Page 79 of Playing My Rivals

“Why are you in therapy?”

“Mainly because I can’t get over my loss. I’ve held it down for so long that any time it comes to the surface, I do everything I can to avoid dealing with it.” She takes a deep breath and sighs. “I’m discovering I do that with a lot of things in my life.”

“Like what?”

“My feelings for…you, for one.”

At the time, I thought there was more to her pause than that, but I brushed it off. Maybe I sensed it because I knew someone gave her that locket, but she wouldn’t tell me who it was from.

I felt helpless, like I was losing her. She was pretty upset with me when I held the necklace in my palm. She had a hold of my hand like she was going to tear it off my arm if I made any motion indicating I was going to rip the pendant away from her neck.

The promise of kids was out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying. All the fighting with Dorothy fell away instantly. She was smiling and making love to me minutes later. I was so wrapped up in it I let the locket and who gave it to her slide.

I was exhilarated that she finally said she loved me, and that’s all that mattered. If children were a part of that then so be it, but I’m not sure it’s what I really want. Knowing Jamison is around and probably more than happy to have a family, I can’t tell Dorothy I’m having doubts.

I can’t let her know anything about my thoughts on the matter, especially why I don’t want kids. She’ll never understand if I do.

With that thought, my chest tightens. She’s there with him. I grab my phone and call again. Still no answer. I pull up the Share My Location app and my heart leaps out of my chest.

Why the fuck is she traveling up near Vail?

I pick up the phone and call Joe Ison. He answers on the first ring.

“Hunter. What can I do for you?”

“How do I get information about an FBI agent who’s in ICU?”

“Was said agent hurt on the job, or is it another type of medical condition?”

“He was undercover. I assume he was hurt on the job.”

He grunts a laugh. “You don’t. At least not for days. Anytime an FBI agent is in critical care after being hurt on the job, they use an alias.

“The only people who know his real identity will be the doctors and the nurses assigned to him. He’s listed under whatever name they’ve given him everywhere else. His records are buried deep in the encrypted medical computer system. So unless you know the alias?—”

“Can you get into those records?”

“Hunter, what’s this about? I’d like to get you the answers as quickly as possible, but I need to know what you want first.”

“Dorothy Fisher’s brother, Aiden, was admitted to a hospital in Denver. She’s supposed to be there. She said he’s in the ICU, but I didn’t get the name of the hospital. Can you find out which one he’s in?”

“With some time, yes. But not today.”

“Is there any reason they would transfer an agent from a metropolitan area to the mountains?”

“Sure, but it’s highly unlikely. It’s usually the other way around.”

“Get me any information you can on Aiden Fisher. He’s in the ICU somewhere in the Denver area. Thanks, Joe. That should be all for now.”

“On it. But give me a few days.”

I hang up and immediately go back to my app. She’s still traveling up the mountain and my gut tells me it has nothing to do with Aiden.

Her phone quits moving around noon. She’s somewhere in Glenwood Springs. From my quick internet searches, there’s not a hospital around that seems appropriate to take an undercover agent. Half the day goes by and I’ve stared at my phone for most of it.

I make myself scarce after lunch and go home. I can’t think straight and need to get some answers. Around five o’clock, her phone starts moving again. I watch it travel off the major highway up a mountain.

I’ve nearly clawed out of my own skin with anxiety the entire day. Around five-thirty, the signal drops off the face of the earth.

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