Chapter Sixty-Seven

The party in the executive conference room had already started by the time Trapper and Leah arrived. With everyone stepping out of their way, Leah led Trapper to the seats that were waiting for them, and as soon as they were comfortable with full glasses of champagne in their hands, Arnold's speech began.

During his announcement of the successful implementation of the new computer system, Leah quietly answered Albert's questions about her contract with Manning Consulting while he held a folder containing the contract and a folder with the information about Mark's spy activities snugly against him.

Leah and her team were introduced to the board members as well as the staff who were invited to attend. Afterward, a few words were said about Trapper and Leah's roles in the efforts to save Ms. Frank.

Just before Arnold finished that part of his announcements, Leah slipped a letter into Doug's hands signaling Albert to take up a position beside him.

"What's this?"

"My resignation."

Doug laughed. "This is hardly the time for jokes."

She smiled and wrinkled her nose.

"And the last benefit of all this I'd like to announce," began Arnold," is that a candidate for our new position of Chief Information Officer has been approved by the board. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our new CIO, Ms. Leah Haverty Lewis."

Doug was a tall man, and when the announcement was finished, it seemed as if he grew a foot. In the midst of the shouts of congratulations and well wishes, he very calmly edged up to Leah and said quietly, "If you enjoy your career as much as you say, you should reconsider. I'm sure there are clauses in your contract that prohibit you from working for a company where you recently contracted. And I can make sure no one else will hire you. You really don't have a choice."

"Oh, Doug. Don't you remember? We didn't put a non-compete clause in my contract. And as far as a job…" her sweet smile suddenly left her face. "I have one," she finished acerbically. "I'm not a cow, and it's time for you to stop herding me."

"Leah, I will come after you with one of the best legal teams in the country."

Clearing his throat, Albert bumped into Doug's side, casually flipping through the contents of the folder he had presented to Leah just the day before. "Mr. Manning, were you aware there are laws against employers surveilling their employees outside the workplace? Laws with some very stiff fines and jail sentences?" Doug fumed when he glanced down at the file.

Walking up to Doug on the opposite side of Albert, Arnold said, "One more thing, Mr. Manning. The board has decided not to add the optional turnover you offered in our contract. Your people will be replaced through the end of the month, and will be dismissed as their positions are filled with permanent hospital employees."

Looking from Albert to Arnold to Trapper who was now standing behind Leah, Doug straightened his tie. "Leah, you'll be hearing from my attorneys." He turned and left rather quickly.

Leah covered the hand that reassuringly squeezed her shoulder. "Why don't we get you back to a chair, Trapper? I don't think Gonzo wants you doing so much so soon." Arnold took one arm and Leah the other as they maneuvered Trapper through the crowd to a chair. "Sit tight. I'll get you a cup of punch," said Leah.

Trapper only smiled and nodded. He didn't want to tell her just how badly he hurt.

As Leah poured punch for both of them, a hand closed around her arm at the same time someone stepped into her back. "Leah, I need to talk to you."

Before she could react, Trapper was there lifting the thumb of the hand holding her arm and bending it backward until the hand released her. Stepping in front of Leah, Trapper quietly said, "Mark, walk away."

"I just wanted to…" Mark stopped when he saw Trapper looking menacingly at him from beneath his brows. Clenching his teeth, Mark bowed his head, took a deep breath, and spun around, leaving the room.

Trapper had been standing rigid, but as soon as Mark was gone, he slumped, moving his hand to his side. Leah stepped underneath his arm, and seeing blood on his shirt, called for Gonzo who was on the other side of the room.

"Didn't I tell you to take it easy," scolded Gonzo as he took Trapper's weight from Leah and led him to a chair. "Arnold, would you call for a wheelchair? I need to get him back downstairs and take a look at his sutures."

Leah waited at the nurse's station with Ernie and Gloria while Gonzo checked Trapper's sutures. Gonzo hadn't officially released her, but she was dressed in her street clothes, expecting to be set free, even though, at the moment, she didn't want to be let go. Having to stay herself was a good excuse to stay with Trapper.

Moving an arm across her back, Ernie said, "It wasn't that much blood. I'm sure Gonzo can repair it easily enough in his room without having to go back to surgery." Offering a smile, she got a small one back in return.

"She's right," said Gonzo as he approached the counter. "The sutures didn't break, but the incision started bleeding again. "I've put some fresh bandages on it, and if he stays still it shouldn't bleed. Leah, he'd like you to stay at the hospital."

"Are you releasing me?"

"Officially, yes. But Trapper thinks you should stay, and I can justify it if I have to. Your white blood count is a little higher than I'd like it to be, but it's still within a normal range."

"What does that mean?" she asked worriedly.

"It means that your immune system is doing its job." Moving a hand to her shoulder, he added as he looked into her eyes, "Really, it's fine. Trapper's worried, that's all, and I'd rather him not be worried."

"Well, if you say I'm fine, why would he worry?"

Exhaling and moving his hands to his hips, Gonzo bowed his head before he looked back up and answered, "He's worried about Mark. He's been following you all this time without approaching you, but based on recent events, Trapper's concerned he might step things up…that he might confront you…maybe try to do you some harm."

Dropping her forehead into her hands, she groaned. "This isn't happening." After tapping her foot for a moment and stewing, she asked, "Is there any reason I can't work. I suddenly have a lot more to do, and I need to get started. "

"Your people are still here. Can't they finish without you?"

"If Mark is stable enough to do it, otherwise they do need some guidance. Besides that, I have to hire a bunch of people before the end of the month…that's just two weeks. I need to see Hector's and Mike's families…and Mike…I haven't even gone to see how Mike is doing. And then I need to send a memo out to all departments with procedures on how to request updates to the system, and how their requests will be evaluated."

"Whoa, slow down," Gonzo said mildly irritated. "Do you remember I prescribed some rest for both of you?"

She slumped and frowned. "I do, Gonzo, but at the very least, I have to get people hired."

"I think I can make that a little easier for you," said Arnold, approaching them with a stack of papers in his hand. "How's Trapper?"

"He'll live," answered Gonzo. At the shocked expression on Arnold's face, he chuckled. "No, Arnold. He's fine."

Arnold shot Gonzo an incensed glance, then turned his attention to Leah. "These are all the applications I've received for the technical positions. I got quite a few of those today. Look at ones on the top," he said, smiling.

Taking the stack of applications and moving them to the counter, Leah began to flip through them. "These are…" A wide grin suddenly took over her face. "These are all my people. They're all applying for their current positions. That means I don't have to do any immediate interviews…except for the project manager position. Oh. Oh my," she said, frowning.

"What is it?" asked Ernie.

"Mark applied for the project manager position. His application is dated today."

"You're not going to consider him, are you?"

"I'll have to give it some thought. Mark already knows the system and the job. It will be hard to find someone who can do better than he can. It says on his cover letter that he resigned from his position at Manning Consulting which means he can't help finish up here, unless I hire him." The silence around the nurse's station was heavy with resignation that this particular problem wasn't just going to walk away. "Well," Leah started with a tentative smile. "I'll just have to think of something, won't I? Gonzo, is Trapper awake? I'd like to see him before I go upstairs to my new office."

Everyone smiled. "He's awake, but he's groggy. I gave him something for pain, so he'll be in and out."

"I won't be long. I just want to let him know I'll be staying at the hospital until we have some time to talk." She headed toward Trapper's room, but turned around and giggled, "CIO. This is going to be fun, I think."

Slowly pushing open the door of Trapper's hospital room, Leah peeked in. He looked peaceful; as if he was sleeping, but she stepped over to the bed anyway, setting her paperwork on his bedside table. Standing completely still, she watched him. She knew it happened all the time, but it was so hard to believe a man as sturdy; as healthy as Trapper could be downed. High-powered rifles had no purpose in her mind, except to kill. She knew how lucky they had been, and wondered if the sniper had been aiming at the helicopter and Trapper stepped in the way, or if they had been aiming at Trapper. Rubbing her temple she shook the thought away and bent over him, gently taking his hand in hers.

A smile spread over Trapper's face before he opened his eyes. "I was afraid you wouldn't come by before you started your new job."

She smiled in relief as his voice, though quiet, was strong without any hint of hoarseness. "And why wouldn't I come by to see the man with whom I am madly in love?"

His smile grew. "Ah, so you can say it out loud now."

"I might as well," she said, leaning in close. "I can't deny it. And I won't be running away this time."

"Good, because I don't think I could come after you for awhile. I just thought you might be inclined to leave me to my rest."

"Well, I did promise Gonzo I wouldn't stay long. But I wanted you to know that I will be staying at the hospital for now. I'll just be up in my office going through some applications and getting people hired. The good news is that all of my people from Manning have applied, and they have no contract to deal with. They'll be easy. The hard part will be to fill the project manager position. I have some ideas, so I'll be on the phone most of the afternoon."

"Has Mark tried to see you?" Stiffening, Leah dropped her eyes. "He has, hasn't he?" As she studied him, deciding whether to tell him or leave it for later, he said, "If you don't tell me, I'm not going to get any rest."

"You devil."

"All's fair in love…" As he had anticipated, his statement not only got a demure smile out of her, but also a slow, deep breath and a blush.

"He applied for the project manager position, and he stated in his cover letter that he had resigned from Manning Consulting. But no, I haven't spoken to him, and I have no plans to do so. I won't be hiring him for any position here."

"That's my girl. Now, get out of here and let me rest before I decide to pull you into this bed with me and bust my sutures."

"Okay. I'm leaving. You just remember, though, it was you who kicked me out." When she bent to kiss him, he moved his hand to the back of her head, digging his fingers into her hair, and making the kiss last just a little longer.