The Heart's Shrapnel (13 page)

Jane

I was in the middle of dreaming about that kiss—the kiss that revived my soul—when someone wakes me. Knowing it could be someone in trouble, I quickly sit up, disoriented from my deep slumber. My eyes take a moment to focus, and when they do, I pray I’m still dreaming. Because if this is real, I’m in for a rough ride.

Phillip stands in front of me, his eyes accusing. “Jane.”

“Phillip?” I say in disbelief. I’ve wanted to know he was safe, but I was hoping it was from the mouth of someone else.

“Get yourself situated. I’ll be outside. Don’t be long.” He turns and goes outside.

I’m stunned at his abruptness, though I shouldn’t be shocked since I did technically lie to him—but not really. I wait a moment longer to make sure everyone else is still asleep. The last thing I need is for someone to report I was seen sneaking out early to fraternize with a fellow worker, or heaven forbid, a patient.

Sighing, I readjust my tank and pajama bottoms and throw on a long white T-shirt. It will have to do. Morning is about to break. People will be getting up soon, and he needs to leave.

I find him just outside. His arms are folded and he’s scowling. I hate that my heart flutters just being near him. He doesn’t seem affected by me at all.

“What do you—”

“You lied to me.” He spins around. His voice is eerily low with a harshness I’ve never heard from him before. The intensity of it causes me to take a step back, but he follows.

“I had to,” I offer weakly.

“Lie to me? No.” He shakes his head, turning back around. “You lied because you made the conscientious decision to do so. I gave you a warning that you deliberately ignored.”

I’m not sure why he keeps saying this. A warning? He acts as if my life is in danger when, in actuality, it’s his. He’s the soldier.

I cross my arms. “I don’t have to take your advice or commands. You wanted nothing to do with me when we first met, and now you think you can dictate my life’s affairs.” I almost shout. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. “What do you want from me, Phillip?”

He looks away.

“Tell me.”

“Just be careful and keep on the lookout. If anything happens or you suspect anything . . .” He digs in his pocket, fishes out a flip phone, and hands it to me. “It’s already set up.”

I stare at the object in his hand as if it will reach out and bite me. This is not allowed. I could be dismissed on the spot for having this. Is he trying to get me fired?

I square my shoulders. “No.”

“No?” He looks as if he can’t understand why I would refuse such a thing.

“Are you insane? Are you trying to get me dismissed? Because I think that’s exactly what you’re trying to do. It won’t work.” I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm, whips me around, and holds the phone in my face. I glance from the phone to him.

“Take the ever-loving phone, Jane,” he says. “And if I were so calloused of a bastard to get you fired, then I shouldn’t be here. Since I’m not, you will take this, and you will use it.”

I balk at his fierceness. He won’t let this go and will probably stay until I cave. This obviously means a lot to him for some unknown reason.

“Fine. I’ll take the stupid thing,” I snatch the phone from his grasp. It’s as if I put myself in situations that men feel they can boss me around.

His eyes relax as does the rest of him. “Thank you, Jane.” His voice is lighter, more gentle.

I don’t say anything as we stand in silence. I don’t know what else to say, or what he wants me to say. I’m so confused.

Phillip apologizes.

I look up in shock.

“I know you don’t understand, and I hate having to be like this with you.”

“A butt?”

His eyes crinkle at the corners and his mouth twists into a wry smile. “You’re calling me a
butt
? Is that all you got, Jane from Baltimore?”

Is he making fun of me? How dare he!

“There’s plenty more where that came from. And quit laughing at me.”

“I’m not laughing at you. I’m just reminded of how far from home you are—how out of place you are here.” His eyes map my face before trailing to my mouth.

“I’ve had enough insults from you today—and orders. And it’s not even seven. You think I can’t do this, that I don’t belong here? Why? Because I’m a woman who doesn’t care to cuss? Because I’m a woman who chooses not to fight? Well, screw you! If you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready for breakfast.”

This time he lets me leave. But his words hover like a thick fog. Am I in danger? Why won’t he tell me?

“Everything all right, Jane?” one of the office ladies asks as soon as I step back inside. I think her name is Jess.

“Yes, just someone needing information about a patient of mine,” I smile.

“You sure? It sounded a little heated there for a few.”

“Oh, yeah.” I look around the small space for guidance. Nothing helps, so I stick to my original plan. “He was complaining how the patient wouldn’t obey orders, and they are essentially making themselves sicker.”

She stares at me a few moments more before nodding. “Okay. As long as you’re sure. I’m going shower.” She heads outside with a bag of her clothes.

I sit on my cot, breathing to release the tension. Sighing, I grab a fresh uniform from the closet and items I’ll need for the shower.

Jess is almost done when I arrive. She finishes brushing her teeth and waves as she passes.

I’m by myself, thankful for a moment of peace. Just to be sure, I peek under every stall.

Once satisfied, I strip off my pajamas and underwear, and turn the handle to the shower back and forth a few times before the pipes spark to life. The water hiccups before it finally spits water. It’s not hot, but with the weather we have here, you don’t want it to be.

Opening my bag, I place my essentials inside while draping the towel over a bench just outside the shower.

I stand in the stream of water, ducking my head underneath to rinse the shampoo out of my hair. Leaning my head back, I take a moment to bask in the sensation of the water ridding the filth from my body and the sand that’s managed to get into every crevice.

I’m thinking about Phillip, when someone naked comes up behind me and wraps their arms around me. A hand quickly covers my mouth when I start to scream and silences my cries for help. Heart racing, I scrunch my eyes and pray for this to be a hallucination. When the person squeezes me tighter, I know it’s real. I know whose hands these are. I’ve felt them many times. I cringe as his hot breath fills my ear.

“That man? Are you with him?”

He lets go of my mouth when I start to mumble. “I-I d-don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stutter.

“Lie number one. Shall we go for another?”

Oh God.

I try to think how to escape him. Why does he have to be here? He’s supposed to be on leave.

“I’m not lying, Kevin.” He pushes me roughly against the tiled wall as he presses his erection into me from behind. My insides recoil at his touch. It’s difficult to breathe and my anxiety flares.

“Lie number two,” he grates out.

The heat from his body mixed with the warmth of the shower makes me lightheaded. My body is overheating, and I start to hyperventilate.

His one hand is on my hip and the other one caresses by breast. He moans and I can’t help but whimper when he squeezes hard.

“Do you remember what happens when we get to three, Jane?” When I don’t answer, he continues. “I think someone needs reminding.”

“No, please,” I beg in a hushed whisper.

“We’re not done until I say we are done. Do you hear me?” He slams me into the other wall, and my back hits the tile, robbing me of my breath.

“Kevin, don’t!” I shout once my breath returns. “Let’s talk about this.”

He charges for me, and I don’t know what possesses me, but I slap him, hard. The sound echoes off the walls. He stands, stunned, his eyes wide in shock. I bring my hands to my face, wishing I can take it back. I’ve never slapped him before. I’ve always agreed and took what he gave.

He brings his hand up to his mouth and wipes the trail of blood at the corner. The ring I’m wearing must have nicked his skin. He looks at the red liquid on his fingers, before looking at me.

His voice is sinister. “You’ll pay for that.” Grabbing my hair, he grips it hard. The pain is excruciating. “How about a welcome gift.” He rears my head back and slams me forward—the hard, cold cement unyielding.

He stands over my naked flesh.

The blow paralyzes me. I don’t want any more. I need to get away.

Move Jane.
I spin around on the floor and scurry to right myself. The quick movement causes me to slip. I catch myself and run with all my might from the shower, grab my towel and hastily throw it over my naked body.

“Jane!” Kevin shouts.

I don’t look back. I don’t answer. I run—away from him—away from what I thought was in my past.

Opening the door, I rush out and slam it behind me. No one is around that I can see as I sprint to my tent. My haven.

Once I’m inside, I calm my heart before going to the closet and getting another uniform. As fast as my shaking hands will allow, I throw everything on, apply tons of makeup to mask the bruise forming on my face from being slammed into the wall, head to work, and try to forget. I can’t tell anyone. I made that mistake once.

It makes for a long day when you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. Every soldier that came in to be treated set my heart to racing. With Kevin back, I’m not sure how I’m going to function properly.

Every touch I minister has me cringing and quaking in fear. I don’t want to be here right now. I need to be alone. Sleep will help me to forget at least for a little while.

I swore he’d never be able to touch me again, but he always wins. Throughout the day, I’d go to the back supply area when I would start to hyperventilate. Sometimes it lasts for up to fifteen minutes. But I keep coming back; these people need me.

The girls and I set up our stations for what could be another long, taxing day tomorrow and check out for the night.

“Thank you, ladies. It’s been another successful day,” I tell them as they leave. As I finish my charts and make sure my patients have everything they need, I start to feel lightheaded.

I need to drink some water
. The last time I had any was lunch, and even then it wasn’t enough when working in a tent under a hot sun.

Pressing my hand to my forehead, I use my other one to grasp the nearest hard surface when the room starts to spin. I vaguely hear someone ask if I’m all right when I fall to the floor.

Wes

Ryan, Dylan, Leonard, and I are all sitting outside eating our meals when my cell vibrates in my pocket. Excusing myself, I head to a nearby RG-31 Nyala. It must be Jane. She’s the only one who has this number. My other cell is used for the CID. Rushing to answer it before the line goes dead, I press send.

“Jane,” I say into the receiver.

“Phillip, this is Joe.” My hand tightens around the phone.

Why the hell does Joe have Jane’s phone?

“Sir, you might want to get over here. Jane’s passed out. She’s being looked at, but being that you were there to see her this morning, I thought you’d like to know.”

What the hell?

“They say what it was from?”

“No, sir, but I did overhear one of the nurses saying she had some swelling.”

“Swelling? From what?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry, sir.”

“That’s okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t let anyone take her anywhere; you hear me?”

I end the call and run over to the guys. “I have an urgent matter. I need to go.”

“Is it something I can help you with,” Leonard asks, getting to his feet. He’s referring to the general, but I haven’t received the go-ahead to arrest him. Once I do, though, his ass is done for.

If Jane’s condition has even one thing to do with him directly or indirectly, I won’t wait around for the call. I’ll kill the son of a bitch.

“No, it’s something I need to handle alone.”

“Dude, what is it? You can tell us,” Ryan says. The timing on this couldn’t be worse. I need to keep him close, but just enough so I don’t raise any further suspicions.

“Jane’s blacked out. I’m going to check on her.”

“She okay?” Ryan asks. “I can go with you.”

“No, thank you, though. Really. I’ll tell you about it when I get back.” Turning to Leonard and Dylan, I say, “I’ll call if something comes up. Either you scope out where the women are being held tonight at midnight as planned without me, or you wait until I get back. I’d prefer it be when I get back.”

“We’ll do it tonight like we said. If we can find out where they are, then it’s best to remove them sooner,” Leonard says.

“You’re right. Call me with what you find.”

I run to my vehicle, open the door, and jump in. After I back out, I pop it into drive and hit the gas. Sand flies everywhere, forming a cloud of dust.

If the general did something to Jane because of me, I’d never forgive myself. He’s suspicious of me, and he has a right to be, But he’d better leave Jane out of this.

As soon as the field hospital comes into view, I grab my badge for the soldiers manning the entrance. They rush over, no doubt, suspicious of a raging vehicle.

After I come to a screeching halt, I almost throw my badge at them.

“Sergeant McClintock. I need to get inside asap! I need to check on one of my men,” I lie.

“Anything we should be concerned about?” the one asks.

“I’ve got it covered. I’ll report anything if need be.”

“Open the gates,” he shouts, letting me through.

This time, I pull right up to the tent Jane works in, not caring about anything else. I shut off my truck, get out, and run inside. There are three nurses and a number of patients. My eyes quickly scan the room for Jane. When I spot her, I immediately rush to her side and find her sleeping.

“Nurse!” I shout.

A petite blonde hurries over.

“Yes, sir?” she asks, looking slightly alarmed.

“This patient. What happened?”

“Uh . . .” she stammers while glancing at the other nurses.

Shit, I don’t have time for this.

“I’m a sergeant in the army. You can tell me,” I say, impatience burning through my veins.

“This is Jane, sir. She was just finishing up for the day and collapsed.” When I give her a strange look, she explains, “I was just about to leave when a patient yelled for me. He noticed she looked odd. Like she was confused all of a sudden. Then she went pale. He said he called her name, but she didn’t seem to register his voice. Then he said she fell to the ground. I got to her as fast as I could, sir.’’

“Did she get a lunch today? Plenty of water?”
God, give me something, woman.

“I believe so, but . . .”

“But, what?”

“Well, a group of us noticed she seemed a bit . . . off during her lunch break. Well, the whole day, actually.”

Shit. Maybe I’d scared her. I can’t think straight when it comes to her.

“How exactly? She didn’t say anything?”

The nurse’s cheeks reddened. “It’s not so much what she said, but how she acted and looked.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll show you.” She motions me closer to the head of Jane’s bed. She looks so peaceful. When the nurse grabs Jane’s face, I’m dumbfounded why she’d possibly need to do this. She turned Jane’s head slightly to show me a big bruise covering the whole right side of her face. “She covered it pretty well earlier, which is why we didn’t notice it until we cleaned her up.”

Bloodlust. That’s the only way I can describe how I feel as I clench my hands tightly at my sides. My heart thuds in my chest. My nostrils flare. I want to kill. Someone did this. And when I find out who, I’ll make them pay.

I can’t leave her here unattended. Whoever did this is possibly after me. Could be Mayfield, but would he risk the possible exposure? No, it has to be someone else.

“She’s not safe here for the night. I’m taking her with me,” I state.

“But, sir. She has work in the morning.”

Like I give a shit.
“I’ll get her back in time,” I say, removing the blankets, tucking my arms underneath her delicate body, and picking her up. She easily molds into me, and it’s all I can do not to pull her in tighter.

“Call your supervisor. Tell them Sergeant McClintock has reason to believe that a worker might be in danger and that I’m taking her to a safer location for the night.”

The young nurse opens and closes her mouth silently, but then says, “Yes, sir.”

With Jane in my arms, I carry her toward the entrance as Joe walks in.

“She all right?” he asks.

“Yes. She will be.” I continue past him toward her tent. I’m not at all certain who I can trust, and I don’t want to risk it. If it just involved me, I couldn’t give a shit, but with Jane, I’m not willing to take that chance.

I head into her tent and lay her lifeless body down on her cot and start grabbing at things I think she may want. The others in the tent are still asleep, so I tread lightly around her small living area.

Shit, what do women need?
Grabbing an overnight bag beside a closet, I find a brush and toss it in along with some moisturizer. It’s laying right next to her brush, and so I figure, what the hell. When I retrieve a uniform from the closet, some things nestled in the back corner catches my eye.

After stooping down on one knee, I move the items around and spot a bag of makeup.
She’ll probably want this, but she sure as hell doesn’t need it.
Tossing that in, I root around and come across a box of tampons. My hand flinches away as if bitten.
How the hell do I know if she needs this?
Christ, this is not on my list of qualifications.
Giving in, I throw it in and head to her dresser to get some of her . . . personal items.

Opening the drawers, I grab a fistful of things I can manage and quickly toss them in, not wanting to take the time to inspect the silky wad. It will just have to do. I have no idea where she keeps her toothbrush. She can get one from me.

I sling the bag over my shoulder and pick her up. She doesn’t even stir, and I’m not sure if I should be concerned or not. Either way, I sure as hell don’t want her staying here. I need to talk to her as soon as she wakes up.

***

There are places available for us to stay. Whether or not they are decent enough is the question. Finding a motel with room service, I pay the front desk while peering outside to make sure Jane is still asleep. I wouldn’t want her waking up at night in a place she doesn’t recognize.

“Keep the receipt and the change,” I tell the clerk while I head outside to my truck.

I open the passenger side, grab her things from the back, and a pair of clothes that I usually keep on hand for emergencies. After throwing my stuff in her bag, I sling it over my shoulder, scoop Jane into my arms, and kick the door shut.

Once inside, I lay her down on the bed nearest to the wall. She stirs a little and sighs. Keeping still, I remain in place and try not to make a sound. I’m not ready for her to wake up yet. I have calls to make.

I place the bag on the bed by the window.

Before heading outside, I run a finger down the silkiness of her bruised cheek that demands an explanation. Mayfield knows about me, and I wouldn’t put it past him to know about Jane either. It doesn’t matter that we’re not an item. We’d been together at Francesca’s enough times for someone to have seen us. Hell, anyone could have seen me going into her house alone when she invited us over. Maybe I’m just angry and overthinking this. I can’t allow myself to get sloppy.

I remove the quilt from the other bed to place it over her before heading outside to make my phone calls. It’s late, and aside from the main office lights being on, everywhere else is dark; silent.

“Wes?” Leonard asks after just one ring.

“I’ve got her. I’m not going to say where we are over the phone, just in case, but as of right now, she’s safe.”

“What the hell happened?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I answer, “Someone struck her from what I’ve gathered. I don’t know who, and I don’t know why, but when I find out who did this—”

“Take it easy. Not to make light of the situation, but take a moment and remind yourself where we are.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Truthfully, I don’t give two shits where we are. “So, anything new?”

“Yes. I didn’t want to tell you this earlier because you were busy with Jane, but I got the call shortly after you left and apprehended Mayfield.”

“What? You know I wanted to speak to him.”

“That’s still a possibility. I’ll see what I can do. Besides, I haven’t even told Dylan yet.”

Jesus. Nothing can go right. “How did he act? The general.”

Leonard laughs. “Went out kicking and screaming. Claims we have the wrong person. You know the usual things people say when we do this. Anyway, I told him we have probable cause, including some suspicious activity on his computer.”

“You did good, Leonard. I still want to talk with the son of a bitch, though. Make that happen.”

“I told you I’ll try, but this isn’t our jurisdiction. Once he’s apprehended, he gets turned over to the appropriate authorities, and they do what they will with our findings.”

Shit.
I know all of this, but I don’t give a damn. That man is responsible for something personal, now two things, and I will have my time with him.

“Where is he now?”

“Wes,” he warns.

“Don’t play with me. Where is he?”

There’s an audible sigh on the other end. “We have him secured in one of the buildings our team rented. He’s waiting to be picked up.”

Shit, shit, shit!

Clenching my hand into a fist, I ask, “How long can you hold him?”

“We arranged it for tomorrow afternoon. If you want to talk to him, you—”

“I’ll be there,” I say and end the call. I have to ask him. I need to know if he’s the reason I’m here right now. My gut tells me he is, but there’s no doubt in my mind he has some hired hands working with him. Yeah, he’s got his hands in all kinds of dirty laundry. By tomorrow, this will be all over the news, so I’ll need to get to him before the feds take over. Once they do, it will be next to impossible to intervene.

After heading inside, I gently close the door, grab my things out of the overnight bag, and walk to the bathroom.

Leaving the door cracked enough in case she wakes, I turn on the shower to full blast, allowing the steam to soothe my aching muscles. I step in. The dirt leaves my body, skidding down the drain.

Leonard is right. I have to keep my cool with Mayfield. This could get me thrown off the investigation sooner than I’d like. Then the whole reason why I came would be for nothing.

I turn off the water, step out of the shower, and wrap a towel around my waist. Wiping a hand over the mirror, I clean off some of the steam and stare at my reflection.

I’m going to catch the person responsible. This is for you. I’ll make this right.

A rustling comes from the other room, interrupting my thoughts. Jane.

I open the door and find her sitting on the bed, looking around. Her eyebrows are furrowed as she takes in her surroundings.

Stepping out farther, she startles. I put my hands up letting her know I’m not going to hurt her.

“Jane.” I tread cautiously over to her.

She scoots back a little farther on the bed.