In Her Sights (11 page)

The image of the knife played over and over in her mind until it was all she could do not to scream. How had she missed the shot?

She snagged the chair closest to the door and perched on the edge, ready to bolt. She tugged at the neck of her gray sweatshirt. She’d changed into civvies, not wanting to agitate an already tense situation when she saw the Montgomerys.

No, that wasn’t the entire truth. She hadn’t stripped off her SWAT team regalia so much for Gabe’s family as for herself. How could she wear the uniform of her team when she felt as if she’d blown the unit apart?

Sarge had been right. Coming here was a stupid idea. She should have gone home and waited for news. She should leave. Right now.

The door slammed open beside her, hitting the side of the chair and blocking her from view. Luke strode in and she tensed. He hadn’t seen her, but Jazz’s heart twisted at the torment carved in his face. She’d never seen his hair so unkempt, like he’d tried to tear it from his head, and lines she hadn’t noticed before grooved his mouth. But the pain in his eyes hurt the most. She’d seen them in passion, in aggravation, but never with the agony she witnessed now.

He rammed his fist into the wall. “Damn it!”

The anguish cloaked within the wrath made her ache for him.

Oh yes, she definitely should have left. But now, like so many other times in her life, she had no choice but to stay and deal with the consequences. “Luke,” she whispered.

He whirled around, his body poised for attack, his aggression, frustration, and fury tearing across his face in waves. When her identity registered, he went still. “Jasmine? What are you doing here?” Disbelief edged his voice.

The urge to go to him, apologize, and hold him close appalled her. She had no right. This was her fault. “I’m so sorry, Luke. I shouldn’t be here, but I just couldn’t wait at home. I had to know how Gabe’s doing.”

Luke shoved his hand through his hair. “He’s still in surgery. No news.” He paced the room like a caged beast, body taut, ready to ambush anyone who dared bring him bad news.

Unable to watch him in so much pain, she followed her instincts, stood, and reached out a hand to clutch his arm. “Can I find your mother, your brothers? You need your family with you now.”

He said nothing, just stared at her as if he couldn’t believe she had the audacity to even breathe the same air he did. Expecting rejection, she turned to leave.

Luke grabbed her arm and spun her to him. “God help me, Jasmine. You’re what I need.”

He yanked her to him, the hard muscles of his body shaking with emotion she’d never seen in him before. He buried his face in her hair and she could do nothing but stand there, holding him, not knowing how to comfort this kind of grief.

“Just this,” he whispered. “Give me a minute.”

In all the time they’d spent together, she’d seen him frustrated, strong, intense, smoldering, but this was unfamiliar territory. She raised an unsteady hand and stroked his hair.

“It’s bad,” Luke’s voice choked out the words. “He was so gray. I’ve seen that look too many times on men who didn’t make it.” He lifted his head and his bloodshot eyes bored into her. “The doctors aren’t hopeful. I saw it on their faces.”

Jazz didn’t want to hear that. She refused to believe Gabe wouldn’t survive. “He’s strong.”

“Strength doesn’t always matter. My dad was invincible—at least I thought so. Then on his day off he walks into a convenience store and some punk kid with a stolen .45 blows a hole in his chest.” Luke’s jaw tightened. “My father died in this hospital. I’m not sure my mother can handle another doctor coming in with the same news.”

Jazz didn’t know how to respond, so she just wrapped her arms tighter and whispered words as much for herself as for him. “Gabe’ll make it. He’s got to.”

Luke’s cheek rested against her head and he pressed her even closer. They stood there, in silence, unmoving.

“Luke? Jasmine? Oh, dear God. What’s happened?”

The woman’s panicked voice wrenched Jazz from Luke’s arms. She recognized the Irish lilt. Luke’s mother stood in the doorway, her pale face tense with concern. Anna Montgomery hurried toward them, followed closely by Luke’s U.S. marshal brother, Nick.

In an instant Jazz watched as Luke thrust aside his own emotions. His jaw strong and eyes calm he pulled his mother into his arms and hugged her close. “Gabe’s still in surgery, but he’s fighting. I’ve left messages for Seth. He’s on a mission, and Zach’s on location in South America. The studio will get in touch with him as soon as possible.”

Anna nodded her head against Luke’s chest as he comforted her, whispering words Jazz knew he didn’t believe. Jazz backed away toward the exit. She
really
should have listened to Sarge. She didn’t belong here.

“Jasmine.” Anna’s soft voice stopped Jazz, and slowly she turned to face Gabe’s mother. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I am
so
sorry.”

Tears pooled in Anna’s emerald eyes, and Jazz couldn’t hold her gaze. Shame bowed her head. Anna cupped Jazz’s face in her hands and the smile that trembled at the corner of her lips nearly buckled Jazz.

“I know you did everything you could, honey. Gabe knows too.”

Jazz wanted to scream in denial.
No. It’s not true. I missed the shot. I failed him.
But she couldn’t form the words, and she couldn’t pull away. Anna held her tight and Jazz’s heart crumbled as, unimaginably, Anna comforted
her
.

Luke’s hand stroked Jazz’s back, and an undeserved warmth settled over her in this unexpected cocoon. She wanted to cry. She needed to leave before she broke under their kindness. Before she could escape, though, a large bear-like man strode in, his arms laden with a bundle of pink. Caleb Montgomery couldn’t have looked more fierce, except that his eyes moved tenderly from the sleeping child to his mother. The blanket fell away from the angel’s face and Jazz’s throat tightened. Joy.

Luke strode to Caleb and lifted his little girl into his arms. “You shouldn’t have brought her.”

“We didn’t have anywhere else to leave her,” Caleb whispered. “The Baileys are on vacation, and I…I had to come. We’ll worry about the hospital kicking us out later.”

Luke swallowed and pushed aside the soft blond curls. He kissed her forehead and ran a tender finger down her cheek. “Jasmine, meet Joy.”

The gentleness in Luke’s expression and touch squeezed Jazz’s heart. She’d never seen such love in anyone’s eyes. She’d never felt that kind of love either.

Anna held out her arms, and Luke shifted the precious bundle to his mother. The little girl snuggled against her grandmother’s chest, the stuffed clown fish tucked in her arms. Silent tears fell down the woman’s cheeks as she stroked Joy’s blond curls. Now three generations waited for word.

Caleb turned to Luke. “Gabe?”

“I’m ready to break down doors. No news since the last specialist went into surgery.”

Caleb’s face turned grim with purpose. “We’ll see about that. I still have M.D. after my name even if I don’t have hospital privileges here anymore.”

Jazz hovered and turned to the exit, but Luke firmly drew her down beside him as if there were no question she belonged there. “Stay.”

Guilt wracked her, but she couldn’t leave. Not when she owed the Montgomery family for what she’d let happen to Gabe.

Within minutes, Caleb returned, his expression somber. “It’s grim. They called in a vascular surgeon. He’s lost a lot of blood. They’re not sure how much muscle and nerve damage there might be. He may not regain full use of his leg…if they’re able to save it.”

Nausea burned Jazz’s throat. She wanted to disappear, but then she witnessed something remarkable. With quiet grace, Anna pulled a string of rosary beads from her jacket pocket and bowed her head. In an oddly synchronous movement, all three strong men knelt beside her.

Soon low whispered prayers filtered through the waiting room. Jazz wished she knew how to pray for Gabe, but, growing up as she did, every ritual the Montgomery family performed in this sterile room was foreign to her.

So she simply bowed her head.
Please. Save him.

A chilled breeze sliced along the hill next to the hospital, thrashing the piñon needles into a frenzy. Jazz Parker had looked devastated as she’d walked in.

Good. The bitch deserved that—and more.

The plan had been brilliant. Just a little turn of a knob, and Jazz Parker was a pariah.

One missed shot, and the SWAT team didn’t trust her anymore. How wonderful it would’ve been to watch the cops scurrying around like rats wondering what’d happened to their precious plan. Fools. They should’ve known when they hired the daughter of a town whore that she’d fail. Jazz Parker—no, Jane Sanford—couldn’t be trusted. She was a thief and a liar. Always had been. Always would be.

If only the cop would die. That would be perfect. If not, the hospital entrance was an open invitation. Death could be arranged. There were a lot of ways to die in a hospital.

Yes, Jane would feel pain like she’d never felt before. Pain she deserved. Someone Jane cared about
would
die.

Justice had a name, and it was vengeance.

Luke didn’t know how long his family and Jasmine had waited, but midnight had come and gone. He’d prided himself on patience in the field, but when it came to those he loved, he had none. The doctor’s face had appeared more and more grim each time he’d updated them. All Luke could think about was his brother surviving. Then his mind would veer to tracking down the thug who’d done this to Gabe and snapping the guy into pieces.

“Daddy?”

At his daughter’s sleepy voice, Luke shifted in his chair and shoved aside the stark thoughts of retribution. He couldn’t let Joy sense the violent rage vibrating beneath the surface. Burying his emotions, he knelt beside the little girl, who’d fallen asleep using his mother’s lap as a pillow. Tenderly he brushed the hair from his daughter’s eyes. “Why are you awake, munchkin? The sun’s still asleep.”

The girl rubbed her eyes. “Where’s my bed? I thought Uncle Caleb was taking me home.”

“Daddy needed to be here, so Uncle Caleb brought you to me.”

Joy’s nose wrinkled up and Luke watched as her mysterious little brain processed the information. Sometimes he would just sit and watch as she discovered a new fact about the world and marvel at the capacity of a human being to grow and adapt. She gave him hope that good things existed in this world. Now he prayed she would be spared from learning the lesson of death much too soon. He still hadn’t figured out a way to explain her mother’s death to her. She knew she didn’t have a mommy because her mommy was in Heaven, but she didn’t remember Samantha, and that made it easier. For now.

“Is it church day? Is Uncle Gabe here too?”

“Uncle Gabe is sleeping right now, munchkin.”

“But I’m awake, and I want to play with him.” She threw her blankets aside and plopped down off her grandmother’s lap. “Wake him up, Daddy. He won’t mind.” Joy hugged her stuffed clown fish to her. “Me and Hero want to fly to Uncle Gabe.”

“He can’t wake up right now, Joy.” Luke’s voice turned gruff. “You remember when we went to the park last Saturday?”

“You bought me a red balloon.” Her expression brightened.

“And remember when you slid down the slide?”

Her lips turned down and trembled. She lifted her elbow and pointed to the faint cut that had almost healed. “I hurt myself.”

Luke nodded. “Well, something like that happened to Uncle Gabe, so he’s with the doctor who’s fixing him.”

Joy placed her small hands on either side of Luke’s face and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “Will he get a shot?”

“He might. He has a big hurt, Joy.”

“You’ll kiss it and make it better?”

Joy’s words held such conviction that Luke wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, inhaling the fresh scent of baby shampoo. “I love you, baby.”

Her lips pursed against his cheek, and she blew a butterfly kiss then squirmed in his arms. “Let me go, Daddy. You’re squishing me.”

“Sorry, munchkin.” Reluctantly Luke released his daughter.

In little bunny slippers, she explored her new surroundings. She padded over to her uncles and one by one patted them on the cheek when they lifted her up. Luke’s heart warmed. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve Joy in his life, but he thanked God every day for her.