A Daddy For Her Daughter

Oh, God, even now he could be heading to her daughter’s preschool. That gun—

Another knock at the door had Maddy tensing all over again.

“Dr. McBride? Are you and Dr. Grimes okay?”

Kaleb unlocked the door, letting the hospital security guard in. “We’re fine.” He glanced outside. “Oh, hell.”

Maddy forced her feet underneath her, but Kaleb held up a hand.

“Don’t come over here. Not yet.”

The guard glanced her way. “We have the hospital on lockdown, and the police are en route. Do you know the man who did this?”

“Yes. Is he still here?” Something about the look on his face...

An eerie premonition set in. She didn’t want to look. Didn’t want to go over there, but of course she had to. Had to see what had happened.

In the background, Maddy heard sirens. Glass crunched under her feet as she made her way toward the door. The window still held jagged fragments of glass, and blood stained the bottom section. There was more blood along the door as if Matthew had reached through and tried to find the lock.

Maddy shuddered.

With a swallow, she started for the hallway, feeling Kaleb’s hand on her shoulder as she came even with him. He gave a slight squeeze, stopping her from going any farther. It was then that she saw why.

Matthew lay sprawled on the ground, eyes staring upward at the ceiling. Only he wasn’t staring. The gaze was unfocused. Unknowing. A gun was clutched in his hand. A few medical staff were gathered around him, but they weren’t trying to resuscitate him or administer aid.

Because he was dead.

Bile rose to her throat. Even though it was useless, Maddy fell to her knees beside him. Forced herself to reach for his neck to see if there was a pulse, but there was too much blood and her fingers slipped off. The hole in his left temple told her all she needed to know.

Kaleb helped her to her feet. “He’s gone.”

The security guard repeated his question. “Do you know him?”

“He...he’s my husband.”

Kaleb visibly stiffened, and she realized what she’d said. “My ex-husband. He...he...” She stopped and tried to collect her thoughts. “He was in Nebraska. He wasn’t supposed to find out where I was.”

She glanced up at the guard. “Did anyone else get hurt?”

“No.” The older man looked as pale as she felt. “He shot himself just as I drew my weapon. I would have shot him. I had no choice.”

She took a step toward him, shock still muddying her thoughts. “It’s okay. I’m glad he didn’t hurt anyone else.”

Kaleb handed her a paper towel, and she wiped the blood from her hands. Her cheek still stung, but not as much as her heart.

Chloe’s father was dead. She still couldn’t believe what he’d done. He’d hurt her in the past, but he’d never pulled a knife or a gun. He’d always claimed to hate her—to be glad she and Chloe were out of his life. And yet here he was. Dead. A gun on the floor beside him.

The police appeared seconds later, saying something to the security guard. One of the officers shot her a look and came over. “This man is your ex-husband? Any chance he had someone else with him?”

Maddy shook her head. “I don’t think so. But I don’t know for sure.”

The man gave orders to the rest of the officers and they headed off in different directions. Two of the nurses standing to the side were holding each other, eyes red. One of them had a phone to her ear.

A phone!

“I have to call someone.” The words came out of her throat in a shrill rush.

“Who?” The officer, a big burly guy, narrowed his eyes at her.

Possibilities rolled through her head. She could call the school. No, she didn’t want to scare Chloe. Roxy. She should call her sister. Maddy was pretty sure the police were not going to let her or anyone else out of the hospital until they fully understood what had happened.

“My sister.”

He gave a curt nod. “I’ll be back to ask you some questions in a few minutes.”

Kaleb handed her his phone. Her fingers shook as she tried to remember her sister’s phone number. Everything was programmed into her cell phone, so she didn’t have to dial it under normal circumstances. She finally pulled a string of digits together, and hoping they were the right ones, she pressed the call button.

Pictures were being taken of her ex-husband’s body, although it seemed horrible for him to be immortalized that way. The sourness in her throat rose even higher.

Three rings and her sister answered. “Hello?”

“Roxy, it’s Maddy.”

“Hey, hon, what’s up?”

“Matthew was here.”

“What? Where?”

“At the hospital. He had a gun.” A wobble in her voice made her pause. “He’s dead. He killed himself.”

“Oh, God. Chloe?”

“I don’t know. They won’t let me leave.”

“I’m on my way to the school. I’m sure she’s fine. He wouldn’t know where to find her.”

Maddy closed her eyes, whispering, “I didn’t think he could find me either.”

“She’s okay. Someone would have called by now, otherwise. I’ll let you know as soon as I get there and see her with my own two eyes.”

“Thank you.”

She ended the call and glanced up to find Kaleb leaning against the wall, watching her. Was there suspicion in his eyes?

That was crazy. This was all Matthew’s doing.

Sarah, one of the nurses, came over and touched her arm. “Are you okay, Maddy?”

Okay? No, she was far from okay, although she nodded, wrapping her arms around her middle. “I’m so sorry for all of this.”

“It’s not your fault.”

Wasn’t it? Knowing this man had put all of their lives in danger.

Matthew. Who was now dead. Why? Why? He’d left her alone for over a year. Not a phone call. Not a letter in all that time. And suddenly he was here. With a gun. To what? Kill her? Kill Chloe?

Renewed panic filled her system. “I have to go.”

“We’re on lockdown, Maddy,” Kaleb reminded her. “They’re not letting anyone in or out of the hospital.”

Someone arrived with a long black bag, and two men lifted her ex-husband and laid him inside, zipping it closed.

A sob rose in her throat.

Taking hold of her arm, Kaleb eased her away from Sarah and everyone else, guiding her back into her office. His big body seemed to fill the space. She took a quick step back.

Kaleb frowned. “It’s okay.”

Okay? Why did everyone keep using that word? Right now she wasn’t sure anything would be okay ever again. She’d thought she’d got over her fear. Thought maybe she could finally have a normal life. Had even thought that she and Kaleb might be able to...

No. She did not need to get involved with a man.

Especially not after what had just happened. Right now all she needed was to know that her daughter was safe.

“I have to go.” She repeated the words, knowing she probably sounded foolish. But she couldn’t help it.

“You told the officer your ex was acting alone. Are you sure of that? Could he be part of some organization?”

Organization? It took her a minute to realize what that meant.

“He’s not a terrorist. He’s just a boy from a hick town who...” Her voice caught. When she tried to force out the rest of the sentence, it caught again.

Then Kaleb’s arms came around her, pressing her head into his shoulder as a second sob hit her throat. Then a third. And a fourth. She couldn’t believe any of this was happening. A man she’d once loved was dead. A man she’d slept with. Laughed with. Had a baby with.

A man who’d turned cruel beyond belief as time had gone on.

She had to call her mom and tell her before she heard it from somewhere else.

But first she had to get ahold of herself. She curled her hands into the soft fabric of Kaleb’s shirt, the comforting scent of his body washing over her. His fingers cupped the back of her head, moving in small soothing brushes that did what her mind couldn’t seem to do: returned her to the here and now. Edging back slightly, she tilted her head to look up at him. “I was so scared.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “It’s okay. You’re allowed to be.”

Wet spots on the crisp blue of his shirt, along with twin black smudges from her mascara, made her eyes prickle all over again. She brushed at the moisture with one hand. “Your shirt. I’ll pay to have it cleaned.”

“It’s nothing. It’ll wash right out.”

Random thoughts spiraled through her head.

How did he know it would wash out? Had he held crying women often?

Or had he made them cry? Like her ex.

No. She might not know Kaleb very well, but he was nothing like Matthew. She would have heard something from Sarah or the other nurses. Hospital grapevines let nothing go by unnoticed.

Why hadn’t she heard back from Roxy yet? It had been fifteen minutes at least.

Matthew had hated Chloe. He’d had a jealous streak, even before they’d got married. Back then it had seemed innocent enough. But it had only got worse with time. Until it had no longer been amusing or flattering...but dangerous. And it had finally extended to the child she’d carried. That had been the last straw. She’d divorced him, but trying to live in the same town with his threats and middle-of-the-night phone calls had finally got to be too much. She’d filed for—and been granted—a restraining order. And then when Chloe had turned three, Maddy had decided to leave Gamble Point and move, giving in to Roxy’s pleas to get away from him once and for all.

Only it didn’t look as if that had worked.

She realized she was still standing far too close to Kaleb. She stepped to the side. “I had no idea he was capable...I’m sorry you got caught in the middle of this.”

What if Matthew had started shooting up the place? Kaleb, as well as others, could have been injured. Or killed. She shuddered again.

Instead, Matthew had taken his own life.

He shook his head. “I’m glad I was here.” His throat moved for a second. “It could have been much worse.”

Exactly what she’d been thinking.

His phone chirped, and her heart leaped to her throat as she watched him press the button.

“Yes, she’s right here.” He handed her the phone. “It’s your sister.”

“Roxy?”

“It’s okay. Chloe’s with me. She’s safe. He didn’t come here.”

“Thank God. Have you talked to Mom?” She closed her eyes, fingers tight on the phone. “I was so afraid he might...”

“I called her as soon as I got Chloe. She’s in shock. But she’s not hurt. We’re headed to your place now.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

There was a pause, and then her sister’s voice came back through. “How about you? Are you okay?”

Maddy glanced at Kaleb. “I’m shaken up, but I’m not hurt.”

“I still can’t believe it.”

“Me either.” In fact, it was hard to wrap her mind around what she’d seen today.

“Don’t worry about Chloe. I won’t let her out of my sight. See you when you get to the house, okay? Love you.”

“Love you too.”

She handed the phone back to Kaleb just as the police motioned for them to join them. It seemed as if questions were thrown at her for hours, but it couldn’t have been that long. At some point, Kaleb swabbed the cut on her cheek and pressed an adhesive bandage over it. Eventually, the lockdown was called off, glass was swept up, the floor was mopped clean, and patients were allowed back into the unit.

Through it all, a steady stream of staff members came over to hug her or offer kind words, including the hospital administrator, who was making the rounds and letting everyone know that a counselor would be made available to anyone who felt they needed it.

The same officer who’d let her make her phone call came over to say goodbye. “We’ll call you if we have more questions. And we’ll need you to come down in the next day or two and sign a statement.”

“I understand.”

The man paused, then looked her in the eye. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

The words were meant to be kind, but with them came a sense of relief. Because although she was sorry that Matthew had killed himself, she wasn’t sorry that the threat of what he might do was gone. He would never be able to reach out and hurt his daughter. She was glad that he’d aimed his fury at her and no one else.

Still, she thanked the officer and asked him to call her when they were ready for her to sign that statement. Then he strode toward the elevator.

Tomorrow there would still be talk, and maybe for a few weeks after that, but the horror of today would hopefully fade. Maybe once the glass in her office door was replaced.

But would her guilt? None of this would have happened if she had followed her head rather than her heart all those years ago. Her hands clenched at her sides.

“Don’t.” Kaleb’s voice came to her, reminding her he was still there. Still beside her.

She looked at him. “Don’t what?”

“Blame yourself for this. I can see the wheels turning.” He touched one of her hands.

She sucked down a deep breath, forcing her fingers to relax. “He was my ex-husband.”

“Did you tell him to come here and do what he did?”

“No, but—”

“No buts. This was all on him.” He gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “Seriously, are you okay?”

She shook her head. “No. But I will be. I have to be.”

“Do you want me to drive you home?”

“No. I have my car.”

His glance brushed over her face. “You’re sure?”

“I am. Thank you again.” She hesitated. “If you hadn’t locked that door when you had...”

She could be dead. Matthew hadn’t come to the hospital just to talk to her. Not with a gun. If Kaleb hadn’t secured the door, he could have charged right into the room and shot her. And then what would have happened to Chloe?

“It worked out.” He followed her into her office and glanced at the items that had fallen onto the floor when he’d sailed across her desk to get to her. “I’m sorry about your phone and laptop.” The screen had detached from the keyboard and was lying next to the wall. He picked up the pieces and put them on the desk, along with her ruined cell phone.

“It’s nothing.” And really it wasn’t, compared to everything that could have happened.

Then she picked up the framed picture of Chloe. Just a little while ago she’d been trying to hide it from Kaleb for reasons that weren’t entirely clear to her. Even when she was on the phone with Roxy, she hadn’t mentioned Chloe’s name. Why? Was she trying to protect her daughter? Or herself in the face of a handsome man?

Kaleb nodded at the frame, a frown between his brows. “Your sister?”

Sister? Oh, Patricia.

It would be so easy to say yes, that it was a picture of her late sister as a child. But she wouldn’t. Because none of it mattered anymore.

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