Page 53 of Nowhere to Hide
“Motherfucker,” I muttered.
Inside, I found a curtain pulled. In a sliver of space I saw Stone and a nurse helping Cilla into a wheelchair. Her dress had been beyond redemption, leaving her in a pair of hospital pants and slippers with a double hospital gown wrapped around her.
She looked impossibly small in the wheelchair.
And even worse, fragile.
How the fuck was I going to keep her alive?
I closed my eyes and dragged in a deep breath before I pushed beyond the curtain.
Cilla looked up at me with wounded, dark eyes. She tried for a smile, but I could see the sweat of pain dotting her forehead.
I crouched in front of her. “How are you doing?”
“Wishing for the good pain meds.”
I grinned. “I bet we have something in that bag on your lap.”
“Maybe.”
I glanced up at Stone. “Did she get her meds or do I need to find a pharmacy.”
“No. They hospital pharmacy hooked her up.” He patted Cilla’s shoulder. “But we need to be gentle with her.”
I nodded and got behind the wheelchair. “Let’s blow this joint.”
Cilla white knuckled her grip on the arms as I pushed her forward. “Are you sure about this, Locke?”
“I’m sure. We’re going into some clear skies. When you get on the water, you won’t want to get off.You’ll see.”
Stone walked beside me as we left. His eyes scanned the area, matching mine as we got to the loading area.
I tossed Stone the keys. “I’ll stay with her if you want to grab the truck. It’s a blue 4Runner.”
He nodded and loped off to the parking lot.
Cilla kept flexing her fingers on the wheelchair until I covered her hand. “We got this.”
“So you say. The way you two are looking around, I’m going to have a mini heart attack.”
I crouched beside her. “I don’t like being caught off guard. Once we’re out on the water we’ll be fine.”
She nodded.
I straightened as the truck rolled around the loading zone. Stone hopped out and came around to open the door.
Cilla tried to push up to her feet, but I just scooped her up.
Her arm went around me and her big honey eyes widened.
“Better get used to being in my arms.”
Her nails dug into my shoulders as I moved to the truck and set her inside as gently as I could manage. Before she could reach for the belt, I stretched it over her and buckled her in and set a bottle of water in her lap. The earlier scent from her room was missing. Now it was a simple Ivory soap. Her hair was matted with the blood from her accident.
They hadn’t even bothered to try and give her a real bath.
I’d rectify that soon.
