“That depends.” Burke didn’t like the turn this conversation had taken.

Garrett opened the briefcase and took out a manila folder. “I’ve taken the liberty of having this power of attorney drawn up. Once you’ve signed it, I’ll be able to negotiate contracts and make deals for the company. You’ll be able to take it easy and focus on getting well.” He opened the folder to reveal a single-page document with a blank for a signature and another for a witness. He thrust it toward Burke. “Read it over. I’ve got a pen. I can call one of the nurses to witness your signature.”

“Put that away.” Burke shook his head. “Hell, I’d be crazy to sign anything while I’m up to my ears in painkillers. Whether you like it or not, Garrett, no decision is going to be made without my say-so.”

“Then you’ve just tied my hands.” Garrett replaced the folder and snapped the briefcase shut.

“So be it,” Burke said. “I’m still the senior partner, and any decisions will have to go through me. Understood?”

“Understood. I’ll stop by tomorrow.” Garrett was clearly displeased. He strode out of the room without another word.

Burke lay back on the pillow. The pain was a thick, tightening knot at the root of his spine. He shifted in the bed, worsening the pressure. Damn! He had never felt so helpless in his life. The worst of it was having Allison see him like this.

The perky blond nurse walked into the room with a small paper cup. “Time for your pain meds, honey,” she said.

Honey. If she said that word one more time, he would leap out of bed and strangle her, Burke thought. But he sat partway up, took the pills in the cup, and swallowed them with a sip of water. From somewhere above his head, he could hear an annoying, repetitive beep.

“That’s it.” The nurse gave him a smile. “Lie back and rest. Those beeps you hear are your oxygen monitor, telling you to take deep breaths. You need to clear your lungs after surgery.”

Burke took several deep breaths, and the beeping sound stopped.

“Keep it up,” the nurse said. “Once the meds start working, you’ll probably go back to sleep.”

Sleep sounded like a grand idea, since being awake was nothing but sheer misery. “If my wife comes back, tell her to go home and get some rest,” he said.

“Will do. Sleep tight.”

Burke lay back and kept breathing in and out, in and out. Slowly, as the pain medication seeped through his system, he began to drift.

* * *

Allison was just finishing her coffee when Garrett walked into the cafeteria. He didn’t look happy.

Without asking, he laid his briefcase on the table, pulled out the chair across from her, and sank onto it with a sigh.