In His Sights (23 page)

“Detectives,” he said in greeting. “I assume you're waiting on news of Dr. Lassiter's condition?”

Chris stood and nodded. “Please.”

“I'm happy to say she's come through surgery just fine.”

“Thank God,” he rasped. “What was the damage? Anything permanent?”

“No. The wound was a bit deep, but clean. No major organs were punctured or torn, so we had the best possible scenario to work with. She lost a lot of blood, so we gave her more, sewed her up, and she rallied nicely.”

Grabbing the doctor's hand, he shook it. “Thank you so much. When can I see her?”

“After she leaves recovery and is settled into a room. About forty-five minutes to an hour.” The man smiled. “Dr. Lassiter will be our guest for a couple of days at least, and I know she won't be happy. You'll keep her company, I trust.”

“You bet your ass I will.” He laughed, the darkness gradually lifting from his soul. It would take some time to forget the sight of Lee shoving a blade into the woman he loved, but he'd get there.

“She'll probably sleep until tomorrow,” the doctor said. “I'll be by later to check on her.”

“Thank you again.”

He waved a hand. “It's what I do.”

Then he was gone. Chris turned to Shane. “Tell Daisy and Maddy I'll be home in a little while. I want to talk to Maddy and explain what's going on as best I can without scaring her too much.”

“Good idea. What will you say?”

“I don't know yet. I don't want to lie, but I'm thinking that keeping the truth simple is best.”

“I agree.”

They parted ways and Chris waited impatiently until a nurse he didn't recognize came to get him. She told him Robyn's room number on the sixth floor and pointed him toward the elevators.

His knees were shaking as he entered her room, and he had some idea why. If the knife had been higher or lower, in a different spot, the wound could have been lethal. He could've lost her.

Pulling up a chair, he sat at her side and held her hand. Her skin was too cold and he rubbed gently, careful not to disturb her IV. Her beautiful face was waxen, and he saw a bruise on her cheek he hadn't noticed before. The idea that Lee had hit her made his blood boil. Nobody was ever going to get the chance to lay a hand on her again. He'd keep her under lock and key if he had to.

He drank in her long lashes, arched brows. The way her auburn hair tumbled around her face. She looked vulnerable now, but she was the strongest woman he knew. Too many times in her life, she was forced to be brave. To take it on the chin and keep going.

He would be brave for her, and let her lean on him for the rest of her life. If she would have him.

Not so brave right this second, however, he bent his head and let the tears come. There was nobody to see the release of the terror that had held him in its grip, kept him awake for two days straight, and left him dead on his feet. If anyone did happen to see, he didn't care.

So he bawled like a baby, until the darkness and fear were cleansed.

And all that was left was love.

*   *   *

Maddy met Chris at the door when he walked into the house that evening, Daisy and Shane hovering close behind.

“Chris! Where's Mommy? She didn't come home with you?” Launching herself into his arms, she wrapped him in a hug.

“No, she didn't, sweet pea.” Lifting her up, he hugged her fiercely before setting her on her feet again. Then he took her hand and led her into the living room, to the sofa. “Sit with me for a few minutes?”

They sat and she scooted close, so he turned slightly so he could look into her face. His friends sat, too, ready to interject if needed. Taking a deep breath, he began. “You know how your mom takes care of sick people and makes them well?”

“Uh-huh. She takes their temp-ra-ture and gives them medicine.”

“Right.” He ruffled her hair. “Well, it's your mom who doesn't feel well this time, so she's in the hospital, where some of the doctors are taking care of
her
now.”

“She's in the hospital?” Her little brows furrowed.

“Yes, just for a few days.”

“Is she—is she gonna die?”

“Absolutely not. I
promise
you.”

“She's going to come home?”

Chris made sure to smile broadly. “You bet! In two or three days, I'm going to pick her up and bring her home. Then we'll have to give her lots of TLC until she can walk around better.”

“Why?”

“Because she's going to have some stitches right here.” Lifting his shirt a bit, he pointed to the spot on his side.

“I had stitches on my arm one time!” she exclaimed. “And I didn't cry.”

“Good for you! Well, she didn't cry, either, so we'll have to make her something special, like chocolate chip cookies.”

“Yeah. She likes those.” Maddy seemed pleased at the idea of rewarding her mom for being brave.

“Do you have any questions?”
Please don't ask how and why the stitches happened. I don't want to lie.

“Can I go see her?”

“I don't know if they'll let you in, munchkin.”

Her anxiety returned. “But I want to see Mommy! I want to help her get better.”

“You will,” he assured her. “I promise she's going to be fine. Tell you what, though. I'll ask tomorrow and maybe they'll let you in for just a bit, okay?”

“Okay. But I miss Mommy.” She pouted adorably.

“Me, too. She'll be home before we know it. In the meantime, I'll try to be a good dad, okay? I think I'm getting the hang of it.” He held his breath, wondering how she'd react.

Maddy smiled at him. “Yep. Hey, you ready to eat dinner? Daisy cooked again—she cooks good.”

“Is that why the house smells so great? I'm starved.”

“Me, too!” With that, she bounded off the sofa and bolted for the dining room.

He looked to his cousin and Daisy, vowing not to get too emotional. “You guys are awesome. Thanks for everything.”

“We know we're fabulous,” Daisy said with a grin.

Standing, he strode across the room and pulled her into a hug, then Shane, too. It was a mostly happy group who sat at the table and ate chicken pot pie. One of their
number was missing, but the situation would be put to rights soon. Just not soon enough for his liking.

Once the kitchen was clean, Shane and Daisy left, promising to come by in a couple of days, after Robyn was home. Chris allowed Maddy to watch some TV, and then ran her bath and made her turn off the program. She complained some, but did as she was told, splashing until she pruned and he had to make her get out again. Kids. Who could figure them out?

He tucked her into bed that night and read her a story, loving how she scooted close and paid rapt attention to the tale of a brave knight saving his lady from a dragon.

When the story was done, he laid the book on the nightstand and turned out the light. “Bedtime, munchkin.”

“My daddy always said that to me,” she told him sleepily.

A pang shot through his heart. “He did?”

“Uh-huh. But he called me ‘pumpkin.' He read me a story and said, ‘Bedtime, pumpkin.'” She yawned. “He read the stories good. But he never smiled and laughed like you do.”

God help him, he had no idea what to say. What came out was, “From now on, we're going to smile and laugh all the time. You, me,
and
your mom.”

She grinned up at him. Then she said shyly, “Can I call you Daddy?”

If ever there was a time in a man's life when he suddenly knew the purpose of his entire existence, for Chris, it was
that
moment. Somehow speaking past the huge
lump in his throat, he managed to answer. “I'd love that very much, if it's okay with your mom. And if it's fine with her, can I tell people you're my daughter?”

“Yep! That's what daddies do.”

Indeed they did. Heart overflowing, he gave her a hug, kissed her head. “Good night, baby girl.”

“'Night.”

He lasted until he made it to his and Robyn's bedroom before he gave in and cried for the second time that day.

From sheer joy.

*   *   *

This was the life.

Robyn knew the pampering had to come to an end, but after the pain had become manageable, she'd enjoyed the attention from Chris and Maddy. Yeah, she'd shamelessly milked it for all it was worth. They didn't seem to mind, though.

From her lounge chair on the deck, she watched the two people she loved most running around the yard like a couple of wild banshees as they played tag, their new yellow Lab puppy, Rocky, yapping and throwing himself into the game. Maddy had gotten her way on the new family member with a sweet pout at Chris and a bat of her eyelashes.

Shouts and squeals drifted across to where she sat, and she smiled. Chris was funny, trying to pretend he wasn't fast enough to outrun Maddy and the pup, and they were both loving it.

After she “tagged” Chris, he rolled on the grass and
she leaped on him, tickling. She managed a good dig in his ribs and he let out a loud “Ahh!”

For several more minutes they played, and then Chris stood and brushed the grass off them both. Taking her hand, he led her to the deck and up the steps.

“Hey, beautiful,” he said cheerfully, coming over and leaning down to give her a solid kiss. “How are you feeling?”

“Good, just like I was when you asked thirty minutes ago.” She ran her fingers through his brown-gold hair.

“Can't blame me for worrying.”

“You will whether I want you to or not,” she teased.

“True. Say, Maddy and I think it's time to start the grill. Ready for some hot dogs?”

“Yes, I'm starving,” she said, stomach rumbling.

“It's a plan. Can't have my girls go hungry.” He turned to Maddy. “Would you do me a big favor and go get the weenies and the buns while I start the grill?”

“Yes, sir!” She ran off to do as asked, the puppy hot on her heels.

Smiling, he shook his head. “I wish I could bottle and sell that energy.”

“Same here. Some days I'm not sure whether watching her makes me feel young or old,” she joked.

“Young, because you
are
.” Ignoring her snort, Chris went about lighting the gas grill. In a few seconds the flame was dancing, and he closed the lid to let the inside get hot.

Maddy came back with the weenies and buns, and had even thought to bring a plate for the cooked hot dogs.
Chris praised her good thinking, and she puffed out her little chest, proud to have pleased him.

Robyn was fascinated seeing them interact. Anyone who didn't already know she wasn't his biologically would never guess, except for their slightly different coloring. They were easy around each other, and got along well. He took a real interest in what she had to say, and he listened. They had fun and laughed a lot.

But he wasn't afraid to discipline her when needed, though it wasn't necessary very often, and he never exacted a punishment without discussing it with Robyn first. He was well aware he was new, still establishing his authority, and he was deeply respectful of Robyn's wishes where Maddy was concerned.

In short, the man was a dream come true on every single front.

Soon the weenies were cooking and the delicious aroma filled the air. They might not be the most nutritious things ever, but hot dogs were normal and fun, and God knows they needed plenty of both in their lives right now.

Her two angels fixed the patio table with paper plates, napkins, chips, chili, cheese, relish, and onions. Maddy fetched the three of them bottled water, and Chris put the dogs on the plate, and they were ready to eat.

The meal was nice, the company even better. Robyn couldn't remember when she'd been happier in her life. They just fit together, birds in a nest.

They talked about all sorts of things, like Maddy's school work, happenings at the police department, Shane and his family. The one subject they didn't broach in
front of Maddy was Lee Miller. She shuddered when she recalled Chris telling her that Lee had confessed to following Chris around. That Lee had been the man who'd spoken to Maddy in the woods that day. He was truly insane. There was a possibility that his psychiatric evaluation would result in his being rendered unfit to stand trial. In this case, Robyn knew being sent to a facility where the man could undergo treatment was the appropriate measure.

Whether the judge would agree, time would tell.

“Any change with Clay Montana?” Chris asked.

“No,” she said sadly. “We're holding out hope he'll wake up, but it's far from certain.”

“That's just awful.”

“Yes, it is.” She paused. “On a lighter note, Daisy told me Drew is seeing someone.”

His brows raised. “Really? Who?”

“That's the mysterious part—he won't say.” She paused for dramatic effect. “But he and Blake are spending an awful lot of time together. Daisy said she and Shane haven't seen a girl around at all.”

“Oh, wow. Blake's nineteen, and Drew's seventeen. So that makes Drew jailbait, at least for a few more months.”

“That could be why they're keeping it hush-hush. Well, that and the question of Drew coming out . . .”

“Coming out of where?” Maddy chirped, not understanding the gist of the conversation.

“Um, that's a talk for another day, sweet pea,” Robyn said, then looked at Chris again. “Anyway, Daisy also said it's just speculation on her and Shane's part at this
point, and asked us to keep it in the family for now, so to speak.”

“Did she sound like they would be upset about it, if it turns out to be true? 'Cause I've got to tell you, it doesn't sound like my cousin to judge.” He seemed really concerned on Drew's behalf.

“No,” she assured him. “Just worried about Drew being able to handle it with his peers. Especially with Drew's deceased father being a super-macho NFL legend.”