Dee, Lavada - Nothing to Lose [Blackhawk Brothers] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (18 page)

Grant nodded. “You think?”

Cooper couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. Finally, after months, things were moving. Not as fast as he would have liked, but he was getting close.

* * * *

Grant and Cooper stood as a couple approached their table. Cooper took the lead that Grant had been assuming. “Ms. Shellard?”

Her smile was a little hesitant. She had a death clutch on her purse. “I’m not sure I should be talking to you. But, when you phoned, you called Galynn by her real name. She wouldn’t have let just anyone know it.”

Cooper motioned them to the opposite side of the booth and slid in beside Grant. “This is my brother, Grant. He talked to you on the phone.”

Nancy smiled over at them, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She introduced her husband and told them to call her Nancy.

Cooper drew in a deep breath. He needed to relax. “We probably caught you right at dinner time. I know this isn’t the best time to meet, but we just flew in and wanted to talk to you as soon as possible.” He motioned the waitress over and asked for menus. “Grant and I ate while we were waiting for you, but I wouldn’t mind having a piece of that berry cobbler.” He smiled and felt the mood of the table shift. Good, he hadn’t been hungry when he’d ate dinner with Grant, and he didn’t really want the cobbler, but hey, whatever worked.

Nancy looked at the two brothers. “Tell me a little about yourselves and how it is you’re asking for information about my friend.”

Cooper didn’t miss the protective tone in Nancy’s referral to Galynn as her friend. He took a breath and made eye contact with her. “First and most important, I love Galynn. More than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. I…” He stopped and ran his hand over his eyes, shielding her from seeing the emotion he felt sure was visible.

Nancy listened as Cooper told her how he’d found Galynn on the road. He went on to tell her how badly she was hurt and a little of the weeks she had been with him. He finished by telling her how a patient of Grant’s had mentioned seeing her. “When he assured us she was safe, we decided to resolve the threat Mick presented before going to Galynn. If she’s still scared Mick will try to hurt me and my family, she won’t come back to me. The only other option would be to run with her, but I know she won’t go for that either.” He purposely omitted saying anything about the baby.

Nancy blinked back tears. “I’ve known Galynn since grade school. She’s like a sister to me, and these past months have been horrible without her.” A sob escaped, and her husband reached for her hand. She pulled a tissue out of her purse and wiped her eyes. “I’ve been so scared. We both agreed that she wouldn’t contact me. Or at least not until she was in a safe place.”

“It’s over now, hon,” her husband whispered.

“I’m sorry.” She smiled over at Cooper and Grant. “This is hardly the time to cry.”

Cooper nodded. “Can you tell us anything about Mick, anything that might help us diffuse the threat he is to Galynn?”

“Oh, I can do better than that. Do you believe in fate, divine intervention?” She didn’t wait for a reply. “Things that have happened recently are surreal.”

Cooper sat forward, willing her with his body language to get to the bottom line. “What do you mean surreal?”

“I’m sorry. Of course you don’t understand. Let me start back a little bit. You may know some of this…”

After Cooper assured her they didn’t know much of anything about Mick, he said, “Please go on.”

“When Galynn left, I tried to keep tabs to see if he left town. I was surprised when he didn’t, or at least not for any prolonged time. I did hear that he had some trouble with his job, so they put him on suspension. Then about a week ago a real estate property management company gave Mick an eviction notice on Galynn’s house, where he was still living. He went crazy. He tore the notice up and slammed his fist through the wall.” She stopped and looked over at Cooper and Grant. “Again, this is just what I heard and not firsthand. I don’t know how a property management person would be involved.”

Cooper’s voice sounded strained even to his ears. “Go on. Don’t worry about rumor. We’ll follow up on what you’re telling us.”

Nancy’s voice shook a little. “I guess one minute he was screaming and hitting things, and the next, he collapsed on the floor. The real estate guy called 911. From what we’ve heard from his brother, Mick hasn’t regained consciousness.”

Cooper picked up his cup and sat it back down without drinking anything. No one said anything as the silence stretched out. Cooper finally said, “Do you know what hospital he’s in?”

“I think he’s in St. Joseph’s.” Nancy looked drained. “You said Galynn’s safe? Where is she?”

Cooper told her she was working in a little café in Wyoming. “We’re heading there as soon as we are through here.”

Her husband cleared his throat. “I think that’s about it. Nancy’s been frantic wanting to let her know what happened.” He took a business card out and wrote a number on it. Handing it to Cooper, he said, “That’s my cell phone. You have the house number. Please keep us posted. It’s getting late, and even though I’m not sure how much sleep she’s going to get, I’d like to get Nancy home.”

Cooper reached for the check. When Nancy and her husband stood up, he shook her husband’s hand but turned and hugged her. “Thank you. There are no words to tell you how much I love Galynn. We’ll call you before we leave Atlanta, and as soon as I see or talk to her, I’ll have her phone you.”

They exited the coffee shop together, and Nancy and her husband were almost to their car when Cooper uttered, “Shit!” He raced after them. “What is Mick’s full name?”

“Mitchell Adams.” She spelled the last name out for him and told him not to hesitate to call the cell phone. “I’ll keep it on and with me so you can reach me anytime.”

They’d parked the car in front of their room, and Cooper headed directly for it, taking the driver’s side. “Whoa, where are we going this time of night?” Grant didn’t make a move to join him at the car.

“To the hospital.” Cooper impatiently waited for Grant to get in the car.

“Do you realize the time? It’s just past ten o’clock. We’re not going to accomplish anything going to the hospital tonight.”

Cooper accepted what his brother said. He didn’t like it, but Grant was right. It was too late to do anything tonight.

Grant opened the passenger door. “Oh, what the hell! He’s no doubt in ICU, and they never keep regular hours.” He smiled over the top of the car at Cooper. “Besides, you aren’t going to sleep tonight if we don’t at least try. But”—he held up his forefinger—“I want you to know I’m keeping count, and if you don’t kill us, you’re going to owe me big time.” Mumbling under his breath, he repeated, “Real big time!”

It didn’t take them long to find the hospital, but the front entrance was closed. Grant suggested they go around to the emergency entrance. When they got there they didn’t have any trouble seeing the sign pointing them to the ICU. When they passed the waiting room, there were a number of people in it. Cooper stopped. “Isn’t it a little busy in here for this time of night?”

Grant said, “Not necessarily. Operations can run late, and there are always accidents and emergencies. Why don’t you sit out here and I’ll see if I can find anything out.”

Cooper took a seat away from the two groups in the waiting room, but their voices floated over to him. In another one of those surreal happenings, he realized that the one group of four people was Mick’s family, and that they were discussing disconnecting life support. Notwithstanding what Mick had done, this was a family in pain. Cooper got up and walked down the hall to the entrance of the ICU. What had gone so wrong that a man, obviously loved, could have done the things Mick had done?

When Grant came out, he shook his head and motioned for Cooper to follow him. Silently, they walked back down the dimly lit hall and out to the parking lot. When they got to the car, Grant leaned up against it. “I could use a drink, a strong one. You realize that his family was in the waiting room, don’t you.”

Cooper nodded, not taking his eyes off Grant. “I didn’t until I overheard their conversation.”

“Then you know he’s on life support and brain-dead.”

Cooper didn’t trust his voice and again nodded. “Yeah, I got that much. Did you find out what happened?”

Grant hesitated for a second. “He was body building and taking steroids like Galynn suspected. Then he compounded his condition by drinking. He was a walking time bomb. It makes me shudder to think what might have happened to Galynn if she’d left a few months earlier. He no doubt would have gone after her. By the time she left, the only dangerous place for her was living with or close to him. He certainly wasn’t in any condition to find anyone. ” Grant paused and looked over at Cooper. Opening the car door, he said, “He ended up with a massive stroke. If someone would have listened to Galynn and gotten him help? Who knows…”

Grant didn’t finish what he was saying, and the car filled with silence as they drove back to the motel.

As soon as they got in the door, Cooper grabbed his bag.

“Whoa, where are we going now?”

“To the airport, we can probably get an earlier flight out.”

“I don’t think so. And even if we don’t sleep, I’d rather be laying on a bed then sitting on the seats at the airport.” At the look on Cooper’s face, he quickly added, “But if it makes you feel better, I’ll call and try to get us booked on the earliest flight out.”

Cooper didn’t like it, but Grant was right. There probably weren’t any more flights out tonight.

A few minutes later Grant hung up. “Eight thirty tomorrow morning. We’ll call Nancy to let her know, but not tonight.”

Cooper nodded and flopped down on the bed, fully dressed. The last thing he heard before his body and mind shut down was Grant mumbling that he was never ever going to fall in love.

Chapter 18

Galynn poured herself a cup of decaf and walked around the end of the counter. She’d just slid into a booth when Ginger joined her. “Tired? I told you it’d pick up after winter.”

“Not really, but I’ve gotten into a habit of taking a nap when I get off shift. Probably just lazy.”

Ginger stirred her coffee to cool it. “You get up early. A nap is a good thing. And the baby is growing.”

Galynn looked down at herself. She’d finally broken down and bought a couple of maternity outfits. She could still get into her clothes but couldn’t zip or button her pants, and these were so much more comfortable. She looked out toward the room that only a half hour ago had been filled with lunch customers. There would be a lull now until around four when early dinner people would start coming in. Ruby’s cafe not only caught the locals, but also tourists as they entered the picturesque town. For some reason the trip she’d made with Cooper to Kalispell popped into her mind, and she felt the familiar pain she’d learned to live with.

Ginger reached over to take her cup. Getting up, she motioned for Galynn to do the same. “Go on up and take a shower and get the stinky kitchen smell off you before you lay down. When you get up, come on down and we’ll take a walk. You need to walk more. It’s not that you don’t get exercise in the kitchen, but it isn’t the kind you need to make it easier for you and baby when it’s born.”

“Yes, Mother.” Galynn laughed and took off for her apartment.

The sun coming through the window was lower than she expected. Galynn stretched, feeling rested. What time was it? She rolled over on her side so she could see the bedside clock and couldn’t believe it. Three o’clock. If she was going to get in a walk with Ginger, she would have to hurry before her friend got busy with the dinner crowd. She always woke up with an
everything’s all right with my world
feeling and knew that it was because in her dreams Cooper was with her. If only she’d listened to him and stayed and fought. She knew what her life would be like on the run, never being able to put down roots. She couldn’t and wouldn’t let her and Cooper’s child live this way. She would have to wait until her baby was safe before confronting Mick head-on, but she knew she was going to do it. Maybe it was too late for her and Cooper, but her baby would have a family and be safe and secure and loved. Even if she didn’t survive, the Blackhawk family would take care of their baby.

How could she ever have thought for a minute that she wouldn’t go through with the pregnancy? She put a protective hand over her stomach and was rewarded with a strong kick.

* * * *

Grant pulled up to the curb just down from Ruby’s café. He turned off the motor and rested his wrists across the top of the steering wheel. Weariness was etched in his face as he turned to his brother. “I’ll wait here, but find her or not, we’re checking into a room for the night. I’m beat, and you don’t look like you’re doing any better. Hell, you probably look worse.”

Cooper opened the car door. He was stiff from the drive down from Butte and the long flight before that. Their flight had gotten into Butte late, and they had checked into a room for what was left of the night. Cooper had tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He’d waited until the first traces of morning before waking Grant.

Cooper stretched his hands above his head. Now that they were here, he hesitated. What if she didn’t want him? What if she’d found someone else? At that thought, he took a deep breath. He held up his hand to let Grant know he’d heard what he said about getting a room for the night and started down the street toward the café. He had almost reached the door when he saw her come down a flight of steps. When she got to the curb, a breeze blew the full blouse she wore against her body. It outlined her rounded stomach. He sucked in a breath. He had never seen anyone as beautiful. Her hair was longer, just below her shoulders. She looked almost glowing, like an angel. He couldn’t move.

Then she turned, and their gazes locked. Her eyes widened with surprise. She hesitated and looked down. Could she be having the same doubts about him?

He didn’t realize he’d even moved until he had her in his arms. He couldn’t get close enough, even with her pressed against him. His voice broke. With a moan, he held her closer. When she raised her mouth, he took it, hungry for her taste. Still, he couldn’t get enough, as emotions held in check for months pushed all conscious thought from his mind.