Chapter Thirty-Seven.

"I'm fine, I'm telling you." Ca.s.s pushed away the hands pressing in on her in an effort to breathe. "Would somebody please tell me how Sarah is?" She repeated her frustrated demand, just as she had for the last half hour. They had about another ten seconds before she opened up a can of Ca.s.s-style whoop-a.s.s on the folks here. They d.a.m.ned well understand me, they're just pretending not to speak English! Sucking in a deep breath for one last attempt to find out just what the h.e.l.l had happened to her teammate, she was startled into coughing by a warm hand on her arm. For once it was not someone poking her or sticking her with a needle.

"Shh, Ca.s.s, it's me." Gentle hands eased her up, rubbing her back until the coughing subsided.

Ca.s.s slid the oxygen mask off her face and smiled as Amy's face came into focus. "Hey." She glanced around at the faces of the medical staff as they muttered and made notations. "Are you here to spring me? Where's Sarah? How is she? They won't-"

Amy smiled and continued rubbing Ca.s.s's back. "Whoa there, Nugget. One question at a time. Sarah's in the other room and they're checking her out. I snuck in here and they either don't mind me, or I'm too small to be seen." The diminutive c.o.x grinned at Ca.s.s, then started as a loud cry came from the other room. "Oh G.o.d, Ca.s.s are you okay?"

"I think so, yeah. I just got a little fuzzy and waterlogged there at the end." She turned to Amy. "Where's La-everybody else?"

Amy saw right through her. "Everybody, including Laura, is outside, driving the staff nuts. In fact, I should pop out to let them know you're okay. I thought Laura was going to swim from the docks to get to you."

Amy c.o.c.ked her head to the side, considering. She was still surprised by the pain she'd seen on Laura's face when Ca.s.s had disappeared into the water. Another cry from the next room brought her attention back to Ca.s.s. "Look, I'm gonna duck out and then back in, if I can. Stay put, be good and they'll kick you out soon, okay?"

Exhausted, worried about the sounds coming from next door, Ca.s.s nodded. She grimaced as Amy slid the oxygen mask back in place. She was glad to see Amy, she just wished Amy were Laura.

Ca.s.s felt herself drift and she let her eyes slide shut. Just for a moment...

Chapter Thirty-Eight.

Laura sat huddled in the small plastic chair the orderly had provided, and Sheila was careful not to disturb her as she entered. She quietly moved another chair close to Laura's and turned it so that she could see not only Ca.s.s's face but down the hall toward the operating room as well. She had finally gotten someone to give some answers and found that they had taken Sarah into surgery to clean up and repair the damage to her leg. The Dutch sh.e.l.l had broken her fibula and wrought havoc on the muscles of her lower leg. They were waiting to find out the extent of the damage. Sheila had left Amy sitting with Pam and the rest of the team while she'd gone in to give Ca.s.s the latest news. She'd found Ca.s.s fast asleep, one hand curled into a fist against her pale cheek, and Laura crouched in the only other chair in the room.

It was obvious that Laura cared for Ca.s.s. And just as obvious that she was torn about it. And Sheila couldn't afford to have that. Not now.

"Laura," she said softly, careful not to wake Ca.s.s. When Laura didn't react, Sheila tried again, louder this time. "Laura, look at me."

Laura looked up, her green eyes haunted.

"I need you here with me right now, Laura."

When Laura spoke, her voice was raspy and uneven. "I'm here, Coach. I swear."

"Then act like it." Sheila's voice was sharper than she'd intended, but her words had the effect for which she'd been looking. Laura sat up straighter and turned to face her, an expression of surprise on her face.

"Sorry, Coach. I was...thinking."

"I could see that. Want to share?" Sheila wanted to be sure, very sure, that Laura's head was in the game.

"I, ah...I pushed her away, you know." She nudged her chin toward Ca.s.s.

"When?"

"A few days before the race. Told her we should back off. Take it easy." Laura's voice was low and laced with disgust. "And I realized today that...I was an idiot."

"Yes," Sheila agreed. "You were."

"And I...what?"

Sheila shrugged. "Don't expect me to deny it. You were an idiot to push someone like Ca.s.s out of your life. Unless you don't have feelings for her."

"No, I do. That's just it. I was, I mean, we were...then Sh.e.l.ly. And Sh.e.l.ly makes everything..."

"Ugly." Sheila glanced over to make sure their conversation wasn't disturbing Ca.s.s. "Sorry, Laura, I know you dated, but the woman's poison."

Laura sighed. She looked from Ca.s.s to the still empty hallway that led to the operating room. "I know. I know," she repeated. "I...I've wondered for a while just what kind of control she had over Brenda, you know? She, Sh.e.l.ly, she likes control. Needs it. Bren...she was looser. More open. Sh.e.l.ly hated that. They used to fight all the time. That's one of the reasons Bren asked if I would help, you know. It wasn't really for her, but for Sh.e.l.ly. She wanted to know how they could stop. How she could get Sh.e.l.ly to let her...let her live." The last words came out in a broken whisper and then Laura fell silent.

Sheila sat, silently keeping vigil over both women while she processed what she'd heard. She didn't really know what to say and felt out of her depth. Hospital staff moved efficiently along the corridor, but she could see no signs of movement from the doors that led to the operating room. She glanced at her watch; it had been well over an hour since they'd taken Sarah away and she wanted an update.

"She's pretty amazing, isn't she?"

Laura's question startled Sheila, and for a moment she thought Laura was talking about Sh.e.l.ly again. She looked over to find Laura's gaze on Ca.s.s's face, her hand resting on the blanket inches from Ca.s.s's.

"Yes, she is."

"G.o.d, that was amazing today, what they did."

"It was."

"I...I still want to run from this." Laura's voice was so quiet that Sheila had to bend to hear it.

"You'd hurt her if you did."

"I know." Laura's fingers twitched, as if she'd started to reach for Ca.s.s's and then had backed off. "Can I tell you something, Coach?"

"Sure."

"I'm afraid. Of this." She looked toward Ca.s.s and then back up at Sheila. "But I was more afraid today of losing the chance at this."

"Then," Sheila said, rising silently to her feet, "I think you should focus on that."

Laura nodded and when Ca.s.s moaned and twitched in her sleep, she carefully reached up and brushed an errant curl from her forehead. "I think I will. But..." She too stood and moved toward the doorway with Sheila. "I have one or two things I think I need to take care of."

Sheila studied Laura for a long moment. Her face was in profile, lit from one side by the light spilling into the room from the open door. Her expression, so often haunted and tense, was different now. More open. With a strength in it Sheila hadn't seen for a long time. A very long time. She caught Laura's eye and said softly, "Amy told you what happened before the race?"

"Yes." Laura's voice was firmer.

"And these...things...you have to take care of. Do they involve anyone I know?"

"No one worth mentioning." Laura's eyes had been locked upon the sleeping figure in the bed but suddenly snapped up to meet Sheila's gaze. "Would you stay with her, Coach? I don't want her to be alone. Not now. Not until I...just not now."

"Laura-" Sheila began, only to be cut off.

"It's okay, Sheila. I'm done being an idiot. Now I'm going to be smart about this."

Laura's eyes met hers steadily and finally Sheila nodded, satisfied with what she saw there. She told Laura, "I was going to ask the nurse for an update on Sarah. Can you send her in here on your way out?"

Sheila waited for Laura's nod before stepping back into the room and settling on the chair nearest the bed. She didn't know what Laura had planned, but she certainly didn't want to be near Sh.e.l.ly Michaels anytime soon.

Chapter Thirty-Nine.

Sh.e.l.ly tapped a perfectly manicured nail impatiently as she waited for her cameraman. She glanced at her watch, muttering again at how much time they were wasting. Finally, she grabbed her tote and tapped the man's arm.

"Look, I'll meet you at the hospital. I don't have time for this."

She ignored his indifferent shrug as she spun on her heel and headed inside. She was looking forward to getting out of this d.a.m.nable heat, out of this noisy, smelly place. One more week of racing and she would be gone. She was disappointed her little intrigue hadn't caused more trouble, especially for Laura. It seemed to have done the opposite, in fact, pushing the little snit of a brunette harder. d.a.m.n her and her medal. And d.a.m.n the producers for wanting me to interview her. As she pushed her way through the crowd, Sh.e.l.ly began forming the questions she would ask Ca.s.s Flynn. If she worded things right, she could probably stir up more trouble for the little rower. It helped that the crew she beat had been the one Sh.e.l.ly had hinted might be tampered with. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't see the woman standing in her way until it was almost too late.

"Going somewhere, Sh.e.l.ly?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm here to meet with the...hero." Sh.e.l.ly pasted a false smile on her face, aware that they were in a crowded lobby. Always have to maintain that air of friendly approachability, even when it kills you.

Laura took Sh.e.l.ly's arm and steered her out of the lobby and down the hall. They came to a stop at an alcove near Ca.s.s's room. People pa.s.sed them, intent on their business.

"I'm going to paraphrase you, Sh.e.l.ly. Stay the h.e.l.l away from Ca.s.s. The network can find someone else to interview her."

"Oh, I don't think so. Why should they?" Sh.e.l.ly stepped away from Laura, staring out the window. "I think a lot of people would like to know more about little Miss Flynn. I'd like to be the one to tell them." She returned to Laura, stepping close. "A lot of people would like to know if the rumors are true too. It's interesting, don't you think, that the boat she beat is the one she's rumored to have tampered with? I find coincidences so fascinating, don't you?"

"You're a piece of work. Why don't you just leave her out of this?"

"Because, my love, I'm finding it much more satisfying to f.u.c.k with her, than I ever did with you. Because when I f.u.c.k with her, I am f.u.c.king with you."

"I know you started the rumors about Ca.s.s, that you got that message to the officials."

Sh.e.l.ly shrugged. "So what if it was me? You can't prove it. That's the insidious thing about rumors. They're just little wisps of nothing that can lead to something...or not." She aimed a sharp smile at Laura. "I am really going to enjoy asking the hero some questions."

Laura grabbed Sh.e.l.ly's arm as the reporter stepped back into the hall. She tried again.

"Shel. Don't do this."

Sh.e.l.ly shook off Laura's arm. "f.u.c.k you. You can't stop me. If I do my job well enough, maybe they'll end up taking the shiny medal away from your girlfriend. And there's not a thing you can do about it, is there?"

"Maybe she can't, but I think I can," another voice said.

Sh.e.l.ly spun to face the newcomer. Accompanied by a long-legged blond with clear blue eyes, the speaker stepped into Sh.e.l.ly's personal s.p.a.ce, forcing Sh.e.l.ly to take a step back. Her retreat pushed her into Laura, who held her firmly in place. Behind both women was Alanna, her blue eyes wide as she watched the scene unfold before her.

Sh.e.l.ly recovered her poise quickly. She set herself belligerently and squared off with the woman who'd invaded her s.p.a.ce. "Who the f.u.c.k are you?"

"Jane Zimmerman, sportswriter for ESPN Magazine. And wouldn't my publishers and my readers-who, by the way, number more than four times your viewership-be interested in the little tete-a-tete I just overheard?" Zimmerman looked at Laura, then back to Sh.e.l.ly. The blue-eyed blond with her eased her way into the alcove, effectively closing off any escape Sh.e.l.ly might have. Sh.e.l.ly saw her nod briefly to Laura.

"Now, you were saying?" The sportswriter...Zimmerman, she recalled...asked her a question.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you do. I am fairly certain I overheard you telling this woman that you were involved in implicating a compet.i.tor at these Games in something she was, in fact, innocent of. That, and I'm paraphrasing here," she said with a tight smile, "you were going to continue these rumors and try to get her stripped of a medal. How am I doing so far?" Zimmerman pulled out her recorder and powered it on.

Laura nodded in agreement, a small smile playing across her lips. "I think you've got it pretty much right."

Sh.e.l.ly looked from Zimmerman to the tall blond with her, then turned to face Laura. She spun on Zimmerman and pointed toward the room in which Ca.s.s was recovering. "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what she did."

"No, but I know what she didn't do and what you did." Alanna's soft lilt was laced with anger. "Isn't it interesting now, that when we inspected our rigging we did find someone had loosened the gates? And, wouldn't you know, when we spoke with that lovely la.s.s from the boathouse she had a great deal to say about who had been visiting late last night."

Alanna ranged herself squarely alongside Laura, and Sh.e.l.ly glared, white-faced and angry, at the women ringing her.

Zimmerman spoke up again. "I also know that I heard you telling this woman how much you liked spreading your c.r.a.p just to f.u.c.k with her. I'm pretty sure that'd make an interesting story for the magazine, don't you agree?"

"Bite me." Sh.e.l.ly shouldered her way between Zimmerman and the still unidentified blond and headed toward the exit, running headlong into her cameraman as he entered. Both ended up on the ground, and Sh.e.l.ly screeched at him, slapping at the hand that he offered to help her get up.

Laura turned to Zimmerman and held out her hand.

"Ms. Zimmerman, thanks a lot."

"No problem and call me Jane." She waved to the woman standing silently nearby, still holding a bright bouquet of flowers. "I believe you've met my partner, Anne," she added drily.

Laura shook hands with Anne, smiling. "You probably don't remember me, Anne, but we've met. At the airport? The day Ca.s.s arrived?"

"I don't recall actually meeting you," said Anne, eyeing her carefully.

Laura realized that Anne was remembering the cold shoulder with which she'd treated Ca.s.s upon her arrival. She felt a warm flush of embarra.s.sment at her behavior and offered an apology. "I'm sorry, that was a really bad day."

"I also don't remember giving you my cell number?" This time Anne's expression was warmer and Laura could see a hint of a smile playing around her lips.

"Yeah. I, um, well, borrowed Ca.s.s's cell phone to call you." She steered the three women back into the alcove. "Ca.s.s told me about you, and the magazine your partner works for," she added with a smile toward Jane and then shrugged. "I figured Jane might be able to help."

Jane laughed with the rest. "I'm glad I could. We came as soon as you called, we were really upset about the accident."

"Ca.s.s is fine. We're waiting to hear about Sarah." They fell silent for a moment before Laura looked up again. "Oh, I'm sorry. This is Alanna Doyle, of Ireland." Despite the seriousness of the situation she couldn't resist adding, with a smile and nod, "and Olympic silver medalist."