Page 64 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

“You’re hurt, Conrad,” she said, taking off her sweater and then using it to stem the blood flow. “You’re losing blood.”

There were tears in her eyes. A few broke free and fell, dropping onto his chest as he lay there.

“No, this can’t wait,” he said, especially if he didn’t make it off this embankment.

To one side, Heath spit water out and gasped for air.

Beau was on the phone, calling for emergency services.

“Please don’t leave me,” Nikki said. “I just found you.”

Conrad wanted to tell her that he wasn’t planning on going anywhere. Except, his vision blurred, and concentrating was getting harder and harder.

He was tired. That was all. The physical fight with Heath underwater had taken a toll on him.

All he needed to do was close his eyes for a few minutes and he’d be fine.

As he drifted off, he heard the words, “I love you. Don’t leave me.”

They repeated like an echo.

And then everything went dark.

Nikki paced,waiting for word she would be allowed in Conrad’s room post-surgery. A bullet fragment was caught in his neck. Two millimeters over, and he would have been a dead man. The metal would have struck his jugular vein, and he would have died from loss of blood before the paramedics got to him.

Beau sat in a chair, slumped against the backrest. Neither of them had left this hallway, not to eat or get coffee.

Kade came rushing into the hall, balancing a cardboard drink holder that was loaded. “I’m here now.”

His gaze slid to Beau. “Why is he here?”

“He’s the only reason any of us are still alive,” Nikki started, then recounted the events after taking the caffeine offering.

Kade stood quietly for a long moment before turning his attention toward Beau. “I’ve been an asshole to you since you first arrived.”

“Who could blame you after the way I waltzed in hot?” Beau asked with a shrug.

“That’s not the point,” Kade said. “I should’ve been more like Conrad. I should’ve given you the benefit of the doubt and welcomed you into the family.”

Beau stood up, trying not to look like he cared about Kade’s approval as much as he obviously did.

“I owe you an apology,” Kade said. Something told Nikki those words didn’t come out of his mouth very often. When he said them, he meant them. “I’m truly sorry for my actions.”

Beau’s jaw dropped before he could regain his composure and get his response in check. “Brothers?” he said, his voice roughening.

Kade nodded. “Brothers.”

The two bear-hugged, bringing a fresh wave of tears to Nikki’s eyes. Maybe they were on the ready because she hadn’t had a chance to mourn her father. Crying had never been so easy. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d cried before this ordeal began.

And then there was Conrad. Despite being reassured that he’d come through surgery with flying colors, she needed to see him with her own eyes. She needed to know he was going to wake up and be fine. There was a hole in her chest that only he could fill.

A nurse joined them. “Nikki Guidry?”

“Yes,” she said, liking the sound of that. She was a Guidry for all the good and bad that meant.

“My patient is asking for you,” the nurse said.

Nikki gave a quick glance toward Kade and Beau. They both encouraged her to go with a nod.

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