Hart To Hart by Vella Day Read Free Book Online Page A

morning. WTF?
    “Ms. Hart?”
    “Yes. Who is this?” Had her stalker finally decided to confront her?
    “This is Dr. Randy Carstead. I work at the Emergency Room of the Lucy Ambrose Center For Excellence Hospital.”
    Was this a joke? No hospital had that many names. “Okay.”
    “I’m calling to let you know your husband was in a car accident this evening.”
    “What?” Her heart pounded, and suddenly the cobwebs that had a strong hold on her mind disintegrated.
    “He’s fine even though someone ran him off the road. The paramedics on the scene said he was lucky to be alive.”
    Ellie’s heart sputtered and then froze for a moment. She wanted to tell the doctor that Vic wasn’t her husband, but no words would form. Fine could mean a lot of different things. “How is he? Really.”
    “We’re still assessing him now, ma’am. He’s conscious and seems—”
    Just conscious? How is that fine? “Can I see him?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Dr. Carstead gave her directions. “Be prepared for a belligerent patient, though. I’ve given him a pain pill that should kick in soon.”
    This almost made her smile. Vic’s feistiness implied he’d be okay. “Thank you for letting me know.”
    When she hung up, she needed a moment to process what happened. This was all her fault. She never should have come to Montana and chance drawing this mad man out here. Whoever she’d pissed off, wanted to harm the people she cared for. Damn him.
    As fast as she could, she dressed. Her head pounded anew with another headache. Poor Vic. As soon as she knew the extent of his injuries, she’d call Charlotte to let her know.
    Ellie rushed out, got halfway to the elevator then had to return because she’d forgotten her phone. Christ. Where was her head? On her second attempt to leave the hotel, she’d made it as far as the front door before she realized she’d forgotten her car keys. Double shit. Back upstairs she went for hopefully her last trip. Finally, she made outside. Really?
    Snow was falling heavily. Finding her way to the hospital would be hard enough in the middle of the night. She didn’t need the roads to be slippery. Ugh. Ellie inhaled to help gather her thoughts, but all that did was freeze her nose hairs. Being careful not to slip, she reached her car and jumped in. The engine turned over but she let it run thirty seconds for the inside to warm.
    She took off, still not believing Vic was in the hospital. Driving under the speed limit, she headed east on Second Avenue then north on Arbor Way. The last thing either of them needed was for her to wreck. While it was probably less than two miles, it seemed like twenty. The hospital lot was almost deserted, which allowed her to park close to the Emergency Room entrance.
    Pulling her coat tightly across her chest and keeping her head down, Ellie rushed inside. At the nurse’s station, she asked for information about Vic. As the nurse typed his name into her computer, an angry voice sounded at the end of the hall, and the tension in her body released. It was Vic, issuing orders like he used to.
    “He’s in room seven,” the nurse said nodding to her left.
    “Thank you.” Ellie straightened her shoulders and hurried toward the room.
    Just as she placed her hand on the curtain to pull it back, a tall, broad shouldered doctor stepped out.
    “Oh. Are you Mrs. Hart?”
    She didn’t want to mislead him. “I’m Ellie Hart, Vic’s ex-wife.”
    “I’m glad you’re here.” He didn’t address the ex part.
    “How is he?”
    “He’ll make a full recovery. Vic does have a concussion, a small cut on his forehead, a gash on his back, and a dislocated shoulder. As you can imagine, he’s chomping at the bit to go home, but I was hoping you could watch him for a day or two. Concussions can be tricky and Vic is a stubborn SOB.”
    She smiled. “You know him well.”
    “We’ve met a few times. Friend of a friend and all. I’m about to write up the release papers and I’ll