Read Online When She Wasn't Looking by Helenkay Dimon - Free Book Online Page A

Jonas hovered over her with matching frowns.
    “What are you doing?” Jonas asked.
    Courtney hugged the envelope and rocked. “He didn’t find it.”
    Ellie shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
    “Who?” Jonas asked at the same time.
    Courtney decided to answer them both at the same time. “The man who murdered my family then framed my dad for it.”

Chapter Nine
    Cade walked down the hospital hallway toward room two-fifteen. He didn’t look at the numbers as he passed. Didn’t need to. The guard standing watch in front of the door at the end of the hall guided the way.
    Cade stopped in front of a young officer. The guy looked all of twenty, even with the military haircut and gun within inches of his hand. The name tag said Stimpson. The flat line of his mouth said business.
    Stimpson held up one hand while the other went to the top of his weapon. “This is a restricted area.”
    “I’m here to see Paul Eckert.”
    “No one goes in or out. Deputy Porter’s orders.”
    Jonas Porter again. The guy caused trouble without even being there. “I have something that trumps your deputy.”
    Stimpson snorted. “I doubt that.”
    The challenge intrigued Cade. He held his shiny badge, ready to go, and flipped it open. “FBI. Now, step aside.”
    Stimpson’s scowl faltered. “I was told—”
    “Call your deputy. In the meantime, I’m going in that room.” This time when Cade stepped forward, Stimpson shifted to the side.
    But he caught the door before Cade could shut it. “This stays open until I get confirmation.”
    Good for Stimpson. “Agreed.”
    Cade took it all in—the heart-rate monitor, the bandage on Paul’s head and around his hand. Dressed in a hospital gown with the covers pulled up to his chest, he looked less like the ace Academy grad who now specialized in white-collar crime and more like an actual patient.
    “You owe me.” Paul’s eyes opened the second after he made his comment.
    “You heard my talk with Stimpson?”
    “Way I figure it, you have about five minutes before that Porter guy comes rushing through the door.”
    “I’ll be out in four.” Cade nodded in the direction of the beeping monitor. “You okay?”
    “Waiting for the scan to come back, but the brain appears to be working. Ducking police questions has been tougher. They’re persistent out here.” Paul lowered his voice. “Man, what did you get me into? You know they’re calling the office and checking my credentials?”
    Cade regretted getting his friend involved. Cade had called in a favor and made up a story. “Since you actually are an agent, you’ll be fine.”
    “But we both know this isn’t a real assignment.”
    Cade blocked out that part. He’d do everything he could to make sure Paul didn’t get in trouble. The fake backstory was in place and ready to go. Signed documents and the right computer trail waited in case anyone went snooping.
    But that left the bigger question. The one Cade could not kick out of his head. “You were supposed to talk with her, not get into a fight and land here.”
    “Thanks for caring about my future with the Bureau.”
    Cade put a hand on the back of the bed above Paul’s pillow and leaned in. “I’ll handle it.”
    And Cade could. He’d gone from newbie to supervisor in record time. Flew up the rigid promotion system and passed men with years more experience. That rapid rise gave him power. A few forms and rerouted calls, and everything would work out.
    If Porter backed off, it would all go away immediately. Cade guessed he wasn’t going to be that lucky.
    Paul nodded but didn’t look convinced. “When I saw her getting loaded into the ambulance, I wanted to make sure she was okay. Also figured I’d follow her here and make a move. Even had the help of the local sheriff.”
    “Porter?”
    “He’s town police. This is another guy. Walt something.”
    “And?”
    “Porter tried to sneak her out of the hospital. I knew it was going to happen,