Lisa was swathed in bandages, still hooked up to a heart monitor. An IV dripped fluids into a tube taped in her arm. A bandage around her head covered a patch of shaved blond hair, but she still looked beautiful.
“You’re the strongest person I know,” Tory said. “You’ll make it through this.”
“I know . . . I will.” Lisa moistened her lips. “I just . . . wish I could remember. It’s like a big black . . . hole with . . . nothing in it.”
Tory poured some water into a paper cup and held it up for her friend to sip. “Maybe it’s better you don’t remember.”
Lisa swallowed, then lay back on the pillow. “I’ve thought about that. The doctors say it’s possible I might . . . never remember any of it. They don’t really . . . know.”
Tory squeezed her hand.
Lisa managed to smile. “I like your Josh. He’s really . . . hot.”
Tory smiled back. “Yeah, he is.”
Lisa’s expression changed. “Be careful, Tory. Make sure he’s . . . everything he seems.”
Tory glanced away. “I’ll be careful.” Lisa was thinking of the vicious, brutal abuser Damon had turned out to be. They hadn’t talked about him. Lisa didn’t remember who was responsible for her abduction, and the police had confirmed Damon’s alibi.
“I pray they catch whoever did this to you,” Tory said.
“So do I.”
“I’ll call, see how you’re doing. I’ll stay in touch this time.” Even if it would be taking a risk. Bending over, she pressed a kiss on Lisa’s forehead, turned, slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder, and walked out of the hospital room.
In the hall outside, Josh waited beside the door. Was he everything he seemed? She had no reason to doubt him, and yet, after Damon, it was hard to trust her instincts the way she had before.
“You ready to go?” Josh asked.
“I’m ready to go home.”
“Home? You mean Texas?”
“Yes.”
Josh actually grinned, making him look so handsome her stomach fluttered.
“Home sounds good to me,” he said. “I’ll start making arrangements as soon as we get back to the room.”
The afternoon was gone by the time they left the hospital, the sun sitting low on the vast desert horizon. The hot orange ball silhouetted the tall, spiny cactus thrusting up from the landscape, and the temperature hovered in the nineties. The air was dry and hot as they crossed the parking lot and climbed into the shiny black rented Jeep. Josh buckled his seat belt, waited for Tory to buckle hers, then cranked the engine.
“How about a burger or something before we call it a night?”
Tory hadn’t been hungry since she had left Texas, but Josh was a big, strapping man. He needed to eat. “Burger King or Carl’s?”
“There’s a Sonic Drive-In a few blocks down the road. It’s on the way.”
“Good enough,” she said.
Josh turned the Jeep in that direction. The vehicle rolled along with the traffic, the radio playing country music, Josh’s favorite and fast becoming hers, too. As the SUV continued down the street, Tory noticed him glancing in the rearview mirror.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure. There’s a brown Buick behind us. I saw that car in the hospital parking lot this morning. The guy sitting inside never got out. As warm as it was, it seemed kind of odd, but I didn’t think much about it at the time. When we walked out just now, the Buick was in a different location, but the guy was still sitting behind the wheel.”
“Maybe he’s waiting for someone.”
“Yeah, maybe.” But Josh kept an eye on the mirror as they continued down the road. The Jeep turned into the drive-in and pulled into a space next to an automated menu. As they placed their order, the Buick drove on past, rolling leisurely down the road.
“He kept going,” Tory said. “Must be just a coincidence.”
“Could be.” But Josh still seemed wary.
The burgers, fries, and chocolate shakes they ordered arrived, and Tory discovered she was ravenously hungry. Maybe it was relief that nothing had happened while they were in Phoenix. Maybe it was knowing they were on their way home. Whatever it was, she dug into her burger.
“Linc said he’d send the jet back whenever we’re ready.” Josh munched a handful of golden brown fries. “I need to call him.”
“I’ll really be glad to get back. Do you think we’ll be leaving tonight?”
“Probably need to give him a little notice.” Josh’s amazing blue eyes swung toward her and she didn’t miss the hot gleam there. “Might as well get a good night’s sleep and leave first thing in the morning.”
Her breath hitched. Just thinking about another night in bed with Josh Cain was enough to send her temperature into the danger zone. “That’s sounds . . . sensible.”
Even if they left tonight, by the time they got back, Ivy would be in bed. Better to let the little girl get a good night’s sleep and pick her up in the morning.
They finished their burgers. Josh started the engine, and the Jeep pulled out of the lot, heading down the street toward the hotel. She noticed him checking the rearview mirror.
“The Buick’s back. It just pulled in behind a Toyota pickup. Looks like we’re being followed.”
Alarm shot through her. “You don’t think it’s Damon? Did you get a look at the driver?”
“Guy had thinning brown hair and wore glasses. It wasn’t Damon.”
“No, that isn’t him. Besides, Damon drives a BMW.” She turned to look behind her. “I don’t see him.”
“Five cars back. I’ll turn the corner up here, see if he follows. Don’t let him catch you looking.”
She flipped down the sun visor and used the mirror to watch the traffic as Josh turned the corner. “There he is! The Buick just turned the corner behind us.”
“It’s not Damon but there’s a good chance it’s someone working for him.”
“I think that’s how he found me in Carlsbad. I think he hired a private investigator.”
Josh’s features hardened. “Guy wants to know where we’re going? Let’s let him find out.”
Tory sat back in the seat, her nerves strung taut. Josh slowed as they approached the Marriott, slowed even more as they pulled into the parking lot, letting the Buick get even closer.
“Plate number’s AKJ1302,” he said.
Tory memorized the number. “Maybe we can find out who the car belongs to.”
“Oh, we can find out.” Josh pulled the Jeep into a space, turned off the engine, and both of them climbed out. “Might be able to speed things up.”
They walked into the lobby of the hotel. “Go on up to the room. I’ll be along in a minute.”
Tory stopped. “Wait a minute—what are you going to do?”
“If Bridger hired this guy to keep track of you, his job isn’t finished yet.”
As if Josh had a crystal ball, Tory looked through the glass front doors to see the Buick pulling into the parking lot. They both stepped back so the driver wouldn’t see them, watched him park in a space where he could watch the entrance to the hotel.
Something appeared in the window of the car. “What’s he doing?” Tory asked.
“Taking pictures. Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Josh headed down the hall and disappeared out one of the side doors. Tory stayed out of sight next to the big glass window in the lobby. Across the room, the desk clerk stood behind the counter, checking in another couple.
Tory looked back out the window, catching a glimpse of Josh at the rear of the parking lot before he disappeared between a pair of parked cars. Except for the lights illuminating the parking lot, it was too dark to keep track of him.
She almost smiled. If Josh didn’t want to be seen, she probably couldn’t spot him even in the daylight.
She spotted him a couple of times as he cut a path toward the Buick, moving in that silent way he had that seemed almost ghostly.
The next thing she knew, the door of the Buick shot open and the driver flew out of the car. One of Josh’s big hands clamped around his neck and the camera went flying, landing on the pavement, rolling a couple of feet before it came to a stop. Josh backed the guy up against the car.
Tory gripped the purse slung over her shoulder and flew out the hotel’s front door.