Free Cuff Master by Frances Stockton Page A

head once and closed her
eyes, settling down so that her head landed right on his lap.
    “Ethan, Ryan’s here,” Alex interrupted. “Sit back.”
    “I’m staying right here,” Ethan answered. “Where’d Mrs.
Bailey go?”
    “Fire chief took her outside,” Remy told him. “Detective
Maddox, I’m sorry about all this. I swear Morgan was fine when she came down
here. A little agitated by the activity in this place, but that’s par for the
course. She’s used to it.”
    “What are you saying, Sinclair?”
    “Morgan was down here a long time. EVP sessions can take
hours. Ghosts don’t run on our schedule or timeline. To manifest, they draw on
energy. I suspect Morgan offered hers and the battery on her cell is probably
dead.”
    “Lights were blown in the ladies room,” Alex said.
    “I’d try to find that digital voice recorder. I know she had
it with her when she left the table. I saw it. Now it’s gone. Who has it? Why
set a trashcan on fire?” Remy’s challenge was the push Ethan needed to see
things through Morgan’s eyes. “Someone went through a great deal of trouble to
keep her quiet, don’t you think?”
    “Morgan certainly wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the
safety of others,” Ethan agreed, easing back enough for Ryan Hathaway to move
in.
    The EMT backed away, standing close enough to lend a hand if
the doctor needed him. Ryan had a medical bag with him and set to work with the
efficiency of a man very comfortable dealing with patients.
    The fire chief had already given the all clear for the
building, allowing the crowd to come and get their belongings. Some of the
staff returned to their posts, taking care of those who’d been in the bar and
the backroom.
    Ryan spoke in quiet, confident tones, finding answers with
the barest of nods from Morgan or simple yesses and nos. In a few minutes, he’d
redressed the bandage on her forehead, found a soft icepack from his kit and
pressed it to the nasty black and blue swelling that’d risen on her forehead
and removed the oxygen mask.
    “Morgan, sweetheart, are you allergic to penicillin or any
painkillers?” Ryan asked softly.
    “No, nothing,” she told him. “Hurts, head to toe.”
    “I’m sure it does. I’m going to give you a couple shots. The
painkiller might make you sleep. Due to the head injury, I’ll have to rouse you
from time to time.”
    “Do I have to go to the ER?”
    “I’d like to get some x-rays to be sure you’ve no skull fractures.
I’m on staff at North Shore Medical Center already and a colleague of mine is
working the ER tonight. How about I call my nurse and radiologist to meet us
there?”
    “Okay,” she agreed.
    “I’m coming with her, Doc,” Ethan stated, relieved to know
that Dr. Ryan Hathaway, an orthopedic surgeon with his own practice in Danvers,
was also on staff at the local hospital and had friends in high places.
    “She needs to be changed into something warm and dry,” Ryan
stated. “Once she’s ready, the EMT can get his stretcher.”
    “On it,” Alex said. “I’ll run up to our apartment and grab
some sweats and a tee shirt.”
    Alex rushed off. “Remy, come with me. On the chance the
inspector doesn’t find that recorder, I want to know what it is, how it works
and what it all means.”
    “Coming,” Remy agreed. “Morgan, love, I’ll follow y’all to
the ER.”
    “Thanks, Remy,” she said.
    Alex and Remy disappeared. Ethan really didn’t want Remy to
join them at Doc’s office. But what could he do? Morgan considered the guy her
friend. If he went caveman on her, he’d only make matters worse.
    A chilled hand touched his. Ethan looked down and took her
hand between his palms to will warmth into Morgan’s fingertips. “I really am
sorry. He’s not the man I want, Ethan. You are.”
    “I believe you. Might not get over my jealousy easily, but I
trust you. Hear what I’m saying?”
    “Thank you,” she replied, grinning slightly, but her
discomfort was too strong