Page 18 of Double Take

In total, his dad hadn’t spoken more than four sentences to him since.

And while James’ reasons for joining hadn’t been the best, he found he loved the life and the sense of achievement when he’d worked his way up to agent with the Army’s CID.

He’d hoped by now that his dad would come around and be proud of him.

So far, that hadn’t happened, and he was almost convinced it never would.

James shut his eyes on the pain the thought brought to the surface, determined to keep his sleep in the twilight phase. Deep enough for some rest, but not deep enough to dream.

Four

Lainie stood on the sidewalk in the heat of the mid-September afternoon and glanced left, then right. Then left again while her heart pounded, and her fingers pulled at the key on the necklace.

Nothing. And there had been nothing for the ten minutes she’d been standing there. But he hadn’t appeared again, and she didn’t have all day to wait on him to do so.

If he would.

If he was real.

She stepped back inside, wondering if she was seeing things. After eighteen months of intense therapy—both physical and mental—was she on the verge of losing her mind in the space of a day?

But someone had run her off the road.

And she had texts affirming Adam’s appearance in the hospital.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t Adam. She’d dated Adam for a little over six months beforethe incident. He’d been charming and fun and attentive, and she’d allowed herself to believe she could be happy with him. No, she hadn’t been in love with him, but she figured that would come in time. Boy, had she been wrong.

Lainie raked a hand over her ponytail, tightened it, then made her way back to the ER. She had patients to check on, lives to save. She didn’t need to be chasing after a ghost. Not that she believed in ghosts. With the exception of Jesus, she definitely didn’t believe thatdead men rose from the grave. And that guy sure wasn’t Jesus. Jesus didn’t play mind games—or run from those chasing him.

“Hey, Lainie?” The voice came from the nurses’ station.

“Hey, Maggie, everyone okay?”Everyonemeaning her patients.

“Yes. Just needed your signature on this.” Maggie, the charge nurse, passed the iPad to Lainie, who read through the information, then signed her name with the stylus.

She handed the iPad back. “How’s James Cross doing?”

“We’re waiting on a room, but don’t count on one coming available anytime soon. Be prepared for him to spend the night in the ER.”

“Okay.” Lainie glanced at the clock on the wall. “And I’m heading to sign out.” She planned to go home and sleep for as many hours as her mind would let her get in. As long as she was completely exhausted, she could rest without dreaming.

“Take cover! Take cover!”

Lainie gasped and spun toward the shouts.

“Incoming! Go left! Go left! Ground attacks on the way! Two mikes away!”

Maggie’s jaw swung open as she stared at James, who stood holding his IV pole like a weapon. And like it weighed nothing. Lainie rushed toward him, noting the frantic sweeping eyes, the sweat on his forehead, his breath coming in short gasps.

He was going to injure himself further if... “Soldier!”

He froze at her shout.

“Stand down!” she said. “Stand down right now!”

He stayed still, eyes wide, and focused on something only he could see. “But...”

“I said stand down. You know how to follow an order, don’t you, soldier?”

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