Page 23 of Protected from Torment

“I don’t know the details,” the nurse replies. “I just started my shift two hours ago, and Melissa was already here. But there’s no police guard that I know of.” She pauses before adding stiffly, “I can assure you, security at the hospital is excellent.”

Maybe in her opinion, it is. But seeing as how I helped my teammates break into a hospital to rescue Bea not that long ago, I’m not reassured. “And her dog? Do you know about him?”

Elizabeth’s voice softens. “I don’t. I’m sorry. But I can try to look into it.”

“Is there anyone there with her?” I ask. “Family? Friends?”

She hesitates before answering. “No. No one.”

Shit.

Melissa is hurt. In the hospital. Scared. Crying. Alone. She doesn’t even have her dog with her for comfort. And I’m three-damn-thousand miles away from her.

My mind immediately starts working through possibilities. I can be at the Portland airport in an hour, maybe less if I really push it. I’ll have to pull some strings, but I’m sure I can get on the next direct flight to New York. Albany would be best, but if it needs to be LaGuardia or JFK, I can make that work, too. I’ll need a rental car, but that shouldn’t be a problem. Melissa being alone at the hospital is, though. It’ll take me most of the day to get there, and I refuse to leave her unprotected.

“Do you have any other questions?” Elizabeth asks. “We’re open for visiting hours until eight PM. So if you’d like to come⁠—”

“I’ll be there,” I interrupt. “But I’m coming from the West Coast. I’ll have someone come—” I stop myself. She’s not the one who needs to hear this. Melissa does. “Can you put Melissa back on the phone? Please?”

The nurse hesitates. “It’s not good for her to get upset like that.”

“I know. But I’m not upsetting her. The situation is. A situation I’m planning on helping her with.” Blowing out a calming breath, I continue, “I just want to tell her I’m on my way. I think it might help.”

After a drawn-out moment, there’s a sigh. “Okay. But keep it short. She really does need to rest.”

“I will⁠—”

“Tyler?” Melissa’s wobbly voice comes back on the line. “I’m sorry. She took the phone. With my concussion, I’m supposed to stay calm.” She huffs. “I’m not sure how I’m supposed to do that, considering.”

I’m relieved to hear a spark of the fire she showed me on the road in Long Lake. “I just wanted to tell you I’m on my way. Hopefully, I’ll be there by this evening. And⁠—”

“You’re coming here?”

I frown. “Yes. You said you need help.”

“But… it’s so far away. I thought you might know someone out here...”

“I do,” I reply. “And I’m going to have one of my friends stay with you until I get there.” Either one of the New York Blade and Arrow guys, or Enzo could head over there from Vermont, or, shit. Griffin. He’s in Syracuse, working for the K9 unit out there. Maybe he could take the day off to stay with her.

“Tyler.” Melissa’s voice drops to a near-whisper. “I didn’t mean for you to drop everything to come to New York.”

“I know you didn’t. But I’m coming. And I’m going to look into what’s going on with Oscar, too. As soon as I find out anything, I’ll call you.”

Opening a new browser tab on my laptop, I pull up the schedule for flights from Portland to New York. “There’s a flight to Albany leaving in two hours. I’ll be on it. That should put me in Amsterdam by… six PM, give or take. If you need anything in the meantime, Mel, call me. Okay?”

She sucks in a shaky breath. “Okay.”

Now that the proverbial clock is ticking, I need to wrap up the call and haul ass to the airport. So I say, “I have to go so I can make the flight on time. But call or text for anything. And I promise, I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay,” Melissa replies. She sniffs softly. “Thank you, Tyler.”

Once I end the call, I look up to meet the questioning gazes of my teammates. “Looks like that trip is coming sooner than expected,” I say. “I’m heading to New York. Today.”

“Who was that?” Rafe asks. “Who’s Melissa?”

Indy flicks a pen at Rafe, who deftly bats it away. “A woman,” Indy says. “And if it’s a personal issue, it’s none of our business.”

“When Tyler takes the call during a team meeting, and it’s obvious the woman is in trouble, it is,” Rafe retorts.