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  She seemed to fade out a bit and Tuck thought maybe she had gone back to sleep. But then she spoke again.

  “You,” she requested softly.

  “Ok, but first let me tell you how sorry I am about all this, Madison. I don’t know how much you remember about what happened, or if you even know how you got drawn into this mess.”

  “They thought I was Libby,” she said.

  He squeezed her hand, careful not to jar her broken pinky. “Yeah, they thought you were Libby.”

  Libby entered the room as he spoke, and he motioned for her to stay quiet.

  “I can describe them,” Madison said. “It was two men. Named Russ and Chuck.”

  “I remember Russ from the video. Was Chuck at the warehouse too?”

  “Yeah. He’s short and muscly. Russ is tall and skinny. He’s Jimmy’s favorite.”

  “Excellent, I know which one he is.”

  “A guy named Abe did all the computer stuff.”

  Tuck wanted to ask more questions, but he could tell it was hard for her to focus, and speaking was difficult when she could only take small, shallow breaths due to her painful ribs.

  “Okay, that’s enough for now, Madison. It helps a lot. I’ll ask more questions when you’re feeling a little stronger.”

  She nodded weakly. “My injuries?” she prompted.

  Tuck stroked her arm, wishing he didn’t have such a long list of to go through.

  “Your legs are both broken, Madison. The right one is your lower leg, and there’s also some knee damage. The left one is a broken femur. Your right arm is also broken. You’re probably going to need some surgeries, but we won’t know for sure until the doctors get the X-ray results. The doctor also had to remove your spleen, and your liver is damaged but should heal fine without any surgical repair. I’m sure you’ve realized you have some broken ribs, and you have a chest tube in because one lung was collapsed. It’s doing fine now, though. I’m not sure about your face, but hopefully the CT scan will show if there are any bone fractures there.”

  Libby was crying now, and couldn’t keep quiet. She leaned over Madison and kissed her forehead. “I’m so sorry, Maddy,” she said thickly. “So sorry. I’ll be here for you every step of the way, okay? We’re in this together.”

  “I’m glad you’re here.” Madison turned her head back toward Tuck, and her soft fingers squeezed his hand with surprising strength.

  “Thanks for finding me Tucker,” she said, her words tearing him apart.

  “Don’t thank me, Madison,” he said, his voice rough with regret. “You should have never been pulled into this.”

  “You saved my life,” Madison insisted, her voice marginally stronger. “I heard Jimmy say you would never find me in time, and then he laughed. But you did.”

  Libby stroked her friend’s matted hair. “No more talking, Maddy, I can tell it hurts you. Go ahead and push your button again. It’ll make you groggy but don’t fight it, okay? The more rest you get the better.”

  “Can I have ice first?”

  Libby retrieved the cup she had thoughtfully filled with fresh ice on her way back from the cafeteria. “You betcha, Maddy. Open up.”

  Madison gratefully sucked on the large ice chip Libby fed her. Then she asked the question Tuck had been dreading.

  “Did you catch Jimmy?” she asked.

  Tuck exchanged an agonized look with Libby. “No, Madison. Not yet,” he admitted.

  “He will, though,” Libby said quickly. “He won’t stop until he does.”

  Madison nodded. “I know he will. More ice please.”

  Libby grinned at Maddy’s unwavering faith in Tuck. She pointed at Madison and looked at Tuck, mouthing the words she’s amazing.

  Tuck nodded shortly then paced over to the window, restless and frustrated. He dearly hoped Madison’s faith in him wouldn’t turn out to be misplaced.

  And, yeah, what Libby said. Madison did appear to be pretty amazing.

  Chapter 14

  Emma, Dan and Marcus arrived soon after Madison had fallen asleep again. Since Maddy’s room was much larger than most, the four agents were able to huddle in a corner and talk quietly.

  Now that he had backup to guard Libby and Madison, Tuck wanted to go down to the hospital’s security center to go through the security camera footage for Madison’s hall. He had already asked for the security officers to have it ready.

  “If it turns out the person who was here is a guy we already know works for Jimmy, it’s not going to help us a lot because we’ve already checked them all out and haven’t found anything that will lead us to Jimmy. But if it’s someone new, and we can somehow identify him, we might find a connection we can follow.”

  “You haven’t had any more texts from Jimmy? Or calls?” Dan asked.

  “No, but it’s just a matter of time. He can’t resist gloating. And he’s mad about having to leave North Carolina again,” Tuck said. “At least he says he’s gone, who knows where he really is.”

  Marcus laughed caustically. “He’s not exactly helping his case to come back. He gave us a lot of video footage of him beating a girl. And he admitted to abducting her. If he’s looking to get charges dropped so he can stay local, he’s delusional. Not to mention the truck of immigrant girls he sent our way.”

  Tuck rubbed his burning eyes. “He knows no one is going to drop charges. I think he’s thrown in the towel on North Carolina. He knows he has to stay in hiding from now on, and it’s easier to do that outside of the state. But that doesn’t mean he’ll stop tormenting me. He enjoys it way too much.”

  “Let’s hope he doesn’t stop,” Emma interjected. “We all know that his ongoing obsession with you is our best chance of catching him.”

  “And in the meantime?” Dan wondered. “We can’t keep people on both Libby and Madison indefinitely, but with Jimmy still on the loose, and with his contacts, I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving them unprotected.”

  “They won’t be unprotected,” Tuck stated firmly. “I want to move Madison as soon as she’s stable, preferably before her next surgeries. I don’t want to wait, and I have a plan.”

  He told the other agents about Libby’s idea to have Madison get care at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and then recuperate at the ranch of Virgil and Kay Desmond, located a short distance across the Minnesota border.

  “Libby calls them Aunt and Uncle, but there’s actually no relation, so there’s nothing that would lead Jimmy to their ranch. Kay was a childhood friend of my mom, and our families have always been close, but there should be no way that Jimmy could trace the girls there.”

  “Girls, plural?” Emma asked.

  Tuck nodded. “Libby is going to stay with Madison during her recuperation. She feels strongly about that, and I’m all for it because it’ll be easier to keep an eye on them if they’re together.”

  “Can she get a leave of absence from her job?” Marcus wondered.

  “She already quit. She hasn’t been happy at the company for a while now anyway, so it wasn’t a hard decision for her.”

  “Would we need to get a security detail out there for them?” Dan asked.

  “I doubt I could get that approved,” Tuck said matter-of-factly. “It’s not like they’re protected witnesses. We wouldn’t need either of them to testify at Jimmy’s trial, because we’ve got plenty of evidence to put him away for life without them being there. They’ve been threatened, but I’m not sure how seriously that would be taken, especially if we take the precaution of sending them so far away.”

  Dan nodded. “I have to agree. You could probably get a leave of absence or something for yourself for a while though, if you wanted to accompany them. I’m guessing Tim could push that through.”

  “I’ll see how things go. I have plenty of vacation time saved up, so I’m definitely going to go along to the new hospital and see that Madison gets settled in there. Then we’ll see what’s what.” Tuck rubbed the back of his neck. “I want to be kept in the loop,
though, regardless of how long I’m gone.”

  Marcus clapped him on the shoulder. “That goes without saying. But right now, my man, you need to go get some sleep. You’re dead on your feet. How about Emma and I go down to watch those tapes and find out who paid you a visit here. Dan will stay here with Madison, and you and Libby can go crash for a while.”

  Tuck looked over at Madison, who was still asleep. Libby was curled up in a chair, her eyes drooping.

  “I’m not even going to argue,” he said, standing up and going over to hold out a hand to Libby. “Come on, sis. Bed time. Dan, Emma and Marcus will take good care of our girl.”

  “Bless you,” Libby said to the other agents in the room. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Sleep well you two,” Emma said. “We’ve got things covered here.”

  “I know you do,” Tuck said. “See you in a few hours.”

  “No less than six,” Emma said. “I’ll call Tim and have him give you an order if I need to.”

  “Just promise to call if we’re needed for anything as far as Madison is concerned. If anything else comes up, I want to know. And if she wakes up, tell her Libby and I will be back soon.”

  “I’ll do that,” Emma promised. “Now go.”

  They went.

  Tuck decided it would be a good time to go to the department store just down the block to get a few changes of clothes, and then they got a bite to eat at a fast food place before heading to the hotel. Once they got to their room they both fell asleep almost instantly and didn’t stir for eight hours, exceeding Emma’s required minimum. Showered, shaved, and dressed in clean clothes, Tuck felt one hundred percent better, and ready to get things moving for Madison.

  When they got back to the hospital early the next morning, they sent Marcus and Dan to the hotel for some rest. Emma claimed she wasn’t tired and preferred to stay with Tuck and Libby until the other two returned.

  She showed Tuck the video footage that she and Marcus had isolated, which clearly showed the man who had come into the room when no one was there, stabbing the scalpel through Tuck’s jacket.

  “That’s Russ,” Tuck said immediately. “Damn, that man gets around. Madison said he’s one of the guys who took her from Libby’s apartment, too.”

  Emma nodded. “Yep. He’s obviously one of the group who avoided the roadblock, along with Zeke and Abe. Evidently Jimmy decided to keep him in state to do his dirty work. For now at least.”

  “So no new lead there,” Tuck said, disappointed.

  “Guess not. But I’m sure Jimmy will call you again soon,” Emma predicted.

  “We’ll see. In the meantime, I need to have a sit down with Madison’s doctor and get a transfer figured out.”

  Tucker went to the nurses’ station and again requested a meeting with Dr. Stanton, but he was told that the doctor wasn’t scheduled to come in until later in the afternoon. Tuck unabashedly pulled the federal agent card, stating truthfully that Madison’s safety was at risk. The nurse promised to see what she could do, and fifteen minutes later Tuck was speaking with the physician on the phone.

  Wasting no time, Tuck explained that Madison’s life had been threatened by the man who had abducted her, and it was his preference to move her to a different facility as soon as she was able to travel. He asked the doctor point blank if moving her would jeopardize her health or recovery in any way.

  “Frankly, I can’t say at this point,” Dr. Stanton replied. “Until we get her radiology results, we won’t know exactly what we’re looking at. The orthopedic team will have to give us input as well. However, unless we find something totally unexpected, I would venture to say that she could travel as long as she is accompanied by medical personnel.”

  “Flying wouldn’t be a problem?”

  “There are always risks, especially this soon post-surgery, but they should be manageable.”

  “How soon can we get the X-ray results and get the orthopedic doctor involved?”

  “I’ll check with radiology as soon as we hang up,” Doctor Stanton promised.

  “Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate your time.”

  Tuck returned to Madison’s room to find she was awake, Libby at her side.

  “What did the doc say?” Libby asked, just as a nurse tapped on the open door and breezed by them to Madison’s bed.

  “Good morning, Madison,” she said cheerfully. “I’m Kayla, your nurse for today. I’m told we can get rid of that nasty old NG tube now, how does that sound?”

  “Good,” Maddy said weakly.

  Kayla looked at the others in the room. “Do you folks mind stepping out for a few minutes? You can stay right outside the door.”

  “I’ll stay in here,” Emma declared. “I won’t bother you.”

  Tuck nodded. He didn’t want to witness Madison’s discomfort when having the tube removed, but he also didn’t want her left alone with the nurse. Emma had solved the problem, so he and Libby went out into the hall and waited.

  A few minutes later the nurse summoned them back in. “The tube is out. It’s not a pleasant process, but she’s a real trooper. Next on the list is a session with the respiratory therapist, for her lung. That’s scheduled in about fifteen minutes.”

  When the respiratory therapist arrived, Tuck and Libby again left the room, this time going to the waiting area.

  “That poor girl,” Libby said, sighing heavily as she sank into a chair. “Whatever that therapist is going to do to her won’t be pleasant, considering those broken ribs.”

  Tuck nodded grimly. “She’s got a long road ahead, I’m afraid.”

  A half hour later, Kayla told them the therapist was finished, and they had upped Maddy’s pain medication for the time being.

  “She’s sleeping again, which is the best thing for her. You can go on back to her room, and I’ll check in every so often to see if she needs anything.”

  Tuck and Libby joined Emma, whose face was pale, her lips pressed tightly together. She shook her head when Libby asked her how the session had gone.

  “That girl is something else,” Emma said quietly. “I know they need to keep her lungs clear, but with those broken ribs—” she shook her head.

  Tuck clenched his jaw. “Are we asking too much of her to move her this soon?”

  “Let’s wait and see what the doctor says,” Emma suggested.

  “And we need to ask Maddy what she wants to do,” Libby said. “I know she’s groggy, but we need to give her a say.”

  “Agreed,” Tuck said. “If Dr. Stanton hasn’t gotten back to me by noon, I’ll raise a little more hell.”

  While waiting to hear from the doctor, Tuck found an empty room to make some calls. The first one was to Tim, to fill him in on his wish to transfer Madison to the Mayo Clinic, and then take her and Libby on out to North Dakota. Upon getting Tim’s wholehearted approval, Tuck made the call to Virgil and Kay.

  They talked for over an hour. Tuck told them the whole story, because he wanted them to know exactly what he was asking of them. He never doubted their welcome, though, and true to form, the couple didn’t hesitate. They insisted the girls come as soon as possible, heedless of the small chance of danger should Jimmy find them there. Tuck got the distinct feeling that Virgil would in fact welcome the chance to confront the man who had hurt an innocent girl and dared to threaten and torment the two people who were like his own children.

  “Thank you both, this means more to Libby and me than we can say,” Tuck told them sincerely. “I’ll let you know what the plan is after the doctors give us the low down.”

  Kay assured him that they would be waiting, and the sooner he could get the girls out there the better. Tuck hung up, relieved to have a plan in place.

  He was beyond ready to leave this hospital. The staff had been alerted to watch out for Russ, but if Jimmy made another attempt to get to Madison, it was unlikely he’d use the same guy. That made Tuck nervous. It would be best to just get the heck out of Dodge.

  When he got back
to Maddy’s room, she was still awake.

  “Tuck is back, Maddy,” Libby said when he walked in. “If you don’t mind, Emma and I are going to go down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Tuck will stay with you, okay? We won’t be gone long.”

  “Okay,” Maddy whispered.

  Libby and Emma left, and Tuck took the chair Libby had been sitting in.

  “How you doing, Madison?” he asked gently.

  “I just pushed the magic button, so not too bad.”

  “Don’t skimp on the pain meds. Managing the pain puts less stress on your body.”

  “I think my eyes are starting to open. I see a little bit of light.”

  He smiled down at her, even though she couldn’t see it.

  “That’s good. I’m sure you’ll be able to open them all the way soon.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “If you feel up to it, I’d like to talk to you about what happens next.”

  “Okay,” she said with a small nod.

  “I know this is probably the last thing you want to consider, but I’d like to move you to a different hospital, preferably one a long way from this one, so we don’t have to worry about Jimmy posing a threat.”

  He watched her closely, looking for any sign of fear or unease at the mention of Jimmy’s name. It was hard to tell, what with her distorted features and being unable to see her eyes, but he didn’t pick up any strong reaction.

  “Where?” she asked.

  “We’re not completely sure yet, but we’re thinking the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. It’s going to depend on what the docs say after seeing your X-rays. If they give us the green light, would you be okay with moving?”

  “If that’s what you think is best.”

  “I wouldn’t put you through it if I didn’t think it was the best thing,” he assured her.

  “Okay. Thanks, Tucker.”

  He winced. It killed him when she thanked him. He felt like crap, standing there perfectly healthy while Madison lay there in a hospital bed in agony, facing who knew how many more surgeries, and then an undoubtedly long period of painful physical therapy.