Page 81 of Last Chance

Vanderpool hesitated. “Depends on Mr. Moran. The longer he’s comatose, the less his chances of recovery. I’ll check on him during my shift. After that, the hospitalist will check on him frequently and keep me informed as to his progress. Do the nurses have your cell phone number, Ms. Moran?”

Janie glanced at Sawyer.

“We’ll make sure they have a number where Janie can be reached,” Sawyer said. “David’s wife may fly in from Chile.”

“Make sure the nursing staff has all current contact numbers.” Vanderpool turned back to Janie. “I know you want to stay with your brother. Since he’s in the ICU, you can see him once an hour for a couple of minutes. Do yourself a favor. Visit your brother when the nurse comes for you, then go home to rest. If his condition changes, we’ll call you immediately. The best thing you can do for him is take care of yourself.” After a nod, he left the waiting room.

Sawyer wrapped his arms around Janie. “He made it through surgery. That’s a good sign.”

She shuddered. “I know you’re right, but it doesn’t feel like enough.”

What he wouldn’t give to have Jesse here now. His team medic, however, was getting much needed rest. Unless Sawyer had misunderstood the surgeon, the chances of David waking up overnight were slim. He’d either update Jesse when his friend woke or ask Zane to hack into hospital records and send the notes to Jesse.

He frowned. Since Zane was already doing several things for him at the moment, he’d ask Simone to hack into the hospital’s computer system. She loved hacking into files to which she wasn’t supposed to have access.

Sawyer was still holding Janie when a nurse came to the waiting room. “Ms. Moran?”

Janie spun. “Yes.”

“Dr. Vanderpool asked me to escort you to the ICU so you can see your brother for a minute.”

They fell into step behind her.

“I’m Heather, by the way. I’ll be taking care of Mr. Moran tonight.”

“I’m Janie. This is Sawyer.”

When they arrived at the room, Heather paused before pushing open the door. “He has several lines attached to him. Some are monitoring his vitals. Others are delivering medicine to keep him comfortable and to prevent infection. You’ll also notice the bruising and swelling is significantly worse since you last saw him. He’s been through a traumatic experience and surgery and it shows. His body is healing and even though he can’t respond to you at the moment, he’ll hear you. Talk to him. Reassure him he’ll be fine and that we’ll take good care of him, all right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ready?”

Janie nodded.

Heather pushed open the door and led them into the recovery room. Patients in various stages of recovery from surgery filled several beds. David Moran was in the last bay.

Oh, man. Sawyer flinched. Moran looked rough, almost unrecognizable with his head bandaged and his face bruised and swollen.

Janie gasped.

Heather turned. “You okay?” she whispered.

The woman who clung to Sawyer’s hand like a lifeline straightened and gave a brief nod. “It’s all right if I talk to him?”

“Absolutely. Just a couple of minutes. He needs as much rest as possible. His body is fighting hard to recover from his injuries.” After a quick glance at Sawyer to assess his reaction to the sight of Moran, Heather left them alone with Janie’s bother.

She walked to his bedside and leaned close to her brother’s ear. “David, it’s Janie. Can you hear me?”

No response.

“You’re in the county hospital, bro. The surgeon and nurse tell me you’re doing fine. You need to let your body heal, David. You’ve been through a hard experience, but you’ll recover. Do you hear me? You’ll be all right. I’ll be nearby. If you need anything, tell your nurse. Her name is Heather. She’s very nice. You’ll like her.”

Still nothing.

Janie sighed. “I wish you would wake up and tell me what happened. Sawyer and I found you unconscious on the floor of your room. I hope the other guy looks worse that you do, David.”

A tear streaked down her cheek. “You scared me, bro. Get better so you can snipe at me and give me grouchy answers to all my questions.” She wiped her face with her free hand. “The police will contact Maria. If she’s able to come, we’ll take care of her, all right? You don’t have to worry. She’ll be safe here. I love you, bro. Rest now. I’ll come back later to check on you. Don’t give Heather grief.” After brushing a light kiss against her brother’s ear, the only place on his face not bruised, Janie turned away from her brother and walked from the room with Sawyer on her heels.

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