“How’s he doing?” Taggart asked Tory.
“I’m doing fine,” Josh answered grumpily. “I’ll be better when I get out of here.”
“They’re letting him out this afternoon,” Tory said.
“They’re letting me out this morning,” Josh grumbled.
Taggart’s gaze swung back to her. “I can see he’s doing okay. How are you doing?”
She glanced away. Her jeans were still spotted with Josh’s blood, her boots crusted with dried mud. She was wearing a clean pink T-shirt with a butterfly on the front that Carly had bought her in the gift shop.
“I’m okay. We were lucky.” They had been lucky, but her mood was glum. Josh would need her for a while during his recovery, but after that, it was time for her to get on with her life.
She thought she might stay in Iron Springs, at least for a while.Maybe. Unless seeing Josh around town hurt too badly.
Taggart ran a hand over his short blond hair and straightened his tie, back to his more formal FBI persona.
“You’ll both be happy to know every shred of intel we have confirms we’ve rounded up the last member of the cell. Josh won’t have to be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his days.”
“That’s good news,” Josh said.
“I’m sorry we didn’t figure it out sooner,” Taggart said, “but we did the best we could.”
“We appreciate everything you’ve done,” Tory said.
“You can pick up your weapons in the Dallas office whenever you’re ready.” Taggart checked his wristwatch. “I’ve got to run. Just wanted to make sure you two were okay. If you need anything, you know where to find me.” The agent turned and walked out the door.
Josh gave Tory a too-sweet smile. “How about seeing if you can find that doctor, honey, get him to sign my release papers.”
She laughed. “You are such a con man. I’ll tell you what. I’ll take the truck, go home and change, get you some clean clothes while I’m there. You can hardly leave here covered in dried blood and crusted mud. If the doctor hasn’t released you by the time I get back, I’ll hunt him down like a dog and convince him to let you go home.”
Josh laughed. Then the smile slid off his face. “We need to talk, baby. It’s important.”
Her stomach knotted. “I know . . .” she said softly.
He relaxed back on his pillow. “Don’t be too long.”
She just shook her head. Last night, as soon as the helicopter had landed at the hospital and Josh had been whisked into the emergency room, she had phoned Linc and Carly.
They had immediately helicoptered in to Blackland Ranch, then driven both Linc’s and Josh’s pickups to the hospital so Tory would have a vehicle to use and a way to get Josh home.
They had stayed for several hours, until they were satisfied Josh was going to be okay and he had succumbed to the drugs and exhaustion and fallen deeply asleep. Tory had spent the night in his room. She wanted to be there when he woke up in the morning.
At dawn, he’d awoken, his beautiful blue eyes immediately searching for her. His shoulders eased when he saw her.
“I knew you’d be here,” he said, still groggy from the meds they had given him. “You’re . . . amazing.” He’d drifted back to sleep, slept a few more hours, but now he was awake, restless, and anxious to leave.
“I won’t be long,” she promised as she pushed through the door and stepped out into the hall. Taking the elevator down, she crossed the lobby and headed out to the parking lot.
With all the turmoil, Clara Thompson had stayed in the trailer with Ivy. She was staying till Tory got Josh home and settled.
Driving the pickup down the highway, Tory had just reached the edge of town when the disposable phone in her purse started ringing. Very few people had that number, just Josh, Mrs. Thompson, Lisa and Shelly, now Carly and Linc.
Normally, she didn’t talk on the phone while she was driving, but with all the trouble lately, she pulled over and dug it out of her purse. She didn’t recognize the caller ID.
Hoping it was just a wrong number, she pressed the phone against her ear. “This is Tory.”
“Well, hello, sweetheart. Have you missed me?”
