Page 45 of The Search

“You don’t have to tell me that.”

“Easy.”

“I don’t feel easy.” Dammit, Logan had hoped that Rudzak had been taken out. “Try to find him. If you can’t locate him, find someone who can point the way. We need to know what he’s up to.” He had to think through the pain throbbing through him. “Oh, and tell Margaret to make the pilot head for Phoenix and have a surgeon ready in my house there to take out this damn bullet.”

“Phoenix?”

“The house has security. I’ll double it and set up quarters for Bassett there.”

“What about Sarah Patrick?”

“My chances of getting her to stay at the house are slim to none. Arrange surveillance and protection for her cabin, but make sure she’s not aware of it.”

“Done. And what about you? You’re the one Rudzak wants to slaughter and hang out to dry.”

“I’m safe for now.”

“Oh, yeah? You have a bullet in your leg to prove how safe you are.”

“I think Rudzak would have been very upset if that bullet had killed me. He wants to torture me first. He told me so.”

“Just hope he doesn’t change his mind.” Galen hung up.

Rudzak wouldn’t change his mind, Logan thought wearily. He had planned his revenge too long.

“Monty wanted to come.” Sarah was standing beside him with Monty in her arms and carefully placed the dog on the floor beside Logan’s couch. “He’s got that sore shoulder, and I couldn’t stop him from trying to crawl over to you. He knows you’re hurt and he wants to comfort you. Now that you’ve gotten your call, will you go to sleep? I don’t want Monty disturbed any more than he is right now.”

“I’ll go to sleep.” He reached down and stroked the retriever’s head. “I wouldn’t want Monty disturbed.”

She took the phone from him and put it on the end table. “What about Rudzak?”

“Alive.”

“And what are you going to do about it?”

“Wait. Watch. Try to find him.” He paused. “But Bassett will have to go to the secured house in Phoenix for his own protection.”

“Why there?”

“Why not? It’s a pleasant enough place. You stayed there yourself for a while with Eve. I don’t suppose you’d want to live there until Monty has recovered?”

“No way. I want to go home.”

That’s what he’d been afraid of. “Do you mind if we go to the house first before I have you taken home? I need to get this bullet out.”

“The house instead of a hospital?”

“Hospitals ask questions.”

“Doctors are bound by law to report gunshot wounds.”

“But they can often be persuaded to delay or forget the report.”

“Money?”

“Or influence. Or even a charitable donation. Doctors see so much suffering, sometimes they weigh legalities against a contribution that can help heal thousands.”

“And risk their license.”