Nan Dixon - To Catch A Thief

They laughed. Carolina’s chortle a little more watery than her mother’s or the doctor’s.

“This time is different.” Dr. Laster took Carolina’s hand, sympathy filling her eyes. “Rosa, I need to confirm that Carolina is authorized to discuss your medical care and condition with your care providers.”

“Yes. Yes.” Rosa waved her hand.

“As I said before, please work with a lawyer and create your health directives. It’s time to get your affairs in order so you don’t have to worry in the next few months.”

Health directives. Affairs. Next few months. Carolina’s head swam.

“How I wish for an affair,” her mother sighed. “But I only loved Carolina’s daddy. He’s been dead twenty years.”

Her mother sounded like she’d abstained from sex for twenty years, but that hadn’t been the case.

Carolina choked out, “What are the next steps?”

“Whole brain radiation therapy. Two weeks. This will keep you comfortable, Rosa.”

“Comfortable?” Carolina’s hands trembled. “Won’t radiation eliminate the tumors?”

Dr. Laster settled into the chair next to her mother. “If you’re lucky. But waiting has—hurt. I wish you’d come in months ago when you started having the headaches.”

Her mother waved her hand. “I know you’ll fix me.”

Her mother had ignored headaches and put off therapy for a cruise. Carolina tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it was stuck.

Dr. Laster took them through the next steps. Her assistant booked appointments. Preliminary visits. Follow-up visits. Consults. Carolina wrote them down because her mother wasn’t paying attention.

When it was time to go, Carolina gathered her purse and her mother’s. Mamá left the room first.

Dr. Laster put a hand on Carolina’s arm. “I didn’t want to say this in front of your mother, but her behavior may become erratic. It’s important to make sure you have authority over her care.”

“It’s already erratic.” Since she’d arrived, Carolina had noted Mamá’s mood swings. They were more than her mother’s normal flightiness. “When the headaches hit, they’re bad.”

“Keep using her medication. Try massage if it gives her relief.” Dr. Laster handed her pamphlets and a business card. “Call me anytime. And use the nurse line, too.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry to be seeing you again.” Dr. Laster gave her a one-armed hug. “I’ll make Rosa as comfortable as possible in the time she has remaining.”

Time remaining. Each phrase struck blows at her heart. “Thank you.”

She hurried into the waiting room. Her mother stared at the fish in the fish tank. “I want an aquarium.” Mamá pointed a finger at an angel fish and laughed. “I need angels watching over me.”

Carolina wrapped her arm around her mother’s shoulder. “Where would we put it?”

“You’ll figure it out.”

Carolina guided her to the car. Hopefully, Mamá would forget the aquarium. Her mother had had a lot of crazy ideas lately. Most of them forgotten.

She needed to talk to her mother’s attorney. Fast.

She wasn’t returning to Nashville. She was here for the duration. For Mamá.

* * *

SAGE TUCKED THE thin blanket around his waist. There was nothing heroic about lying in bed with a bare ass while his boss visited. At least the catheter was gone.

Agent-in-Charge Margaret Mason sat next to Sage’s hospital bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” Heat spread across his face. Great, now he was blushing.

She raised an eyebrow. “I was told you were having dizzy spells and headaches.”

How could he answer? “I am. They’re...better.”

“The good news is that the bust you were on netted us the next distributors up the line.”

“Good.” He nodded. Then had to cover the wince.

“The bad news.” Margaret tapped her finger on the mattress. “Kaden says you rushed in without waiting.”

“I still don’t remember him telling me to wait.” But some of his memory had returned. “Since our intel was faulty, it seemed prudent to assess the situation. We didn’t know there was a third man or a dog.”

Margaret’s eyebrow crept a little higher. “And if you’d stayed back as instructed, I might not be visiting you in the hospital.”

He swallowed. “If there hadn’t been a dog, they wouldn’t have known I was under the window.”

She nodded. “But it was unusual we had this much information. Sage, you need to listen to your partner.”

“I... I will.” Was his job on the line? Sweat raced down his spine. He was worthless without his job.

“I understand the doctor hasn’t cleared you for duty,” Margaret said.

“I’m hoping to change his mind.” Bile crept into his throat. He couldn’t spew in front of a superior. “I’m being released tomorrow.”

“That’s good news.” Margaret stood. “I want you back on the job.”

He relaxed. “That’s what I want, too.”

How else could Sage live up to his family’s code of honor? Sitting around, seeing if his vision cleared and his head stopped hurting wasn’t their way. From his father who was a Medal of Honor recipient, to his oldest brother, the fireman, who ran into burning buildings, and his other brother who was a rescue diver in the Coast Guard, he needed to make them proud.

Margaret pointed a finger at him. “Heal and follow doctor’s orders.”

“Will do.” When the door closed behind her, Sage exhaled. That ordeal was over.

Getting to his feet was iffy. This morning he’d almost taken a header just getting to the john. Second time should be easier.

He threw off the blanket, eased his legs over the side and stood. The world wobbled. He hung on, not caring that his ass was flying free. Scooting around the foot of the bed—next time he would exit the other side—he lurched to the wall, collapsing and catching his breath.

In the bathroom, he did what he needed and clutched the door and then the door frame. It was four or five steps to the bed. Easy. His head swam with each step. The last step was more a stumble. He face-planted at the foot of the bed.

Clapping came from the doorway. “Bravo.”

He tugged on the stupid gown and covered his ass. “Shut up, Farrell.”

Kaden walked into the room. “And they’re letting you go tomorrow?”

“Finally.” He wiggled to the head of the bed and flipped over, his ribs screaming in agony. “Can’t wait.”

“Who’s taking care of you?”

“I don’t need anyone.” Sage pointed a finger at Kaden. “But someone called my mom. She’s on her way.”

“You were unconscious. I did what I had to do.”

“But...” He didn’t want his mother to see him like this. She’d report back to his brothers and they’d be...ashamed.

“You can stay with me and Courtney,” Kaden suggested.

“Right.” Sage snorted. “Awkward.”

Kaden grinned. “We have this great pink princess bedroom you could sleep in.”

Sage wasn’t going to ask why Kaden was living somewhere with a princess bedroom. He changed the subject. “Margaret was here and on my case.”

Kaden took over the chair where Margaret had sat. “I told you to wait.”

Sage started to shake his head but caught himself. He was learning. “I remember needing to know how many people were in the house.”

There was a commotion outside his door, but Sage didn’t twist his head. He didn’t need the pain.

“That’s why I didn’t make a bigger deal out of you not waiting.” Kaden leaned forward. “But if you had, you might not be lying in this hospital bed.”

“Did you charge in again, little brother?” a voice called from the open doorway.

Sage slowly turned toward it. Damn it. “Jackson.”