Page 110 of Counter Attack

“I understand, but I’m not going to let you push me away. I—”

There was a sharp rap at the door, and they both turned toward it as the hospital’s orthopedic doctor entered the room. “Nathan,” he said, nodding, then turned to her. “Alexis, I’m Doctor Mabry.”

“I think you set my arm when I was eleven,” she said.

“I don’t remember that, but I’m sure you do,” he said with a chuckle.

“What’s the verdict?” Nathan asked.

“Good news of a sort.” Dr. Mabry punched a button, and the screen lit up with the X-rays of her wrist. “I don’t see a fracture, so that leaves us with damaged ligaments.”

“How will you treat it?”

“RICE.”

She frowned. “What’s that?”

“Rest, ice, compress, elevate,” Nathan said.

Dr. Mabry smiled. “I see you remembered.”

Nathan turned to Alexis. “I sprained my ankle playing softball a few years ago, and I’m here to tell you if it’s like my ankle, your wrist will be very painful for a few days.”

“Joy,” she said dryly. “But it’s better than a broken bone.”

“Absolutely.” The doctor turned the screen off and walked to the door. “You’ll need to rest it for the next forty-eight hours. We’ll wrap it before you leave, and that should help with the pain.”

“If it doesn’t?” Alexis asked.

“Take anti-inflammatories. It’ll also help if you keep your wrist above your heart. The nurse will give you written instructions and make an appointment for a follow-up.” He started out the door and turned around. “Oh, and the tox screen should be back in forty-eight hours.”

“Forty-eight hours?” Nathan hoped it would be back sooner.

“We outsource tox screens to a lab in Chattanooga. I asked them to put a rush on it, but you know how that goes.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Alexis said.

An hour later, Nathan helped her out of the truck in spite of Alexis’s protest that she didn’t need his help. Carson and Judith were waiting for them at the back door. Judith rushed to her granddaughter and Alexis yelped when her grandmother wrapped her arms around her.

Judith jumped back. “I’m so sorry—Nathan told me about your wrist, and I forgot. And I’m sorry we didn’t set the alarm after you and Nathan left. We’ve been so worried.”

Alex hugged her with her good arm. “Stop worrying—I’m okay now.”

“If you want to blame someone, blame me,” he said. “I should’ve checked the whole house when we returned.”

The hair on the back of his neck raised, and Nathan scanned the area behind the house. Everything looked normal, but he’d learned to never dismiss his spidey feelings. “We need to get inside.”

Nathan didn’t relax until they were safely in the kitchen and he had a cup of Judith’s strong coffee in his hands. Before he left, he planned to make sure Jared continued patrolling the house on a regular basis.

He took another sip of the hot coffee. “I need to get your statement about what happened.”

“I know. I’m still trying to pull my thoughts together, but maybe your questions will help me.”

Carson stood and motioned to his wife. “You need privacy for that. We’ll be in the den if you need us.”

“Thanks.” When they were alone, Nathan opened the record app on his phone, then he took out a notepad and pen. “Can you give me a description of the person?”

“I wish. It was so dark in the cave, I couldn’t see anything.”

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