Page 74 of Guarded Hearts

Dot dot dot

Dash

Dot dash

Morse code?

The system was ingrained in his psyche so deep that he felt each of her finger taps to the marrow of his bones.

But she wouldn’t have communicated with him that way…would she?

Tap tap tap

A series of three dots was anS.

The letters formed a word in his mind.

S-T-A-L-K-E-R

“Colt.” His brother’s name sounded strangled coming from his lips. Like somebody had knotted a noose around his throat.

“I need you to get here—now! Something’s the matter. Layne was trying to tell me before she went into surg—” He broke off, spinning to stare at the closed door of the OR.

He took two strides and came up against the door that couldn’t be opened without a clearance card.

In his ear, Colt was firing off questions.

“She’s in trouble. Get here, and bring the police with you!”

He stuffed his phone in his pocket, and using his shoulder, slammed into the closed door.

From behind, a woman screamed. He whirled to see the older hospital worker running away, waving her arms.

“Security! Security!”

A guard entered the hallway, barreling toward him. As he reached for his safety stick, Carson kicked it out of his hand. Then he spotted his ID clipped on his belt, dragged him two feet to the ID reader and slammed his body against the reader.

The door opened for him, and he rushed inside, searching left and right, heart thundering. He heard several more sets of feet rushing his way, along with an announcement over the hospital loudspeaker.

When he made eye contact with a guy in scrubs, the man shrank against the wall.

“Layne London! Where is she?”

“You can’t be here. This is a secure, sterile area.”

He grabbed him by the front of the shirt, twisting until he yanked the man on tiptoe. With his face thrust close to the man’s, he growled, “Take me to her.Now.”

He bobbed his head in agreement. Behind them, the doors burst open and several security officers rushed in.

Seeing that he had to followsomeof the rules—and that these guys could be on his side or against him—he jerked his head for them to follow.

“I think my woman is in trouble. If you can show me that she’s fine, I’ll walk out of here. If you can’t”—he leveled them all in a glare—“we’re going to have a problem.”

Chapter Eighteen

Blackness shrouded Layne’s mind. Cobwebs and spiders clouded every corner.

She had to get out of there.

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