“Gunnar?” Kimber’s voice was weak and she sounded out of it.
He closed his eyes. Lord have mercy, but he was about to lose it. “Yeah, it’s me. I’m so glad you’re talking.”
“I . . . I don’t feel good.”
“Kimber, baby. Hang in there. They said the ambulance is on the way. Hang in there for a little longer, okay?”
“’Kay.”
Her voice was starting to slur. Gunnar was pretty sure she was about to pass out. Hating how hopeless he felt, he did the only thing he could think of—he tried to keep her talking. “Kimber, baby, where are you staying?”
“Hmm?”
“Honey, what hotel? Tell me quick, because I’m flying out there as soon as I can.”
“Lexington. It’s the Lexington . . .” The last of her words were drowned out by the sound of sirens.
He wasn’t sure if she could hear him, but he said, “I’ll be there soon. Tomorrow. You remember that. I’m going to be praying for you too.”
When she disconnected, he rested his head against the back of the couch and tried to get his bearings. Then he realized that he needed to figure out what to do about Jeremy.
Getting to his feet, he started pacing, thinking about work and Kimber and realized he needed to call Shannon and then Ace.
First he tried the main phone number for Dance With Me but only got a recording. Next, he called the main number for the police department and asked for Traci Lucky. To his amazement, he was put right through.
“This is Lucky.”
“Hi, Traci? This is Gunnar Law. I’ve been dating your sister Kimber?”
“She’s mentioned you,” she replied, her voice sounding much more guarded. “What’s going on?”
Briefly he told her about his phone call with Kimber. “As soon as I find a place for Jeremy, I’m going to book a flight out there.”
“To New York?”
“It’s a quick flight, right?”
“Yes, but . . . are you sure? I’m sure Shannon or I can go.”
“You need to do what you need to do, but I can’t be here if Kimber’s hurt or in danger.”
“Sorry, I thought you two had just started seeing each other.”
“That’s true, but she’s already become important to me.”
“How about if I talk to Shannon first? Then we’ll give you a call—”
“Sorry, but I didn’t call for permission. I called to let you know about Kimber. As soon as I see her tomorrow I’ll check in again.”
“Hold on. Give me your name again. And your phone number.”
After he rattled off his information, he said, “I’ve got to go. I’ve got to find a place for my boy and book a flight.”
“Thanks for calling. Now listen, I’ll be expecting to hear from you tomorrow.” Her voice had a new thread of iron in it.
But he was in no hurry to enter into some pissing match with her. He was the one who had called her with news, not the other way around. “Yeah, you will,” he replied before hanging up.
Just as he was searching through his contacts, Jeremy approached. “What’s going on?”
“I think Kimber got mugged or something in New York City.”
“No way. Is she okay?”
“I don’t know. She wasn’t real coherent. All I know is her hotel and that an ambulance had just arrived for her.”
The boy’s eyes widened. “What are you going to do?”
He forced himself to speak as calmly as he could. “I’m going to call Ace to see if you can stay with him for a day or two.”
“Why?”
“I’m flying out there, Jeremy. She’s alone and it’s freaking me out.” Looking him in the eye, he said, “I know this isn’t the best situation, but she needs someone right now.”
“I like Ace all right. I’ll be fine.”
“I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t so important.”
“You don’t need to explain. I’m not a kid.”
Just as Gunnar was about to tell him that he actually was, he thought about it again. Maybe Jeremy was right and he was wrong. Jeremy had dealt with a lot and now he was being pretty agreeable and not arguing about going to Ace’s house at all.
“You’re right. You’re practically a man. Thanks for understanding.”
Jeremy nodded before wandering into the kitchen and opening the refrigerator.
Pleased that the boy was thinking about food, Gunnar called Ace. He answered immediately, and even offered to come get Jeremy as soon as Gunnar made plans.
Buoyed by that, he got online and booked a ticket. There was a flight out at six in the morning and he was going to be on it.
He just hoped he was going to be able to find her after he arrived.
CHAPTER 27
“For unto us a child is born.”
—Isaiah 9:6
Kimber had a pounding headache and was pretty much covered in bruises and scrapes. She also had a sneaking suspicion that she’d somehow managed to get a cold while she was passed out on the pavement.
But as she shifted uncomfortably in her hospital bed, all she wanted to do was give thanks that she was all right. More than one nurse and doctor had told her that she was lucky not to be hurt worse—and by worse they meant dead.
No way was she going to complain about a couple of small injuries.
She was, however, not feeling especially grateful to the cop who had set up shop in the chair next to her bed and was acting a little too full of himself.
“What I don’t understand, Miss Klein, is that if you’ve really been having so many problems with this stalker—”
“I have been. I have proof.”
“If you do have proof, and you were so worried, why were you still walking in the dark by yourself? It doesn’t sound very smart.”
Boy, he was a jerk. “You know where I was attacked. It’s a nice area.” And, yes, he was probably right that she’d been stupid, but she was a victim, not an idiot!
The cop folded his hands over his rotund middle. “For that matter, why did you even come to New York? I’m sure that even a woman like you would be aware of the dangers you were putting yourself in.”
“What do you mean by a woman like me?”