Hard Days Knight: Under-Cover Knights, Book 1 (7 page)

T
he Gators brought
their best game beating the Bears by ten points. Tommy apparently added an extra dimension to the team since, Monette explained, they usually lost when Angel wasn’t there. Monette’s brightness seemed a bit dimmer and Del wondered if it had anything to do with Angel.

“Was Angel sick?” Del asked the girl.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since Saturday. I guess I said something stupid. Or embarrassed him, I don’t know.”

Del hugged her. “Aw, don’t let it get to you. Boys are funny at this age. They want you to care but they don’t want to be seen caring. When you see him again just pretend like nothing happened; you didn’t even notice he wasn’t here. Aloof, ya know?”

“You think so? I shouldn’t like, try to find him and apologize?”

“Absolutely not!” Delilah laughed. “That’ll just make it worse. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s our nature to try to nurture the people we care about. That’s all you did. And if he can’t handle it, he’s not the person you thought he could be.”

“I see what you mean. He needs to learn to appreciate his friends—me.”

“Now you got it.” Del looked around. “Hey, uh, you don’t happen to still have that romance novel in your bag that you showed me the other day, do you?”

Monette’s eyes lit up with mischief. “Sure. You want to borrow it?”

“Would you mind? Are you reading it?”

“Oh, no. The book wasn’t near as good as the cover, if you know what I mean?” She giggled and looked over at Luc. Del followed her gaze where Luc was leaning against the goal with his right hand above him, hip cocked while he used his left hand to illustrate the strategy he was laying out to his guys. Then he shifted his weight, making the taut muscles of his butt clench. Delilah and Monette looked at each other and grinned. Monette reached into her bag and handed the book over. “Enjoy.”

Del walked out to her car, stashed the book and checked in. It had been a rather quiet night. Tom’s wheelchair rolled through the front doors and down the street. Del called to him and jogged across the street. “Hey, bro.”

Thomas stopped his wheelchair and spun to face her, smiling. “How was that for a game?”

“You guys play hard. I was wondering, how come you never mentioned the teen center?” Del asked.

Tom frowned. “Well, it’s not that I haven’t mentioned it, but when the subject has come up you weren’t there.”

He was talking about family gatherings. Del grit her teeth. The pain that gripped her gut wasn’t indigestion; it was guilt, and the pain she should be over by now. Would she ever get over the feeling of being helpless while her brother struggled for his life? Or the regret that the life he could have had was gone, a world of options taken away from him?

His eyes locked on hers, giving no quarter, “You haven’t joined us at a family dinner since my accident, Del. Mom and Pop have been coming to the church for dinners and volunteer occasionally as well. ”

He was too kind to remind her about the last time he’d stopped by the precinct. It was a week before Christmas. She remembered every word…

“Why couldn’t you make Thanksgiving dinner, Del. Mom and Pop were very disappointed. I found Mom in the church kitchen crying after she heard you ‘had to’ work. We’re never together as a family anymore.”

Del had come back with, “
that’s what happens when kids grow up
.”

“
I never thought I’d see the day when my sister lied to herself much less to me.”
He’d kissed her and rolled away. How could she feel thankful when her brother had lost everything?

Every time Del thought about that exchange, her chest tightened. But she didn’t know how to fix it. Time and distance had just made it worse.

“You’re right, Tommy.”

He squeezed her hand, “Why don’t we get together and plan something for Father’s Day, hmm?”

She loved him so much. “You know I don’t deserve you, big brother.”

“I know, but it’s the way the genes were doled out,” he grinned. “Have we got a deal?” Blue eyes that matched her own held hers until she bent to hug him and promised to call him and make plans. “Love you, Tommy. I’ll call you, soon.”

“Or I’ll call you,” he winked. “Love you, too, Sis.” He turned his chair and rolled away. Del pushed the door to the gym open and called Luc’s name. She’d started to leave but she found herself watching the doors of the gym for Luc. What was taking him so long?

“Luc.”

She heard his answer from the storeroom. “Be there in a minute.” The lights went out one by one and Luc appeared at her side. “Had a phone call, probably a telemarketer. She kept asking if the owner was in—right, at 10 p.m.” He leaned over and gave her a quick smack on the lips. “Hmmm, want more. I know, you’re on call. Got time for a cup of coffee?”

Delilah checked her watch. “Sure. I’ve checked in and by the time we get that cup, I can probably get off shift. Where?”

“How about my place?” He winked. “Just kidding, Twitchy’s?” Popular with the college crowd, Twitchy’s was open into the wee hours and served free mini-muffins with their coffee specialties.

“You know us cop types. We’re suckers for free sweets,” Del teased. “I’ll meet you there.”

“I’ll be right along. Gotta check the back door and lock up.”

Del sat in her car waiting for Luc to exit. Turning her rear view mirror so she could see him at the door, she started the car. Remembering the shared moment with Monette, she looked over her shoulder. “Shit.” Flipping her lights on to stop the few approaching cars she made a U-turn, pulling up against the traffic in front of the gym screeching to a halt, angled to protect Luc who’d fallen, his legs stretched into the street. He was unconscious.

I
n her rear
view Del had watched horrified as a flying object struck Luc after he inserted his key into the lock. He lay unmoving, blood streaming down the side of his face. She scanned the roof as she called for an ambulance. There were no other apparent missiles wobbling on the edge that she could see. The cement flowerpot that had hit Luc lay in pieces nearby. What an odd—

Luc groaned.

“Oh, thank God, Luc. Stay right there.” She pressed a hand to his chest and relayed her location to the dispatcher who said the ambulance was just minutes away. She kept looking up to make sure they weren’t about to be targeted again. A nearby streetlight was out and the darkness made it difficult to see the roof.

“Luc, can you hear me? It’s Delilah. Come on, handsome, wake up.”

Luc rolled his head and winced. “Damn. Did anyone die in that wreck?” She pressed a paper towel to his head. “Quit, that hurts.”

“I’m sure it does.” Retrieving her flashlight from her belt she turned it on, shining toward Luc’s forehead. “Close your eyes for a sec. I want to see the damage.”

She lifted the towel from his head and swallowed as she saw the deep cut at his scalp that left a mark down the side of his beautiful face. She looked over at the broken concrete pot; the dead plant and dried up dirt now littering the sidewalk. He could easily have been killed. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath to calm the fear that struck suddenly.

He tried to push off from the sidewalk, but fell back gasping and holding his arm.

“Lay back,” she said firmly, gently forcing him down and putting the flashlight between her teeth. She opened the top two buttons of his shirt and spread the material away from his shoulder. There was a deep cut on his shoulder bone where the concrete had hit before finally hitting the sidewalk. With tentative fingers she explored the area. She turned the flashlight off.

Colorful expletives brightened the night air. Sirens sounded in the distance so Delilah kept her hand pressed to Luc’s chest as he grimaced in pain, insisting he could rise.

“The ambulance is on the way—”

“No reason—”

“To hell with that. You just took a hit from a twenty-five pound piece of concrete, Luc. You’re lucky you weren’t killed. Now shut up and lie still.”

The fact that he didn’t give her a smart assed response told her how much pain he was in. Grabbing her cell from her belt, she dialed Jed’s number. Interrupting her partner’s date couldn’t be helped.

“What?” came the terse voice when he picked up.

“Luc’s been hurt. I need you to get to the gym ASAP and scope out the roof. I’ll fill you in on the way, but right now I want to follow the ambulance to the hospital. Please—”

“On my way.” The call ended abruptly and Delilah knew an immediate sense of relief that she wouldn’t have to leave the scene unattended or in the hands of someone less competent.

It was looking like her decision to get Jed to take Luc’s statement had been a good move. Now it was his case, and she’d have an official backup. Something was going on. The tires, a dead plant accidentally falling from the roof at the exact moment he was under it? She knew in her gut—someone was after Luc.

“Delilah, help me up,” Luc said, struggling to rise, against her hand’s light pressure.

“Absolutely not,” Delilah said.

The ambulance parked at the curb and the attendants hurried to Luc with their equipment. Speaking into his mic, the lead EMT said, “The patient is a thirty-two year old caucasian male approximately two hundred pounds.” He looked at Del. “What happened here?”

She pointed at the concrete pot. “He was hit by that while exiting the building.”

“The patient was hit on the head by a falling object, looks like a concrete planter.” His partner, an African American woman pointed to Luc’s shoulder, “The left shoulder appears to have been struck as well. Patient is conscious. We’re taking his vitals now.”

Delilah stood and backed away now that Luc was in good hands. While they took his vitals to transmit to the ER, she called Jed.

“What happened,” Jed asked. They’d been partners long enough that they no longer had to bother with small talk or phone etiquette.

Del caught him up. “Someone’s out to get him, Jed. I feel it. Get on the roof first and see if you find anything. Also, put a rush on anything you found on his vehicle. I’ll get you an after hours number so we can get the manager of the tire center and make sure they don’t do anything with those tires. I want some results by tomorrow.”

“I’m on it, Del. Two minutes away. Go on to the ER with Luc, and I’ll let you know what I find. I’ll call it in and arrange for someone to sit on the place over night, too, and keep an eye on his townhouse.”

Delilah inhaled, blinking the burn of relief away. “I can’t tell you how much—”

“You’d do the same for me, partner. I can see the ambulance.”

“Yeah, they’re loading him up right now. He’s not a happy camper.” Del laughed, watching as Luc was strapped onto the gurney and lifted into the ambulance, one hand expressing his displeasure.

“I’ll touch base with you as soon as I get a look around.”

Delilah disconnected and headed for her car, following the ambulance to the hospital with her lights flashing.

D
el followed
the EMTs down the hall to the check-in desk. Finally, she was able to see Luc again. “I’m a Vet,” he was saying to the clerk. “Del, could you get my wallet out of my left back pocket? It’s got my insurance info in it and my ID card.”

Luc’s upper body was strapped to the board and his left arm immobilized so Del maneuvered under his hip to get his wallet.

“We’re dropping him off at x-ray,” said the attendant.

“Thanks, guys,” Del said. “Luc, I’ll be there as soon as I give your information to the clerk.” The clerk held out a clipboard for Luc’s signature— thankfully, he was right handed—and then he was wheeled away.

“Officer—”

“Burke. Mr. Larue is a friend. I was on the scene when he was struck. Is there a problem with my giving you his—”

“Del?” a voice said to her right. Del turned to find her brother in full priest mode rolling alongside her. “What are you doing here?”

“Tommy. Thank goodness. Luc’s been hurt. A concrete pot fell on him outside the gym.” She blinked, and with the presence of her older brother and a spiritual man besides, she suddenly felt like a different Del, a Del whose loved one was hurt, the feelings of fear and uncertainty and dread returning in memories of the last time she’d been in an emergency room. Waiting on news of her brother’s condition. Her breath stuttered.

Brother Tommy took her hand and pulled her in for a hug. “How can I help?”

“They took him to x-ray. I need to go change and get my car. I’d feel better if someone was with him. He knows you—”

“On my way.” The second time one of the men in her life had said those words in the last hour. She leaned down and hugged him. “I do love you.”

“I love you, too, now go change.” He rolled off in the direction of x-ray.

J
ed’s voice was brisk
. “I didn’t see anything except possibly a disturbance of the crud on the roof. Looks like a favorite place for the usual teenage activities, but we may get lucky in the morning. I’ve got a man posted at the stairs. No one will disturb it before then. I also got in touch with the tire center manager and he remembered the tires. He actually thought someone might come by to look at them and set them aside. I’ll pick ‘em up in the morning. How’s Luc?”

“He’s in x-ray,” Delilah said. “I’m headed to clock out and change clothes. Tommy’s on Luc watch.”

“I think we’ve done all we can tonight, Del. If anything comes up I’ll ring you. Otherwise see you in the morning.”

“Thanks. I know, I know. But thanks anyway, Jed.”

T
he clerk informed
Delilah that Luc had been admitted overnight. She took the elevator to the second floor and walked to the end of the hallway to room 235. She heard laughter inside and stopped, relaxing for a minute with her back against the wall listening. She’d been so worried that Luc’s injury would be more serious than it looked. Obviously her brother was keeping Luc’s spirits up. She put a smile on her face and opened the door. “Knock, knock. You decent?”

“If you call a girlie gown with a naked ass decent.”

“Well, just don’t moon me or I’ll have to haul you off for indecent exposure.”

Her first sight of Luc with the bandage on his head, his shoulder apparently wrapped with an ice pack, and the IV pole hooked up to his left arm, made it difficult to hold the smile in place. His usually tanned complexion was pale. She leaned over and kissed his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

Tommy laughed. “Honey, he wouldn’t know pain right now if it introduced itself and kicked him in the face.”

“Got a buzz going, huh?” She aimed her question at Tommy. “What did the x-rays show?”

“I’m okay. Ready to go home,” said Luc, slurring his words.

“Oh yeah?” Del said. Looking at Tommy, she waited.

“Concussion, surprising only because of the hardness of his head, and a possible cracked shoulder bone. They took an MRI, which the specialist will look at in the morning. He will decide when Luc can go home, or if he needs treatment.”

Luc blinked sleepily. “Delilah.” He drew out the last syllable of her name and picked up her hand. “My, my, my Delilah.”

She rolled her eyes in Tommy’s direction. “Doesn’t seem like he’s hurting much.”

“Delilah. Do me a favor?”

“Sure, big guy. Name it.”

“I’ll hold you to that. In the meantime…”

The words stretched out. The poor guy was having trouble making his tongue work.

“Call… Ridge.” His eyes closed. “Number’s in my cell. Tell him I’ll be late for work tomorro…”

“Ya think?” Tommy smiled. “He probably think’s he’ll get by without his family finding out, too, but I got news for him.”

Del reached into the drawer and withdrew Luc’s phone. Luc had finally nodded off and the nurse walked in to check his IV. She removed the ice pack, so Luc and Tommy left the room. Tommy promised to check in the next day and Delilah walked outside to use her cell phone to call Luc’s boss.

He answered crisply, as if he was used to calls after midnight. “Ridge Romano.”

“Mr. Romano, this is officer Del Burke, LPD. Luc Larue asked me to call you.”

Del heard the rustle behind Romano, another voice murmuring. Romano said, “Honey, it’s the police about Luc.” There was a gasp in the background. “I’m back,” said Romano.

“Mr. Larue had an accident earlier this evening and is in the hospital overnight. He wanted—”

“What happened?” Romano’s voice was clipped, someone used to command. “What hospital?”

“Sacred Heart, Room 235.”

“I’ll be right there.” The call ended.

“Well.” Del put the phone down. Luc apparently had people who would go to bat for him without another word.

She grabbed a cup of coffee in the waiting room and walked up the stairs to the second floor. She felt like she needed to work off some adrenaline, but after two sips of the coffee in the chair beside Luc’s bed, she found herself nodding off.

O
fficer Burke
?” the soft assured voice came from the doorway.

Del jerked and rose, taking a long sip of the now cold coffee. “That’s me.” She cleared her throat, “You must be Mr. Romano,” she said softly. “I’m Del.”

He walked forward and extended his hand. Another gorgeous dark and dangerous man, Del thought. Quietly he asked, “How is he?” His eyes scanned Luc’s frame from the bandages to the IV hookup.

“He’ll be okay. Why don’t we go downstairs where we can talk.”

The man could out stride Sasquatch. Delilah struggled to stay even with him, but suddenly he stopped, running his hand through his hair. “I apologize, Ms. Burke. Del. My wife thinks she’s broken me from my two worst habits.” He slowed his walk substantially. “Can we walk outside? I have a feeling I’m going to be a disappointment to her when I hear what you have to say.”

His look was grim but ever the gentleman, he held out his arm for her to precede him through the front doors of the hospital before pulling out a cigarette case and holding it open to her view. “In case she makes you report to her, you’ll notice there’s only one.” He lit the single cigarette, pocketing the case, inhaled deeply and said, “What happened?”

Del filled Ridge in on the sequence of events.

Ridge sat on the concrete wall that bordered the landscaped walkway. Putting his cigarette out in the sand filled container, he looked at her with concern. “He didn’t tell me his tires had been slashed.”

“He said he didn’t know at first. He found out late morning when the tire center called him.”

“And you think he might have been targeted tonight?”

“Cops tend to be suspicious when, co-incidentally, a decades old concrete planter comes tumbling off the roof to bonk a man on the head the day after someone has intentionally slashed his tires.”

“I see what you mean,” Ridge said. “Look, I’m more than Luc’s boss. We’re friends. Whatever I can do…”

“I’ll remember that.”

“Is there anything you’d like to confess, officer?” Ridge smiled.

“What do you mean?” Del said.

“I heard a pretty police officer came by the studio, twice this week, to see Luc.”

“It might’ve been police business.”

He just nodded and raised his hands. “None of my business.” He turned to leave.

Del said, “Okay. It wasn’t business.” Romano turned back with a smile. “But I haven’t known Luc that long. I was hacked that he didn’t call the police—me—when he found out about his tires.” Then a thought struck her. “Mr. Romano—”

“Ridge, please.”

Del nodded, “Did Luc talk to you or your wife about a problem he was having at the studio?”

“A problem?” Ridge’s eyes suddenly resembled a deadly bird of prey. He was focused entirely on her response.

Should she bring it up if Luc hadn’t mentioned the harassment issue to his boss? This was sticky. On one hand she felt like Ridge would want to know but it was Luc’s personal business, and he’d asked her to let him handle it. Maybe he’d had a talk with the woman and had gotten his point across. Del didn’t think
that
woman would take a scolding kindly. But until it became police business, it wasn’t Del’s problem to handle.

“Never mind. He must have worked it out. I think I’ll go back upstairs.”

Ridge shook her hand. “I’m going to check in with the desk and get back to Buffy. She was concerned, and she has to leave on a business trip in the morning. If Luc won’t ask, you let me know if I can do anything. Agreed?”

“Agreed. Thanks for coming.”

“Oh, and you should know I arranged for my orthopedist to take Luc’s case. He’ll be here early tomorrow.” Ridge’s eyebrow crooked. “Staying the night?”

“Until I find out who’s targeting Luc…count on it.”