Lone Star Justice (27 page)

He was interrupted when an orderly pushed a gurney through the door, and he motioned her outside. Sandy walked out, straight into a hard, broad chest.

"Oomph," Hunter grunted as he staggered back a step. "Are you okay?" He stepped aside to allow the gurney to pass and watched solemnly as the orderly steered it to the elevators down the hall. "Aren't you going with them?" he asked as she stood and watched them take her daughter away.

"They won't let me go with her right now. They're taking her to ICU for observation." She broke down as more tears rolled down her face.

Without thinking about it, he pulled her into his arms and held her as she cried. She felt so small and vulnerable. He looked over her head at Jason, who seemed to bloom with anger right before his eyes. What was going through his head now? Not ten minutes ago he'd been sorrowful and repentant.

What the hell had changed in that amount of time? Hunter continued to stroke Sandy's back and murmur soothing words as he stared at his son. Jason cursed, then turned and left the emergency room, shoving through the main doors with enough force to bounce them against the brick walls. Hunter was torn between going after his son and staying there with Sandy. He pulled back a little to see how she was doing and she seemed to remember where she was and whose arms she was in.

She pushed him away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cry all over your shirt," she told him with a lift of her chin. "I'll be fine. I'm sure you have better things to do than stay here."

Hunter looked toward the doors Jason had stormed through. "I need to go see about my son, but I'll be back. Just as soon as he and I have a talk and I find out what’s going on with him."

"There's no need for you to come back. I told you, we'll be fine."

Her look dared him to argue, but he’d never been known to back down. "Look, I know you're upset, but you're also barefoot, and you'll need a change of clothes. Do you have a friend you can call who can pack a bag for you? I can bring it to you after I find Jason."

She started to argue, then looked down at her old cutoffs and t-shirt. She looked frustrated, but she nodded. "I'll call my friend Brenda."

"I'll be back soon. You can count on it." He brushed a thumb across her cheek to wipe away a stray tear, his touch meant only as comfort. Strange, but he was the one who felt comforted by the caress. He looked at the tear on his thumb, then wiped it away on his jeans.

Hunter left without looking back, afraid he would see the need in her eyes she wouldn't admit to and stay with her instead of finding his son. Jason had to be his first priority. He was just a kid, and Sandy was a grown woman. She could take care of herself. Couldn't she?

She seemed strong. He hoped she was. She'd need to be, to face the problems she now had because of his son.

He found Jason in the parking lot, leaning against the Tahoe Hunter had purchased only a month before. His stance shouted anger and resentment, his face set in a scowl.

"Well, it certainly looks as though you’ve been forgiven easily enough," Jason snarled. "I bet she hates my guts."

Hunter sighed. "No, I don't think she does. You want to tell me what your problem is? It's been ten months since your mom died. I've been home for six months, and you still act like it's my fault." He took a deep breath in an effort to calm down and lowered his voice. "Are you upset because I was trying to comfort Mrs. Morrow? For God's sake, you just put her kid in the hospital! Was I supposed to walk away and leave her to cry alone?"

"I don't care what you do, okay? Just as long as you leave me alone!" Jason turned his back to his father and tried to yank open the car door, which was locked. "You don't care about me or that kid in there. You're just interested in banging her mom."

Hunter grabbed Jason's arm and spun him around. He fell back against the car. "I've never hit you in anger before, but I'm tempted to make an exception to that. Let me tell you how things are going to be from here on out. You're grounded until I say you're not. You won't be driving, because if the police don't suspend your license, I will."

Jason’s face paled, then turned red with suppressed fury.

"You only have a few weeks until summer break. I'll pick you up at school every day, and you'll spend your afternoons doing whatever needs to be done at the Morrows’ house. You'll go to counseling again, and this time you will talk about what's bothering you. Do I make myself clear?"

Jason glared at his father, but he nodded. "Are you through? Can we go home now?"

"I'm just getting started, but the rest will have to wait. Get in."

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