All the Light There Is by Anise Eden

Author:Anise Eden [Eden, Anise]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2017-09-12T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

We took Ben to my room, where Pete gave him a thorough medical examination. He declared that Ben was all right, but told me not to let him fall asleep for a while and said he’d come back and check on him periodically. The bump on Ben’s head was large and angry-looking, but visible only when his hair was smoothed back. That was a relief to Ben, who didn’t want anyone worrying about him—including Pete and me, but that ship had sailed. After the crisis had passed, I asked Pete why he had been so dead set on keeping Mercier’s medics away from Ben.

“Somethin’ was off,” Pete grumbled. “They got there too fast, first of all. And they brought a stretcher into the shed before they even checked Ben out to see how bad it was. Then they tried to steamroll me…” He pushed his hat back and rubbed his hairline. “Maybe Randy’s right, and they were just doin’ their jobs, but my gut told me somethin’ wasn’t right.”

“They got there too fast?” I asked, my nerves set on edge. “You mean, you think they were waiting—like they knew ahead of time that Ben was going to be injured?”

Pete pushed his hat back into place. “Well, unless the clinic’s right next door to the paintball field, it sure looks suspicious.”

“It isn’t,” Ben said. “I remember seeing the clinic while we were on our tour—a small, white building with a red cross on the roof. It’s on the far side of the property.”

“But why would they do something like that?” I jumped up and began pacing the room. “What would they have to gain by hurting you?”

“Cate, it’s okay,” Ben said. “It’s just like when I was drugged. Their objective seems to be to put me out of commission or get me out of the way for a while. It looks like they’re trying to isolate you, probably so they can talk to you alone, try to manipulate you somehow. But just like before, no harm was actually done. I’m fine.”

He wasn’t fine, though. He was hurt, no matter how minor the injury. And he’d been drugged into unconsciousness, even if he’d only needed to sleep it off. “But I thought—” I covered my hands with my face.

“You thought what?” Ben asked.

I sat down on the edge of the bed next to where Ben was lying and rested my hand on his leg. “Back at the bed-and-breakfast, you said that my safety might be a concern. I never would have come, if I thought you or anybody else…” Tears choked off my words.

Pete headed out the door. “I’ll give you two a minute.”

Ben pushed himself up on his elbows. “So, what you’re saying is, you get to put yourself at risk, but no one else does?”

“Basically, yes.” I pulled my hand back into my lap and looked down. “Well, not on my behalf, anyway.”

“I see,” he said somberly. “Well, in that case, we may have a serious dilemma, because I’m

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