Instinctual 2 (13 page)

Rob could hear Jenny twisting uncomfortably in the chair but couldn’t bear to turn around and face her.

“Now I’m beyond curious and a little nervous.”

He gathered his courage and put his theory to her. “What if someone was trying to communicate with us? To help us.”

“What do you mean, someone?”

“Someone we can’t see.” Okay, here was the part where his wife would realize that he was crazy after all. His eyes were tightly closed.

Jenny cleared her throat. “Umm, Rob? You mean someone invisible?”

“No. Yes! I mean, someone dead!” There! That would surely seal his place in the loony bin. He might as well keep going and be convincing about his insanity. “I can’t be sure but I think it must be someone connected to Kate. The message on the bathroom mirror was from a third party because they used Kate’s name. If Kate had been trying to let me know where she was, she would have used the term ‘I’ instead of her own name. And the message written on the paper told me it was Jake.”

That got Jenny’s attention. Rob could see her reflection in the window. She sat upright, both hands clenching the ends of the arms of the chair. “Jake? Are you saying this is the work of Jake and he’s dead?”

“What other explanation is there? Things don’t just move through the air on their own, Jenny. Words just don’t appear out of thin air on someone’s mirror like magic. A pen doesn’t move out of a drawer and write by itself. I know it sounds bizarre and I can honestly tell you that right at this very moment I feel like I have totally lost touch with reality, but I also know what I saw. What I felt in the chopper and tossed aside as just static. The seatbelt….it moved by itself. The zapping you’ve been experiencing. It all fits in, wouldn’t you say? Tell me I’m not going stark-raving mad!” He spun around, ready for any rebuttal, and noticed how fragile and resigned his wife looked. He knew she didn’t believe in ghosts but then she’d never experienced anything this insane before. He also knew his voice sounded frantic. He could do with a shot of whisky.

“I don’t think you’re crazy, Rob. You’re the sanest person I know. There is definitely something inexplicable happening. I don’t think it’s related to ghosts, though. Why would Jake be trying to get our attention? How would he have known where Kate’s body was?”

Rob didn’t have a clue. It was giving him a migraine that would only be cured by another extra strong coffee. Jenny had a point. A very good point. Still, he wasn’t discounting paranormal activity. He just wouldn’t mention it any more until he had proof.

***

Jake had been mildly excited earlier but now, sitting on the edge of the bed, he felt discouraged. He didn’t know what else he could do to make his presence known. Jenny didn’t believe and Rob’s cop brain was fighting him all the way. It would take a miracle. Touching Kate’s face, he spoke softly. “Baby, I don’t know if you heard any of that. I’m desperately trying to think of how I can get out of this situation I’m in, but it’s not looking good. In fact, it seems hopeless. I don’t know what else to do. If you came back to us it would make things so much easier.” He brushed his quivering lips across her cheek. “I’m running out of time. Baby, you have to wake up. I need you. You really are the only one that can help me. Please!” Was it selfish of him to need her to wake up to help him when she had enough on her own plate? He didn’t want to wait to see what The Organization had planned for him. He was done with that shit. He wanted to take Kate away and live a quiet life. He’d more than paid his dues. Suffered for the sake of ‘bringing down those scumbags.’ After getting close to Kate again he knew that she was his world and when he pictured his future, he could only see her in it.

As he ran his fingers over the bandages on her head, he was startled by more movement. Kate’s head turned to the side.

Chapter Twenty-One

Kate felt out of it but was glad that she was beginning to gain some sensation back into her body. She was feeling human again. Along with that came discomfort. Not pain but rather a dull squeezing of her skull. Like something was wound tight around her head.

The fatigue was so immense, she felt like she hadn’t slept in a month. A debilitating lethargy that had taken her body hostage.

Jake was close. A recognized presence. And then a gentle, feathery softness pressed onto her cheek. Juicy and lush like a ripe plum, lingering for a moment that wasn’t long enough for Kate. At the loss of contact she felt bereft and wanted to cry out for more but her mouth wouldn’t open to get the words out. Her heart yearned for the touch and she could hear it speed up in response.

As if hearing her silent pleas, Jake’s tender caresses began on her forehead. The squeezing pain was still there but seemed to lessen with the delicate stroking. As tired as her physical body was, her soul hummed, perfectly synchronized to the touch. Without even trying, her head turned, knowing what it needed more of. Kate felt such love and devotion emanate through the source of the almost rhythmic, hypnotic brushing across her brow.

Had she been able to, she would have jumped at the gasp that sounded next to her ear as the stroking stopped, followed by an utterance of shock.

“Kate? Baby, you’re back, aren’t you? I knew you could do it! I’m here right beside you. I won’t leave you.” There was awe in the words. Awe at her. Another gentle kiss on each eyelid. The clasping of fingers through hers and then gentle circles rubbing the back of her hand.

The low, gravelly, decadent voice was one that called to her. A soothing tonic seeping through her. A picture formed in her mind of Jake. A splendid image of male magnificence. The hard planes of his sculptured body, lithe and strong. Chiseled, angular jaw and cheekbones that only paled in comparison to the luminous eyes and rich, full lips.

Those first echoes of memory were filled with him and only him. A driving need to have him hold her and never let go. Most of her mind was still murky like dirty water. For now all she had was the man beside her.

With the increased beeping of that annoying machine, chaos seemed to ensue.

Other voices raised. “Shit! Her head’s turned! Get someone! Hurry!”

A familiar lady’s voice calling out, “Nurse! Nurse! Come quickly!”

The scuffling of feet and the sense of more than one person surrounding her.

Jake’s hold on her broke away, leaving her panicked and afraid.

Come back! Don’t go, Jake. I need you. Stay with me! You promised you wouldn’t go.

The excited lady’s voice was high-pitched. Kate could imagine her waving her hands around as she spoke.

“Her head! It turned!”

Strange words in response from a male and then silence for a minute before the animated lady spoke louder, frustrated. “Her head. Turn. Move. This way.” Why was she speaking weird all of a sudden, like talking to a toddler?

Movement. Closer. “Che cosa sta dicendo infermiera?” the male asked.

“Dice il paziente giro la testa.” Kate had vaguely heard the voice before, almost as if in a dream.

“Si.”

Other hands not so gentle lifted her arm and pressed down on a pulse point while another grabbed her head and moved it from the side to the front and then fingers were trying to pry open her heavy eyelids to shine a blinding light into her eyes. She couldn’t see anything other than spots, so therefore couldn’t see who was manhandling her. She wanted the gentleness of Jake to return. She needed to know he was nearby at least.

More foreign words were spoken by the man with the deep voice. Kate’s brain couldn’t even try to convert the words to English.

A familiar voice that filled her with warmth piped up, putting an end to the confusing dialect.

“How is she, nurse?”

“Her pupils are less dilated. Tis good. Pulse good, too. BP 110 over 80. Normal. I say-a our patient is-a coming out of coma very quick on-a her own. I never see-a this before. Tis not supposed to-a happen so fast. She-a very strong.”

Relieved whispers in the background broke through the strangers’ voices. “How long until she opens her eyes?”

“Not-a know yet. Vitals good. She’ll open them when-a ready. Could be today, could be-a next week. We-a remove machines, though.”

“It’s going to be okay, Rob. It really is. For the first time since arriving, I feel that everything will work out.” Kate loved the sound of that voice.

“You have no idea how relieved I am. It’s truly a miracle, that’s what it is. If you had seen her when we found her on that ledge, honey, I didn’t hold out much hope.”

“In a way I’m glad I didn’t see her like that. I don’t know how I would have coped. As it is, it’s bad enough seeing her hooked up to all these machines.”

Kate smiled internally at the comforting sounds of love filling the room. It caused her to drift off to sleep.

***

Jake watched from the chair in the corner as Kate was unhooked from the machines and the breathing tube was removed from her mouth. Excitement wasn’t enough to describe how he was feeling in that moment at seeing his love be changed from critical to serious but stable condition. He watched her lips pull together as the breathing apparatus was removed and a legion of wires were unhooked and moved to the side.

For a few seconds the heart monitor skipped a few beats but then seemed to find its own natural rhythm again as everyone, including the doctor and nurse, seemed to sigh with relief at the joyous sound.

All Jake wanted to do was go over and kiss those lips but he had to be content to wait until the room settled down and the medical staff left. He listened on as the nurse mentioned that they would keep Kate in ICU as a precaution until she woke up and then move her into a general ward with other patients. He didn’t like that idea and preferred her to be in her own room but the small hospital obviously didn’t have the space for such a request.

As long as he knew she was going to be all right, he could focus on trying to get himself out of his own predicament. That was not going to be an easy task.

Once the medics had exited, Jake heard Rob and Jenny organize going to eat a decent meal at the hospital café.

Jake was grateful for the peace and quiet and alone time with Kate, so he moved over to her bed and climbed up to lie down with her again, carefully placing the flowers he’d so delicately laid out earlier back in the vase.

The change to Kate was apparent when Jake touched her. It was hard to put into words but there was a distinct firmness to her and he could feel her life flowing beneath his fingers. Not that she hadn’t been firm to touch when they’d been back at his mansion. She’d just been more pliant. Now as he ran his fingers gently in circles on the inside of her wrist he could clearly feel the blood pumping through her veins. Yesterday, there had barely been a pulse. She’d been a shell, clinging to a tiny shred of life.

With the breathing apparatus gone he had full access to her perfect mouth. Looking around out of habit to see if anyone was walking past, even though they couldn’t see him, he placed a soft kiss on her lips, hovering for a moment before lying his head down beside hers and tracing the very spot his lips had just been with his thumb. His mind wandered to their amazing time at his beach house. Kate had given herself to him freely and had held nothing back. God, he loved her. She was his now whether she wanted to admit it or not. He would fight for her this time and nothing would stop him. He’d prove to her that he was worthy of her love. Even if he stayed a ghost forever.

With his mouth almost touching her ear, he whispered, “You’re my everything, baby. I need you so much. You have no idea. I can’t stand being away from you anymore.”

He nearly leapt off the bed when her head turned and a very croaky, weak voice muttered, “Jake.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kate knew a miracle was taking place as her body came alive again. Jake was beside her, touching her, talking to her, calling her back. His voice filled her with love. It was like she could feel her cells regenerating at his encouraging words. The increased flow of blood at his touch. The sensitive nerves healing beneath his fingers.

She turned her face towards him slowly and decided to try and speak.

With parched lips and throat she formed his name with her mouth and with great effort, something resembling the word ‘Jake’ came out. It took all the strength she had but she wasn’t done yet. She needed to see him beside her. If she could move her head and mouth, surely her eyes would open. It felt like they were fused shut by the oppressive heaviness.

Kate felt Jake jump at the sound of her voice and then his hands were all over her face.

“Kate? Oh my God! Kate! You’re awake! You spoke! Baby, you’re gonna be fine. You made it!”

Kisses lavished her face as if in worship. They sent tingles through her with their softness. She could feel him smiling as he kissed her. Her eyelids fluttered in the effort it took to try and open them.