“All right. Okay. I’m backing off. You’re safe. Nobody here is going to hurt you.”
Her breathing came fast, ragged. The monitor spiked again.
The door swung open.
A nurse hustled in, eyes on the numbers. “Heart rate’s spiking.”
“You’re in the hospital,” the nurse said gently. “Harris Regional. You’re safe. This isn’t where you were.”
Sara’s throat worked. “This… isn’t… his room?”
“No, ma’am.”
Tears filled her eyes; she blinked them back hard.
“I don’t know him,” she whispered, eyes flicking to Luke. “Why is he in here?”
Luke stayed back. “Name’s Luke Hale. I’m on your door. I thought you were going to rip your IV out.”
“I don’t want him touching me.”
“You’ve got every right,” Luke said. “Won’t happen again unless you’re in danger.”
The nurse adjusted the pump. “This’ll help take the edge off.”
Sara stared at the ceiling. “How long… was I gone?”
“Long enough,” Luke said. “But you’re back.”
“Why’d he bring me back?” she whispered. “What is this to him?”
Luke’s fingers curled. “I don’t know. But he doesn’t get near you again.”
“Deputy Hale.”
Calder stood in the doorway now.
“We’re going to pause,” Calder said. “Deputy, hallway. A moment.”
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” Sara rasped.
“We won’t,” Calder said gently.
Luke backed out, staying in her sight until he reached the hall.
Hallway
Calder eased the door mostly closed, leaving a slim gap.
Up close, her eyes were razor-sharp.
“You were about to tell her things she’s not ready for,” Calder said quietly. “That’s how you fracture recovery before it starts.”
“She’s asking questions.”
“She’s in survival mode,” Calder said. “If she learns too soon, it will collapse her—emotionally, cognitively. She’ll go right back into that room in her head.”
Luke swallowed. “So I hold the line.”
