“Where’s—”
“Back in River Bend with the FBI. Investigating,” Zoe told her. “Has Hope said any more about Mr. Lewis?”
“Nothing. I haven’t asked her.” The last thing she wanted to do was upset her when she did open her eyes. “She hasn’t mentioned Nathan either.” Another glance around the room proved Nathan wasn’t among the concerned. Then again, maybe he didn’t feel welcome with so many people in her world setting up camp. “Is he—”
“He hasn’t shown his face since the ER,” Wyatt told her.
That news brought some relief. “I should get back in there,” Melanie said, pointing to the door with her thumb. “You guys really don’t need to stay. The nurses say she’s stable for an ICU patient.”
“That doesn’t sound right,” Luke said.
“I know. The knock on her head is why she’s in this unit. In case something went wrong.” It didn’t appear that was going to happen, thank God.
“Really. I’m sure sleeping in here isn’t the most comfortable. I’ll call you if I need anything.”
Miss Gina let her gaze sweep down Melanie’s frame. “Like a change of clothes?”
The shorts she’d been painting in two nights before were still on her body. The only addition to that evening’s clothing she had with her was a coat Wyatt had placed over her shoulders during the search.
“What about some food? When was the last time you ate?” Zoe chided.
Melanie glanced at the ceiling as if it held the answer. Then decided to divert. “I’m sure the hospital has a cafeteria that opens soon.”
“But will you leave Hope’s side long enough to find it?” Miss Gina asked.
“I’m okay. Really.”
Zoe glanced around the group of them before turning her attention to Melanie. “So are we. You take care of Hope, we’ll take care of you.”
It wouldn’t be any different if the situation were reversed.
She kissed and hugged each of them, lingered a little longer with Wyatt and whispered in his ear, “Thank you for being here.”
“Anytime,” he whispered back.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sometime before dawn, Zoe and Miss Gina left the hospital to gather a change of clothes for Melanie and to retrieve Hope’s favorite stuffed something. Wyatt was new to the world of kids, but it wasn’t hard to figure out what a little girl might like. In the hospital gift shop he found a plush purple teddy bear with a pink bow and added a bright silver balloon saying “Get Well Soon.” Because the ICU was extremely limited as to when they could come in and visit, he and Luke camped out in the lobby for the first half of the day. By noon, Zoe, Miss Gina, and Jo returned with a basket full of food and provisions.
Jo appeared to have taken a shower, but the color under her eyes suggested she hadn’t slept much, if at all, the night before. She wore her uniform and a frown. Beside her was a woman in dark blue slacks and a crisp white shirt. She had short, dark hair and an easy smile. “This is Agent Burton,” Jo told him when it was clear the woman was with them. “She needs to ask Hope a few questions.”
He saw that coming, he supposed.
“Is she awake?”
“Off and on all morning,” Wyatt told her.
Jo didn’t seem pleased with her position. “No time like the present,” she said before reaching for the phone that called into the nurses’ station inside the ICU. A brief conversation had the two of them being buzzed in. Wyatt didn’t ask, he just took his teddy bear offering and walked alongside them.
Jo nodded with a smile and followed his lead.
The ICU was much busier than it had been during the night. Doctors in white coats and a handful of radiology and respiratory technicians joined the busy ward.
Jo stopped by the nurses’ station while Wyatt detoured directly into Hope’s room.
She was sitting up, her broken arm resting on a pillow while she attempted to eat what looked like soup from a rolling table pulled up over the bed. “Hey, princess?”
Hope looked up and offered the most precious smile. She skipped hi and hello and went straight to the point. “Is that for me?”
Melanie released a long-suffering sigh when she noticed him standing there.
He stepped into the room and handed the stuffed toy to Hope before he ruffled the top of her head with two fingers. “You’re looking better.”
“My arm hurts, my head hurts, and my butt hurts!”
Wyatt laughed as he walked around the bed and greeted Melanie with a kiss to the top of her head. He leaned over so only she could hear his words. “Jo is here with an FBI agent to ask her questions.”
She sucked in a tiny breath and the smile on her face suddenly looked forced.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
He wasn’t convinced.
A few seconds later Jo and Agent Burton stepped into the room. Hope greeted her with an enthusiastic Auntie Jo! welcome, with Jo kissing Hope’s cheek. “So good to see you awake and eating.”