Chasing Air Read online

It only took a couple of seconds for a big photo to appear of the detective and for Makenzie to see how gorgeous he really was. Veronica wasn’t kidding. The man in the picture staring back at her had curly blonde hair, piercing bright blue eyes, strong chin, and the body of a fitness model. He certainly didn’t mind taking his shirt off. There were images with other officers, and many with various women. Scrolling through the images, one caught her eye, a black tie affair. Ryler Buchanan looked amazing in a tux. She clicked on the image, then studied the accompanying article indicating that the event was a fundraising gala for a children’s benefit. Apparently, one Detective Buchanan had been auctioned off for a date. The winning bidder paid $22,000. Amazingly, some lady had wanted to spend serious cash to enjoy an evening with the hunky lawman.

  Who was the winning bidder, she wondered? Curiosity got the better of her. She needed sleep, but Makenzie couldn’t put the laptop away. Researching her online, Makenzie discovered the winning bidder was Petra Sharcova, a wealthy former model. The tall blonde was striking. Petra and Ryler made a gorgeous couple.

  Several different pictures of them hinted that they must’ve had a relationship of some kind, since they were photographed everywhere. She looked a lot older than Ryler. Several Google searches later, Makenzie found out that Sharcova was married to a European financier at one point.

  Before she knew it, Makenzie had spent several hours researching and ogling over Ryler. Stalker, she thought of herself. Enough of this craziness, she needed sleep. Her shift would start in a few hours.

  ***

  Makenzie awoke, startled from noises, or was it a dream? Once again, fear invaded her thoughts, wrecking her subconscious. She thought she heard gunfire and screeching tires. Quickly, she jumped from bed and peered out her window, but found nothing wrong. The only disturbance was the traffic visible on the toll way.

  “Get a grip on it, it was just a dream,” she mumbled to herself. Almost dark out, she knew her shift would start soon. Simple things like photos on a website were enough to cause her to have nightmares. She picked up the glass of water beside the bed and noticed how her hand trembled. Anxiety. Although there’s a pill for that, she hated the thought of taking them. Exercise was a better alternative, but she didn’t have time, since she’d sloughed off the better part of her day on the internet.

  Makenzie dressed for work and tried to eat something, but her body was fidgety and unsettled. She couldn’t get the visions of Serena out of her mind. The staff had promised to call if her status changed. Shouldn’t the quiet count for something? Only it didn’t.

  Skipping her meal, she grabbed her bag and drove the ten minutes to the hospital, arriving early as she often did. The ER was calm, with only a couple of patients who needed clearing. She assisted Dr. Jackson in finishing up with charts so that he could go enjoy a long weekend off. After a short period of time, David and Veronica arrived to start their shift. Soon after they were greeted by the detectives.

  “Detective Buchanan, what brings you by tonight?” Veronica asked, with a curious brow raised in Makenzie’s direction.

  The two detectives looked at each other and took time in answering. “We just got the call about Serena’s passing.” Ryler glanced at Makenzie and saw her gasp. He turned his eyes to Veronica to see her cover her mouth quickly in surprise. Their reactions filled him with regret having opened his mouth. “I’m so sorry. From your reaction, I can only assume that ICU didn’t call you?”

  “No, they didn’t,” Veronica confirmed.

  Ryler looked down at his phone and began to fidget with it, as if looking for a distraction. His eyes couldn’t meet Makenzie’s.

  Although Makenzie had expected the news last night, she had prayed for a turn in fate for Serena, especially since she’d survived almost twenty-four hours.

  Still, the news of Serena’s death unsettled Makenzie. She dropped the chart from her hand. She felt the room spin and her chest tighten. “Please excuse me for a moment,” she mumbled under her breath. She made a quick exit out the side door and darted to the back end of the facility. She found herself in the smoker’s hideout, a private patio for the employees who hadn’t been able to kick the habit. Not a smoker herself, she thought one cigarette might be in order to settle her nerves, if only she had one.

  She became winded, mentally comparing it to multiple rounds on the mat with her fitness coach. She bent over at the waist to help regulate her breathing when she heard footsteps approaching from behind her. Uneasy about someone walking up on her, she jerked around and saw that Detective Buchanan had followed her.

  “Didn’t take you for a smoker, Dr. Holder,” he said, delivering a sarcastic, macho quip.

  Makenzie, a New Yorker, could handle her own in the sarcasm department. “Didn’t take you for a stalker, Detective.”

  She took a seat in a chair and looked away for a moment, trying to ignore him. “Just checking’ on you. Dr. Holder, I’m really sorry about the way I handled that back there, I assumed you knew. I have to speak with the family, I thought you might want to join me. Maybe you could help them in some way, or offer medical care. It’s tragic.” He rubbed his chin and took time to speak. “Only now, it’s a murder investigation, which will be even rougher on them.”

  The air was thick around them for several moments. Ryler was concerned that Makenzie wasn’t well. “Are you going to be okay, Dr. Holder? You don’t look so well.”

  Makenzie took her time answering. Grief had quickly engulfed her. Years of training had prepared her for many grieving families and she knew that she couldn’t save them all, but this particular experience took her beyond her training, it crossed the strong facade that she put up day in and day out. Victims of senseless crimes hit home with her.

  “I feel like I’m always chasing air,” she mumbled, almost with exasperation. She leaned over and put her head between her knees.

  Her response surprised the detective. There was definitely another reason she was riddled with anxiety, but he would table his questions for another time. He reached over to her, slowly stroking her back until her breaths slowed and her trembling diminished. Eventually, her breathing returned to normal and she seemed to have relaxed a bit.

  Something about his care and concern spoke volumes to her. It reached her heart and she welcomed the connection.

  “It’s Makenzie, but everyone calls me Mak. I appreciate your kindness. Yes, I want to see them, but I need to get myself composed first. Meet you back at ER control?”

  Makenzie left abruptly, leaving Ryler to mull over her mood and even more, question what she was hiding. As a detective, he could instantly sense when someone was hiding something. Makenzie Holder had a secret and he wanted to know what it was.

  Mak returned to the ER control desk after touching up her makeup. She cleared out the remaining patients waiting.

  “Mak, are you okay?” Veronica whispered.

  “Yeah, but this is the part I hate.”

  “Want me to go with you?” Veronica touched Makenzie’s arm in a soothing manner.

  “Thank you, but the detectives are going.”

  “You know, I can tell that he likes you.”

  “Hmmm,” Mak uttered under breath.

  She joined Ryler and Chris at the elevators. Seeing the grieving family was going to be difficult. No one had any answers for this senseless act that took the life of a blossoming young girl.

  The three of them visited with the family. Makenzie took the parents to the ER and treated them for exhaustion and anxiety. She knew personally that the future held days and nights of despair for the parents and family of the young girl.

  It didn’t take long for the news crews to show up at the emergency room.

  “Doctor, will the family make a statement? Can you tell us if the girl regained consciousness and told you what happened?” the inquisitive reporter yelled out abrasively.

  “This family deserves some privacy to deal with their grief. Please move away from the door.” Makenzie barked at the
reporter.

  She assisted the family in exiting through a private entrance and asked the detectives to handle the media.

  Ryler thought her reaction to the first news reporter was pretty antagonistic. “Makenzie, do you always treat news crews and law enforcement with such animosity?” he asked with a bit of bite to his tongue, while gripping her arm as she tried to run away.

  “I’ve had both interfere with my patient care in the past. I do try to keep control of my department, Detective. It’s about the patients first. The media, well, they just want a spin on a story. I have no use for them.” Her answer was quick and gritty. Again, Ryler thought there was more to her answer than what she allowed.

  “Makenzie, we need the news to get this story out there for witnesses to come forward. We don’t have the shooter in custody. This is now a murder and it will happen again if we don’t find them. Your attitude isn’t helping.” He walked away from her, shaking his head.

  David and Veronica stared in surprise. They could see the tension between Mak and the detective, but it was possible there was something else there, too. Chemistry? Attraction?

  David was the first to speak up. “Makenzie, he’s just doing his job. I’ve known him for over ten years. He does a good job, go easy on him. What we need is for them to get the thug who shot that pretty little girl.” He quickly ended the conversation about Ryler Buchanan when Mak handed him a patient’s chart to take care of.

  The ER Department quickly began to fill up with snotty noses, ankle sprains, and tummy aches. Before she knew it, she had put the tragedy and the lawmen out of her mind for a while. The staff kept her busy for several hours before they saw the first slowdown of the night.

  After all the patients were cleared, Veronica went to fetch some coffee for David, Makenzie, and some for herself. The three of them sat around the desk shooting the bull, talking about wild and crazy cases each of them had experienced in their training or in their years on the job. They had some humorous moments to share and it felt good to lighten the mood.

  “Ladies, it’s been fun, but I’m headed out early to help my dad load up the hot air balloon and be the dutiful son this weekend. The house supervisor is covering the rest of my shift in case you get crapped on before shift change. Otherwise, if you get bored, you know where to find me,” David said, waving as he walked out.

  Veronica wasted no time in cornering Makenzie about the detective. “I’ve been around long enough to know when a man has interest in a woman and Ryler has the hots for you. Did you see the way he protected you with the press?” She cocked her eyebrow up at Makenzie.

  “He only did that because I told him to. Look Veronica, I have no room right now for a relationship. And even if I did, cops are not my type.” She shuffled papers, acting as if she had better things to do than discuss the likes of Detective Buchanan. “Besides, I don’t think I’m his type. I’m full-blooded Italian, and an Irishman doesn’t make for a fairytale ending for us. We’re both too headstrong.”

  Veronica shook her head, but she was keenly aware that Makenzie was lonely and would die before admitting it. The two of them had gone out to dinner and spent time together shopping or to events on numerous occasions over the last nine months, but it was apparent that Makenzie had no family or other close friends. She spent her time at the hospital or at the gym working out. She had participated in several charity marathons, but that was the extent of her activities.

  Veronica would’ve liked to get further into conversation with Mak, but their peaceful time was interrupted with communication from the metro ambulance.

  “We’re in route to you with five patients. The driver of the big rig is going to be in the first ride, he’s critical from a roll over, and the family of four with minor injuries will be coming together in a second truck,” the paramedic said.

  The shift change rush had begun.

  CHAPTER THREE

  At home and in bed, Makenzie tossed and turned, trying to get a nap. It was her Saturday off and she hadn’t planned to spend all day in bed, but the week had exhausted her and she needed to get a bit of shut-eye. Unable to relax enough to sleep, she decided to go for a swim. Suiting up in one of her bikinis, she threw on a cover up, then packed a bag with her iPad, tanning oil, sunglasses, and a bottle of water before heading out to the fantastic pool.

  Makenzie picked out an area in the corner that was partially in the shade of an umbrella but would allow her to get some sun on her legs. She noticed a couple of guys at the bar who were chatting and watching her. She kept a close eye on them. It made her a bit nervous when men stared. They were both very attractive, and close by were a pack of gals chatting back and forth with them, leading her to believe they were harmless. She removed her cover up and started applying suntan oil to her legs. It didn’t take one of the guys long to make his way to her quiet corner.

  “It’s really hot out today. I thought you might need a chilled bottle of water.” He handed her the partially frozen bottle of water.

  “Thank you, cold water would be great.”

  “Do you need a hand with the sun-block before

  I go?”

  He was really gorgeous. Hmm, dangerous, she thought. Tall, dark and very handsome. He wasn’t wearing a swim suit. He wore dress khaki shorts, a dress shirt, and Cole Haan sandals.

  “I’m Jonathan Bain. You’re Dr. Holder, correct?” He offered Makenzie his hand.

  As she shook his hand, “Yes, I’m Makenzie Holder. But I don’t recall having met you.” Panic made her throat tight. How did he know her, she wondered. She had no recollection of him.

  “We didn’t. Sarah, the property manager, is my sister. When you moved in, I signed for your furniture while I was in her office. I didn’t mean to be presumptuous. My family owns this property. I work on the development side of the business. I’ve tried to get to know the residents as they move in. We want to know that everyone’s happy here.” He stood to leave, pulling a business card from his wallet to present to Makenzie.

  “Please call me Mak. Nice to meet you. I haven’t met any of my neighbors since moving in. Although, I do work some crazy hours at the hospital which doesn’t leave me much time to hang out.” She put his card in her bag and retrieved the bottle of water.

  When she opened the water, it sprayed all over both of them. Jonathan quickly grabbed a towel and wiped the water from Makenzie’s cheek and his arms.

  “Oh crap, the bottle was under pressure. So sorry, I didn’t intend on getting you all wet.” She chuckled, because it looked as though he had peed in his shorts.

  “It’s no problem, these shorts dry quickly, but I’ll be changing in a minute anyway. We have a group going out for sushi at Kampai. Why don’t you join us? You know my sister, Sarah, and now you’ve met me. That gentleman over there is my brother-in-law, Edward. Say yes, and we’ll introduce you to a dozen more folks before the evening is over.”

  He waited for her reply with baited breath. She was a beautiful woman, single, and she had his attention. He had no intentions of taking no for an answer.

  “I don’t think so, but I appreciate the offer.”

  “Come on, surely you love sushi? It’s healthy right?”

  Makenzie thought for a moment. She heard the voice of Veronica in her head, reminding her that she needed to get out more.

  “I don’t know how long I’ll last since I worked last night, but yes, I’d love to join you, if it won’t be too many people.” Makenzie had a huge smile on her face. She was excited about the possibility of making new friends. “I’ll meet you there. What time?”

  Jonathan thought that if he didn’t lock her in to meeting him, she might chicken out and not show. “Just meet us in the lobby at seven-fifteen and we’ll all go over together. The food is amazing and you’ll enjoy the atmosphere. I’ll see you shortly.” He handed her the towel before he walked away.

  Makenzie set an alarm on her phone and proceeded to kick back for a nap in the sun. She drifted off to sleep thinking about
her evening and what she was going to wear. She was excited for a fun night out and a chance to make new friends.

  ***

  The alarm sounded, abruptly bringing Makenzie out from a deep nap. She had been asleep for two solid hours, which would help her for an evening out. Taking a dip in the pool to cool off, Makenzie noticed that she was the only one in the pool area except the maintenance guy. Where had everyone gone while she was asleep? Had the apocalypse happened without her knowing it? The area was hauntingly quiet and suddenly made her body go on alert. She grabbed her things and quickly returned to her loft.

  Old ghosts. Her life was full of them. She knew she needed to move past her fears and get on with her life, but it had been a struggle.

  Filling her loft with jazzy, soulful music, she poured a glass of wine and headed into her wonderfully spacious closet to pick out her outfit for the evening out with new friends. She lost herself in deep thought about moving forward from her painful past.

  There was no way that Drew would ever dream that she was still alive or even if he did, begin to start looking for her as long as she laid low and stayed out of the public eye. Dallas was a big area with millions of people, so she could blend in well. She just needed to relax and enjoy starting life over. As long as she could stick with the plan and the script the FBI had given her, there would be no need to look over her shoulder constantly.

  Jonathan didn’t say if they were dining indoors or out or what the restaurant allowed for dress code. She looked up Kampai on the internet. It was in the neighborhood, but she’d never dined there. It looked like a cool place. The site called for smart, casual dress. Hmm, smart casual, she mulled over. She pulled out a pair of jeans, a red dressy Vera Wang tank top, and a grey shrug to go over it. Shoes, which shoes, she pondered. She loved heels, but didn’t walk in them very gracefully. Years of wearing scrubs and tennis shoes at the hospital had spoiled her. Well, she would just have to bite the bullet, red stilettos were calling her name. It was going to be a painful night, she thought, at least they weren’t dancing.