Page 44 of Grave Peril

“Not an option,” Rip said, shoving aside his untouched coffee cake.

“Then we’ll have to come up with something quick,” Hunter said. “We’re not leaving her behind, that’s all there is to it.”

Hunter had the right attitude, but Rip didn’t have a clue what another option might be. Those two cops from the scene would recognize him, and worse, they’d spot Lela. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to get Ashlee out of harm’s way, but didn’t have a chance with those cops as sentries by her door.

Then a text came in. Coast clear. Cops called to the station on more urgent matter. You can thank me later.

Rip sent a quick text to Travis: In motion. Alert transport.

This was it. Rip had a small window of opportunity for rescue, and he wasn’t about to blow it. Ashlee had survived the bullet, but she wouldn’t be so lucky if the cartel got their hands on her. Law enforcement was no defense against the organization. And he couldn’t call in the FBI.

It was up to Rip.

Hunter didn’t need to be told what to do. And Lela went with them, keeping her head down to avoid the cameras. The operation could succeed if luck was on their side.

Travis had emailed the schematic of the hospital and its electrical system. No doubt he’d had some assistance from Cooper, who hadn’t found any software that he couldn’t crack.

At the door to critical care, Rip entered the passcode, also care of Cooper’s hacking skills. Ashlee’s room was at the end of the hall. One nurse was at the desk, buried in paperwork, and didn’t look up as the three of them moved down the hallway like ghosts.

Lela entered the room and went to Ashlee, but didn’t make a sound. She squeezed her hand.

While Hunter got Ashlee ready to move, Rip took care of the electrical. He couldn’t have machines beeping and alerting the staff.

At the door, Rip scanned the hall and waited until a nurse turned into another room before proceeding. He waved them forward. There was an elevator at the back, probably intended for celebrities or other types who didn’t want to be seen leaving.

The doors opened and Hunter rolled Ashlee’s bed inside. Rip stepped in with Lela, then looked at Ashlee and put a finger up to his lips. She nodded.

The bottom floor offered an escape out two double doors. Rip dealt with the alarm and disabled the wiring. “Okay,” he said, and waved them through.

Out in back, a private ambulance waited. Hunter took care of getting Ashlee safely inside. “We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Rip said, and was rewarded with a tiny smile.

The rental car was in the lot, and Hunter drove. The entire operation had been accomplished in under twenty minutes. But it wouldn’t take long for the hospital to discover that a patient was missing.

“Where is the ambulance taking her?” Lela said.

“Travis arranged to have her checked into a private hospital under a false name,” Rip said. “It’s a place that accommodates the rich and famous, those who don’t wish to have their identities known, or their ailments publicized.”

Lela furrowed her brow. “Will Ashlee be safe there?”

“For now, she will. I expect the hospital to release her as soon as she’s in stable condition, then we’ll move her,” Rip said. “Once the authorities are alerted, the search for her will be on in earnest. It’s our job to make sure they don’t find her.”

“She’s in no shape to be on the run,” Lela said.

“No, and she won’t have to be.”

Hunter glanced at Lela. “I’ll act as her bodyguard, and there’s a safe house set up. She can stay there until the danger has passed.”

“I’m so relieved that you’ll be with her,” Lela said.

“And there will be a physician on site, so Ashlee will have the care she needs,” Hunter said. “Her injury could have been more severe. There was a lot of blood loss, but that’s the worst of it.”

Rip said from the back seat, “Hunter chatted with admissions…had to make sure it was safe to move her.” He didn’t add that he would have moved Ashlee anyway, since leaving her at the mercy of the cartel would have been deadly.

*****

Lela waited in the lobby of the new hospital, which looked more like an exclusive hotel than a medical facility. She sipped mineral water and paced the marble floor.

Hunter sat in a high-backed chair, reading a magazine. He was built like Rip, solid and muscled, but his shoulders were broader and he was a couple inches taller. He had a handsome face, and she’d learned that he had a sense of humor. During the torturous hours of waiting, he’d done much to lighten the mood.

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