Caught in the Act

“He also doesn’t want you to be alone. He doesn’t worry about women often, so you could show a little gratitude and go easy on him.”

Seconds ticked by before she finally admitted, “I didn’t—don’t—know those men.” She looked at him, her eyes troubled. “And I don’t want a total stranger waiting around on me while I shower and change. I don’t like to impose on others, either.”

Josh wanted to curse, to end this awful day by heading home and phoning a reasonable woman, a doting woman who’d give him the comfort of her body and her feminine concern. He did not want to spend more time with this particular woman, who treated him as an asexual nuisance.

But he knew what he needed to do. He drew in a breath and made the ultimate sacrifice. “All right. Then let me take you home. You can do what needs to be done, then I’ll bring you back. You can stay until visiting hours are over. I know he’d appreciate that.”

As if he hadn’t made the grand offer, she said, “Maybe Zack could drive me home?”

If it wasn’t for Mick… Josh drew a deep breath and reached for control. “Zack can’t. He has a four-year-old daughter and he needs to get home to her.”

“Oh.” Delilah eyed him, apparently liking his plan as little as he did. “I suppose Dane or Alec would be okay….”

He should have said fine, should have let Mick deal with her. Instead, he heard himself say, “Dane and Alec just drove two hours to get here, and I’m sure they’d like to spend their time visiting Mick, not chauffeuring your stubborn butt around town.”

Stiffening, she said, “I could take a bus….”

“And Mick would still worry. Someone shot at you today, lady.” From what Josh understood, someone had singled her out as a victim. It didn’t make sense, and he understood Mick’s concern. “You witnessed a burglary and it doesn’t matter that you told the police you didn’t recognize anyone, that you have no idea what’s going on, it’s still strange.”

She didn’t relent, and he said, his patience at an end, “Hell, I promise not to speak to you, all right? I won’t even look at you if it’ll make you happy.”

Using both hands, she covered her face. Her normally proud, straight shoulders hunched and she turned partially away.

Thinking she was about to cry, Josh froze. Damn, but he couldn’t deal with weeping women. There was nothing he hated more, nothing that made him feel more helpless. His stomach tightened, cramped. Delilah acted tough and talked tough, but she was still female, delicately built, and she’d been through an ordeal.

But she didn’t so much as sniffle. “I don’t mean to be nasty,” she said from behind her fingers. Her voice was miserable but strong, and devoid of tears. “It’s just…” She hesitated for a long minute, then dropped her hands and sighed. “I feel so responsible.”

Josh’s hostility and impatience melted away. She’d been involved in a robbery, shot at, stuck in the hospital all day in wet, grubby clothes with total strangers. If he’d known her longer, he’d have offered her a hug. But he’d just met her—and so had Mick. Josh was still worried. It wasn’t like Mick to fall so hard so fast. He’d never even seen Mick trip. On rare occasions, Mick dated, and then moved on.

Josh couldn’t think of a single female, other than family, who Mick would have invited to stay at the hospital with him. Not only would he have found it an intrusion, he was far too private to want anyone around him when he wasn’t up to full speed.

In his line of work, Mick naturally had to be careful, and that caution had carried over into other aspects of his life. Or perhaps it had always been there, left over from a less-than-wonderful childhood. But whatever the reason, Josh could tell that for this woman, Mick was throwing caution to the wind.

Settling for a friendly arm around her shoulders, Josh steered her back toward the hospital room. “The last thing Mick would want is for you to feel bad. About anything. As to responsibility, it sure as hell isn’t your fault those idiots showed up and started shooting. Okay?”

“Thanks.” She nodded, and even managed a small smile for him. Josh was struck by that smile, and for the first time, he had an inkling of what Mick felt.

They walked through the door, and she seemed to forget all about Josh the second her gaze landed on Mick. Nonplussed, he watched her hurry back to Mick’s bedside. “Josh is going to drive me home, but I’ll be right back.”

Mick’s surprise at the quick turnaround was plain to see as he looked from Josh to Delilah and back again. Josh winked. Oh yeah, he’d have fun ribbing them later with this one. He’d gotten her to do what the rest of them couldn’t. He hadn’t lost his touch, after all.

“Don’t worry, Mick,” Josh said, feeling in good humor for the first time since the shooting, “I’ll keep a real close eye on her.”

That earned him a frown from both Delilah and Mick. Delilah apparently didn’t think she needed to be watched, and Mick obviously didn’t want any male looking at her too closely. Jealousy, Josh decided, and was glad he’d never suffered such a miserable emotion.

“You really don’t have to rush,” Mick told Delilah after dragging his attention away from Josh. But it was plain to Josh that Mick wanted her back where he could be the one keeping an eye on her, protecting her, not any other man, not even a friend he trusted. He was also in pain and doing his best to hide it. Damn stubborn fool.

Delilah glanced around the room. “Will your visitors stay all night?”

“No,” Mick said, making the decision before anyone else could answer.

Alec coughed again. Celia rushed to assure her. “We’ll be at a nearby hotel for the night, but we’ll stay here until you get back. How’s that?”

As if it was up to her, Delilah nodded. “That’d be perfect. Thank you.” Then she bent to kiss Mick again. “I’m going to give my cell phone number to the nurse, just in case.” She turned to Josh. “Are you ready?”

“I’ll be right there.”

She looked suspicious at his delay, but didn’t question him on it. She turned and moseyed out.

The door had barely closed before Angel and Dane came back in. Angel propped her hands on her hips and said, “Now that she’s not within hearing distance, tell me the truth. Does your shoulder hurt?”

With a crooked grin, Mick admitted, “Hell, yes.” Then he turned to Zack. “If you could see about some pain medicine…?”

“The doctor ordered it for when you woke up, but you were too bullheaded to take it.”

“It would’ve made me sleepy.”

Josh shook his head. “And God forbid he miss a single second of Delilah Piper’s visit.”

Zack, always something of a peacemaker as well as an EMT, laughed. “I’ll go get your nurse and she can take care of you.”

Josh walked over to the bed, where both Dane and Alec now hovered. Josh knew they were dying for some answers. Together the two men ran a private investigations firm, and they could sniff out trouble without even trying.

“The other men got away. The police are still looking, but they haven’t turned up anyone.”

Mick’s curse was especially foul. “What about the one I shot? Did they find out anything from him?”

“The idiot had ID on him. He’s Rudy Glasgow, and he’s still unconscious.” Josh knew that despite Mick’s injuries, he’d want to know it all. Still, he hesitated before saying, “It doesn’t look good.”

Mick dropped back onto the pillow with an aggrieved sigh. “I know my shot to his leg didn’t put him under. Was it the head wound from when he fell?”

“Yeah. You two mirror each other—both shot, both with conked heads. Only his was worse. He rattled something in his skull and the docs don’t know when he’ll come to, which means they don’t know when he’ll be able to answer questions, if ever. You were lucky that you landed more on Zack than the concrete when you fell.”

Not amused, Mick cursed again.

“I also turned your gun over to the officer first on the scene. He insisted, of course, and with you passed out cold…” Josh shrugged.

“That’s standard procedure,” Mick assured him, not worried. “I’ll be issued a new one.”

Josh nodded. “I notified your sergeant and he’s getting in touch with Internal Affairs.”

“Which means I’ll have to see the damn psychiatrist, too.” He groaned.

“Just procedure?” Josh asked, though he already knew any shooting required a follow-up visit with the shrink, just to keep the officers healthy in mind and body.

“Yeah.” Mick looked weary beyond belief. “When she leaves here tonight—”

Dane held up a hand. “We won’t let anything happen to her. I promise.”

And Josh assumed that meant one or both of them would be tailing her the rest of the night, even after she finished her hospital visit. Delilah wouldn’t like it if she knew. But then, Dane and Alec were damn good, so she wouldn’t find out unless they wanted her to know.

Alec looked thoughtful, and with his intense, dark features, the look was almost menacing. It had taken Josh some time to get used to him. “So you think the robbery was a sham? Just an excuse to shoot her?”

“They aimed for her head,” Mick rumbled in disgust, describing how he’d covered her, and the shooter’s angle. He gave details he hadn’t given when Delilah was in the room. “They didn’t threaten anyone else. Hell, they didn’t even look at anyone else.”

“But why her?” Dane asked.

“I haven’t got a clue. Far as I can figure, she was just a customer, like the other two in the shop.”

Though Mick said it, he didn’t look quite convinced. Josh didn’t like any of it, especially since his friend seemed determined to be in the middle of it all. “I’d better get out there or she’ll leave without me.”

“She doesn’t have a car here, does she?” Mick asked, concerned over the possibility.

“No, but believe me, that wouldn’t stop her. Prepare yourself, Mick, because she’s about the most obstinate, bullheaded woman I’ve ever run across.” He squeezed Mick’s left shoulder. “Take it easy while we’re gone.”

“You won’t let her out of your sight?”

“Just when she showers.” He grinned at Mick’s warning growl. It amused the hell out of him how possessive his friend had gotten, and how quickly. “Quit worrying. I’ll bring her back safe and sound.”

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