Chapter Thirty-six

Abbie tried to think about anything but the blood running out of her arm. She swore she could smell her blood.

Focus on the landscape print hanging on the wall. Not on how much she wished Hunter was here. She wished she could smell him when she closed her eyes. But she was the one who had said she felt safe enough inside the Kore Women’s Center.

She hoped Hunter figured out how to stay inside tonight, hoped the police didn’t put a notice out on the news that would alert someone here, hoped they could break into the files… the list grew hourly.

More than anything, she hoped Hunter would find a way to believe in her. The drive over to the Kore center had been private with the security glass up, but she and Hunter might as well have been two strangers talking. She could let a lot of things pass and assign his cautious behavior to being some kind of undercover agent, but she still had a hard time getting past the feeling of betrayal. He was going to hand her off to his people or law enforcement.

Still, she didn’t want to leave things the way they were when she walked away from him.

“All done.” The ID badge on the nurse working on her left for the past hour said Leigh something. Leigh pulled the needle from Abbie’s arm and covered the hole with cotton and a Band-Aid.

“What time is it?” Had to be dark by now, but Abbie had lost track of time since entering this windowless building.

“Just about eight.” Leigh moved efficiently, polyvinyl gloves on her long fingers. Her white turtleneck and peach-colored scrubs were crisp and neat. Much like her perfect shoulder-length auburn hair and straight bangs. Not a voluptuous female, but she’d been kind and hadn’t hurt Abbie when she stuck her. “I’ll give you crackers and juice. When you think you can eat more I’ll order your dinner.”

Would the Kore center’s food be any better than that at her mother’s medical center? Abbie bet Hunter wasn’t eating in the cafeteria. He was supposed to have toured the facility with a senior vice president, then discussed the donation over dinner.

She didn’t care what he ate and shouldn’t be missing him after the way he’d questioned her, but she did miss him.

“Here’s your apple juice and crackers.” Leigh placed both on the tray, then stayed busy tidying the room. “I’m leaving soon to meet with my knitting group. We make blankets for the Kore’s nursery center.”

She chattered on in her high-pitched voice while Abbie crunched crackers and drank juice from a plastic cup. Pale skin along Leigh’s arm peeked out between the long sleeve of her scrub top and the polyvinyl gloves on her hands. Her face looked narrow behind funky oversized eyeglasses tinted a dark shade.

Donating blood after two extremely stressful days was hammering Abbie. She blinked against a wave of dizziness. Exhaustion pulled at her. She drank the rest of her juice.

“We go on yarn-buying trips.” Leigh continued in a monotone, then looked over at Abbie and smiled. “You’re looking wrung out. Let me ease your bed back so you can rest. You’ll feel better soon.”

Abbie tried to focus on the woman’s mouth, because Leigh had a quirky smile she tried to place. Abbie’s eyes drooped. She wasn’t sleepy so much as lethargic. Her muscles didn’t want to listen to her brain telling them to hold the cup. Her head ached. The cup slipped from her fingers.

Leigh’s smile reminded her of…

Abbie heard the plastic bounce against the floor from a distance… couldn’t hold on… had to go to sleep.

We don’t normally allow patients who come in for routine tests and blood donation to have visitors, Mr. Thornton-Payne,” Dr. Lewis Hart, the senior vice president in charge of funding for the Kore Women’s Center, explained.

Hunter didn’t slow his pace, forcing Hart to continue toward Abbie’s room. The damn dinner had taken longer than he’d intended. Abbie had been here for over four hours and he wanted to see her now. “I realize that, Dr. Hart, but I’m considering another donation as well.”

Dr. Hart looked over with subdued interest. “Oh?”

“I didn’t want to mention this yet until I had a chance to share what I’ve learned about your facility with my family, but I’m considering a trust fund for your prenatal area. To help with high-risk births.”

“What a splendid idea!”

“I have to admit some curiosity though. I understand the point of this being a women’s center, but you have the premier research facility for rare blood types. I’m surprised you don’t also treat male children with rare blood types. Don’t you run across those?”

“Absolutely. We have a small wing for the few males we bring in to study and those who store blood, especially if their blood matches their mother’s. But that area is separate from the central building. We feel it’s a more comfortable arrangement for our female patients.” Hart guided Hunter around a corner. “Ms. Blanton is down this hall, but please stay no more than a half hour.”

“Sure.” Hunter would figure out what to do in a half hour.

The sound of clipped footsteps approaching from the opposite end of the hallway drew his attention.

A doctor led the stampede of medical personnel rushing forward.

Dr. Hart mumbled, “Must be an emergency.”

That’s when Hunter heard a high-pitched alarm. Abbie. He started running toward the staff, who turned into a room.

“Mr. Thornton-Payne, stay back,” Hart called from behind.

Hunter shoved the door open behind the emergency team.

Abbie lay still as death with a bloodless face.

His eyes shot to the machines that monitored the patient’s vital signs. The universal bouncing EKG line that indicated if someone was dead or alive had slowed to a tiny bounce, losing strength with each weak beat.

The world closed in on him until he heard nothing but a nurse’s shout. “She’s coding!”

Chapter Thirty-seven

Hunter paced the hall outside Abbie’s room, waiting for the doctor to come out and give him her status. No one had come up with why she’d coded. Yet.

The only reason he wasn’t in her room right now was to avoid distraction from saving her. Chaos had erupted when he started roaring at everyone to do something right that fucking minute.

Kore Women’s Center’s security had shown up.

Dr. Hart intervened to allow Hunter to remain in the hallway. Good thing or Hart would have needed two more beds for the pair of security guards.

Hart stood to one side, blanched with shock, no doubt believing he was watching the generous Thornton-Payne donation offered at dinner disintegrate with each pound of Hunter’s boot heels against the polished tile.

Hunter scrubbed his hand through his hair, tense as a tiger stalking prey. His palms were never sweaty like this. Only one time before.

When Eliot dangled from a rope with a knife in his hand.

Hunter closed his eyes for a minute, then blinked, clearing that image so he could focus on Abbie. He’d let her come in here to help him access the database. He’d allowed his anger and suspicion to blind him to danger and let her walk in here thinking she’d somehow failed him.

That was wrong. He’d failed her. If he got her out of here alive he wouldn’t let her down again.

And if this bunch saved her he’d build them a new wing. When would the doctor come out? They’d had enough time.

Hunter turned toward the door.

Hart tensed. Kore better send the best security they had and plenty of them. Hunter was going into Abbie’s room.

The door opened and a haggard-looking doctor with gray hair and a slender build came out, face strained from the battle he’d fought. Hunter’s chest constricted, steel bands tightening with each breath.