Page 8 of Caught in the Crossfire

“I hope the doctor doesn’t make me stay overnight.” Nicole leaned into Mason’s side. “I hate hospitals.”

He tightened his grip on her waist briefly. “We’ll do what he thinks is best.”

Mason steered Nicole to the backseat of Linc’s SUV, leaving Dawn to sit in the front seat beside Linc. Although his girl acted like her injury wasn’t bad, Mason didn’t like the pallor of her skin. She was in a lot of pain.

On the drive to the hospital, Linc remained vigilant. When they arrived at Memorial Hospital, he parked in front of the emergency room entrance. “Wait until I tell you it’s clear.” He exited the vehicle and took his time coming around to open Dawn’s door. When he did, Linc glanced at Mason and nodded.

Mason assisted Nicole from the vehicle, tucked her close to his side, and escorted her inside the building at a fast clip. As he approached the registration desk with Nicole, a woman’s voice called out, “Nic, what are you doing here?”

He and Nicole turned to see her sister hurrying toward them. Grace St. Claire’s gaze landed on the side of Nicole’s head. “Oh, sis, what happened?”

“Long story better told in the privacy of an exam room. Any chance you can pull some strings and get us seen sooner?” Nicole motioned to the full waiting room. “I’m rather not be out here for hours.”

“Us?” Grace’s eyes widened. “Are you injured, Mason?”

He shook his head as Dawn and Linc walked up. “Dawn needs to be checked out as well.”

“Wait here. I’ll see what I can do.” Grace leaned close. “I expect a full explanation.” With that, she walked up the hall and around the corner.

In less than five minutes, Grace returned, spoke to the nurse at the desk, and motioned for both couples to follow her. She led them to an exam room. “Dr. Anderson will see you soon. I’m on break. What happened, Nic?”

Mason helped her onto the examination table while she summarized the events of the past hour.

When Nicole finished, Grace said, “You’re lucky you weren’t killed. Did you call Trent, Mason?”

“Not yet.”

“I’ll let him know what’s going on. Are you on watch, Linc?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The door opened and a white-haired, blue-eyed man walked in. “Looks like we’re having a party, and no one invited me.”

Nicole snorted. “Some party. I’m the one who ran into a guy with a bad attitude and a nasty temper.”

“Take good care of my sister, Doc.” Grace squeezed his shoulder on her way out the door.

“Who am I treating first?” Dr. Anderson asked.

“Nicole,” Dawn said. “She has a cut on the side of her head.”

“Then you need to look at Dawn.” Linc folded his arms across his chest. “The guy who hurt Nicole also went after her.”

Anderson’s white eyebrows winged upward. “I see. You ladies can tell me what happened while I examine you. Linc, Mason, wait in the hall, please.” He smiled. “As you can see, there isn’t another exit from the room so your women will be safe.”

Mason brushed his lips over Nicole’s, then followed Linc to the hallway to wait for the doctor’s assessment.

CHAPTER FOUR

When the door closed behind Mason and Linc, Dr. Anderson’s smile melted away. “Tell me what happened, my dear.”

Nicole flinched as the town’s favorite physician poked and prodded her injury while she relayed the story about taking Cosmo home, finding the door ajar, and discovering Riva on the floor, injured. “I heard something behind me, turned, and bam, someone clobbered me with a hard object. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor with Dawn leaning over me.”

The doctor was silent a moment, then said, “The EMTs were correct. You need stitches to close this wound.” He stripped rubber gloves from his hands. “I’ll be back in a moment with the stitch kit. Before I go, I have to ask you one question. I want you to be absolutely honest with me, my dear. Will you do that?”

“Of course.” She didn’t make a habit of lying. “Ask your question.”

“Is Mason responsible for your injury?”

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