Ghostly Liaison (35 page)

“Hey, you’re the one who told me it could wait and then you distracted me with Robbie’s proposal.”

If Bridget thought she could get away with it, she’d punch the ghost. “What did he do?”

“Snuck in the yard, plugged in a rubber snake and left. I thought maybe the thing would slither or something, but it didn’t even move or light up or anything.”

“Plugged it in? Do you suppose it’s a camera or listening device?”

“Oh, I didn’t even think of that.”

If Carl had installed a listening device, how much had he heard them talking in the backyard? And if it was a camera?

Hell’s bells! Was it pointed toward the pool? She rushed outside.

Rob stood by the fence, bare-chested and bent over staring at the grass. Her gardening glove lay on the ground in front of him. She stopped at the pool. He’d found the snake.

He looked up, his eyes narrowed. “Is this some kind of joke?”

His words were laced with anger and it stung how he could accuse her so easily, but maybe she had it coming.

“I didn’t put it there. Carl did.”

Rage flashed in his eyes as he straightened. “Carl was here?”

Bridget nodded. “Charlie saw him plug that thing in. Do you think it’s a camera or listening device?”

“Only one way to find out.” He bent over and reached for it. His hand shook and a bead of sweat trickled down his temple. After muttering a curse, he snapped his hand back.

The snake might be fake, but his fear wasn’t and she wouldn’t force him to do something he couldn’t. “I can get it.”

“No!” He straightened and ran his arm across his forehead. “It’s just a stupid rubber snake. That’s probably why he put it out here. He knew I wouldn’t get near it.” His laughter was strained. “I’ll show him.”

He leaned over. After a quick breath, he grabbed it. His fist clenched around the snake and he shook. He groaned as he fell hard to the ground.

“Rob!”

The smell of burned rubber and flesh hit her nose.

“No, no, no!” She bolted toward him.

Facedown, he jerked in convulsions. Pain gripped her chest and she reached to turn him over, then stopped. Plugged in. Electricity. She followed the cord and yanked it from the socket. Rob lay still. Too still.

Without thinking, she yelled, “Fire! Fire!”

The front gate slammed. “Bridget? What’s the matter?”

Thank God for Henry. “Call 9-1-1!” She flipped Rob on his back and placed two fingers against his neck. Nothing. Placed her ear against his chest. Nothing. Dammit! She performed chest compressions. “Robert Gentry, don’t you dare leave me.”

* * * *

Rob grabbed at his chest. The shooting pain stopped as quickly as it had started. Damn, what was in that snake?

“Oh, Robbie.”

Charlie stood next to him. He rubbed his eyes. Must be dreaming. He looked again and she was still there. “I can see you? How?”

She lowered her gaze and he followed her line of sight. They weren’t standing on the ground. They were hovering in the air. Bridget was performing CPR. On him.

“Bridget!” The height disoriented him and he pinwheeled his arms.

Charlie grabbed him. “You can’t fall. But she can’t hear you or see you. Mr. Murdock is in the yard.”

Sure enough, the old man came through the gate. “They’re on their way. I told them to come to the backyard.”

Bridget stopped and placed two fingers along his neck. Shaking her head, she continued with the chest compressions. “Come on, Rob. Come back here.”

“Am I dead?” He pounded his chest. Solid. Charlie’s grip felt pretty real, too.

“I think you were electrocuted. Oh, Robbie.” She hugged him.

He’d never dreamed he’d touch his sister again, no less hug her. He returned the embrace. “God, I missed you.”

“You have to go back. Who’s going to take care of Barnaby? Who’s going to take care of Bridget? She loves you, you know. If you die on her, she may never recover.”

He pulled away and looked down at the love of his life. “Does she? Really?”

Charlie punched him in the arm. “Of course she does, you lunkhead. She’s just scared.”

Scared. Yeah, he’d suspected as much. She probably needed to think things out, too. So what had he done? Practically pushed her away. He couldn’t leave her like that. “How do I go back?”

Charlie shrugged. “Pray?”

Yeah, pray. He could do that.

Sirens sounded in the distance, getting louder by the second. Charlie took his hand and lowered him beside his body. If it weren’t for his sister, he would certainly think he was dreaming. Instead, he understood what he was and what he didn’t want to be.

Please let me go back. Please.

The paramedics came in through the gate. Bridget was pulled from his body so they could work. One of the medics pulled out paddles and squirted some liquid on them.

They zapped his body with electricity and pain ripped through his chest. He winced. “Damn. Should that hurt?”

Charlie grabbed his arm. “You felt that?”

“Yeah.” Another zap rocked him. Some force pulled him toward his body. Yes, finally.

She smiled. “I love you, Robbie. Guess it’s not your time after all.”

And he hoped it wouldn’t be for a long, long time. A family loomed in his future and it began with Bridget. “I’m naming our first born after you, sis.”

Long eyelashes lay against tan cheeks; his face slackened in sleep. Bridget sat in the chair beside the hospital bed and held Rob’s left hand. If not for the bandage on his right hand, no one would suspect he’d even been hurt, no less died. The blips on the machine after the paramedics had shocked him had been the most blessed sound she’d ever heard.

He had scared the crap out of her. And it would have been all her fault if he had died. Charlie had told her the stupid thing was plugged in. Why hadn’t she suggested unplugging it first?

She rested her head on his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re forgiven. What am I forgiving you for, though?”

She raised her head to the most wonderful brown eyes staring at her. Ever since she’d seen him collapse, she’d kept her composure. Now, when he was fine, the tears fell. She quickly wiped them away. “Hey.”

“Hey, back.” He looked around the room. “What happened? Where am I?”

“At the hospital.”

He raised his brows. “And you’re here?”

“Yeah. Go figure, huh? Takes your death to get me in here.”

“I died?” He moved to sit up, but she placed a hand on his chest and pushed a button on the remote, raising the top part of the bed.

“Technically, yes, for a few minutes.” The longest minutes of her life. “Try not to do it again, okay?”

“Okay.” He smiled and stroked her cheek. “You look like shit. Oh, shit. That came out wrong.”

Laughter bubbled between open tears and she couldn’t contain the flood of emotions. “Thanks. You look wonderful.”

“I doubt that. I feel…wiped out. Gimme a hug, would you?”

“Gladly.” She rested her head on his chest and did her best not to hurt him.

“So, how’d I die?”

Sitting up, she asked, “What do you remember last?”

He furrowed his forehead for a second and then raised his eyebrows. “Loving you in the pool.”

He would remember that. But in order to get him around the proposal and her rejection, she skipped to the important part. “Do you remember the snake?”

“Kind of. It was fake, right? My memory’s a little fuzzy.”

“Yeah, but it was wired and it got you good.”

“Figures. The one time I face my fears and…” He paused for a long moment and then squeezed her hand. “I’m gonna kill him.”

The menace in his voice sent chills down her spine. The frequent beeps of the heart-rate monitor spurred her to action. “Rob, don’t talk like that. You need to calm down.”

He stared at her. “He tried to kill you.”

Crap. She had hoped he wouldn’t come to that conclusion. One that came to her as soon as he had taken that first breath after the longest time. Carl knew Rob hated snakes. Carl knew Bridget wasn’t afraid. Therefore, Carl had planted the electric bomb for her, not Rob. But Rob had been through enough and she needed to downplay it. “It’s possible it was an accident.”

He stared at her as if she’d grown another head. Not that she could blame him. The words sounded weak to her own ears. “An accident? Oh please. What makes you say that?”

She placed a hand on his chest. “Because it’s what the police think. The snake was a recording device, with a short in the wire.”

“Yeah, a short he put in there on purpose.” He clenched his jaw and the beeps on the monitor went wild.

She believed the same thing, but if she didn’t calm him soon, they would get company of the nurse variety. And then they might kick her out.

She rubbed his forearm, his hair soft against her fingers. “Let’s worry about this later. Please? When you’re better? There’s nothing we can do now. We still don’t have any proof.”

He sighed and the beeps slowed. “You keep it up, and I won’t care about anything.” He pulled the sheet up and scooted over. “Come here. I want you next to me.”

“No, Rob. Your body had a tremendous shock.”

“And it wants you lying beside it.” He lifted the sheet higher. “Come on. Don’t make me beg.”

She couldn’t say no to those beseeching eyes or his pouty lip. After slipping off her shoes, she climbed in beside him. He enveloped her with his strong arms.

He kissed the top of her head. “I’m okay. Maybe a little tired, but other than that, I feel fine.”

She rested her head on his chest. His beating heart comforted her more than anything else, but her mind kept replaying the horrible incident. “I almost lost you.”

“Nah. I’m not that easy to get rid of.”

Wasn’t that the truth? She’d done everything but shoot him and yet he kept coming back for more. Somehow she had to fix things, but where to start?
I’m sorry I rejected your proposal? Ask me again?
Or maybe get some balls of her own and propose to him. Before she could say anything, the door opened and Dr. Crawford entered.

Of all the doctors at this hospital, Bridget had always liked him the best, and not because of his ruggedly handsome face. He seemed to actually care for his patients and the nurses. Everyone adored him.

She leaned to climb out of the bed, but Rob held her tight. For someone who claimed tiredness, he certainly had his strength and continued holding her while the doctor introduced himself and asked Rob how he felt. He gave the doctor the same line he’d given her and she found it hard to believe he’d had no adverse reaction.

“Well, that seems to coincide with the results. The tests don’t show any significant damage, but I’d like to monitor you overnight, get you walking around, and run some more tests in the morning. If all turns out well, you can go home tomorrow.”

Bridget silently thanked the Lord.

“You sure I can’t leave now? I have the best nurse watching over me.” Rob gave her a gentle squeeze.

“While I won’t discount your statement, I’ll feel better if you spent the night. So, Bridget, when
are
you coming back? We all miss you.”

She might have gone into autopilot saving Rob, but it hadn’t changed anything. Walking through those hospital doors hadn’t brought back any fond memories and she doubted it ever would. Her nursing days were through. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Well, this place just isn’t the same without you. Rob, I’ll see you in the morning.” Dr. Crawford left, shutting the door behind him.

Rob rubbed her back. “You’re not coming back, are you?”

She shook her head.

“Because you see ghosts?”

Hallucinating—well, seeing ghosts—made for a good crutch, but not the real reason and she wouldn’t lie to him. “Because I don’t belong here. I never have.”

“Well, that’s the beauty of this country. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want. If you knew bookkeeping, I’d hire you. Provided you wanted to work for me.”

“What about Linda? Or Margo?”

“Linda has enough to keep her busy. Margo….” He shuddered. “She was Carl’s pick. Not mine. She’s gone once we nail his ass.”

She laughed. “You’re optimistic.”

“Always. But I don’t want to talk about Carl right now. Since I’m stuck in this hospital, I want to have some fun.” Using his finger, he lifted her head by her chin. “Gimme a kiss.”

She could oblige him that. Kissing him was definitely fun. His lips were gentle at first, then turned to a hunger she reciprocated.

“You have too many clothes on,” he said.

Maybe so, but the room wasn’t exactly private. “That’s what happens when you’re a visitor at a hospital. They require you to dress.”

“Well, take them off. I want you now.” And to prove his point, he dragged her hand to his crotch and helped her grip his erection. “Oh yeah, honey. Just like that.”

Maybe a quickie hand job would shut him up. She didn’t think he could handle much more than that. But the privacy curtain was wide open and anyone could come walking through the door. Even if she would never work with these people again, she still knew them.

She rolled away to close the curtain, but he pulled her back.

“No, no. Don’t go.”

“I just want—”

Cutting off her words, he consumed her with another kiss. He slipped his hand under her shirt and found a breast. Her nipples were already hard and he kept them that way by running his thumb over the nub. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

“I never had a chance to change.”

“Oh? Then you’re not wearing any panties, either? Take off your jeans.” He brought his bandaged hand to the button.

The curtain. The curtain. “Can I at least—”

Again, he robbed the words from her mouth with another hungry kiss. At this point she was starting not to care. He certainly knew how to get her attention.

“Now, is that any way to treat a patient?”

Bridget froze at the sound of her former coworker’s voice.

Rob chuckled. “Busted.”

* * * *

Rob had gotten minor electric shocks in the past, mostly from being young and stupid. But none of those had affected him to any degree. Rub the offending spot, shake the arm or foot. That was about it.