When Dove Cries by Beth D. Carter Read Free Book Online Page B

deodorant.
    “Thank you,” she whispered, overwhelmed. She blinked away sudden tears. “This is really nice of you.”
    Allis shrugged. “Been here, done that. When I got out of the hospital, I didn’t even have the basic stuff.”
    “Allis, you can sit here,” Draven said, standing and holding out the chair for her.
    “Thanks,” she said and sat.
    “Everything okay, Givon?” he asked the sheriff, who stood by the door. “Any updates?”
    “The chain on the door had Hiller’s fingerprints, but that was all we could recover,” Givon replied.
    “We figured that,” Cade said.
    Givon nodded. “I also received word this morning of two other disappearances. I had Detective Harmon from Durango monitor the broadband.”
    “Two more women?” Cade asked sharply. “Where?”
    “Two towns, Lander and Thermopolis. Both women were in and out of the system, recovering addicts. No one to miss them except some friends who reported they had vanished.”
    “Those towns are on either side of Riverton,” Draven muttered.
    “Yep. Not too far from Destiny.” Givon sighed. “I came by to get Dove’s statement and see if she remembers anything else that might help her case and these new missing women. Anyone who might have come in contact with Michael Hiller or anything she saw—”
    At that moment, the fire alarm rang throughout the hospital. Everything went dark as power was shut down and the emergency strobe light above the door began to blink.
    “What the hell?” Givon muttered. “Stay with Draven, Allis.”
    He left the room to go investigate. Cade went to follow but stayed by the door. Dove noticed he reached around to the back of his pants, under his vest, where she knew he carried his pistol. Fear gripped her. Allis grabbed her hand and held tightly, which helped ground her and drive the terror away. Her saviors would never allow her to be taken again.
    Cade cracked open the door, stumbling back when a nurse rushed into the room. His hand was still on the hilt of his gun.
    “There’s a fire in the hospital,” the nurse said quickly as she rushed to Dove’s IV. “I’m going to unhook you from your line. You’ll need to use the stairs, not the elevator.”
    “Doesn’t she need to stay on the fluids?” Draven asked.
    The nurse shook her head as she lowered the rail to the bed. “You need to get out of a burning building more than you need to be hooked up to an IV,” she said in a no-nonsense way.
    Even though the needle was still in her arm, the nurse capped it off and taped it to her skin before helping her out of the bed.
    “I’ve got her,” Draven told the nurse. He shuffled her out of the way and scooped Dove up in his arms.
    “Great. I wish I had ten more of you.”
    “They’re probably on their way,” he told her. “As soon as they get here, I’ll put them to work. Allis, stay in front of me and behind Cade.”
    Cade opened the door and led them out of the room. Chaos ruled the hall as nurses scrambled to help the ambulatory patients toward the stairway. Dove wrapped her arms around Draven’s neck and clung tightly as she buried her face in his neck.
    “Do you see Givon?” Allis asked.
    “No,” Cade answered. “But stay behind me. My job is to make sure you and Dove are safe.”
    Luckily, Dove was only on the second floor. They shuffled into the flow of traffic on the stairs, and seconds later, they were outside. When Dove felt the sunshine on her skin, she lifted her head and looked around. Orderlies had assembled as many gurneys as possible and were helping the elderly onto them. Doctors and nurses rushed around to check on their patients. The sound of fire trucks drew steadily closer. People yelled.
    “Givon?” Allis shouted.
    “I don’t see him,” Cade reported.
    “I have to go find him!” Allis shouted, taking a step back toward the hospital entrance.
    “No, ma’am,” Cade said firmly, stepping in front of her to block her path. “I’m not risking the wrath of the