Her computer dinged and she glanced at the monitor. “He’s headed to his room now. If you give me a minute or two to get him settled, he’ll be ready to be seen. But you can’t stay long.”
“Soon as we know he’s fine, we’ll clear out.”
He moved back toward Georgia. “Just give it a few more minutes.”
She wrapped her arms around her chest. “I hate the smell of this place.”
The elevator doors opened to reveal Deke, Rachel, and Jenna. The trio of Morgans stepped off the elevator and moved toward them. Deke looked grim-faced, par for the course, whereas Rachel’s expression was cool and controlled. That was her courtroom, don’t-let-the-jury-see-you-sweat face. Jenna’s long hair hung around her shoulders and over a black V-necked sweater and faded jeans. Seeing his bride smoothed the edginess grating Rick’s insides.
He shook Deke’s hand. “Hell of a family reunion.”
Deke rubbed a callused hand over his dark hair, his relief palpable. “We’ve never been good at normal. What’s the deal with Alex?”
“Maybe broken ribs. He should be in his room any minute and we can ask him. Can you tell me now what the hell happened?”
“Don’t know. He called and said he’d been attacked. I didn’t ask questions, just bolted. Uniforms were on the scene first.”
“Did he get a good look at his attacker?” Rick asked.
“I tried to get a description out of him, but he wasn’t able to give me one.”
“Did he see a car? Anything that would help us catch this creep?” Jenna’s hand rested on his shoulder, halting the rising heat of his temper.
“No.”
“This isn’t a case, boys,” Georgia said. “This is Alex.”
“Georgia.” Rachel’s voice hit a steady, even chord. “Alex is going to be fine.”
Georgia glanced at Rachel, her expression sharp. “That’s what Deke said when I stood in this very room after Rick got shot. Hell, that’s what Mom said when they brought Alex here as a kid.”
“And I stood here after you were hurt,” Rick said. “It’s just our turn to wait on Alex. Shit. It sounds like he doesn’t even have a legit injury.” The last comment was meant to distract, break her growing panic. “As a kid, he at least had a compound fracture and signs of exposure.”
“That’s not funny!” Georgia shouted.
Rick shrugged. “Cracked ribs, Georgia. Don’t be dramatic.”
“We don’t know it’s just cracked ribs! They might not be telling us the worst.”
So that she could fight rather than cry, Rick said, “Alex’s old scar and, hell, my scar are a hell of a lot longer and nastier than a few bruises.”
Deke, understanding Rick’s motive, nodded. “Alex won’t even have a scar. Just bruises. This really doesn’t even count as an injury.”
“I agree,” Rick said. “Just like Alex to get a baby injury and then try to hog all the attention.”
Jenna and Rachel swallowed smiles when they glanced at Georgia’s thunderous expression.
Georgia gritted her teeth. “God, you two are such jerks. Why’s it always a competition with you guys?”
“It’s no competition when you know you’ve won, Georgia,” Rick said. “He’ll be out of here in a day with a handful of aspirin. I had months of rehab.”
Georgia’s face reddened.
Jenna laid a gentle hand on Georgia’s shoulder. “Tell me again why you like having older brothers?”
Tears glistened in Georgia’s eyes. “I don’t. They’re a pain.”
Jenna smiled. “I know. But in a good way, right?”
Rachel’s pale face revealed her worry far more than her words. “He’s going to be fine.”
A young doctor wearing green scrubs and a white medical jacket rounded the corner, and Jenna was the first to spot him. “Your answers have arrived.”
The five turned and arguments and jokes were silenced.
The doctor had thick, brown hair and dark circles shadowing smiling eyes. “Your brother said to follow the sound of arguing voices. He said when I located the source, I’d find the Morgans. Have I found the Morgans?”
Deke extended his hand. “You found us. And before my sister attacks, how’s Alex?”
“He’s got bruised ribs. But he’ll be fine. He’ll be out in the morning.”
Deke looked at Georgia. “See?”
She swiped away a tear. “Jerk.”
Rick winked at her. “Brat.”
Deke grinned. “Can we see him?”
“Room 206. He’s awake and ready for visitors. Though I want you to clear out in ten minutes. He needs rest.”
The Morgan entourage made their way up in the elevator and then down the hall. Georgia was the first to push into the room and find Alex trying to sit up. Pain and fatigue had paled his angled face, but his gaze remained sharp and alert.
“You’re supposed to be resting.” Georgia came up behind him and propped his pillows.
“Just the idea makes me want to jump out of my skin,” Alex said. “I want out of here.”
Jenna and Rachel hovered close to the door of the small room while Deke and Rick moved to the foot of the bed. For a moment, neither spoke as the weight of the evening lessened.
“Get a look at the guy?” Rick asked.
He grunted as he settled against the pillows. “Like I told Deke, fucker came out of nowhere. I think he’d have caved in my skull if I hadn’t drawn on him.”
“What did you see?” Deke pressed.
“Hoodie. Mask. Tall. Lean. Broad shoulders. Black jeans and tennis shoes. Couldn’t tell you more than that, which really pisses me off.”
“Okay,” Rick said. “Take it easy. This isn’t something we’re going to figure out tonight.”
“The doc says you have to spend the night,” Deke said.
Alex pushed to straighten up, winced, and collapsed back against the pillows. “I want out.”
“I can stay the night,” Georgia said. “Consider me your personal nurse.”
“I’m fine,” Alex said. “Really.”
“I want to stay.”
Alex shook his head. “I can’t sleep if you’re staring at me.”
Her sweet smile belied her tenacity. “I won’t stare.”
“Yes, you will. And you’ll fuss. I’m not doing that tonight.” A crooked smile meant to soften the honesty fell short. “I mean it.”
Georgia smoothed her hand over the rumpled sheet. “You shouldn’t be here alone.”
Alex closed his eyes. “I need to sleep and get better. Someone is going to pay.”
Deke laid a steady hand on Georgia’s shoulder. “He’ll be fine. You can see him first thing in the morning.”
She pointed a finger at Alex, her voice cracking as she spoke. “You scared me.”
Alex arched a brow. “You’ll survive. Where’s my phone?”
“You can’t have your phone,” Georgia said. “You have to rest.”
“Phone, Georgia.” Pain honed the words to brittle sharpness.
She rolled her eyes and moved to the closet, where his personal items had been stowed in a plastic bag. She fished out his phone and tossed it in his lap.
He winced. “Brat.”
Groaning, she closed her eyes. “Are all my brothers jerks?”
“Yes,” Alex said. “Now beat it.”
The Morgans left the hospital, each grateful to be away from the antiseptic smells and fluorescent lights. The five hovered near the emergency room doors. Cold wind blew across the lot, forcing them all to burrow deeper into their coats.
Whatever goodwill they’d projected to Alex vanished. Deke glared at Rick. “What’re you doing tonight?”
“I’m at the station with you, trying to figure out what the fuck happened to Alex.”
Leah arrived at the hospital just before one in the morning. She paused as she entered the emergency room. The last time she’d been there, she’d been on her back, bleeding, pain cutting through her body. The doctors had been talking over her, as if she weren’t there. Several times, when her eyes were closed, a few of them had voiced their fear that she would die.
But it was a young nurse who had taken her hand and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “You hang tough, Leah. We’re going to fix this, but you have to stay with us. We need your help.”