Page 22 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

“I know you must have many questions, and I understand the concern you must be feeling, but Summers will be able to answer all your questions, unless you have anything health related you need to know?”

Jane could barely hear above the pounding of her heart.

Other than the few people who had been taking care of her, there was no-one else that she even knew. It seemed impossible that they were turning her loose into the world so unprepared. So vulnerable.

“I’m right here,” he continued. “If you have any concerns or questions, or you start to feel differently, call or message any time and I will get back to you as soon as I can, but I really do have to go right now. I’m so sorry.”

He hurried away, answering the call on his phone. He had disappeared and was around the corner before Jane could even think to ask him how she could call him without a phone or money.

“I see the doctor has given you the good news,” Summers commented wryly from the hallway. Jane turned to see him looking the same as the last time she had seen him. He could even have been in the same outfit.

“I can’t believe I’m being discharged when I have nowhere to go. I don’t have access to money or a home. And, I’m guessing that no one has come forward to claim me or you’d have mentioned it already.”

Summers face twisted with apology. “No, not yet. But it’s early days. I’m hoping we’ll have information soon. In the meantime, getting to leave the hospital… it’s not bad news, is it? After all, the food can’t be all that great.”

He was doing his best to make light of the situation. Jane appreciated his attempt even if she couldn’t feel it herself.

“From where I’m standing, I’m about to lose the only bed, food, and shelter I’ve been offered.”

Summers extended her the courtesy of not lying.

“Traditionally, in this kind of case, the state wouldn’t be able to provide much help as there aren’t enough resources to deal with a situation like this. You’d go into the system and be handled that way, though luckily, that won’t be happening to you. It seems you have a guardian angel, so you will not be homeless after all. In fact, I’d wager you’ll be very well taken care of.”

“A guardian angel? Who?” Jane couldn’t think who this secret benefactor could be.

“I don’t get to give good news very much in my line of work. Since I’m taking you there right now, can you humor a cynical cop and let him play fairy godfather for once?”

Summers seemed so excited that she cast her initial objection aside and the questions she had been meaning to ask died a death on her lips. It didn’t really make any difference. She certainly had no choice in the matter, so she might as well let the man have this moment while he could.

The drive to her new home took less than twenty minutes, even with the Los Angeles traffic. Jane spent the time staring out the window, eyes eating up every person, every sight that passed by, in the desperate hope that something would spark up a flash of recognition. It wasn’t until Summers’ car started down a familiar winding driveway that she gasped.

“Logan is my guardian angel?”

Summers let out a low whistle. “Got it in one. I know he hasn’t been to see you at the hospital, but he has called me at the station to hear your progress. When I told him you were about to be released with no real support set up for you, he was pretty outraged. Got very creative with his curse words.”

“How did he go from outraged to inviting me to stay in his home? That seems a stretch.”

Jane didn’t want to knock her good fortune, but the question had to be asked, particularly when she considered how he couldn’t wait to get away from her at the hospital. He certainly hadn’t seemed all that concerned then.

“Well, you’re not staying with him in his house exactly. Best I understand it, he is offering you his pool house. He has more room than he knows what to do with, and since you will be separate from the main residence, technically, you don’t even have to bump into each other if you don’t want to.”

He must have seen her frown.

“It’s an incredibly generous offer and one I have never heard in my lifetime, so I would take it at face value.”

“I’m not trying to sound ungrateful. I just can’t wrap my head around any of this.”

And she couldn’t. Things were moving so fast that she felt as if she were being left far, far behind.

Summers eyes turned dark with sympathy. He got out of the car and waited for Jane to do the same.

“If you’re not ready, we can give this a moment.”

Now that they were here, Jane was curious to see Logan again. Would things be different now that she knew who he was? She couldn’t imagine that would be the case. For whatever reason, the thought that he was a movie star hadn’t caused the butterflies in her stomach. However, picturing his face did make her knees go a little weak.

She squared her shoulders, determined to push aside her conflicting emotions. If nothing else, she needed to thank him for saving her life, and now, for taking her in too. With a great deal of apprehension that she couldn’t explain, she nodded at Summers.

“I’m ready. Let’s go.”

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