“Wait. Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No, and he didn’t come far into the room,” she said. “Neither did he have a weapon, that I could see.”
“So what did you see?”
She frowned. “Well, he was leaving the room, pushing the trolley.” She shook her head. “So I guess he did come into my hospital room. I didn’t think to ask anyone about him.”
“So he works here?”
“I assumed so at first sight, but now I think it was just a ruse,” she said. “He didn’t turn back for me to see his face though. Maybe he was checking out that I was there and how easy it would be to gain access to me.” It was pretty damn hard to stay calm and to discuss this as everyday conversation. The truth was, she was freaked. And yet part of her worried she’d imagined it all. Maybe it was a new orderly, and he was just lost.
“When was that?” he asked, checking his watch.
“Just before I phoned you,” she said. “Why?”
“I can check the camera feeds.”
She tilted her head back from his chest to look up at him. “Would they let you?”
“If it’s connected to this case, you can bet they will. If not, maybe somebody else can get it for me,” he promised. “Chances are this guy hid his face from the cameras though.”
She frowned at that. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised. He probably had a hat close by or something.”
“Maybe, but as long as we can connect that same hitch in his step, it will identify him.”
“I can’t believe I froze like that, but, when I saw him, I freaked out.”
“Do you think that gait is natural or put-on?”
“What? Why? Somebody would have to be really good to do that all the time,” she said.
“A lot of people step into these roles,” he said. “And they play them very well. Sometimes they forget to step back into them too, so that, when you see them walking without something like that hitch, it’s disconcerting, and you’re left figuring out what’s going on. Just think about it.”
“I suppose it’s possible,” she said, sagging against him. “Anything is possible at this point. Anyway, I’m fine now, really.”
“I’m not,” he said cheerfully. And he squeezed her gently. “That phone call took ten years off my life.”
“Sorry,” she whispered, then just relaxed against him, wondering about the connection that had sprung up between them. “I didn’t even know what to do. I just reached for my phone and dialed.”
“Well, I’m glad you called my number. It’s a good thing I left it for you.”
“Maybe,” she said. “But I don’t know, I probably should have called the MPs.”
“Maybe. But then they aren’t up to speed on the case, are they?”
“I think that’s why I called you,” she said in a wry tone. “You also said you lived on base, so I knew you’d be nearby.”
“I was here still. Right out in the hallway for a while. Then headed to the cafeteria for lunch and coffee, while continuing my work on the investigation.”
“Did you get official permission?”
“I’ve asked,” he said with a smile.
She nodded. “I hope they find him.”
“Oh, we’ll find him,” he said.
The absolute surety in his tone made her realize that, if this guy could help her out in any way, he would.
“But I suspect,” he said, “that you’re not telling me the whole truth.”
She stiffened and slowly pushed herself away from his chest and glared at him.
But his gaze was steady and held hers true. “And you need to,” he said. “All of it. I don’t care how dirty, how ugly, or whatever, it needs to come out.”
Her breath caught in her chest. “Nobody likes to talk about unpleasantness in their world,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. And this time he was adamant. She wasn’t getting away from this. “What the hell is going on? What’s going on with this guy?”
“The only thing I can think of,” she said, “is because of the submarine. He knew I was here. Somebody must have leaked that I survived somehow.”
“I don’t think too much leaking would be required,” he said. “You’re here in the hospital. How many hundreds of people work here?”
“Meaning that he could have just checked to see if anybody came in?”
“I would,” he said. “Wouldn’t you?”
“Well, potentially, yes,” she said, realizing the common sense of that. “Still,” she said, “it can’t be.” She closed her eyes.
“What can’t be? What do you know?” he asked urgently.
She shook her head. “I don’t know anything,” she said.
“Then what is it you are trying to hide?”
She stared at him, wondering if she dare tell him.
*
Axel could see it in Ally’s eyes; something was there. He didn’t know how to get the truth out of her. She clearly had something she needed to say, and she needed to do it fast. If this was the same man who had been on the sub, her life was in danger. And it could happen at any point in time. He didn’t know how to get the truth from her. He waited a long moment, shifted on the bed, so that she could lie back down normally. “Was your life in danger before this incident?”
She stared at him in confusion. “Before the sub was sunk?” She shook her head. “How would I know?” she asked in surprise.
“I guess I’m asking if you knew of any other threats against you before this. Any boyfriends or ex-husbands?” He knew she hadn’t been married, but she didn’t know he knew that.
“No,” she said. “I’ve never been married. And, no, I don’t have any vindictive exes.”
“And yet the one ex posted those nude photos of you.”
“That was his revenge moment,” she admitted, “but it’s hardly likely he is going after my life now, some four years later.”
“What was his punishment?”
“He lost his job. The police were on his case, but the judge just gave him a thirty-day sentence and a slap on the wrist,” she said bitterly.
“That doesn’t seem like very much.”
“But still,” she said, shrugging, “I guess I’m glad he got any kind of reprimand.”
“Losing his job might have hurt though.”
“Maybe, but I doubt it. He got another one right away.”
“I’m gonna need his name, phone number, and address,” Axel said.
She frowned at that. “I don’t want him involved.”
“Too bad,” he said. “What’s his name?” And he stared at her, waiting.
Finally she grudgingly gave it to him. “He’s married and has a little girl now,” she said.
“Good,” he snapped.
“He probably won’t want to mess up his new world then, will he?”
“I’m not intentionally trying to mess up his new world either,” he said. “And maybe he did serve his debt to society,” Axel said, “but he hardly served his debt to you.”