“Sure did. It was a black sedan. Not sure if it was a Honda or a Toyota, but I did get the license plate number.”
“Appreciate it, man. I’m sure you’re more than capable of handling yourself, but it’s worth mentioning that she’s dangerous. She’s not affiliated with any kind of law enforcement.”
“I knew something wasn’t right with her. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open and let you know if I see her again.”
“Thanks, Jimmy.”
Then, I called Luke back to let him know Jimmy had identified Pamela as the woman impersonating a federal agent and gave him the description of their vehicle as well as the tag number.
“We’re going to owe Jimmy another dinner after all this,” Luke said.
“And then some,” I agreed. Because finally, we had something to go on.
14
ASPEN
Three days had passed since I’d woken up in a hospital room with Coal at my side. I was still in a good bit of pain and couldn’t do much for myself, but each day seemed to be a little better than the one before. Even though I thought I was progressing slower than I should be, the nurses and doctors assured me that I was doing great, and some even said I was doing better than expected. I assumed they said that to all the patients to keep them from getting discouraged, so I was completely caught off guard when the doctor came in and told me I was being discharged.
“What?” I asked in surprise. “Like right now?”
He laughed. “Not right this second, but sometime today. It’ll take a few hours to get everything in order.”
“Are you sure I’m ready to go home?”
“Yes, you are. Keep in mind that being discharged from the hospital doesn’t mean you’re healed and can resume your normal activities. It just means you don’t require this level of care anymore. Your nurse will go over your instructions and restrictions with you before you leave. I assume you have someone who will be around to help you for the first few days,” he said and looked pointedly at Coal.
“Yes, she does,” Coal answered.
“Great. I’ll get started on your discharge orders now,” he said and left the room.
“I can’t believe they’re letting me go home. I thought for sure I’d be here for a few more days.”
“I did, too,” he admitted. “But I’m not complaining. I think we’ll both be more comfortable at home.”
“When you say home, do you mean my house or yours?” I asked. I didn’t care where we were, as long as we were together.
“Actually, I meant the clubhouse. With Pamela still out there, it’s the safest place for us.”
I nodded in understanding, even though I wasn’t thrilled with his answer.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to hide from her forever.” I couldn’t explain it, but even though she’d attacked me and tried to kill me, I wasn’t scared of her. Maybe because I wasn’t expecting it before, but now I knew to be more alert.
“You aren’t hiding from her. You’re healing. If she hasn’t been found by the time you’re completely healed, we’ll go home. But for now, the clubhouse is secure, and there will always be someone around to help you if you need it.”
“I know. I’m just frustrated with the whole situation. I thought Pamela was finally out of my life when she went to prison years ago. Yet here she is again, trying to ruin my life. I don’t know why she hates me so much, and frankly, I don’t care. I just want to be rid of her for good.”
“We’re doing everything we can to make that happen for you,” he promised.
“Thank you,” I said and felt tears begin to fill my eyes. “For finding me, taking care of me, and staying by my side through all of this.”
He gently cupped my cheek with his large hand. “I love you, Aspen. By your side is where I’ll always be.”
“I love you, too,” I said softly. “More than I ever knew was possible.”
“Good, because you’re stuck with me.”