“I pray it’s not.” Beau put his hand on the door again. “I still need to run home before picking up Mom. I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”
After his brother left, Rex sat frozen in his desk chair. He had to know, needed confirmation on the guard’s identity.Dear Lord, I know I haven’t been close to you lately, but please let Lacey heal quickly with no lasting damage. And please don’t let Monica be the one in a coma, but whoever it is, I pray for her recovery also.
He squeezed his fists and knocked on his desk. Too much nervous energy overtook the years of training he’d had to remain calm in any situation. This time was different. This time it was personal.
In minutes, he’d closed down his workspace. He went to Agent Mclean’s office and knocked on the door, entering once he’d been given permission. “I need a favor. Two actually.”
“What’s that?” Mclean never looked up from his computer.
“I need a few days off, maybe more.”
Mclean lifted his head. Years of service as an FBI agent then the CEO of his own private security firm had given him a hard expression, but compassion shone in his eyes. “Going to your cousin?”
“How’d you know?” He stopped himself. “Never mind. You probably knew before my family ever heard.”
“It’s all over the news.”
“Do you have any details?” Sparing the precious few minutes he had, he sat down in one of the leather chairs.
“An angry constituent lost his daughter last year to cancer. He blamed her death on the senator’s healthcare bill he pushed, even though the parts Senator Allen fought for weren’t passed.” Mclean cursed under his breath. “He’s a fool, taking his anger out on anyone he can blame, nearly killing innocent people in the process.”
“The agent with Lacey, any word on her identity?”
Mclean stood and circled to the front of his desk. “Monica Hughes.”
“No.” Rex dropped his head in his hands. He couldn’t lose it in front of his boss.
A hand pressed against his shoulder. “I know you’re close to her, and I’m sorry. We’re all praying for her to pull through.”
“How bad is it?”
“It’s not good, but neither is it hopeless.” Mclean’s soft tone belied his gruff exterior.
“This is my fault. I requested her for Lacey.”
“And I made the calls to her boss. Am I responsible?”
Rex looked up. “You were only doing that as a favor to me.”
“I could have said no. The only person responsible is the crazed man who broke in. Nobody else.” Mclean shook Rex’s shoulders. “You need to get yourself together. Your family leans on you.”
“I know.” He drew another deep breath and held it until his composure returned. “I’m good.”
“That’s my boy.” Mclean released him. “Take the time you need. Most your work is online anyway, so you can telecommute if need be.”
“Thank you.”
“Security’s tight at the hospital. I’ll put in a call and make sure you can get to her.”
“I appreciate that.” He grasped the sides of the chair, breathed in courage to face whatever happened to Monica, and stood. The sooner he got to her, the better.
***
An armed guard stood outside the hospital entrance. Inside, nurses and other medical personnel hustled from one place to another. Rex spied several agents in plain clothes scattered over the premise. Only his trained eyes separated them from the civilians.
He took the lead and approached the front desk. Although his heart ached to see Monica, family came first. “Can you tell me what room Lacey Allen is in?”
The medical receptionist tensed her jaw. “I’m not allowed to give out that information unless you are on the list.”
