Patrick and Martin walked into her room. Elizabeth stood and stepped into Martin's arms. "You look terrific." With her free from all tubes, he savored the feel of her body against his. Her nipples peaked, rubbing against his chest through the thin t-shirt and comfy pants she wore. Martin lowered his head and nibbled her lips until he lost his control and devoured her mouth. He heard the four men call out, "Get a room."
Elizabeth broke the kiss, turning a bright shade of crimson. "Tell them I can go home." Her expression fell.
"Consider the situation. Patrick says you can come home with restrictions. Think about what you would tell a similar patient."
She pouted, "I hate you." He kissed her neck. "I really hate you." He nuzzled the other side of her neck. "Fi...ne, I'll follow Doctor Hedges' orders. I want to see Austin and Lola before we go." When her lower lip puffed out, Martin leaned in and pulled it between his teeth.
Steven Keys laughed. "Why didn't we think of that?"
Pete grumbled, "We did."
"No, we didn't. I think Steve is referring to the kisses." Tucker laughed.
"Good. Beth, I'll write the orders. Discharge home. I'll also write an order so that, accompanied by medical, you can check on Austin and visit Lola two short periods daily."
Elizabeth was snarky, "Yes, Dr. Hedges."
Martin cuddled her in his arms. After the third time his phone vibrated, he pressed her back. "Sunshine, I need to handle some business." His people were waiting for him. "Let the doctors write up their orders, visit Austin and Lola, and I'll bet you by the time I'm finished, you’ll be ready to go home."
His team's expressions warned Martin he was not going to like the news. He joined Mike, Zach, Tate, Ford and Tighe at the round table in the ICU conference room. Julian’s face appeared on a laptop. "Well?" Martin asked.
Tighe spoke first. "Martin, if you want me to resign, I will. Elizabeth's instincts were correct. Our lab found residue of nitrates in one of Lola's IV bags. It happened on my watch. I'm so sorry." Tighe wrung his hands.
"Did you drug her?" Martin asked.
"God, no."
"Then we’re stuck with you." Martin told the story of when he offered to resign.
Julian held up an old picture of Lewis James. "We’re still hitting a wall. We checked WitSec, and Ian checked with contacts at the Agency. I asked Tech to run every picture of him we found through facial recognition another time. It's like he disappeared into thin air. Clay Jenner's footprint is uninteresting—almost too uninteresting. His finances show no anomalies."
Ford took a shaky breath. "We received the transactional bank account information. A lot of money is moving. The corruption appears to cover all shifts and all ranks in the jail and PD. More names than we thought. There’s a group of offshore accounts as well. Tech is trying to decrypt the privacy protection.
"Elizabeth's letters went as far as Thibodaux Spooner's office, but no concrete evidence if Spooner or Jenner saw them. Spooner's bank records give us some concrete evidence he’s cycling cash through his children's college funds and back to him."
Ford passed Martin a file. "January, a check signed by Spooner was the source of funds for a new bank account. Boss, read the name on the account."
Martin stared at the file. The account was the one on Elizabeth's credit report. "Is there any evidence Elizabeth opened the account herself?"
Ford shook his head. "None. They started to set her up from the minute she came back to Silverton."
Martin slammed his hand on the desk.
"Martin," Mike said, "Elizabeth's prescriptions at the hospital are sent electronically or on watermarked hospital printer paper. In the last eighteen months, we traced over one hundred thirty prescriptions handwritten on her personal pad to former inmates from Silverton jail for schedule III and IV meds, street value about sixteen million dollars. The amount being generated puts her on DEA radar. Combined with that bank account, she would appear guilty, certainly by Silverton PD standards."
"Compare handwriting; she didn't do this," Martin's tone matched Mike's.
"We did. They're a perfect match. Too perfect. No one signs their name the same way each time, with the same pen. Tech is trying to prove they’re laser-printed." Mike set his hand on Martin's. "Martin, we one hundred percent believe she's not responsible. I don't think anyone would set up a governor's daughter without his knowledge."
Mike did not release his hand as Martin searched his face. "Talbot Reed filed for and received a restraining order against you. He also filed a complaint with Silverton PD for aggravated harassment. We all understand the anger, but you crossed the line. You need to stand down, Martin."
"If I don't?"
"Please don't make me do this," Mike pleaded.
Martin wouldn't push his friend to suspend him. "I'm sorry—to all of you. Some leader I am."
He got up and walked out of the meeting to return to Elizabeth.
