Secure Desire Page 12

  Tucker scanned the monitors in time to catch the first of many irregularly shaped beats. “Pete, she’s coding.” He removed the thermometer to place her flat on her back. “Her temp is up to 105.6.” Pete was already drawing multiple tubes of blood. “I’m pushing calcium. Call Hunt. C’mon, Cassie,” Tucker begged.

  Pete moved to hit the red button. “CODE BLUE ICU.”

  Health care providers ran to Cassie’s room to help. When one of the incoming nurses started CPR, the sickening noises of cracking ribs resonated.

  Pete took the stairs three at a time to the lab, rushing them for the results both he and Tucker already suspected. Quickly returning to help in the resuscitation, he set his phone on speaker awaiting Hunter’s answer.

  “Insulin, glucose. Albuterol IV,” Jack Parker called out the orders to reverse what they thought might be potassium poisoning. “Stop CPR. Defibrillate 200 joules.” This was the third attempt to break the deadly rhythm.

  Everyone held their breath. Nothing changed. CPR was continued. Two minutes later, they defibrillated again. Two more attempts—and still nothing helped. A hush fell over the room.

  Tucker fired the sixth attempt. Blip, blip, blip. The monitor showed organized beats. “We have a pulse,” the nurse nearest Cassie’s head said.

  “Hook up the vent again. Hemodialysis. Get another machine and fluids up here now.” Tucker looked at the remaining supplies in the case. All had pinhole leaks. “It’s all contaminated.”

  Parker stood at the bedside, writing orders.

  As Ian called the meeting to order, Hunter took his place in front of the Chase personnel. “At this point, there’s nothing more anyone can do. It’s up to her.” He looked up. “Ian, I’m sorry.”

  Ian’s lips pulled into a straight line, and his voice cracked when he spoke, “We need a multi-pronged approach. Martin, there was an article in the Post today about ‘an unnamed socialite at University.’ Find the source. FBI is prowling the floor. Her bureau chief, best friend, and partner are all due in soon. They get carte blanche to see her. Anyone from her division can see her too. Her team from the Four Seasons gets escorted in to visit. I do not trust any of them.

  "Until we have the whole story, we’ll work under the assumption someone wants her dead and will keep trying until they succeed. Matty, work with Tate. I want a security plan bypassing all hospital personnel in thirty minutes. Every supply, every medication, every piece of equipment runs through us.

  “I want a 24/7 watch on Wilds and on Maddox. Julian, arm her med team. Nothing big—I want her protected but don’t want the other staff, families or patients scared. Hunt, as soon as she’s stable enough, I want her transferred to the house for the duration of her recovery.”

  Hunter steadied his hands on the table. “Ian, damn it, did you hear a word I said? Cassie is dying.”

  Ian lifted his chin in defiance. “Just set up for it. Whatever she needs, whatever the cost.

  “We have to find out why Sebastian Ames tried to kill her. Kieran and I will have a more in-depth chat with Andy Blake. Extend the search parameters to explore any potential association between Ames and the Paulsen sons. Check her case files. I’m not comfortable with the police’s current thinking Ames just snapped because she said no. Her last words to me were ‘Cassiopeia is dead.’ I believe this has to do with something that occurred six years ago. There are a lot of missing pieces.” Ian fingered the newborn’s cap he’d stowed in his pocket.

  When Hunter’s phone rang, he looked down at the screen, raising one finger. “Montgomery.” His face blanched as he listened, scrubbing his hand through his hair. “I’m on my way. Yeah, 8.8, shit.”

  Hunter shook his head at the worried faces looking at him. “Restart dialysis as soon as you can from fresh stock. Do you have the bag? The case?” Hunter gritted his teeth. “I agree. Go for broke on the antibiotics. Full dose. To hell with the blankets—pack her in ice. Drop the fluid temp and irrigate her bladder. Get that fever down. Call ID back; I want another consult on the antibiotics. Scan her from head to toe to look for an abscess.”

  Hunter hung up and looked up at the group. “I need to go back to the hospital. Cassie’s heart stopped again. Tucker and Pete believe her fluids were contaminated. Our guys and the code team are fighting to keep her alive. To make matters worse, her temp’s higher. Her family is aware.”

  Ian locked eyes with Hunter before he left the room. After giving out assignments, he stepped into the privacy of his office and changed from his suit into a Chase Security black polo shirt and black battle dress uniform pants. Maintaining a level of professional distance and detachment from Cassie was a failure. Whether or not she wanted him in her life, he was jumping in with both feet.

  Ian attached his Sig P226 to his waistband holster. No one was going to take away her chance again.

  Caleb and Christian Paulsen were sitting on either side of Cassie, holding her hands, when Ian arrived at the ICU. She was wrapped in ice-filled plastic. Despite medication to prevent it, her body shook from the cold.

  Both men looked exhausted and drawn. At the sight of his previous CO, Caleb jumped to attention. Ian smiled and pulled the young man into an embrace.

  “Sir, I am so glad to see you. Thank you for helping Cassie. Why is this happening to her? Why would someone want her dead?”

  Ian looked at Cassie, the words from her email echoing in his head. Her hair was tousled into a loose braid; her ivory face was scarlet with fever, and ugly bruises covered her arms. The smell of Dove soap and antiseptic awakened his senses.

  Ian, she’s dying.

  Eric Seton, another former PJ and physician assistant from Michigan, and Jack sat at the foot of the bed and discussed the dialysis while Hunter and Jamie O’Reilly—the fourth member of her newly formed treatment team from New York City—went over her chart in the corner.

  “I don’t know, but I will find out.” Ian sounded more determined than ever.

  Chapter Twenty

  Money and manpower were ways to get things done fast. Four hours after he put in his command, Ian received a call from Monique as she stood beside white vans from Hedgecock Construction in front of the pool house at the private McLean home Ian shared with Kieran and herself.

  “Darling, Ray and his eighteen-man crew are performing the emergency construction. Kieran’s team is troubleshooting the entire perimeter, upgrading the intruder alert system. And they’re unloading a hospital bed now.”

  “Good, what about the physical changes?”

  "They’ve torn apart most of the second floor. Starting from the first room at the top of the stairs, they’re creating a patient room with ensuite bathroom, with a wheelchair-accessible shower. The second room will be an operating theater/treatment area, and the third bedroom is subdivided into a second patient room and a lab and pharmacy. The walk-in linen closet is now for supplies. Bunks in the third bedroom for staff and two queen size beds in the fourth. I figure if we need to, family can stay up at the main house.

  “Jaime O’Reilly sent a list. In the basement, his people are installing an upgraded electric panel with a backup generator with complete self-contained ventilation. A new second room is being retrofitted for a state-of-the-art CT scanner and X-ray machinery. The fire-suppression system is moving along, but he’ll need another three or four days working around the clock.”

  “I don’t like the delay, but it is what it is.”

  “Brett Collins wants a heads up when the monitoring system is ready to go online to sync it with the main server.”

  “Not a problem. I’ll text Kieran.”

  “There is one more issue: it will take too long to run an interior elevator shaft, so Ray is going to do an add-on. I cleared it with Kieran. He said to remind you and Kier they are building to code, but you better get our attorneys to deal with the building department. They’re working under an expedited building plan—as fast as they can.”

  “Thank you, Monique.”

  Wednesday morning, Declan
and Ian entered the ICU with the hospital CEO and the chief medical officer. Both men wanted to speak to the Paulsens to try to mitigate the financial damages from the sponge and the potassium contamination. The nurse manager shrieked at their surprise arrival.

  Tucker removed his isolation gown and exited the room to discuss Cassie’s status with them. Declan had earlier advised the two administrators to avoid suggesting the potassium overdose was accidental. The CMO was apologetic and praised them for catching it in time. Tucker held his tongue.

  After double-checking the security precautions, Ian stayed in the periphery while Cassie’s family visited her. He would wait for the appropriate moment to discuss his plans.

  As the day progressed, Sean, Noah, and Frank arrived from their various assignments. Each soldier was reduced to tears, taking turns sitting at her side. The hospital provided the family with a private waiting area.

  Christian Paulsen kissed her cheek and knelt to pray at her bedside. “Keep fighting, Bunny. I love you.” He turned to Ian. “Chase, we need to speak for a moment.”

  Sean, Noah, and Frank looked to Christian for direction. The group walked to the waiting room, and Caleb walked in from the corridor. “Mom and Dad are with her.”

  Ian recognized an ambush.

  Noah blocked the door and crossed his arms against his chest, while Christian stood to speak. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this for Cassie. I know we should be appreciative, but no one does all this without reason. Our mother told us you took Cassie out on a date the night before this happened. I don’t know how we should feel about that. If she lives through this, Cassie can’t handle a man whore. She deserves a man who will care for her.”

  Christian’s amber-colored eyes pinned Ian with laser focus. “Ian, we go back a long time. You were never short of a frog hog. Hell, you could walk into any bar in Coronado, and those women fell at all our feet, but most of us grew up. We can read the damn papers. We know you and my dad have stuff going on. We’d step up to help a teammate too, but we still think we deserve an explanation.”

  Ian didn’t expect anything different from Cassie’s five protective brothers. He met Christian’s gaze, knowing he was right. His public reputation with women was not excellent. He adjusted his posture, uncrossing his arms and letting his palms rest open on his knees. “My frog hog days are long gone, and the tabloids are inaccurate. I’m not saying I’m a saint, but most of those women were either dinner company or related to a Chase Security job.”

  Ian inhaled. “I want Cassie in my life. She’s a remarkable woman. I feel things in her company I have never felt with anyone. I knew the moment I met her six years ago, she was special. And since then, I’ve developed strong feelings for her.”

  “I was told by some of her colleagues she was upset with you.” Christian’s eyes flashed with anger, and then his own practiced mask returned.

  Ian didn’t flinch. He knew he was being tested. “Wilds? I wouldn’t put faith in what that man says. Quinn Marcus? Yes, she pulled away from me. A lot was going on at the dinner. She needed to preserve her cover. How about we wait for Cassie to factor in?”

  “We don’t have much of a choice at the moment. My folks appreciate what you are doing for Cassie, but if you hurt her, no one will find a piece of you. We don’t care who you are. She’s been hurt too much.”

  Ian leaned toward him. “I don’t expect anything different from you. I promise I will never hurt her. Even if she never looks at me again, I vow to keep her safe.”

  Caleb moved between them. “Chris, you saw the email. That prick Wilds…you heard Mom. This isn’t about LC.” Caleb handed the phone to Ian. “Cassie emailed me before the attack. She told me about your date. She has some issues.”

  Ian stopped him. “We all have issues. Caleb, I’m not going anywhere. Cassie and I will decide if there is anything to figure out when she’s healthy. Right now, we’re all on the same side—we want her safe. Just so you know, there’s no bug in here.” The five men laughed with him.

  Ian’s expression turned dark. “I have reason to believe Ames’s attack, the sponge, the infection, and the potassium are all connected. It’s about something she knows—even if she’s not aware of the importance. I also think this is a separate issue from what happened relating to Wilds at work. What more do any of you know about this assignment and Wilds?” Ian decided not to share all his intel on the matter.

  “I wish I could say we knew more. The letter was the first time any of us heard about it. That bastard, if Cassie needed to draw her weapon, he was a major threat.” Caleb frowned.

  Ian buried his fist inside his pants pocket. “What did she mean about the scars?”

  “She has scars from the surgery after the helicopter crash,” Noah said with practiced ease. “To see those scars, he would have had to open her pants.”

  “Soiled goods?” Ian asked.

  The five shrugged in unison. He opened his tablet to share four pictures from the break-in: the bed, the mirror, the card, and the tiny blue cap. “What happened to her six years ago?”

  Christian silenced his brothers with a fierce look. Rather than deny the truth, he dumped it back in Ian’s lap. “It’s her story to tell. We promised her. Andy Blake is aware of the situation and will make the connection if there is one.”

  Ian buried his temper. “She can’t answer. Keeping this secret may cost Cassie her life. If you won't talk to me, give Blake a call. Give him permission to speak to me.”

  He turned his mental focus to his Cassie. Yes, she is mine.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  On Saturday night, ten days after she was stabbed, the PAs convinced Cassie’s family to leave the hospital to sleep in their own beds. Ian promised he would call if anything even looked like it was changing. He wanted everyone to be rested when they were ready to move her.

  Ian could not follow the PA’s advice. He refused to let anyone relieve him; his primitive desire to protect her prevented it. He knew the FBI, and the people wanting her dead were watching. To protect her, the plan had to go off without a hitch.

  Jamie and Eric waited for the family to leave around eight-thirty before they set up to change her dressings. “Ian, you need to step out for this. It’s for her privacy.” Jamie wore an isolation mask, a gown, and gloves. He began to remove the dressings on her chest.

  “We’ll compromise.” Ian stood in the doorway with his back toward the bed.

  While they were working, alarms went off. Cassie arched against the tube in her throat. Ian moved to her side in seconds, covering her clawing hands with his. He lifted the sheet and wrapped his arms around her to still her struggle.

  “Cassie, it’s Ian Chase. I have you.” She was too weak to pull away. “Sweetheart, you’re safe.”

  Cassie’s heavy eyelids fluttered open. She thrashed, lost in her own darkness. Daddy, please, I don’t want to leave you. Don’t make me go. Her hollow eyes were filled with terror.

  “Cassie, you’re in the hospital. You’re safe,” Eric said.

  Cassie’s hallucinations continued. Please. I won’t tell. How can you do this to me? Her struggles grew weaker.

  “Cassie, you are in University Hospital.” Jamie tried to reorient her, but she kept fighting.

  Ian hugged her fevered body against his. “Sweet Cassie, no one is going to hurt you ever again.”

  The sedative Jamie injected into her IV began to settle her down. Cassiopeia is dead... The baby is gone... They killed us. Her inner voices faded away with the medication.

  The medication acted fast. Eric and Jamie settled her back in the bed, finished changing her dressings, and rechecked every tube. Cassie remained quiet, and her vital signs settled down. The three sipped some much-needed coffee.

  When she struggled, Ian saw the exposed angry red surgical incisions and white half-moon scars on her shoulders, breasts, and upper back. “What happened?” Ian asked.

  “She broke through the sedation. The pressure in her brain is decreasing,
so we’re lightening the medication. As much as this is disturbing, it’s a positive,” Eric explained.

  “The white scars?” Jamie and Eric held their tongues, and Ian raised a brow. “I have her guardian's permission. I’ll ask Hunt.”

  “They’re bite marks,” Eric said.

  Ian’s expression turned to stone. “Something happened to her six years ago. Can those be that old?”

  Jamie said, “No way to tell, but they’re not fresh.” He grabbed a new pair of gloves and exposed a fresh bite.

  “Are there any more?” Ian asked.

  Jamie crouched in front of him. “Ian, don’t torture yourself. Please.”

  With tenderness, Ian leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You didn’t lose your chance.”

  “She’s a fighter, Ian. Most people wouldn’t be alive after all this.” Eric pushed a few buttons on the monitor and noted the readings.

  “Don’t give up, sweetheart,” Ian begged her.

  All those years in unyielding places taught him to sleep when he could, so he catnapped in the chair. The unit’s sounds were softer at night, and the lighting was dimmed in an attempt to let the conscious patients find sleep.

  The wall clock ticked to three AM. The heavy doors opened, and a mature, well-built bald man with coal-colored eyes approached the darkened room with panther-like grace and speed.

  On instinct, Ian reached for his gun, and Eric and Jamie took protective stances around Cassie. The man held his hands up. “I’m Paul Yates, Cassie’s bureau chief.”

  Ian stood down and examined the proffered identification, then extended his hand. “Ian Chase.”