Eye of the Falcon (Psychic Visions #12)(7)

Still the bullet hole was the bigger issue as long as she was warming up. He glanced at his watch. “Come on, Gray. Where the hell are you?” With an antiseptic soap, Eagle gently smoothed some over the bottom of her feet and then let her feet rest in the warm water.

Just as he finished, he could hear the beat-up old Ford come down the driveway.

Gray. Thank God.

Rikker, at the woman’s side, stared at Eagle, almost as if ready to give a screech should Eagle do something wrong. For some reason Eagle felt like he needed to explain to the bird what was happening. “Gray is coming to look after her. I can do a lot of field dressings but that bullet? We need to make sure it comes out. Can I get it out? Yes, but not as clean as I would like. She also needs a doctor to look for any other internal problems.”

He took several steps to the doorway, turned back to look at the bird, and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” And he raced out the front door and unlocked the gate. He locked it up behind him and walked back up to the house.

Gray was getting out of the cab of his white truck. He slammed it shut and glared at Eagle. “You could have given me an explanation.”

“It would have taken too long,” Eagle said calmly. He nodded inside. “You need to see this.”

Gray’s name matched the closely cut short head of whitish hair and beard. He shook his head. “It’s not like you to be so mysterious.”

“Did you tell anyone where you were coming?” Eagle asked belatedly. Shit, he should’ve warned Gray first. Eagle glanced around the area, his gaze searching the shadows. Had someone chased her? Tracked her here? If so he had to prepare. He had no intention of letting anyone at her again. Not once she’d finally escaped.

He motioned the old man inside.

Gray walked up the porch steps, almost being deliberately slow to aggravate Eagle.

Unfortunately Eagle didn’t have any time or patience. “You didn’t answer me,” he snapped. “Did you tell anyone where you were going?”

Gray raised both hands in exasperation and walked into the house. “Who would I tell? I live alone, remember?”

“I wonder why,” Eagle said.

“No sass, boy,” Gray muttered. “You live alone too, remember?”

With the door locked behind them, Gray raised his eyebrows, and the two hairy lines shot toward his hairline. He stared at Eagle wordlessly.

“Follow me.” Eagle led the way to the bedroom to see the woman exactly as he had left her. Like Rikker’s magical disappearance, Eagle had been a little worried she’d disappear as well.

Gray stopped in the doorway and studied her. “Shit,” he whispered. “Who is she, and what happened to her?”

“I don’t know the answer to either question.”

Gray was all business now. He dropped his bag on the floor beside the bed and rolled up his sleeves. “Explain,” he barked.

Eagle shared the little bit he knew, leaving off much of the mystical stuff he still struggled with himself.

Gray shot him a hard look, carefully pulled back the covers, and sucked in his breath. Then he proceeded to check her over. With Eagle’s help, they gently rolled her to her stomach. With her back exposed, Eagle took the opportunity to wash and clean the scratches that went up and down her frail body.

“I don’t like that bullet hole or the bullet graze alongside her head,” Gray announced. He tapped her good shoulder. “Not sure what kind of life she’s lived, but that looks like a very old bullet hole too.”

Eagle studied the small scar. “Not an easy life obviously. But these new injuries … Why do you think I called you?”

“You should’ve called for an ambulance and the sheriff.”

“Not happening.” Eagle wouldn’t budge on that issue, not until he knew who had done this to her.

Gray settled back on his heels. “Why do you have to be so damn stubborn? She isn’t your problem.”

At that, Eagle said nothing.

Gray raised both hands again, this time in frustration. “Fine, don’t be sensible. Don’t let the authorities know where she is. Don’t let her family know she’s safe.”

“You get a point for that last one. But not the rest.”

“That’s the thing about family. Nobody gets to be her age without having parents, siblings, or somebody who cares about her.” He picked up her ring finger. “No evidence of a wedding ring, so you might be off the hook of any husband. That doesn’t mean she can’t have a live-in partner of the last five years.”

Eagle nodded. “It also doesn’t mean that live-in partner isn’t the same asshole who held her captive and beat her to the point she ran until her feet were skinned bare to escape him.”

Gray let out a slow breath. Then gave a clipped nod. “Okay, point to you too.” He turned to look down at her. “What is it you want me to do?”

“Help me get the bullet out, patch her up, and deal with the head wound. If you have any antibiotics to stop some of the infection waiting to take over, that would be good. Plus any painkillers in that bag of yours too. There’s no flesh on her bones, and whatever trauma she’s been through would’ve been more than just physical. She’s a fighter,” Eagle said quietly. “She got this far on her own. She needs every chance we can give her.”