Chapter 31

Sharing a hospital room in Great Falls, Montana, Nathan McBride and Special Agent Grangeland were tired of watching the TV coverage.

FBI Director Ethan Lansing got his headline as promised. The two men at the top of his most-wanted list were dead, thanks to the highly trained professionals of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In particular, to Special Agent Mary F. Grangeland, who was recovering from a gunshot wound received in the line of duty during the engagement against the Bridgestones in a remote area of western Montana. Every network covered the story. As a bonus, three million dollars in cash had been recovered from the scene, along with the balance of the missing Semtex.

Grangeland had insisted she be roomed with Nathan, even though hospital policy stated such male-female room assignments were against hospital policy. She didn’t care and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

After being stabilized in the emergency room, Grangeland had undergone emergency surgery to remove a ruptured gallbladder and repair a torn liver. Even though much of its kinetic energy had been absorbed by the ballistic vest, Leonard’s bullet had still passed through, missing her heart and lungs by less than two inches. Connected to machines monitoring every aspect of her bodily functions, Grangeland was outwardly in good spirits, but Nathan knew otherwise. This Ortega business had claimed another victim—alive, but another victim just the same.

Although Nathan’s upper bicep injury wasn’t serious enough to keep him in the hospital more than one night, the compound fractures of both his tibia and fibula were. Besides, he wasn’t going anywhere until Grangeland got back on her feet.

“It’s funny,” Nathan said to her. “I never knew your first name until now.”

“You never asked. I just thought of something horrible,” she said.

“What?” asked Nathan.

“Did James Ortega know the truth going in, or did he find out under torture?”

Nathan looked at Harv. “I hope he knew going in. Try to imagine what learning the truth under those circumstances would’ve been like.”

“It’s hard to think about,” she said.

Nathan spoke quietly. “I don’t hate Frank Ortega for what he and Lansing did. And technically speaking, they didn’t do anything illegal. Let’s all keep that in mind.”

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

“You know,” Grangeland said, “you guys don’t have to stay here and babysit me.” She looked at Nathan. “The doctor gave you your walking papers yesterday.”

“You trying to get rid of me?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Good, ’cause I’m not going anywhere until Harv gets us that pizza he promised.” Nathan felt a little better now. At least he had Grangeland and Harv smiling again.

“Then will you leave?” She gave him an innocent look.

“You know, Grangeland, making comments like that is what keeps our relationship healthy.”

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