Silence. Then, "f.u.c.k it, ONeil. You planning to use her illness in your column to show shes not reliable? Because she is."

"No, of course not. I was just checking up on her."

"Like you care. But make no mistake about this. She never misses work, so she must be sick." Davis hung up on him.

Dylan tried Rachels number again, and again no answer.

Having slept through the afternoon to early evening, and because she left her phone in the living room, Rachel b.u.mped her way from wall to wall, counter to chair to get to it. The contact made her body ache more, but she had to do something. She managed to make it to the couch, drop down and close her eyes. Her breath came in heavy pants and she struggled to lift her arm to get her phone and punch in Rebeccas number. The message she heard was, "Dr. Murray is out of town at a conference. If this is a true medical emergency..."

d.a.m.n, she thought as she let the phone drop into her lap, vaguely aware of a buzz coming from it. Shed forgotten Rebecca had gone to a conference in Florida for four days. Her mother was also attending, so theyd decided to take Beccas kids and spend a few days at Disneyworld.

Rachels stomach was on rinse cycle, and the acute pain in her head made it worse. When was the last time shed downed some Tylenol? She couldnt remember. She couldnt think clearly at all. Shed have to call Sam. No, wait. Hed had to take time off to go take care of his sick brother in Virginia. Then it struck her... She had no one else to call except work people. When she felt the tears threaten, she choked on them. Lying back, she closed her eyes...

"Happy Birthday, to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Bailey. Happy Birthday to you." The family ended in harmony, and the entire clan clapped.

"Thanks, everybody." Bailey was smiling ear to ear.

From the end of the table, where he sat with Angel, Rory and Mike, Dylan raised his gla.s.s. "Nice to have you here, sis."

Theyd just finished off a meal of turkey and all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. The Secret Service had brought in the food, and Liam had cooked, of course, but Bailey had helped. She said she never got to be in a kitchen these days.

"Up," Angel begged from her high chair.

C.J. stood. "Ill get her." She winked at Aidan. "Good practice."

"h.e.l.l, look at him," Pat teased. "Just mention the pregnancy and he gets teary eyed."

Next to him, Brie shook her head. "Dont listen to Patrick, Aidan. He cried like a baby each time one of our kids was born." She leaned into him. "And occasionally when they got sick."

Sliding his arm across the back of Bries chair, he said in a stage whisper, "Hush, woman. Youll ruin my manly image."

Sophie and Liam served them cake with gooey, white frosting, Baileys favorite, then they approached the agents sitting across the pub, which had closed for night.

"You guys eat some turkey and cake," Bailey called out. "Mitch, I mean it."

"Yes, maam," Mitch responded with amus.e.m.e.nt in his voice.

Surrept.i.tiously, Dylan watched his brothers. Aidan cooed over Angel and kissed C.J.s cheek. Liam and Sophie had worked as a team to get the meal out. And Pat had his hand curled around Bries neck. All of them were couples now, as were Ma and Pa. Everybody but him. The thought usually didnt affect him-he had a been there/done that att.i.tude-but now his singleness bothered him. He wondered if it ever bothered Rachel. Probably, not, as she was too caught up in her career. That thought led to her illness, but he pushed it out of his mind. There was nothing he could do if she didnt answer her phone. Besides, surely shed be on tonight.

Later, at eight oclock, he tuned into NSMBC from the bar. Once again, Laura Littman came on-screen.

A few minutes later, the birthday girl found him staring at the television. His sisters pretty blue eyes narrowed on him. "Dylan, are you okay?"

"No."

"This about Rachel?"

He filled her in on what he knew so far.

"That doesnt sound good." Her brow furrowed. "What is this, the third show shes missed?"

"Yep. Her producer said she left work the day before yesterday around four."

Dropping onto the stool next to him, Bailey frowned. "You should go over to her house."

"Even if I thought that was a good idea, theres no way to get in if she doesnt answer the doorbell. Anyway, theres not much hope for her letting me in if she wont even take my calls." He shook his head hard. "Not to mention the fact that were trying not to get more personally involved. But this isnt right, Bay. I know it in my gut."

"I agree." Bailey thought for a second. "Remember Jimmy Cranston?"

He knew the name. "Your high school boyfriend."

"Yeah. He called me a few months ago. His kid ran away and he was afraid she was hanging with a gang. He knew my background as the Street Angel, asked if Id call any contacts I still had."

"Id do anything for Hogan, even impose on you like that."

"Yeah, me, too. I phoned ESCAPE, and my friends ran down some information. They found her."

"Oh, good."

"Jimmys a captain now in the NYPD."

Dylan saw where this was going. "Could he get me into her apartment if he knew she was sick and not answering?"

"Im sure hed do it for me. Hed probably have to go in with you, though, to make sure she isnt in bed with some hottie for an extended tryst."

Dylan felt his face flush. Then he saw Bailey shake her head. "I think its time for some honesty, Dyl, with yourself. About how deep your feelings are for her."

"Maybe. But call your old beau first."

Chapter 12.

Like a scene from a movie, an unmarked cop car pulled up to the back of the pub, and Dylan scurried outside, hoping none of his brothers saw him leave. The situation was bad enough between him and Aidan and Pat, but letting them know he was worried about Rachel would make it worse. Liam had taken Hogan home, and hed told his boy he would be out for a while.

He opened the front door of the car and slid in.

Jimmy Cranston looked over from the drivers seat and held out his hand. "Nice to see you again, Dyl."

"Thanks. Me, too, with you. Man, I cant tell you how much I appreciate this." He nodded to the uniform Jimmy wore. "Dressed for the occasion, I see."

Pulling out of the alleyway and onto a side street that led to MacDougal, they started uptown. A drizzle of snow fell silently, making the roads slippery but visibility was still good. "If the lady in question is not under duress, I thought official garb might make an explanation easier."

"I swear somethings wrong, Jimmy. Im not stalking her or anything like that."

"So Bailey says." He socked Dylans arm. "Your baby sister did good."

"Yeah, though I think shed prefer a quiet life."

"If I had married her and she got into gang stuff, it wouldnt have worked, anyway."

Dylan looked at the man. Taller than he remembered, Jimmy had the shoulders of the linebacker that hed been and a full head of sandy brown hair. "I know you dated your senior year, but I never realized it was that serious."

"It was for me." Nostalgia tinged his voice.

"Ah."

"So, you like being part of a famous family?"

The flashing lights of oncoming cars shone in Dylans eyes and he averted his gaze to the side. "No. None of us do. But you know us. Wed do anything for Bailey."

"h.e.l.l, dont remind me. I remember Patrick coming back to the high school after he graduated and cornering me in the locker room. Bailey and I had a spat and she wasnt happy-so he wasnt either."

Dylan chuckled. "And as soon as Pat moved out, one of the others of us took over." They continued to drive. "Hows your kid?"

"Good. The people from ESCAPE found her but they did even more. Gave her individual counseling and all of us some family therapy. Shes back home and in school. So, see, I owe Bailey big-time."

They made small talk until they reached Rachels condo. Jimmy swerved over in front of the building into a No Parking spot. "This is it, right?"

Dylan nodded. They exited the car and Jimmy took a small case out of the backseat. "Tools to break in?"

"Uh-huh. We dont always knock the doors down like they do on TV."

They reached the front entrance, unnoticed because no one was around. After a few clicks, Jimmy twisted open the handle. Then he did the same with the unit on the left. When they entered, Dylan stilled. Something was definitely wrong. The whole place, which before had smelled like potpourri, now smelled like a sickroom. And the heat was up to kingdom come.

"Whats the sound?" Jimmy asked, his hand on his gun. Jesus, Dylan hadnt even thought about an intruder.

"I dont know."

"Let me go first."

Behind Jimmy, Dylan strode down the hallway to the kitchen, which led to the living room and bedrooms; both of them stopped short.

Dylan whispered, "Oh, my G.o.d."

The sound was coming from a phone that had not been disconnected. It sat in Rachels lap. She lay stretched out on the couch, her hand on her head, in fuzzy pajamas.

Dylan circled the sofa and knelt down. Her hair was so damp it looked like shed washed it. Her cheeks were apple red. He put his hand on one and felt the heat. A lot of heat. His pulse escalated. "Shes got a fever and G.o.d knows what else." He saw a pail next to the couch. "We need to get her to the hospital."

"Ill put up the light on the car. Itll be faster than calling an ambulance." Jimmys steadiness helped Dylan focus.

Rachel stirred. "What...?" She tried to open her eyes, and moaned. Clutched her stomach. Finally she blinked at him. "Dylan, what...? Oh, G.o.d, I feel terrible."

"Youve been sick for days. Im taking you to the hospital."

"Too personal," she mumbled after her eyes closed again.

"Cant be helped. Come on, sit up."

Her head lolled and he propped her against pillows, then went to the closet and got out a down coat. He drew her forward. "Rachel, honey, help me get this on you."

Her arms were floppy, but he finally eased them through the sleeves, zippered her up and scooped her into his arms. "Get the blanket, Jimmy. And her purse for insurance cards."

"Got 'em."

They hurried out the doors, down the steps and into the car. Dylan sat in the backseat and held Rachel on his lap. Jimmy put the light on the hood and turned on the siren. The sudden screech hurt his ears. The men exchanged looks in the rearview mirror. Rachel was really sick.

When they reached the emergency entrance at Memorial Hospital, Dylan handed her out to Jimmy, then took her back when he exited the vehicle. With Rachel securely against his chest, Dylan hurried inside. The sounds of phones ringing and low chatter with occasional bursts of shouts met them.

Sometimes staff in emergency rooms were on the ball; sometimes they werent. Tonight he was surrounded by two women in scrubs and a man with a wheelchair. They pressed Rachel into it-and the man took her pulse and temperature. "No time for check in. Get her back into a treatment room, stat."

The nurse behind the desk said, "Can you give us information on the patient, sir?"

"Nope, not now."

"Im sorry, but you-" The words. .h.i.t his retreating back.

He heard Jimmy say, "Im Captain Cranston of the NYPD. I have Ms. Scotts information."

Rachel was installed in room six, which housed a bed, nightstand and a straight chair. One of the women ordered saline and cooling blankets, and the other went to fetch them. "What happened?" she asked as they waited and she wiped Rachels face with a cloth.

"Shes been sick for three days. Vomiting and fever."

"Her temperature is 105. Why didnt you bring her in sooner, sir?"

"Im... I just..." The saline arrived before he could finish, and while they hooked her up and covered her, Dylan had time to formulate an answer. If he said he was a friend, theyd make him leave. So he lied to the medical personnel. "I was out of town and just got back. When I spoke with her on the phone, she said she wasnt sick enough for a hospital."

The nurses face was stern when she turned to him. "Well, shes a very sick woman."

A spurt of fear turned into panic as he watched them work on Rachel.

Rachel awoke slowly. Her body ached all over. But the jackhammers that had been going off in her head were muted now, as if they were tired. Like her. Fatigue filled her and when she tried to move, she realized she was too weak to even turn to her side.

"Hey, there, sleepyhead." Dylan ONeils s.e.xy drawl. She must be dreaming of him.

Slowly, she lifted her lids. There he sat, on the chair, in... Where was she? She scanned her surroundings, sniffed. "Im in a hospital?"