All she could do was patiently wait until Shamus was conscious and asked for her or called her. He had her number. She glanced at her phone and groaned. It was almost out of power and her charger was home on her nightstand. She'd better run out to the house again today and get a few more things.

Her stomach growled and she glanced at her watch. It was just after one o'clock in the afternoon. She'd slept for a couple hours, but hadn't eaten since supper last night. She thought about getting some room service, but decided that was cowardly. She'd done nothing wrong.

Grabbing her purse, she headed for the door. She'd go to the diner for a late breakfast and stop at the pharmacy to pick up some supplies before she ran by the house. Then, she was going to the hospital again. Maybe Shamus would be awake enough to want to see her by then.

Filled with determination, Cyndi grabbed her purse and left the room, locking it behind her. The air had changed since this morning, turning crisp, almost cold—a reminder that it was almost the end of October. She hadn't thought to pack a jacket. Something else she needed to remember when she stopped by the house.

Cyndi glanced around, but the parking lot was quiet as she hurried to her car. For some reason, she felt extremely nervous, like someone was watching her.

"Shake it off. Everything is fine,” she assured herself. Still, she couldn't rid herself of the feeling. She kept her eyes open as she drove, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Unless, of course, you counted the fact that someone was obviously trying to drive her out of town, if not outright kill her.

Her stomach lurched, and she tightened her hands on the wheel. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to stand and fight, but wondered if it was the right thing to do. Shamus had been shot because she hadn't left. Whatever she was going to do, she'd have to decide soon. The attacks were escalating. Who knew what would happen next?

She lucked in to a parking spot just down and across the street from Jessie's. Climbing out, she slung her purse over her good arm and looked both ways before she started across the street. The sound of an engine roaring to life reached her, and she glanced up in time to see a large, dark pickup bearing down on her.

She thought she heard someone yell out her name.

For a second, she froze. Then survival instinct kicked in and she threw herself back. She almost made it. The driver swerved toward her, clipping her with the front right fender. She careened off another parked car before falling to the pavement.

It all happened so fast that she didn't even have time to scream. Tires squealed. Several people yelled and she moaned as she tried to roll onto her back.

"Don't move."

She must have hit herself harder than she'd thought if she was hallucinating that Shamus was leaning over her.

"Hi.” She smiled as she reached up her hand to stroke his face. It was too hard though and her hand fell back down to the ground with a thud. “They won't let me see you, but I'm coming back to the hospital anyway.” His gorgeous, blue-gray eyes darkened with fear and she hurried to reassure him. “I won't let them keep me away,” she promised.

"How is she?” Patrick's face appeared next to Shamus and she frowned. She didn't want him in her hallucination.

"I'm not sure."

Shamus appeared pale; sweat beading on his forehead. Reality slammed back into her. This was real. Someone had just tried to run her over. “What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in hospital.” She struggled to sit up, but he held her down easily with one hand.

"Just lie still."

She glared at Patrick. “Why aren't you taking care of him?"

Patrick flashed her a quick grin, although the gesture didn't quite reach his eyes. “I'm doing my best here."

"Try harder."

His gray eyes narrowed as he gave her a curt nod. He turned as one of his deputies came up to him. “We've got a witness."

An older woman stood next to him, her face pale, but composed. Cyndi recognized her immediately. “I know you.” Her voice was slightly slurred, but she pushed on. “You're the woman from the hardware store.” What had Shamus said her name was? “Sadie Hargrove.” That was it. Why was it so hard for her to think?

Sadie nodded and addressed the sheriff. “It was Bo Hobbs driving that truck. I had the perfect view of him when he turned the corner at the top of the street. Wasn't his truck, but it was Bo all right."

Patrick inclined his head. “Thank you, Mrs. Hargrove.” Then he turned to his deputy. “Take another man with you and pick him up.” The tone of his voice left no doubt that he wanted that man and he wanted him now. “Consider him armed and dangerous. He could be our shooter as well."

"Yes, sir.” The deputy turned and strode purposefully away.

Cyndi stared at the woman, shocked that she'd come forward. “But you hate me.” The words were low, but the other woman must have heard them because she flinched.

"I should never have blamed you for what your daddy did. That wasn't right.” Sadie Hargrove paused, her worn hands gripping her faded cloth purse. “When Alicia Flint contacted me I didn't know what to think. Why would a lawyer be calling me? When she said that she was calling on your behalf, I thought you were gonna sue me over what had happened outside the hardware store."

Cyndi was finding it harder to keep her eyes open and let her lids drift shut. She didn't want to deal with this right now.

"Can this wait, Mrs. Hargrove?” Shamus's usual calm was gone, replaced by impatience. Cyndi detected an edge of anger in his voice.

Forcing her eyes open, she patted his hand. “It's okay."

"I think this needs to be said.” Sadie Hargrove drew herself up and continued. “She said you were making sure my family got their land back because what your daddy had done wasn't right."

"I don't think this is the time or place to talk about this.” Patrick dropped his hand on the older woman's shoulder. “This is a private legal matter."

"Maybe so,” she agreed. “But I just wanted to say I was sorry. I want to do what's right. I'll testify in court against Bo Hobbs if it comes to that."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hargrove. I'm going to get a deputy to take you to the station and you can give him your statement."

Shamus took Cyndi's hand in his and held it tight. “You need to be in a hospital bed."

"So do you.” She frowned at him. “Why aren't you?” She had no idea how Shamus had gotten out of hospital and just happened to be nearby when she was almost run over.

"Because I needed to see you more."

She started to say something, but it was too late. The paramedics arrived and eased Shamus aside. Within minutes, they had her loaded onto a stretcher and in the back of the ambulance.

A sense of deja vu hit her when Shamus eased himself down onto the seat across from her. “Didn't we already do this?"

He nodded grimly. “Hopefully, this is the last time."

The ambulance began to move and she cried out as pain shot through her hip and leg. Once again, she felt Shamus's hand clasp hers. Then she felt nothing at all.

The door to Cyndi's hospital room pushed open. She kept her eyes shut tight, not sure she was up to dealing with anyone yet. She'd been poked and prodded and had her arm bandaged again. By some stroke of luck, nothing was broken, but she was severely bruised on her left side and wouldn't be feeling like running any races for a week or two. They were keeping her for observation overnight because she had a slight concussion. If all went well, she'd be free to go in the morning.

Footsteps shuffled across the room. She felt the slightest brush of a hand on her head. Her eyes popped open. “You're supposed to be in bed.” An irate doctor had readmitted Shamus while she was being examined in the emergency room. The doctor had given him a tongue-lashing about taking better care of himself and not undoing the work that the surgeons had done.

Shamus chuckled. “Move over."

"What?” She eased to one side as he sat on the bed and lowered his large frame down beside her.

"Now I'm in bed.” He pulled up the guardrail behind him.

"The nurses won't let you stay.” Even as she said it, she scooted closer, gritting her teeth against the pain that shot down her side. She could feel the heat of his body and needed to get as close as possible.

"I know, but I needed to be here with you. To touch you."

"We're quite a pair.” She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

He laid his arm carefully around her waist as he leaned in to kiss her. His lips were soft and gentle against hers and she sighed.

"I love you,” he whispered. “Nothing is going to change that."

"I love you too,” she whispered back, knowing she'd do whatever it took to make it work between them.

Sighing, Shamus closed his eyes. Cyndi watched him, wanting to just look at him. Even in repose, his features were sharp and masculine. Smiling, she closed her eyes and snuggled down into her pillow and slept.

The door to the room opened, but neither of them stirred. Dani O'Rourke stood in the doorway with her husband and stared at the couple lying wrapped in each other's arms on the bed. As silently as they'd come, they backed out of the room and shut the door behind them.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Cyndi sat up in bed, surrounded by people. She wished it was just her and Shamus again, but he'd been gone when she'd finally opened her eyes this morning, sneaking back to his own bed sometime during the night. He was back again, this time seated in a chair right next to her bed, but they were anything but alone.