Page 59 of Elliot

“We need to check your pupils. Almost done. Open your eyes again, please.”

Maya felt Elliot’s thumb stroke the back of her hand. She opened her eyes and let the doctor finish his examination, answering when prompted: “No, I’m not dizzy. Yes, I have a headache, ten on a scale of ten. No, I don’t want to throw up.” She held tight to Elliot’s hand the entire time. He was her anchor in the swirling words, pokes, and prods.

“I’ll order something for that headache. The CT didn’t show any fracture or bleeding, so we’re dealing with a pretty severe concussion, but one we can manage.”

Maya was glad when the doctor and nurse left. “Jessica knew Dillon.”

“Dillon?” Elliot asked.

Maya nodded slowly and licked her lips. She was so tired. “Dillon owns the place she took me.”

Elliot nodded. “I’ll let them know.”

That made no sense. Why wouldn’t he look into it himself? She opened her eyes and blinked him into focus. “Why?”

“Why did Jessica do what she did?” Elliot asked. “I don’t know if we’ll ever know her reason.”

“No, why aren’t you working on the information about Dillon?”

“Because I’m staying here with you.” Elliot shrugged. “You’re my priority.”

“But finding out if Jessica worked alone is important, right? Oh, wait … am I out of danger? Is that why you aren’t working on the information yourself?” She swallowed hard and waited for him to answer.

His eyes softened. “We think you are. There are a few things we need to tie up, but with Jessica out of the picture, you’re not in any immediate danger.”

“Immediate?”

“We found out it looked like Dillon’s wound was self-inflicted or from a shooter other than the snipers. We aren’t sure how that figures into this equation. We need to go back to the hospital where he’s at and talk to him again. Those are the loose ends I’m talking about. We don’t even know if it’s related to the events that transpired.”

She closed her eyes. “Then go tie up the things. Make it go away, Elliot. Make it all go away. Please.” She opened her eyes again.

“I can’t leave you.” Elliot’s fingers moved her hair from her forehead. “I almost lost you today. I just can’t make myself move from this bedside right now.”

She opened her eyes and moved her head so she could look directly at him. It cost her in muscle pain and a couple morehammers beating against her skull. “As much as I want you here and would like you to stay, you need to do your job. I’m okay. Nothing will happen to me here. Leave a guard at the door if you want to, but do what you need to do. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“I’ll wait until you get some meds for your headache, and they get you into a real room.” Elliot’s fingers on her cheek felt amazing and soft, yet she knew the power in those hands.

“What happened to Jessica? You said she was out of the picture. Did you arrest her?”

“No. You warned me about her gun as she was pulling it from behind your back to shoot at me. That warning allowed me to fire first. She fell into you and then fell to the ground below. I grabbed your ankle and was able to pull you back up.”

Maya shivered, but not because she was cold. She remembered how far down that fall was when Jessica was bending her over the edge. “She was going to push me off. She wanted me dead.”

“Did she say why? And why didn’t you alert the guard at the office?” Elliot’s thumb continued that soft stroke on the back of her hand. His presence was warmth and comfort among the cold jaggedness that had crowded in on her life. He was her safety, her confirmation life would find its way back to some semblance of normal.

“Babe?” Elliot’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Sorry, what?”

“Why didn’t you alert the guard, and did Jessica say why she was doing it?” he repeated.

“She had a gun and said she’d hurt the employees. I couldn’t risk anyone getting hurt. Then … she hated me and hated what I’d done to Dillon. Only I haven’t done anything to him. I worked my ass off, and so did my people. Did I have an advantage of money? Yes, I did, but I didn’t do anything unethical. That’snot who I am.” Her breathing grew ragged, and she sniffed back tears. She hated feeling weak, and the uncertainty of why things were happening was too much to bear. She closed her eyes, not wanting her tower of strength to see how vulnerable everything had left her. The thumping in her skull intensified as she cried. “My head hurts so bad.”

“I know. I also know all of this is weighing on you. I understand that, but none of it is your fault. None,” Elliot said softly. “I can go find the nurse and hurry those meds.”

Maya sobbed a bit and squeezed his hand. “No. Help me work through this, please. What would cause someone to hate me that much?”

“Jealousy.” Elliot rested his arm on the silver rail of her hospital bed and dropped his chin to it. “Envy, jealousy, greed, revenge for a perceived wrongdoing.” He shrugged. “Hate is an emotion that overwhelms and blinds a person if not dealt with properly. Jessica’s hatred had gotten to the point that it had nowhere to go, so she turned it toward the person she felt had wronged her. You. Of course, all of that is my opinion. An educated guess.”

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