bruised. Two of them are broken.” My scalp prickled as I thought of her tiny, delicate frame.
“Let’s see, she had some bleeding behind her left eye, but we were able to drain it, so there shouldn’t be any worry there. This guy pumped her full of Valium, and we’re flushing it out now. She ran a fever from an infection in a cut on her wrist, which we treated with antibiotics. Her legs are also badly bruised, and she has stitches on her leg and stomach.”
He stopped when he caught my expression and put his hand on my shoulder. “I know all this sounds bad, but considering what she has been through…” He paused. “Well, just be thankful you got her back in one piece. She’s a lucky girl.”
“Can I see her?” I asked quietly as I tried to absorb the information. My stomach was in knots. I just needed to see her.
The doctor hesitated. “You can, but she’s on a lot of medication, so she won’t wake up for a while. Just remember, she’s going to heal.” I followed the doctor down a hallway to Emily’s room. A security guard acknowledged us politely and stepped out of the way of the door.
I took a deep breath and stepped into the room.
Oh my God.
My heart dropped into my stomach. Emily had bandages everywhere. Her face was swollen and discolored, and a rainbow of bruises covered what was visible of her skin. An IV was hooked up to her arm.
I moved over to her side and sat on a pea-green vinyl chair. I leaned over gently and touched her hand. She felt warm. Too warm. Everything came at me at once. Us in bed, me leaving, her on video, now she was here like this. “I’m so sorry, baby.” I bent my head to hide the tears.
***
“Seth,” Garrett said as he shook my shoulder. My eyes popped open. I reached for Emily’s hand and searched her face with desperation. Please wake up.
“She’s all right. Here.” Garrett handed me a cup of coffee.
“What time is it?” I asked and took a sip.
“9:45 a.m. I finally convinced them to let me come in. I told them I had some new information about the case. The badge helped.”
“Is there any new information?”
Garrett pulled up a seat. “They searched the cabin. Of course, it was abandoned and pretty much cleaned out. But he did leave behind some photographs, clothes…and two bodies.”
“What?” I was suddenly very awake.
“Yeah, bones, really, of what looks to be a female, maybe early twenties. The coroner thinks she may have been in the ground for about five years. One of the dogs started digging in the yard out back, and sure enough.”
I let out a long sigh and shook off the thought that it could have been Emily. “And the other?”
Garrett hesitated as he took a sip of his coffee. “Jennifer Steeves.” Garrett held up his phone to show me the picture of her.
“She looks nothing like Emily. She has black hair. Doesn’t seem to fit his MO.”
“Yeah, I know. She was an art student.”
“Art student?” Suddenly I put it together. “She was the girl who sketched Lasko?”
Garrett nodded. “Poor thing had no clue she drew a killer. Looks to be a shot to the head at close range.”
I rubbed my face. “This is getting way out of hand. This needs to end.” I gently squeezed Emily’s hand. “God, it’s been a long six days.”
“Look, Seth, I caught the nurse coming out of the room, and she said Emily won’t be up for a few hours. Go home and take a shower. I’ll call you if anything changes.”
I rubbed my face again and fought to keep my eyes open. A shower would feel nice, and some clean clothes for both me and Emily did sound like a good idea. “If anything…”
“You have my word,” Garrett cut me off.
I leaned over and kissed Emily’s forehead. “Be back soon, baby.” I patted Garrett’s shoulder as I left. “Thanks, man.”
I glanced back to see Garrett had pulled out his laptop and hunkered down to work.
***
Emily
An annoying sound pulled me out of a deep sleep. I moved my tongue around my
“Let’s see, she had some bleeding behind her left eye, but we were able to drain it, so there shouldn’t be any worry there. This guy pumped her full of Valium, and we’re flushing it out now. She ran a fever from an infection in a cut on her wrist, which we treated with antibiotics. Her legs are also badly bruised, and she has stitches on her leg and stomach.”
He stopped when he caught my expression and put his hand on my shoulder. “I know all this sounds bad, but considering what she has been through…” He paused. “Well, just be thankful you got her back in one piece. She’s a lucky girl.”
“Can I see her?” I asked quietly as I tried to absorb the information. My stomach was in knots. I just needed to see her.
The doctor hesitated. “You can, but she’s on a lot of medication, so she won’t wake up for a while. Just remember, she’s going to heal.” I followed the doctor down a hallway to Emily’s room. A security guard acknowledged us politely and stepped out of the way of the door.
I took a deep breath and stepped into the room.
Oh my God.
My heart dropped into my stomach. Emily had bandages everywhere. Her face was swollen and discolored, and a rainbow of bruises covered what was visible of her skin. An IV was hooked up to her arm.
I moved over to her side and sat on a pea-green vinyl chair. I leaned over gently and touched her hand. She felt warm. Too warm. Everything came at me at once. Us in bed, me leaving, her on video, now she was here like this. “I’m so sorry, baby.” I bent my head to hide the tears.
***
“Seth,” Garrett said as he shook my shoulder. My eyes popped open. I reached for Emily’s hand and searched her face with desperation. Please wake up.
“She’s all right. Here.” Garrett handed me a cup of coffee.
“What time is it?” I asked and took a sip.
“9:45 a.m. I finally convinced them to let me come in. I told them I had some new information about the case. The badge helped.”
“Is there any new information?”
Garrett pulled up a seat. “They searched the cabin. Of course, it was abandoned and pretty much cleaned out. But he did leave behind some photographs, clothes…and two bodies.”
“What?” I was suddenly very awake.
“Yeah, bones, really, of what looks to be a female, maybe early twenties. The coroner thinks she may have been in the ground for about five years. One of the dogs started digging in the yard out back, and sure enough.”
I let out a long sigh and shook off the thought that it could have been Emily. “And the other?”
Garrett hesitated as he took a sip of his coffee. “Jennifer Steeves.” Garrett held up his phone to show me the picture of her.
“She looks nothing like Emily. She has black hair. Doesn’t seem to fit his MO.”
“Yeah, I know. She was an art student.”
“Art student?” Suddenly I put it together. “She was the girl who sketched Lasko?”
Garrett nodded. “Poor thing had no clue she drew a killer. Looks to be a shot to the head at close range.”
I rubbed my face. “This is getting way out of hand. This needs to end.” I gently squeezed Emily’s hand. “God, it’s been a long six days.”
“Look, Seth, I caught the nurse coming out of the room, and she said Emily won’t be up for a few hours. Go home and take a shower. I’ll call you if anything changes.”
I rubbed my face again and fought to keep my eyes open. A shower would feel nice, and some clean clothes for both me and Emily did sound like a good idea. “If anything…”
“You have my word,” Garrett cut me off.
I leaned over and kissed Emily’s forehead. “Be back soon, baby.” I patted Garrett’s shoulder as I left. “Thanks, man.”
I glanced back to see Garrett had pulled out his laptop and hunkered down to work.
***
Emily
An annoying sound pulled me out of a deep sleep. I moved my tongue around my
Similar Books
