Chapter Two

Lorna made her way through the hospital corridors until she reached the intensive care unit. Despite the challenges and demands of her job, she found great fulfillment in helping critically ill patients. She knew that for some of them, recovery was not a possibility, but she did everything in her power to make their time in the hospital as comfortable as possible. The best part of her day was seeing a patient improve enough to be transferred out of the ICU and onto a path toward recovery. As she walked around the counter, she smiled at a fellow nurse.

"Good morning, Luella," she said.

"Good morning to you, Lorna."

"Any new patients?" She picked up a chart to look at.

"No, but Mr. Riedel died last night."

"Oh, that's such a shame. Was his wife here?"

"Yes. Nightshift said she took it hard."

"She told me she'd leave when he did." Lorna shook her head. She knew the pain of losing a spouse.

After attending to her patients, Lorna returned to her desk and reviewed their charts to ensure everything was in order. It was shaping up to be a long day. Five more patients had been admitted to ICU from a car accident, with the youngest being only fifteen years old. As she shook her head in disbelief, Lorna wondered why she loved this job despite its heartbreaking moments. But then there were also times when she witnessed miraculous recoveries that made her grateful for the role she played, but lately things bothered her when new patients came into the ICU. It got to her more and more.

As she sat at her desk, Lorna couldn't help but think of Eli. He was such a handsome man, but she knew she could never get involved with him. His line of work was too dangerous, and she couldn't bear the thought of losing someone else.

Suddenly, the sound of monitors going off snapped Lorna out of her thoughts. She sprang up from her chair and joined other nurses as they rushed into a patient's room. Lorna quickly moved around the bed, assisting the doctor as he barked out orders. Despite everyone's best efforts, the patient couldn't be saved.

Feeling defeated, Lorna left the room and leaned against the wall. Tears streamed down her face as she thought about the young boy who had just passed away. Louella approached her and asked if she was okay.

"No," Lorna replied. "There are days I question why I do this job."

"We all have moments like that," Louella reassured her. "It's not an easy job."

Lorna nodded, still struggling to process what had just happened. "I used to love it, but times like this... It breaks me. I don't know if I can handle it anymore. Maybe I'm getting burned out after seven years."

Louella put her arm around Lorna and led her to a nearby chair. "I would hate to see you go, but if you need to take a break or find another job, I understand. Dealing with death on a daily basis can take its toll."

Lorna looked at her supervisor. "There are days when I feel like I've made a difference, but then there are days like this where it feels like nothing I do matters. The death of someone so young... Oh, God, his poor parents. I can't imagine losing a child." She wiped away her tears and returned to her desk, trying to shake off the overwhelming emotions.

But Lorna knew deep down that her reactions were not just about this one patient. Ever since her husband Mac's death, she found it difficult to cope with losing patients under her care. Before that tragic night, she had become desensitized to death as a nurse. But after losing Mac, it was impossible for her not to get emotionally attached every time someone passed away. That night would forever be with her…

As Lorna sat on the sofa at home, watching the news, she heard a knock on the door. Startled, she got up and answered it. To her horror, Mac's boss, Dave Merkle, was standing there with two other agents. Tears immediately filled her eyes as they asked to come in.

"No. Please, no," she managed to say as she backed away from the door.

Dave took her hand gently and guided her back to the couch. He sat beside her and held onto her hand tightly before delivering the devastating news that Mac had been killed in the line of duty.

Several days passed before she learned that three other agents had also been shot, but thankfully, they had survived. One of them was Eli Hawkins, who had been Mac's closest friend. He and Mac often worked together on cases, and he had even visited their house frequently.

When Eli called her a month after Mac's death, she couldn't bear to talk to him. She was still reeling from the loss of her husband and wanted nothing to do with anyone from MDOL.

It wasn't their fault that Mac had died; he knew the risks involved in being an agent. But seeing his colleagues only reminded her of what she had lost.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Could she continue with this job? Many nurses experienced burnout, and she never thought she would be one of them. But now, she found herself teetering on the edge.

As she went through patient files and checked on their conditions, she heard her name being called and looked up to see Piper Griffin walking toward the nurse's station.

"Hey, Piper. How are you?"

"I'm good. I was looking for Dr. Ransom, but I can't seem to find him."

Piper was a hospital administrator responsible for managing the financial budget, staff hiring and scheduling, and working with the board of directors. She was married to Dr. Sawyer Griffin, a veterinarian and friend of Lorna's.

"He was here a little while ago. He just lost a patient."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. I won't disturb him then. I'll give him some time."

Lorna nodded but couldn't find the words to respond. "Are you alright, Lorna?"

"I don't think so, Piper. It's getting harder and harder to work here."

"I honestly don't know how you do it. I know I couldn't handle it."

"It's not for everyone. I think I need to make some decisions." Lorna looked at Piper. "It's been especially difficult since Mac passed away. Even though it's been three years."

"I'm sure it brings up memories anytime you lose a patient." Piper reached over the counter to touch her hand. "I'm here if you ever want to talk."

"Thank you, Piper. I might take you up on that offer."

"Anytime. I should get back to my office now. We'll talk soon?"

"Of course." Lorna smiled as Piper waved and walked down the hallway.

Lorna rubbed her temples in frustration, feeling a pounding headache coming on. She got up from the desk and rummaged through her purse for some aspirin before heading to the break room to get a cup of water. She swallowed the pills and tried to relieve the tension in her head as she returned to her station.

Her morning seemed to drag on as she went through her routine of checking on patients and filling out paperwork. But her mind was elsewhere, making it hard for her to focus. Each time she entered a patient's room, she felt a sense of sadness knowing that sometimes even her best efforts weren't enough.

During her lunch break, Lorna made her way down to the emergency department to meet up with her best friend, Abbie Wells, a nurse who worked there. She greeted everyone she passed by with a smile, stopping at the nurse's station where Abbie usually worked. After asking about Abbie's whereabouts, she was informed that she was attending to a patient.

Abbie eventually appeared, and they decided to have lunch together. As they rode the elevator down to the cafeteria, Lorna couldn't help but notice Abbie's worried expression.

"What's on your mind?" she asked.

"You tell me," Abbie replied. "You seem lost in your thoughts."

Lorna let out a sigh. "I think I may be experiencing burnout, Abs. We lost a fifteen-year-old boy today and I just can't handle it."

"You've been struggling since Mac passed away," sympathized Abbie.

"I know. It's been three years; I should be over it by now."

"But you loved him, Lorna. It can't be easy for you to see patients that bring back memories."

"It's even harder when it's someone you had hope for, but didn't make it," confessed Lorna. "That boy brought in this morning... he never woke up. He had his whole life ahead of him. I know it's part of our job, but it's taking its toll on me. Especially when it's young people, and all I can think about is Lily."

"I can only imagine how difficult that must be for you," said Abbie, placing a comforting hand on Lorna's shoulder. "I've never had children myself, but losing a child must be unbearable for their parents."

A tear rolled down Lorna's cheek. "That's all I could think about when that boy passed away, and I just couldn't hold back anymore. I'm starting to question if this profession is worth it."

"I've seen that happen a lot. There are days when I want to quit, but I don't know what else I'd do. At least you have Mac's life insurance to fall back on."

"I've never touched it." Lorna shook her head.

"Lorna, he made sure that if something happened to him, you and Lily would be taken care of. It's what he'd want for you."

"I know. My dad said the same thing."

"Then maybe you should take some time off from here and see if you still want to come back."

"I'll think about it."

"Spend time with Lily. She'll grow up before you know it."

"I know, and I don't want to miss out on that."

"Then do it. Talk to your supervisor."

"I will." She reached out and touched Abbie's hand. "Thank you."

"It's what best friends do." Abbie smiled. "Maybe it's time for you to consider getting back into the dating scene."

"Oh boy, now that is scary." Lorna laughed. "What about you? You've been divorced two years now, Abs. You need to find someone."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I wouldn't mind falling in love again one day, but it's hard to meet someone when I'm always here."

"I'm afraid of going through the pain of losing someone again. I loved Mac so much."

"I know you did, but he would want you to keep moving forward, Lorna."

"Yes, he would. Did I mention to you that someone took five of dad's horses? One of them was mine."

"No. When did this happen?"

"Just a few days ago. He called MDOL." Lorna smiled sadly.

"Oh, my goodness. Were you there when they showed up?"

"Oh, yeah. I was there." Lorna sighed. "Eli Hawkins was the agent."

"Wasn't he Mac's best friend?"

"Yes." Lorna's face fell at the mention of Eli. "It was hard seeing him, and he looked so shocked to see me. He was shot that night, too, along with two other agents."

"Well, at least you won't have to talk to him anymore." Abbie tried to lighten the mood.

But Lorna simply smiled sadly. "Oh, but I do. I asked him to call me instead of Dad since he rarely answers his phone."

"Are you going to be all right with that?"

"Yes." Lorna smirked. "Did I ever tell you how handsome he is?"

"No." Abbie grinned mischievously.

"He's gorgeous." Lorna's eyes sparkled as she spoke of Eli. "He's very tall, with dark, curly hair and striking cerulean blue eyes. And his body..." She trailed off with a dreamy sigh.

Abbie raised an eyebrow. "Is he married?"

"I didn't ask, but I didn't see a wedding band."

"Yeah, well, some men don't wear them."

"That's true." Lorna sighed again, this time in resignation. "I suppose I'll hear from him when he finds out something."

"If he's not married, maybe you should invite him to dinner."

Lorna shook her head firmly. "No way. I can't get involved with another agent."

Abbie rolled her eyes. "Lorna, the odds of—"

"Don't even say it, Abbie." Lorna's expression turned serious. "You never know."

"No, and you don't either." Abbie gave her a knowing look. "Take a chance on love again, Lorna."

"I will..." Lorna hesitated before continuing, "...but not with someone in a dangerous job."

"I can see we won't get anywhere in this conversation." Abbie sighed and looked around at their surroundings. "We'd better head back. You think about what you're going to do. I think you should take a leave of absence until you figure it out."

"I'll give it some serious thought."

The women made their way back to the elevator, then parted ways. Lorna returned to the station, sat behind the counter in the ICU, surrounded by the constant beeping and humming of machines. She scanned through patient charts, her eyes trained to pick out any abnormal readings or changes, but thoughts of taking that leave began to appeal to her more and more.

****

Eli trudged through the lush field, his boots sinking slightly into the dewy grass. The sun beat down on his back, warming his shoulders as he scanned the ground for any signs of the missing horses. He felt a sense of determination and urgency with each step he took, hoping to find some clue that would lead them to the thief or thieves.

As he walked, he carefully pushed aside tall blades of grass, searching for any telltale tracks left behind. He spotted a distinct hoofprint in the damp soil. He knelt down, ignoring the dampness seeping into his jeans, and traced the print with his hand. Looking around, he saw several more. It looked like they were led out together.

He quickly snapped a picture of it. Then he followed the trail of hoofprints further until they led him to a dirt road. A small frown creased his forehead as he noticed fresh tire tracks beside the prints. Someone had clearly taken the horses away with a truck and trailer.

He snapped photos of the evidence before him. He knew once he ran these tracks through their database at the office, they would have a much better chance of finding the culprits.

But first, he wanted to inform Mr. Palmer about what he had found. Eli drove his truck to Mr. Palmer's house and knocked on the door. When it opened, he greeted the older man with a smile.

"Mr. Palmer, I'd like to speak with you if you have a minute."

"Sure thing, son." Mr. Palmer stepped aside and invited Eli in from the heat.

"Thank you, sir," Eli said politely as he removed his hat and wiped his feet on the welcome mat before entering the cool kitchen.

"Have a seat, son. Can I offer you some coffee or soda?"

"Water is fine, sir," Eli replied gratefully.

"You don't need to call me sir, makes me feel old," Mr. Palmer chuckled as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"It's just a habit," Eli shrugged with a small smile.

"Well, you have good manners, but please, call me Marcus." He grinned at Eli before setting a glass of iced water in front of him. "So, what did you find?"

"I found hoofprints in the field that lead to a dirt road where I also found fresh truck and trailer tire tracks."

"Interesting," Marcus sipped his coffee thoughtfully. "Looks like they led the horses right onto the truck."

"That's what it seems like. Most thieves would just ride through the fence to get in and out quickly. This is different."

"Maybe they're new at it," Marcus suggested.

"Could be. But I'll run these tracks through our database at the office and see what comes up. And I'll make sure to inform Lorna about what I found today."

"Thank you, son. She'll be home around four-thirty if you want to stop by."

"I will, thank you for letting me know." Eli finished his glass of water before getting up from the table.

"Here's her address, just in case you can't reach her by phone." Marcus handed him a slip of paper with an address scrawled on it.

"Does she still work at the hospital?"

"Yes, she does. I didn't realize you worked with Mac."

"Yes, sir. He was a close friend."

"He was a damn good man. It about killed her when he died. But life goes on."

"Yes, it does. I'll go see her after work then." Eli placed his glass in the sink and thanked Mr. Palmer once more before heading back to his truck.

****

"Lily, please come sit down. Your dinner is getting cold," Lorna called to her daughter.

"I'm here, Mama. I'm hungry," Lily replied, pushing a chair out from under the table and reaching up for Lorna to lift her onto the booster seat.

As Lorna pulled out her own chair, she heard a knock on the back door. With a resigned sigh, she made her way to the door and opened it to find Eli standing on her doorstep.

"Hi, Eli. What brings you here?" she asked in surprise.

"I wanted to let you know what I found today. I already talked to your dad, but you said you wanted to know too, so he gave me your address. I'm sorry for bothering—" Eli's words were cut short as he caught sight of Lily.

"Come inside, please," Lorna invited him in with a smile and held the door open wider for him to enter. She couldn't help but notice how good he smelled as he removed his hat, wiped his feet on the mat, and joined them in the kitchen. "This is my daughter Lily. Lily, say hello to Eli."

Lily grinned and waved at him.

Eli cleared his throat and turned his attention back to Lorna. "She looks just like you." Then he turned and smiled at Lily. "Hello there, Lily."

"What did you find?" Lorna asked eagerly.

"It seems like you're about to have dinner. I can call you later if that's okay."

"No, I want to know now. Have you eaten yet? We're having fried chicken, which happens to be her favorite. You could join us if you'd like."

"I don't want to impose." Eli hesitated.

"Nonsense, I have enough food here to feed an army. Please, join us," Lorna insisted with a small tilt of her head. "That is, if it doesn't make you uncomfortable."

"No, not at all. As long as it's okay with you. I am quite hungry," Eli replied with a grin.

"Then take a seat and I'll fix you a plate."

"I'd like to wash up first."

"Of course. Take a right out of here, then it's the first door on your right."

"Thank you," Eli said with a smile, looking around the room for a place to hang his hat. Lorna noticed and took it from him, gesturing toward a nearby coat rack.

"I'll hang this up for you. You go wash up now."

"Yes, ma'am." Eli nodded and left the room, leaving Lorna alone with her thoughts. She couldn't help but feel a flutter in her stomach at the sight of him. He was far too good-looking for his own good. A real shame, she thought as she set another plate on the table. He was the first man she had felt any sort of attraction toward since Mac, but being a livestock agent, she knew better than to get involved with him.

"Mama? Can I have a leg?" Lily's voice broke through Lorna's thoughts.

"Of course, you can, baby. That's your favorite, isn't it?"

With a wide grin, Lily nodded eagerly as Lorna placed a chicken leg on her plate. Just then, Eli re-entered the room and pulled out a chair to sit at the table.

"It smells great, Lorna," he said.

"Mama cooks good," Lily chimed in between bites.

"I can tell," Eli replied with a smile.

"Please, get whatever you want, Eli," Lorna said politely.

"Yes, ma'am. I will after you."

"Can you please stop calling me ‘ma'am'? We've known each other for years," Lorna pleaded with him.

"It's just a habit, Lorna. I don't mean to upset you," Eli explained.

Lorna couldn't help but laugh at his response.

"I never thought you did."

Eli chuckled and nodded in understanding.

"Alright then, Lorna. I'll try to remember."

Shaking her head with a smile, Lorna filled her plate with a chicken breast and potato salad, making sure to add some to Lily's plate as well.

"Mama makes good tator salad too," Lily proudly declared, grinning at Eli.

"Potato,"Lorna corrected.

"Well, I'm glad because I love tator salad," Eli replied with a wink, causing Lily to giggle with delight.

"Oh please, do not encourage her," Lorna playfully scolded Eli, her heart fluttering in her chest when he chuckled in response.

As they both finished filling their plates, Lorna couldn't help but watch nervously as Eli took his first bite of the fried chicken. He closed his eyes and let out a satisfied groan before looking at her.

"This is fantastic," he complimented her once again, making Lorna blush at the unexpected praise.

"Thank you. Lily would eat fried chicken every day if I let her," Lorna replied with a smile.

"Well, after tasting it, I can see why," Eli said with a grin before taking another bite.

After they finished eating, the conversation turned toward the reason for Eli's visit, the missing horses. As they discussed what Eli had found so far, Lorna couldn't calm the growing worry in her stomach. The thought of someone stealing their beloved horses and potentially harming them was almost unbearable to think about.

"It looks like they led the horses through the field to the dirt road, then loaded them into a trailer," Eli explained, shaking his head in confusion. "Like I told your father, it's strange to go through that much effort just to steal horses. Most rustlers would want to get in and out as quickly as possible by simply tearing through a fence. But these guys cut the fence and carefully led the horses out."

"What are you thinking?" Lorna asked, leaning forward slightly.

Eli took a moment to wipe his mouth with a napkin before looking at her. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm going to look through some old files and see if there have been any other cases like this. But from my experience, this is a new and unusual way of stealing horses. It could take some time to figure it out."

Lorna nodded in understanding. "My dad just wants his horses back. One of them belonged to my mother."

"And one is yours," Eli added.

"Yes, but if it came down to it, I'd rather get my mom's horse back first. I can't bear the thought of what these thieves might do to them."

"I completely understand. I'll do everything I can to track them down and bring your horses home safely," Eli reassured her.

"I know you will." Lorna gazed at him with gratitude, her eyes meeting his and holding for a moment before he looked away. She cleared her throat and returned to her meal, grateful for Eli's presence and determination to help find their missing horses.

****

You need to get the hell out of Dodge, Eli thought. This was a mistake. When she invited him to dinner, he should have just said no thank you, told her what he found, and left. But no, he had to sit down and eat. Idiot!

"There is no guarantee that we will find them," he stated.

She took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. "I am well aware of that."

"Given that you were married to a livestock agent, I figured you would be."

A sad smile formed on her lips. "He loved talking about his job. It was his passion."

"Lorna, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being able to—"

"Don't you dare say that, Eli Hawkins. Even if you had been able to get to him, it could have been too late." She glanced at Lily.

"I only wish I could have done something when I called you…"

"It wasn't just you, Eli. Every agent who called to offer their condolences overwhelmed me. I couldn't bring myself to talk to any of you. Mac cherished all his colleagues, but he trusted you above all else, Eli. He believed in your abilities and would have entrusted his life with you."

"And yet, I couldn't save him."

Lorna sighed and stood up. "Let me put Lily to bed first. Then we can continue this conversation."

Eli nodded in understanding. He knew recounting that night with Mac's widow would be difficult, and he was prepared for her to ask him what happened.

Pushing back his chair, he gathered up the plates and placed them in the sink while Lorna wiped Lily's hands before taking her out of the booster seat and carrying her out of the kitchen.

Eli couldn't help but smile as Lily waved at him over her mother's shoulder. She was an adorable little girl and as he had told Lorna, she was the spitting image of her mother.

After tidying up the table, he made his way to the living room and settled onto the sofa, stretching his legs out and crossing his hands over his stomach as he leaned back and closed his eyes.

He felt the couch shift and opened his eyes to find Lorna sitting on the other end of the sofa.

"Is she asleep?"

"She was out before I even got her pajamas on."

He smiled. "She's a beautiful little girl."

"Thank you. She may have my coloring and most of my features, but I can see Mac in her too."

"I noticed that as well. I think it's the way she smiles."

"Yes, and some of her little idiocrasies."

"Hey now, I'm a cowboy, darlin', don't throw those big words at me," he said with a grin.

Lorna laughed. "Oh please, I know you have a college degree. What word should I have used instead?"

He shrugged. "Quirks, characteristics—" He frowned when he saw the smirk on her face. Then it dawned on him. She got him.

"That was a big word for a cowboy like yourself, huh? A word that you wouldn't know the meaning of or what other words could be used in its place."

"Were you always this much of a smartass?"

"Yep."

Eli chuckled and shook his head.

"Eli, please tell me about that night."

"Lorna, I don't think it's necessary for you to hear about what happened. Mac was shot and killed. That's all there is to it."

"No, that's not enough. All they told me was that no one would know until the three agents who were also shot were ready to talk. I need to know what went wrong."

"We were set up, Lorna. One of our sources had tipped us off about their whereabouts. It seemed like they were there waiting for us. Only our department knew about our operation. That's when we suspected that there might have been an insider involved. But we couldn't prove that it was someone from within. But those men were ready for us, like they knew we were coming. They even had armor-piercing bullets. Despite wearing our vests and having our weapons drawn, we were completely blindsided. Creed gave the signal for Mac to advance, and he took a step forward, then I did the same. I identified ourselves as agents and ordered them to drop their weapons, but they didn't. So, Creed yelled again, then I heard him whisper ‘hell' before the rustlers reached for their guns. I could see the intent in their eyes, then shots rang out. I tried to find cover, but then I saw Mac fall. I lunged toward him, only to be shot myself and fall to my knees." He cleared his throat.

"It wasn't your fault, Eli. I don't blame you and you know damn well that Mac doesn't either."

He looked at her and saw tears streaming down her face while one rolled down his cheek. He pulled her into his arms, and she sobbed against his chest, tears streaking down his face as well. Maybe this was something they both needed.

****

Lorna's tears slowly subsided as she clenched her fists in Eli's T-shirt. She looked up at him and saw tears on his cheeks, still haunted by the incident that happened three years ago. He blamed himself for not being able to save Mac.

She gently cupped his face in her hands and looked into his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault, Eli. Please believe that," she said sincerely.

Eli nodded. "I'll try, Lorna. But I still have nightmares. I see him falling again and again, and I wake up drenched in sweat." He met her gaze. "But I promise, I'll try."

She smiled at him. "I'll hold you to that."

Their eyes locked for a moment before Eli's gaze dropped to her lips and then back to her eyes. He must have realized what he was doing, because he quickly stood up.

"I should go. It's getting late and I want to look through some files when I get home."

"Of course," Lorna said, standing up as well. "Thank you for coming over."

"Thanks for dinner, it was really good," Eli murmured, staring at her intently.

"Oh, uh, thank you," Lorna replied awkwardly, stepping back and headed toward the kitchen. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before approaching the peg where she had hung his hat. But before she could reach it, he grabbed it and turned to leave.

She watched as he opened the door and looked back at her before putting his hat on and pulling the brim down low over his forehead. She almost sighed.

"I'll let you know if I find out anything. Just be patient," he teased with a smirk.

Lorna laughed softly. "Patience isn't my strong suit."

Eli grinned back. "Goodnight, Lorna. Thank you for everything."

"Goodnight, Eli. And same to you," she replied, smiling at him.

He nodded, then walked out and closed the door behind him. Lorna let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and collapsed into a chair at the table. What was all that about?

After locking the door, she flipped the kitchen lights out, entered the living room, turned off the TV, and headed to bed. She was off tomorrow, so she was going to watch a movie. Maybe that would take her mind off Eli Hawkins.

"Yeah, right."

She entered her bedroom, then the bathroom to take a relaxing bath. She felt so tense, and it was because of Eli. As much as she hated to admit it, she was very attracted to him, but nothing could come of it. She would not get involved with another man in any type of law enforcement. No matter how devastatingly handsome he was.