Jamie-5 Read Free Page A

hitting her. This was why she avoided crowds of people and especially hospitals.
    “He’s the man you saved. His family is with him now. I think Dr. Sheppard is releasing him soon.” The curtain moved and Dane heard clicking, then the nurse continued. “But he’s not releasing you, though.”
    Releasing him soon meant that he was all right. Dane relaxed for a few minutes and thought, one more. She’d been able to help one more. There had been a time when she decided that she’d had enough. That’s when she’d moved—no, escaped would be a better term—to China. She’d been betrayed by the very people she’d been trying to help.
    “Dr. Wallace? My name is Alex Sheppard. I’m the on duty emergency room doctor. I’ve gotten your x-rays back and there doesn’t seem to be any cracks in your skull, but I would like to keep you over night. You were out for over thirty minutes and that has me concerned. If you’ll lean up, I’d like to have a look at your back as well. Jamie said that you were hit with a piece of wood and he was surprised you didn’t complain about it more.”
    “I didn’t complain at all. Seems this Jamie person was more aware than me. Maybe I should have just let him take care of them himself. My back is fine. My head, however, feels like a freight train has gone—”
    “Missy Dane! Missy Dane, where you be?”
    “Holy Christ, you called Pi. You can’t tell her anything. She is…well, I was going to say slightly over protective, but that’s like saying I’m slightly a woman. Just play down everything, all right?”
    Alex was nodding when the curtain flew back and Pi was grabbing her. For a tiny woman, she could hug tighter than anyone Dane knew. And since she was speaking in Chinese, Dane answered her the same way.
    “I’m fine, I swear. I just slipped and hit my head on the bench. Nothing happened that you should be this worked up about. How did you find out anyway?”
    “You didn’t call. I worry for you. You didn’t call. Then news person say two people mugged on campus, I knew it you. I told you, I told you to call police. But you never listen.” Pi hugged her again. “What I do without you?”
    “I’m fine, Pi, I promise. They’re just going to keep me over night to make―”
    “Over night? No, Pi will stay too. You not be alone. I stay too. You scare me. Never do that again, Missy Dane.”
    The doctor had left at some point and Pi had crawled up into her bed. Now that someone had pointed it out, her back was killing her. Dane bit her lip and kept quiet. Pi was already upset and there was no reason to make it worse. The nurse came in a few minutes later and said that she was going to transfer Dane to the third floor.
    “Pi, you have to go home and bring me back some clothes and some personal items in an overnight case. And you can’t stay all night. I need you to sign for that package tomorrow. I’m sorry. But you can call me whenever you want.”

    “No, Missy Dane. I stay. No package worth something happen to you. I will keep you safe.” There was a noise at the front of the curtain. Dane looked up in time to see her past slam into her.
    ~~~
    Cait stared at the two women on the bed and it took her several seconds to realize who they were. Well, at least who the younger woman was. Christ, there had to be a mistake. She glanced up at the piece of tape over the bed and realized it was not a mistake. Dane Messenger had moved back to the States.
    Neither of them moved until the oriental woman squeaked. “You hurt me, Missy Dane. Let go my arm. I go to get stuff.”
    “No!” Dane shouted to her. “I’m not staying. Go and get the nurse and tell her I’ve changed my mind. I’m all right and I’m leaving.”
    “Missy Dane, you think—”
    “Now, Pi. Go get the nurse.” Cait watched at Dane threw off the sheet and was beginning to stand. The older woman moved out of the curtained area, but she kept looking back at Dane and Cait. Before Cait could speak, Spencer