Kidnapped Hearts by Cait Jarrod

the inside of her cheek, and asked,
“Where are Dad and Marge?”
    Paul coughed while Celine shuffled to her
other side, neither seeming to want to answer the question. She nudged the
contraption, which Pamela now recognized as the IV pole, out of her way and sat
down in the empty chair. Celine picked up Pamela’s hand in her cold ones, and
Pamela knew something bad had happened. She swung her eyes to Paul. “Tell me.”
    “Do you remember what happened at the
café?”
    No, she didn’t remember. Or had she? Was
the destruction in The Memory Café a nightmare or reality? She wanted to run,
run away from everything and everyone that had to do with the mess she found
herself in. “Just tell me, Paul.”
    “Shots were fired inside the café.” He
paused.
    A knot formed in her throat. She
swallowed and forced out, “Go on.”
    “A piece of glass from the window hit
Marge.”
    The knot slammed into her stomach, and
her heart raced, feeling as if it would explode any second. If she hadn’t been
lying down, she would have fallen.
    Celine squeezed her hand.
    Pamela's eyes widened. “Is she okay?”
    Paul twisted his mouth. “She’s stable in
Intensive Care. She’s survived the night, which is the most critical time. The
odds are in her favor.”
    Pamela tried to process what she heard,
comparing it to her nightmare. Marge hurt, café destroyed. “Wait, you said
overnight?”
    “Yes.”
    She’d been here all night. It felt like
she’d just arrived. Several hours had passed, and she hadn’t been there for
Marge … or her dad. “I’ve got to get up.” She released both of their hands and
pushed the covers back.
    The IV tugged on her arm, and at the same
time Celine said, “You can’t.”
    Pain pierced her head, black dots
appeared, and she lowered onto the bed. “Where’s my dad?”
    “With Marge,” Paul supplied.
    “My dad needs me.”
    Jake appeared. “Hal Kennedy is with him.”
    Pamela’s gaze slid over Jake. Had he
stayed the whole time? She remembered him being at the café. “Did you come to
the hospital with me?”
    “I did.”
    A quiver of excitement touched her that
he cared, and then as quickly it disappeared. She was his obligation. Of
course, he had to stay.
    “I called your dad. He’ll be here
shortly.”
    Shifting a little, she looked at the man
who called her dad so easily. “You have my dad on speed dial?”
    Paul slid out of the chair and moved out
of the way, allowing Jake to edge closer.
    “Yeah, he’s my new BFF.” Jake tickled the
bottom of her foot.
    She fought off the smile that risked
lightening her depressed mood. “Why am I in the hospital?”
    “You blacked out,” Celine said.
    Her nurse came in and checked her IV.
“Ms. Young, I’m glad to see you awake. How do you feel?”
    “I have a bad headache, and I’m sleepy.”
    “I’m sure you do. There’s a sizeable bump
on the back of your head.”
    Pamela touched the spot. “Ouch!”
    “I’m sure it’s painful. At least you’re
able to lay your head back without hitting it directly. Last night, we gave you
some medicine to help you sleep, along with pain medicine, due to the trauma
and all.” The nurse stuck a needle into the catheter in her arm. “I’m giving
you another dose of pain medicine now, but later you’ll take it orally. I
believe the doctor intends for you to go home today.”
    She was elated by the news, yet at the
same time it scared her. What if those men returned?
    The nurse dropped the needle into the red
bin that Pamela eyed earlier. “Do you have any questions?”
    She started to move her head back and
forth, but thought better of it. “No.”
    “Okay then, if you need me, just push
this button.” She patted her leg, then left.
    Pamela eye’s locked on her friend’s
fretful ones.
    “Celine, Paul, could you give us a few
minutes?” The gravity in Jake’s tone seized their attention.
    Paul nodded and kissed Pamela’s cheek.
Celine repeated the gesture and together they left the