Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Yeah. That’s what probably happened.
As I went farther with no sign of her car, I started to feel a little relieved.
Until I rounded a corner and saw a shitload of lights flashing up ahead.
My heart raced. I stepped on the gas, even though I couldn’t see more than twenty feet ahead of me. Something was definitely going on up there. Even through the fog, I could see there were more than a dozen lights flashing at different heights—lights like when both the cops and the fire department respond to an accident.
“It’s not her.”
“It’s definitely not her.” I started to talk to myself. Be reasonable.
“She’s probably stuck behind all of that.”
“Some dumbass was speeding in the fog and crossed over the yellow line.”
“Damn…there are a lot of rescue vehicles.”
Approaching the parade of lights, I slowed when I saw reflectors and what looked to be a safety wand waving up ahead. A cop stood in the road wearing raingear, so I pulled up to speak to him. A firetruck blocked a better view of what was going on.
He leaned over to speak as I rolled down my window. “Accident up ahead. Road’s gonna be closed for the next hour or two until we can get things cleaned up and a tow out here.”
“My girlfriend was supposed to be at my house an hour ago, and she’s not answering her cell. Do you know what kind of cars were involved? Is anyone hurt?”
The officer frowned. “Only one car. Driver was just taken by ambulance to County Hospital. It was a woman. What’s your girlfriend’s name?”
“Ireland Saint James.”
The officer stood and lifted a walkie talkie to his mouth. “This is Connors. You got a name on the woman they just put in the bus?”
My heart thumped, waiting for the answer.
Eventually a burst of static came through and then a voice. “Victim was that lady from the news—Ireland Richardson.”
I felt sick. “Is she okay?”
The cop leaned down and shined his light into my car. He was probably looking at a ghost, because I felt all my color drain. His eyes darted over my face, and he frowned again. “Not supposed to give out any information on victims. But I don’t want you getting into an accident doing a hundred miles an hour with this fog. She was banged up, but talking.” He nodded. “I wouldn’t think anything worse than stitches and maybe a broken bone or two.”
I blew out a deep breath. “Thank you. Can I turn around here?”
The officer rapped his knuckles on the hood of my car. “Sure thing. Be careful driving. Fog is dangerous.”
***
“Sir, I told you five minutes ago that I’d let you go back as soon as the doctors are done examining her.”
“A guy just walked in and went right back.”
The nurse at the registration desk shook her head. “He works here. Please take a seat, and I’ll call you as soon as you can go back.”
Whatever.
I took a seat and rested my head in my hands with my elbows on my knees. Who did they call for Ireland in an emergency? Her father’s in prison, mother was long gone, and her only aunt moved down to Florida. What if she needs surgery? Who would make that decision? I should’ve gotten Mia’s cell phone number for emergencies. Maybe she was her designated contact.
I lasted about three minutes sitting before I got up to pace again. I made sure to stay in the nurse’s line of view so she wouldn’t forget about me. When our eyes caught, she let out an exaggerated sigh and shook her head before looking away. I didn’t give a shit if I pissed her off. I only cared that she didn’t forget I was here.
About a half hour after I’d walked in, another nurse opened the door. “Family of Ireland Saint James.”
I walked to the door, and the woman looked at me. “You’re a family member?”
I didn’t even have to think about lying. “Yes.”
“And you’re her…”
I thought they might have asked her marital status when she came in, and I didn’t want to contradict her. “Brother. I’m her brother.”
The nurse nodded and opened the door wide for me to come into the back. “Right this way. She’s in bed four. The doctors just finished examining her.”
I followed her to a corner of the large, open room, and the nurse pulled the closed curtain open. “Ms. Saint James, your brother is here to see you.”
Ireland’s face was confused for a half a second, and then she smiled and nodded. She had a bandage on the side of her head and looked pale. But she was in one piece.
I went to her side, took her hand, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Jesus Christ. You scared the shit out of me. What happened? Does anything hurt? Are you okay?”