

“That’s not good enough, you need to be armed, Sarah,” David admonished. He watched her consider what he was saying and she finally nodded. David and Carlos exchanged a smile, then Carlos maneuvered the unsteady doctor out of the hotel, with Carmen following.

David turned to Sarah. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, but I need to get back to the clinic. Do you really need to take a statement from me?”

“Let’s sit down. They have food rations laid out over there, and I need to grab some before heading out.” David indicated the temporary area the hotel management had set up. “What's more, you look like you might fall down.”

She took a deep breath. “Sitting sounds good,” she admitted.

His hand hovered over her lower back for a moment, and then a spark flared when his palm touched the light cotton covering her skin. Her step hesitated, then she continued toward the dining room that was dimly lit with lanterns. David relaxed when Sarah let him hold out the chair for her.

“I’m going to get a plate of food. There’s bananas, oatmeal, and I think they might have some eggs. Can I get you anything?”

“No. I’m too upset to eat.”

“Sarah, when was the last time you ate?”

She blew out a breath. “Last night at dinner, before we left for the clinic.”

What the hell was she thinking? Why did she think she needed to return?

“I’ll be right back.” He went to the serving area, filled up two plates, and grabbed two bottles of water. She could eat what she wanted, and whatever she didn’t, he’d finish.

She was staring off into space when he returned. He put one of the plates in front of her and she frowned. “I can’t eat all of that.”

“I’ll eat what you don’t. I’m a growing boy.”

She started to play with her fork, the bruising on her knuckles was clear.

“Dammit, Sarah! You could have been really hurt. What were you thinking being alone with him?”

“I was trying to keep our dirty laundry private.”

Food forgotten, David replayed the sounds echoing off the walls of the stairwell. That man could have knocked her head into the iron railings or the cement floor before he’d ever had a chance to reach them. Dammit, he should never have stopped to eavesdrop, he should’ve immediately gone to her. David gently picked up her wounded hand and brushed his thumb over the bruise.

“He didn’t deserve that consideration. You were always too kind.”

“I wasn’t being kind; I was just trying to maintain our reputation. We suspected some things in Nigeria, but it was like he imploded in the last five days. Carys is going to be so pissed off. Or devastated. Probably both.” He felt the fine trembling under his fingers. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, but she’d made it clear how she’d felt when she froze him out way back when. It was no longer his right, and it killed.

“I respected your request to not keep in touch, even though it was the last thing I wanted. Hell, you never even gave me an answer as to why. Will you tell me now?” Four years, five months and seventeen days later, he wanted to know that answer.