Page 75 of Montana Manhunt

Fifteen minutes later, Josie knocked on the door and hurried into the exam room. “How’s it going in here?” If the nurse noticed Rayne standing in front of Grant with one hand behind her back, she didn’t react.

Violet finished the last stitch and straightened. “Except for covering the stitches, we’re finished.”

“Great! It’s a madhouse out there, and the victims keep coming in.”

“Anything serious?”

“Surprisingly, no. A few cuts and bruises. Shrapnel wounds, like Grant and Noah. All relatively minor injuries considering the scale of the disaster. One victim said someone pulled the fire alarm. The residents were outside the building when the explosion occurred. That’s why their injuries were like yours. You must have gotten out just in time.”

The nurse turned toward the door. “I’ll let Dr. Wheeler know you’re finished. He’ll do a last check, then you can bandage the wounds and get out of here once you have your discharge papers.”

“Thanks, Josie.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Violet checked cabinets in the room and found packages of gauze and medical tape to cover the wounds after Dr. Wheeler checked Grant and Noah one more time.

While they waited, she and Rayne gathered the medical detritus and tossed it into the disposal bins.

Ten minutes later, Dr. Wheeler walked into the room. He examined the wounds and Violet’s stitches. “Very nice, young lady. Are you sure you don’t want a job? We could use your skills.”

She smiled. “I appreciate that, Doc, but I’m happy with my job.”

“If you change your mind, I’ll be glad to recommend you.” He turned his attention to Noah and Grant. “All right, gentlemen. Josie should be back any minute with your discharge papers and prescriptions. Take the pain medicine as you need it. Take the antibiotics until they’re gone. Violet, monitor them. If they show signs of infection, bring them back to the emergency room or take them to their own doctors.”

“Yes, sir.”

Wheeler shook hands with Noah and Grant. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

As he left the room, Josie returned with the discharge papers. She went through the instructions quickly. “Questions?”

Violet shook her head. “We’ve got it.”

“Great.” She smiled at the men. “Hope you feel better soon.” With that, she hurried out the door.

Violet bandaged Grant and Noah’s wounds with gauze and medical tape, then tugged off the rubber gloves. “You’re all set.”

“Good. Let’s get out of here.” Noah climbed from the exam table and stood. He flinched.

Grant grunted. “Yep. Same here. At least it doesn’t hurt as much as a bullet wound.”

The operatives walked into the hall. Medical personnel and the walking wounded moved about the corridor.

They exited the hospital. “Want me to drive the SUV to the entrance?” Rayne asked.

Before the men could answer, an unwanted and familiar voice said, “Well, there you are.” Fitz Hanson grinned as he and three other officers with him pulled out their handcuffs. “You’re all under arrest.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

NOAH STEPPED INfront of Violet as Grant eased Rayne behind his body. “Let’s see the arrest warrant, Hanson.”

The cocky smirk on Hanson’s face morphed into a scowl. “The detectives are working on it,” he muttered.

That’s what he thought. Noah shifted his weight slightly to ease the pressure on his left thigh. Man, all he wanted was to return to the hotel, shower, and fall onto a flat surface. Bed, couch, floor. He wasn’t picky. Anything would work. Instead, he’d be stuck for hours in an interrogation room with his bandaged leg proclaiming to the cops that he’d been injured in a bomb blast he shouldn’t have been near.

Worse, someone must have reported their presence in or near the apartment building, and Noah had been stupid enough to forgo having one of the Fortress techs create a loop on video feeds to prevent anyone knowing about their presence in the building.

If he could, he’d kick himself for the oversight. Although Violet had a key and her sister’s permission to enter the apartment, no cop worthy of his badge would fail to note the timing of their entry and the explosion. He didn’t blame the cops for their suspicions. If he’d been working the case with Seth, his former detective partner, Noah would push hard to have arrest warrants drawn up, too.

---