Page 71 of Operation: Discovery

Now, he just needed to see her stir, to wake, to sigh … something.

He sucked in a deep breath and let it out, taking up her hand once again. There was little else to do when sitting in a hospital room waiting for someone to live. Hopefully. He prayed again, his mind never far from a prayer. When he was praying, he felt even closer to Dee.

He’d always thought that someone waking from a drug-induced sleep would slowly wake with fluttering lashes and maybe a stretch. There was no way Dee could do any of those things. If she woke, she wouldn’t be able to open her eyes at all.

He bowed his head, but just as quickly raised it again when Dee spoke. “Hello?” Her voice was soft, as if she was scared to speak.

“Dee, it’s Brendon. You’re safe now.”

She choked as she tried to reach for him and instead caught her fingers in all the IV lines going to the various bags of fluids and medications hanging from the IV tree by her side. He gently untangled her fingers and held her hand.

“See, it’s me. I’m here.”

She turned her face slowly from side to side. “Where is here? Why can’t I see? Why can’t I feel anything?”

He rubbed the back of her hand, encasing her fingers in both of his hands. “You’re in the hospital in Cheyenne. You can’t see because your head is wrapped in gauze. You had some extensive cuts on the back of your head.” As to feeling, he was pretty sure that was because they were worried if she felt any of the pain she was in, she might not try to wake. So, even though the pain medication depressed her respiratory system a little, they’d taken the risk.

“How long have I been here?” Her voice was barely audible.

“Only a few hours. We found you the same day you were taken, but I’m sure it feels much longer for you.”

She sobbed. “Wayside is in danger. I told her Adam was at Wayside. Someone needs to tell Connor.”

He gently rubbed her hand. “Connor is at Wayside. I’ll let him know, but I don’t think Ramona will be doing much of anything besides hiring a lawyer for a while.”

“What about her son?” Dee’s hold tightened on his hand.

“Her son?” This woman had a child? Why was he having so much trouble believing that a black widow could have a child?

“Her son needed a double transplant, and whoever is in charge of the donor lists wouldn’t allow him on because the chances of getting two organs was so slim. If he only got one, he would still die.” Her voice was so small he could hardly hear her.

“I haven’t heard anything about a son. I’ll talk to Nixon later. It’s so good to hear your voice. Dee, you don’t have to say any more, but I want you to know I love you. I should’ve said it a long time ago. I should’ve lived differently. I should’ve done things differently. I hope I get the chance to love you from now on.”

She turned her face toward him, though he knew she couldn’t see. “Brendon, I love you too.” Her lip quivered. “I never wanted to be away from you.”

He’d never wanted to be away from her either, but he’d convinced himself that she was the issue. From now on, he’d make decisions after talking it out, not after an emotional outburst. “I didn’t want to, but I made a very bad decision. I won’t ever leave your side again.”

If he had a ring, he’d slip it on her finger. At the moment, though, he didn’t want to even consider leaving to get one. “Rest now. We’ll talk through all this important stuff when you’re feeling better.”

She gave a single nod and her grip loosened on his fingers as she almost immediately fell back to sleep. He tucked her hand under the covers, then headed over to the corner where he could call Connor and get an update. It was the middle of the night, but Connor would be up, anyway.

He answered in two rings. “I’ve been waiting for you to call. How’s Dee?”

“She just woke up briefly. I’ll take that as a win. I got your text about Ramona. What happened?”

Connor answered, “They caught her on the freeway between Piper’s Ridge and Cheyenne. I almost wish they’d let her get to her destination. We may have found more people that way. When she was caught, she spilled every bean in the bushel.”

“Including about her son?” Brendon asked.

“Uh, no. What son?”

Was the story Dee had been told a lie? But why kidnap and kill people for their blood if there was no child who needed it? “Dee said there is a son who needs a double organ transplant to survive. I suspect that’s why she killed those people for their blood. If her son needed a kidney or liver, he might need frequent transfusions.”

“Nixon didn’t mention a son. I wonder who has him?”

“I’d bet I know.” The name came to him as they’d talked it through. There was one person who could keep the boy safe from ever being seen, assuming Ramona trusted him.

“Viceroy,” Connor said the name with slight awe. “Do you think she’d be so stupid as to hand her sick child over to a trafficker?”

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