Critical Condition. Sandra Orchard

Joe. Give him clearance.”

      Zach didn’t wait. He sprinted through the door and to her side. His eyes roamed her entire body, settling on the cut above her left brow. A mixture of anger and relief churned in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

      She nodded, her mouth suddenly too dry to speak, given the turbulent emotions parading across his face. He was a cop. Yet he looked as though his insides had gone through a meat grinder, the utter opposite of Nelson’s detached expression.

      The officer bombarded her with a dozen more questions, then took Mr. Calloway outside for his version.

      Suzie flew around the corner with Mom on her heels.

      Zach scooped Suzie into the air. “Whoa there, kiddo.” He planted her back on her feet, and Suzie’s face lit into the first smile Tara had seen since they’d arrived.

      Suzie curled her shoulders forward, scrunching her arms against her chest, looking shy. “Hi, Dak.”

      “Hey there, Suzie.” He scooped a dollop of chocolate from her cheek. “Mmm, what have you been eating?”

      “Cupcakes.”

      “Could I have one?”

      She gave him a big nod, and then looked to Tara.

      “You can bring us each one, sweetie.” As Suzie raced back into the kitchen on her new mission, Tara said to her mom, “We need a few more minutes. If you can manage it...”

      “Who is—?”

      “Mom, please. I’ll explain later.”

      Mom gave Zach a curious look, but headed back to the kitchen. Tara could always count on her to put Suzie’s welfare first.

      “Who knew you were coming here?” Zach asked the moment her mother disappeared.

      “No one. I only decided to come as I was leaving the hospital parking lot.”

      “Did you notice anyone following you?”

      “No.” Her breath caught, her thoughts racing. “You don’t think this has something to do with the deaths at the hospital, do you?”

      “We need to consider the possibility.”

      “The officer said they had a drive-by shooting just last month. That this was probably a case of mistaken identity. They know an ex-gang member lives in a house like this a few blocks over.”

      Zach hunkered down in front of her and lowered his voice to an earnest whisper. “Officer Nelson is likely right, but I’d rather err on the side of caution. Is there somewhere else you could stay for a while? At least until we figure out who’s responsible?”

      The churning in her stomach returned. Why was this happening to her? Life was hard enough, juggling a job and Suzie’s care. She couldn’t bear to be driven from her home, too. “No one followed me here,” she insisted. “I want to go home. Suzie is frightened enough. If I take her somewhere else, she’ll only become more scared.”

      Zach’s gaze was filled with compassion, but she could see the mental debate going on behind his eyes.

      “Even if your concerns were founded,” she said, “I can’t bring danger to someone else’s doorstep. My phone number is unlisted.” Tara waved her hand toward the window. “My car obviously won’t be in the driveway. Suzie and I will be as safe at home as any other place where some lunatic might track us.”

      “Okay.” Rising to his feet, Zach lifted his hands in surrender. “I’ll drive you home. Then, as a precaution, I’ll ask Detective Gray to arrange for a female officer to spend the night with you.”

      The idea of a stranger in her home didn’t feel all that reassuring. “Do you really think that’s necessary?”

      Zach’s expression turned stern. “I won’t take chances with your and Suzie’s safety.”

      Tara stared at him, speechless, wondering why this seemed so personal to him. And why his protective reaction filled her with such a deep sense of reassurance. A feeling she could get used to. Which would be a colossal mistake.

      Zach wasn’t part of her life. He was just a man with a job to do.

      Suzie dashed back into the room, a cupcake in each hand, her thumbs digging into the icing.

      Zach relieved her of the goodies, and Suzie scrambled into Tara’s lap before they could send her on another errand. Zach smiled over Suzie’s head as he handed Tara a cupcake.

      Reminded once more that her stomach still felt queasy, Tara set the cupcake on the table beside her.

      Suzie snuggled under her arm. “I don’t want to stay here, Mommy.”

      “You don’t have to. Zach’s offered to drive us home.”

      Mom appeared, carrying two cups of tea. “You’re going?”

      Hopeful it would settle her stomach, Tara gratefully accepted the cup. “After all the excitement, I think Suzie will sleep better in her own bed.”

      “Yes, I suppose that’s true. If your father wasn’t due home soon, I’d be tempted to leave with you.”

      Zach took the other teacup and offered Mom his hand. “Zach Reynolds. I’m an IT consultant at the hospital.”

      “Dak not a cop,” Suzie chimed in.

      “I can see that.” Mom tousled Suzie’s hair as she eyed Zach. “All the same, it’s very nice of you to see Tara safely home.”

      A knock sounded and Suzie leaped from the chair.

      “Let Grandma answer the door,” Tara scolded.

      Officer Nelson carried in Suzie’s car seat, and Tara’s purse and lunch bag. “I thought you might need these. The tow truck will be here shortly.”

      Mom bustled down the hall. “I’ll get the vacuum and go over that car seat. Make sure no glass is left behind.”

      Suzie ran to the seat and poked her finger through a bullet hole in the plastic sidewall at head level. “Bad man hole my chair.”

      The blood drained from Tara’s face and the room started to spin. Zach must’ve sprung to his feet and grabbed her tea, because the next thing she knew he was pushing her head to her knees.

      “Breathe,” he said gently. “It’s okay. Suzie’s okay. Take big breaths.”

      The air came in short gulps between snippets of horrible images of her baby being shot.

      Zach rubbed her back. “Shh, it’s okay.”

      Tara sprang upright. “How can you say that? My baby could’ve been killed.”

      He cupped his hands on her shoulders and forced her to look him in the eye. “She wasn’t. And I’m going to make sure nothing happens to either of you. Understand?”

      “Yes,” she whispered, not ready to question how he planned to do that.

      Thankfully, Mom distracted Suzie from Tara’s meltdown by cajoling her into helping vacuum the safety seat.

      As soon as they finished, Zach carried it to his truck.

      “Who is that man?” Mom asked the instant the door closed behind him.

      “Dak,” Suzie piped up.

      “Yes, sweetie.” Mom rested her palm on Suzie’s head and pinned her gaze on Tara. “How did he know you were here?”

      “I was on the phone with him when the shots were fired.”

      “You’re seeing him?”

      “We’re friends,” Tara hedged. She’d known the man for twenty-four hours. It hardly qualified him as a friend, but telling Mom he was a cop wasn’t an option. She’d scarcely explained how she’d