Love Inspired Suspense May 2015 #2 (24 page)

On their way now for her required meeting with her father's transplant doctor, she hoped there were no problems today. The rainstorm that had accompanied their trip to the hospital had put them both on edge. And things were tense enough with Griffin because of his reticence to bring her back, but neither of them had tried to change the doctor's mind.

If they'd made an issue of meeting Dr. Farmer at the hospital, it would've looked suspicious to him and the staff. Laura and Griffin agreed that the less attention drawn to them, the better.

But she knew Griffin had ultimately consented to return only because he had been able to snag both Boone and Sydney for backup. Her every movement had to be carefully planned and orchestrated. It was frustrating and tiresome.

Laura hated that she had to be in WitSec. Yes, it was the only thing that had saved her life, but turning in evidence and testifying against Vin had also cost her everything—her family, her identity. She knew it had been the right thing to do, but she felt the price every day.

She was glad that at least she would be able to visit with her father for what would probably be the last time. There was no way Griffin would bring her back again and she understood why.

At the hospital, Griffin let her out at the east entrance with Boone and Sydney. Just the short time it took her to get from the vehicle to the hospital's door chilled her to the bone. She could almost feel Vin's hatred of her, the vicious resoluteness to end her life.

Griffin's SUV almost disappeared into the deluge as he drove toward the parking garage. His two coworkers stayed close in the lobby of the reception area with Laura but didn't hover over her.

A few minutes later, Griffin came through the doors, cheeks reddened from the chill, his eyes jewel-bright in the burnished copper of his face. He tugged off his black gloves and stuffed them into the pockets of his dark leather jacket. He made no eye contact with either Boone or Sydney, just cupped Laura's elbow and guided her to the elevator.

The pair of operatives casually followed.

Her father had been moved into the bone marrow transplant unit to begin conditioning. Which was a medical way of saying he was being zapped with chemo to kill his bone marrow and cancerous cells to make room for new bone marrow.

When the elevator reached the floor, Boone and Sydney stepped off first and discreetly looked around before motioning Laura and Griffin out of the car.

She and her bodyguard moved into her dad's room in the BMT unit. As was policy, both of them wore gowns and masks to protect the patient from any germs. They were also required to use hand sanitizer each time they visited. Today the curtains had been drawn to let in the light, which was a watery gray due to the weather. Laura could almost feel the frigid November temperature.

She had just managed to wake her father when the door swung open and a distinguished-looking man of average height with thick gray hair stepped inside.

“Hi, Dr. Farmer,” Laura greeted the transplant doctor she'd met after turning in her mound of paperwork.

Randall Farmer's dark eyes warmed as he said hello to Laura and Griffin, his voice muffled behind his mask. “Nice to see you two again.”

The physician asked her father a few questions, then went over the process for the next five days. “Your injections of filgrastim need to be done at a specific medical clinic. The nurse will give you the information before you leave.”

“Why a specific clinic?” Griffin asked.

“Insurance.” Dr. Farmer shook his head. “These shots cost thousands of dollars. If they aren't given at a place that's been preapproved by the insurance company, they won't pay the charges.”

“Guess we won't be able to use Enigma's doctor,” Griffin muttered.

“Guess not,” Laura said.

The doctor tucked her father's chart under his arm. “Laura, do you understand that you aren't specifically donating bone marrow but peripheral blood stem cells?”

“Yes.”

Griffin rubbed the back of his neck. “What's the difference, Doc?”

“Donating bone marrow is a surgical procedure, done under anesthetic and in a hospital. PBSC donation is nonsurgical and can be done in a donor center or clinic. Using a process called apheresis, Laura's blood will be removed through a needle in one arm and pass through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned to her through the other arm.”

“That's quite a procedure.” Griffin looked a little shell-shocked.

Laura knew the feeling. Since she'd arrived, she'd had a crash course in terminology, timing and procedure.

The doctor turned to her. “I appreciate you meeting me here. Is there anything you're concerned about? Anything you'd like to ask?”

“Do you think Nolan will be ready for the transplant when I donate my stem cells in a few days?”

“If not the same day as your donation, then he'll be ready the next.”

“All right.” Laura was glad, but she was also sad. Once her stem cells had been collected, she would have to leave.

After checking her father's vital signs and making sure there were no more questions, the physician left.

She turned to her father. “We'll let you rest now. I'm headed to get my first injection.”

“Wait,” Nolan said weakly, his pale blue gaze settling on her. “Joy told me about the syringe in the elevator. What else has happened?”

“I'm fine. I don't want you to get upset or even think about anything except getting well.”

“What else?” The older man's gaze went past her. “Griffin?”

Keeping his voice low, her bodyguard quickly related the incident in the ladies' room.

“So, Arrico definitely knows you're back.” Nolan's eyes fluttered shut.

“Yes.” Even though he'd insisted, sharing this with her father bothered her. “But I'm safe and I know I'll stay that way. I'd tell you not to worry, but it wouldn't do any good.”

“Has there been any news of Arrico's movements?” Nolan asked.

Griffin stepped closer. “Boone has been monitoring him in prison. So far his only visitor has been his attorney. He's seen Arrico twice in the last three days.”

“Do you think he's trying to find a way to angle for a new trial?”

“I don't know. Whatever I find out, I'll pass along.” Griffin shifted, his arm brushing Laura's.

Nolan took a deep breath, causing her to wince at the pain on his face. “Do you think Vin's lawyer was involved in these attacks on my daughter?”

She knew the older man was worried, but he didn't need the added stress. “Dad—”

“Mr. Prentiss,” Griffin said quietly, “we're watching the lawyer to determine that.”

Nolan nodded weakly.

With a look, Laura urged Griffin toward the door. Before he moved, he turned back to her father. “Sir, I'll keep you informed. You can count on it.”

“Thank you.”

At the thinness of his voice, Laura leaned over and kissed her father's cheek. Her throat tightened. “This may be the last time I see you, Dad. I'll keep tabs on your recovery through Aunt Joy somehow.”

The marshal would actually make the contact and pass on the information, but Nolan knew that.

“I love you, Laura. And again, I'm sorry.”

“So am I.” She struggled to hold back tears. She'd finally been able to reunite with him and now she would have to leave again. “I love you, too. Please rest so you can beat this thing.”

He gave her a weak smile.

She squeezed his hand and felt him grip hers in return before she walked out with Griffin. Boone and Sydney fell in line behind them as they moved down the hall. Laura blinked at the brighter light, swept with a mix of anger and compassion and a deep sadness.

“I hate seeing him like that,” she said thickly, wiping at a stray tear. “He's in so much pain.”

“I'm sorry,” Griffin said gruffly. “I know it's bad, but he'll get through it.”

“It's so hard. For him and for Joy. I wish I could take some of the pressure of caring for him off her.”

As they walked, she lowered her voice so that only he could hear. “Once I finish my injections, I'll have to leave and Joy will again be doing everything. I'll only hear about Dad's transplant and progress through Floyd. I really hate that part of Wit—the program.”

“I can see why. I don't know if I could do what you've done.”

“You're a SEAL. You could if you had to.”

“Maybe,” he said softly.

Something in his voice sent her pulse cartwheeling. She glanced over, surprised to see admiration in his eyes.

As they approached the elevator bank, someone called her name. “Miss Parker?”

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Pastor Hughes waving to her. He finished his conversation with a petite brunette nurse, then strode toward her and Griffin. Laura couldn't help but wonder if he was involved with Vin.

Sydney and Boone melted into the corridor, one easing toward an alcove and the other to the elevators. Laura knew they could still see her and would be ready for action if something happened.

She and Griffin retraced their steps, greeting the stocky bald man, who was dressed in a black sweater and slacks.

With a compassionate smile, he took her hand between both of his. “Have you started your injections?”

“Today's the first one.”

“Ah. Will you be going to a donor center or medical clinic?”

Why did he want to know? Even if she hadn't caught Griffin's warning look, Laura wouldn't have answered the question. “I'm not sure yet.”

“You were probably told that headaches or bone or muscle aches are side effects of the drug. I'll say a prayer that yours aren't bad.”

“Thank you.”

After another few minutes of small talk, the pastor bid them goodbye. Eyes narrowed, Griffin watched the man return in the direction he'd come from.

Laura glanced at her bodyguard. “What is it?”

“We only met him after the attempt against you in the restroom, but he might've been aware of
you
before that.”

It made Laura nauseous to think a man of God might aid someone like Vin, but Griffin was right. They just didn't know.

Boone and Sydney joined them in the elevator. Griffin explained how he and Laura knew the pastor.

“He's too curious.” He glanced at her. “Why should he care where you get the first injection?”

“Right.”

Once downstairs, Griffin told her to wait while he went to get the SUV. Neither of them wanted to risk her getting a cold or any other kind of illness. Boone and Sydney stayed near Laura. Weak light seeped into the spacious lobby as rain pelted the windows and glass doors.

Griffin headed toward the entrance, punching in a number on his cell phone.

“Ghost, I need a little more information.” His voice faded as he moved away.

“Does Ghost have a real name?” Laura asked, half to herself.

“It's Alex Morales,” Sydney supplied in a clipped tone.

Laura glanced up to see the woman's jaw lock and her green eyes narrow. “He's good at finding anything on anybody. Anytime he wants.”

Sydney was clearly not a fan. Had Alex Morales uncovered something about the woman to put that tight look on her face? As Griffin disappeared around the corner of the building, Laura really hoped whatever Alex aka Ghost found would help keep her alive.

* * *

Griffin shouldered his way out the hospital door and strode to the end of the portico, looking both ways before he crossed the side street. The rain had let up, though the cold still cut right through him.

Several yards down, he noticed the pastor also walking toward the parking garage. Griffin frowned. The man sure had made it downstairs quickly.

“Devaney?”

Ghost's voice crackled over the phone. Frigid wind scratched at Griffin's face, cold raindrops peppering his neck and head. He flipped up the collar of his bomber jacket and ducked his chin into his coat as he entered the garage east of the hospital.

“Devaney?” Ghost barked, snapping Griffin back to the phone call. “What's up?”

“Sorry.” He pulled his attention back to the reason he'd called. “Are you having any luck with that security footage?”

“Hoodie guy from the elevator visited someone in the oncology ward. I'm trying to find out who. As for the nurse, she's on plenty of footage, but I haven't seen her with a syringe.”

“Could've been in her pocket.”

“True.”

“All of this is great info. Could you help me with something else?”

“Shoot.”

Griffin wiped the wetness off his face as he walked into the shelter of the parking garage, his gaze searching for his truck. “Is there some way you could get me a photo or video of Arrico's lawyer? I know he's visited the prison twice in the last three days.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” Griffin wanted to get a look at the attorney to see if his build or height resembled the man who had attacked Laura in the ladies' room. “I also need some information on a Pastor Rick Hughes. He's a chaplain here at OU Med Center.”

Finding his truck at the top of the row, Griffin glanced around for the reverend but didn't see him. Behind him a motorcycle gunned its engine. Reaching the back end of his SUV, he hit the remote. The brake lights flashed and a beep sounded before the door locks clicked open.

“I'll call you as soon as I find anything,” his friend said.

“Appreciate it.” He disconnected and slipped his cell phone into his jeans pocket.

One of the reasons Griff liked Morales so much was, having been a SEAL, he operated on a need-to-know basis, just like Griffin.

The übertalented computer guru never asked questions unless it was essential in order to dig up more information for whatever Griffin, Boone or Sydney needed. Something had happened in the past between Morales and Sydney, but Griffin had no idea what it was. Neither did Boone. They just knew Enigma's lone female operative and their computer genius couldn't or wouldn't be in a room together.