Chapter 36

thirty-six

DYLAN

Jeremy handed me a cup of coffee. “It’s not Starbucks, but it tastes okay.”

I took the coffee and sighed. The last few hours had been terrible. The rescue helicopter wouldn’t land until they were sure the active shooter wasn’t a threat.

It wasn’t until the staff from Bryant Security and the FBI had taken the shooter into custody that Alex could get help. As soon as the helicopter landed at the hospital, he was rushed into the ER and then transferred to the operating room.

The doctor had talked to me after they removed the bullet, but that was nearly two hours ago and I still hadn’t seen Alex. “Do you think he’s okay?”

Jeremy sat beside me. “If anything had happened, they would have told you. Has anyone contacted Alex’s family?”

“Bryant Security had his aunt’s phone number from when we asked about Alex’s brother. All she said was that she hoped he got better soon.”

“That’s it?”

I nodded. Thinking about Alex’s family made me realize just how alone Alex was. Sometimes my brothers were annoying and my mom’s matchmaking tendencies drove me insane. But everyone looked out for each other. Not having that support must be hard.

“Ryan called while you were in the bathroom. The FBI’s questioning the shooter. It looks as though he was on his own.”

“Why would one person go all the way to the ranger’s house? It’s miles from anywhere.”

“Maybe whoever sent him thought retrieving the program would be quicker with one person.”

“Or maybe he’s lying. You don’t go on a mission without backup. It’s too dangerous.”

Jeremy studied his cup of coffee. “You might if your target doesn’t know you’re there. The element of surprise can outweigh having extra people with you.”

“But it wasn’t a surprise. The FBI was on their way to Alex’s house. Why didn’t they warn us that something was happening?”

“You’ll have to ask Liam.”

I studied the grim look on Jeremy’s face. “You think they used us as bait, don’t you?”

“It had crossed my mind.”

I rubbed my forehead. “What’s really going on?”

“Don’t know, but whatever it is can’t be good. On a brighter note, we might have found Alex’s brother. The FBI’s sending someone to a house in Milwaukee to take a DNA sample from him.”

“Did he know about Alex?”

Jeremy shook his head. “It doesn’t sound like it. He lives around the corner from where Alex grew up.”

“How did that happen?”

“I don’t know. Alex’s aunt and uncle know nothing about another sibling. The only person who would know about him is Alex’s father.”

I leaned my head against the wall. “Alex never talks about his dad. He hasn’t seen him in a long time.”

“Neither has anyone else. His death hasn’t been registered anywhere, so we’re assuming he’s still alive.”

“I’m amazed Alex was able to make a better life for himself. It couldn’t have been easy growing up with a violent father.”

Jeremy watched the nurses hurrying past the family waiting room. “Sometimes life throws you lemons. He must have a strong sense of who he is and what he wants from life.”

I wasn’t sure that Alex’s life was working out the way he wanted. He had a high-pressure job that kept him away from the people he cared about. Maybe after this was over, he could find a new kind of normal out of the life he’d created.

Jeremy nudged my arm. “Is that Alex’s doctor?”

I stood when the doctor nodded at me.

“Are you Dylan Holmes?”

“I am. This is my friend, Jeremy. How’s Alex?”

The doctor shook our hands. “He’s doing as well as can be expected. Thanks to your quick thinking, he’s still alive.”

That didn’t fill me with hope. There was a big difference between being alive and having no permanent damage from the gunshot wound. “Will his arm be okay?”

“There’s a lot of muscle damage, but over time, he should be okay.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Can we see him?”

“Of course, you can. But don’t stay too long. It’s late and he’s tired. If you go to the nurses’ station, they’ll show you which room he’s in.” He held out his hand. “I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon. If Alex wants to go home, convince him to stay. Another couple of nights in the hospital will help his recovery.”

I promised I’d do my best, but knowing Alex, he’d want to leave—especially when he discovered that Bryant Security had been hired to protect him.