Deadly Ever After (Hardy Brothers Security Book 6) (2 page)

Mandy was shaking by the time she got to the hospital. Ally had insisted on driving, which was probably a good thing, because Mandy wasn’t entirely convinced she wasn’t dreaming.

Ally had kept up a nonstop stream of chatter during the twenty-minute drive, but Mandy hadn’t registered a single word of it.

This couldn’t be happening.

Ally killed the engine of her car and turned to Mandy, who was leaning forward in the seatbelt and gripping her purse so hard her knuckles had turned white. Ally reached over and brushed Mandy’s blonde hair out of her face. “It’s going to be okay.”

Mandy nodded, disengaging her seatbelt and staring at the door handle. She was having trouble making her muscles move in the manner they should. She jumped when the door opened and Ally grabbed her arm to pull her out of the car. She hadn’t even heard Ally exit the vehicle.

“It’s going to be okay,” Ally repeated.

Mandy’s blue eyes were swimming with tears as she met Ally’s concerned countenance. “What if … ?”

Ally shook her head emphatically. “Don’t think that.”

“But … .”

“No,” Ally said, gripping Mandy’s hand as hard as she could. “He won’t leave you. It’s going to be fine.”

Mandy let Ally lead her into the hospital, her feet hollowly echoing on the ground as her heart rolled painfully with each step. Ally walked straight up to the secretary. “We’re here for James Hardy.”

The harried secretary didn’t bother glancing up from the files she was perusing. “Have a seat.”

“No,” Ally said. “We’re here for James Hardy. He’s my brother. He’s been shot.”

The secretary scowled. “I told you to have a seat,” she said. “I’ll get to you as soon as I can.”

Ally slammed her hands down on the counter to get the secretary’s full attention. “Where is my brother?”

“Ally!”

Ally shifted her attention, sighing in relief when she caught sight of her brother, Grady, striding into the building. His face was grim and drawn, his shoulder-length brown hair pulled into a rubber band at the nape of his neck, and his pace was hurried.

“What do we know?”

“We know this woman won’t help me,” Ally said, shooting the secretary a snide look.

Grady pulled Ally close, giving her a quick hug. “I’m sure it’s going to be okay.”

“I’m not going to believe that until I see him,” Ally said.

Grady glanced at Mandy, worry clouding his eyes. “Hey, kid,” he said. “How are you?”

Mandy didn’t respond.

“She’s not talking,” Ally said. “She’s in shock or something.”

Grady ran his hand down the back of Mandy’s head, trying to force her gaze to meet his. It didn’t work. She was fixated on the engagement ring on her finger, twirling it around as she shifted from one foot to the other.

Grady exchanged a quick look with Ally, raising his eyebrows, and then turned to the secretary. His approach was much different from that of his loud and belligerent sister. “Hi,” he said, shooting the secretary a flirty smile. Grady was well aware of the impact he had on women, and he had no problem using it to his advantage when the situation warranted. “You look busy.”

The secretary narrowed her eyes. “It’s a hospital,” she said. “We’re always busy.”

“It’s a thankless job,” Grady agreed. “I’m sure that you have to deal with a lot of crap from worried relatives.”

“I do.”

“Well, I’m going to ask you to put up with some more,” Grady said. “Our brother was down at the political rally in Mount Clemens this afternoon. We know he’s been shot, and I’m sure you can understand that we’re concerned.”

The secretary’s green eyes softened. “I do understand.”

“If you could get us any information, I would really appreciate it,” Grady said. “We’re a very close family.”

“Let me see what I can find out.”

Grady nodded, forcing a tight smile onto his face. “Thank you.” He turned back to his sister. “What did they say on the phone? You weren’t very clear in the message you sent me, by the way. And, for future reference, you don’t text someone to tell them that their brother has been shot.”

“I’m sorry,” Ally said, gesturing to Mandy helplessly. “I just … .”

“I know,” Grady said, giving Ally a quick squeeze. “This is just … unbelievable.”

“He’s probably dead,” Mandy said, suddenly finding her voice. “That’s why they won’t tell us what’s going on. He’s dead.”

Grady wrapped his arm around Mandy’s shoulders. “You don’t know that,” he said. “They could still be working on him.”

“No, he’s dead.” Mandy’s voice was shrill.

Grady pulled her closer. “They didn’t tell us anything when you were hurt either,” he said. “Remember when Sophie was in the car accident?” Grady pressed, reminding Mandy of the time when his girlfriend had been injured months before. “They didn’t tell us anything then either. No news isn’t necessarily bad news.”

Mandy pulled away from him, rubbing her forehead in frustration. “I can’t do this. I can’t lose him.”

“Mandy,” Grady warned. “You need to calm down. You look like you’re about to pass out or something.”

“I need to go home,” Mandy announced, her eyes unfocused. “If I go home, I’ll wake up, and this will just be a bad dream.”

“You’re not asleep,” Grady said.

“I have to be,” Mandy countered. “This can’t be happening, so I have to be asleep.”

Ally pinched Mandy’s forearm. Hard.

“Ow!” Mandy rubbed her arm, finally snapping her gaze up and focusing on Ally. “Why did you do that?”

“Because you’re freaking out,” Ally said. “You can’t freak out. You’re the calm one.”

Grady shook his head. “If you two don’t stop it, I’m going to freak out.”

“Mr. Hardy?” The secretary was back.

“Yes.”

“Your brother is being attended to in the emergency ward,” she said. “There’s no other information than that.”

“But he’s alive?”

The secretary looked uncertain. “He was alive when they brought him in. I haven’t heard anything else.”

Grady nodded, rubbing his jaw. “Where is the emergency ward?”

The secretary pointed. “Only family is allowed.”

Grady made a face. “I’m his brother.”

“And I’m his sister,” Ally said, hands on hips.

“What about her?” The secretary was focused on Mandy. “She’s clearly not related to you.”

“She’s my brother’s fiancée,” Grady said. “She is family.”

“Not in the eyes of the law.”

“Oh, whatever,” Ally said, grabbing Mandy’s arm and dragging her in the direction the woman had pointed.

“You can’t go back there!”

“I’d like to see someone stop me,” Ally shot back.

FINN
felt like he was caught in a bear trap.

“Can’t you sit still for five minutes?”

James rolled his eyes, grimacing in pain as the doctor prodded his exposed shoulder. “No.”

“Mr. Hardy,” Dr. Kirk Marsden chided him. “I need you to hold still. I’m trying to ascertain how much damage has been done.”

“It’s just a flesh wound,” James said, shifting on the gurney. “Trust me, it’s not a bad wound. I’ve seen bad wounds. This is … it’s nothing.”

“It’s a gunshot wound,” Marsden said. “It’s not nothing.”

James pinched the bridge of his nose. “I need to make a phone call.”

“Who do you need to call?” Marsden asked, shooting some clear liquid into the wound.

“My fiancée,” James said. “She can’t hear this from someone else. She’ll have a meltdown.”

Marsden glanced at Finn. “Can’t you handle that for him?”

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea,” Finn hedged.

“Why not?”

“I was thinking that we might as well wait at this point,” Finn said. “If they admit you overnight, then we’ll deal with it. If they release you, it would probably go over better if she sees that you’re okay with her own eyes.”

James sighed, the wisdom of Finn’s words washing over him. “You’re right.”

The nurse standing next to James furrowed her brow. “I think your family has already been notified. No one mentioned anything about a fiancée.”

The nurse had been flirting with James and Finn since they’d wheeled through the doors to the emergency ward, her interest keen and overt. Both men had been steadfastly ignoring her.

James stilled as her words sank in. “What?”

“The intake nurse placed a call to your home,” she said. “I’m not sure who she talked to, but your chart says notification has been made.”

James was struggling to climb off the gurney again. “I need my phone.”

“Mr. Hardy, you have to sit still,” Marsden said. “This wound has to be cleaned and closed. You’re not going anywhere.”

“I need to talk to her,” James said. “You don’t understand. She’s going to be really upset.”

“I’ll call her,” Finn said, digging into his pocket for his phone. “I’ll do it right now.”

“Let me talk to her,” James said. “She won’t believe you unless she talks to me.”

“She sounds a like a spazz,” the nurse offered.

James ignored her. “Finn,” he pleaded. “She’s going to flip out.”

“Okay,” Finn said. “Just … calm down. You’re giving me a headache.”

“Hey, I’m the one who was shot,” James grumbled.

“Stop being a baby,” Finn said. “You were barely shot.”

Finn was just about to hit the final button on the phone when loud voices in the doorway caught his attention.

“Ma’am, you can’t go in there. It’s a sterile environment. You have to wait in the lobby.”

“Don’t ever tell me what to do!”

Finn raised his eyebrows, meeting James’ weary brown eyes from across the room. “Ally,” the said in unison.

“Who is Ally?” Marsden asked.

“Our sister.”

“Is she going to be a distraction?”

“She’s always a distraction,” Finn said.

Marsden started moving toward the door. “I’ll handle this.”

“Wait,” James said.

Marsden already had the door open. “What is going on out here?”

“Who are you?”

“I’m Dr. Marsden.”

“Is my brother in there?”

“Is your name Ally?”

“Yes.”

“Then your brother is in here,” Marsden said.

“Well, are you going to let me in there so I can see him?” Ally asked.

“Are you going to keep yelling if I don’t?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Ally replied, her tone snotty.

James leaned his head back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling. He had a feeling things were about to get ugly. The flirty nurse hovering by his side patted his healthy shoulder. “Things could be worse.”

“Not really,” James said. “If he doesn’t let her in here, she’s going to explode.”

A scuffle at the door caused James to lift his head again. Ally pushed her way in, relief washing over her angular face when she caught sight of him. “You scared the shit out of us.”

“Watch your mouth, young lady,” Marsden said. “I can have security here in thirty seconds flat.”

“You go ahead and try,” Ally said, narrowing her eyes.

Grady swept into the room, lifting Ally off the floor and moving her against the nearby wall. “Sorry,” he said. “She’s dramatic.”

“And you are?” Marsden challenged.

“I’m her brother,” Grady said, grinning when he saw James sitting up and watching the spectacle. “And his brother.”

“Fine,” Marsden said. “If you stand there and be quiet, you can stay. If you can’t keep her in control, then you both have to go.”

“Understood.”

Marsden was halfway back across the room when something else snagged his attention in the hallway. “And who are you?”

Mandy stepped into the doorway, her hands clasped in front of her. When her eyes met James’, a small cry escaped her clenched throat.

“None of that,” Marsden said. “Get her out of here.”

Grady shook his head. “Absolutely not.”

Marsden turned back to James. “Sir, you’ve been shot. Every person you know cannot be in this room with you.”

James didn’t move his gaze from Mandy. “The blonde stays.”

“Then everyone else has to go,” Marsden said.

“Fine.”

“What?” Ally was incensed.

Grady and Finn worked in unison to wrestle her out of the room.

“Let them be, Ally,” Finn said.

“He’s my brother.”

“I’m your brother,” Finn said. “Focus on me.”

“This is such crap.”

Once they were gone, Marsden returned to work on James’ shoulder. “Well, Mr. Hardy, you’re very lucky. The wound is through-and-through. In a week, you should have a full range of motion back. You might have a little pain for a day or two, but otherwise you should be fine.”