Read Online Sealed In by Jacqueline Druga - Free Book Online Page A

bourbon they packed.
    The both did a double shot before heading to the concert hall.
    The venue was so packed they had to park three blocks away. It was cold, and Heather could barely walk by the time they made it to the venue property.
    Things were worse there. So many people headed toward the doors that they were packed in like sardines. Pushed and shoved, pushed and shoved. Heather tried to tell Roman she was getting worse, but he looked as if he were in a fog as well.
    Finally, after her head spun, a wave of nausea hit Heather, and she broke free of the pack of people just far enough away to vomit.
    Her body shook and heaved, and people groaned out, shouted, and laughed.
    Knees buckling, Heather dropped to the sidewalk. Roman hurried to her.
    She looked up to him. “I think I have food poisoning.”
    “Me, too, I’m really sick,” he said. “I think we should go back to the hotel.”
    Heather nodded, tried to stand, and fell back down.
    “Hey!” a man yelled. “Get your drunk ass girlfriend out of here!”
    “She’s not drunk, she’s sick.” Roman grabbed hold of her arm. “She’s sick.”
    Heather knew the walk to the truck would seem enormous. But she knew once she got there, it wouldn’t be long before she got to the hotel and went straight to bed.
    That was all Heather could think about.
    Sleep.
     
    <><><><>
     
    Val called Roman nine times. Not once did he answer.
    He hadn’t left his office since he discovered the trunk had been opened. He physically was sweating it out, praying with everything he had that Roman was spared.
    He knew what was released.
    He even called Vivian.
    “Do you remember, Vivian, if Roman was in the basement?”
    “Is everything okay?” she asked.
    “Yes, yes, I just want to make sure it was Roman and not someone else.”
    “I promised him I wouldn’t tell you, but yeah, they were. They …” she paused to sneeze.
    The sound of her sneeze went through Val like a bullet. “Are you okay?”
    “I’m fine, just coming down with a cold.”
    After a small hesitation, he told her to take care and again he thanked her. No sooner did Val hang up, he sunk his face into his hands. Vivian was at the office all day, the basement door open, the draft blowing from below. Not just Vivian but all the patients who came into the office after three. The waiting room was packed.
    “Oh God.” Val closed his eyes. He tried Roman once more. No answer. Then Val knew what he had to do.
     
    <><><><>
     
    While it wasn’t even nine PM, Sheriff Lawrence Meadows was getting ready for bed. After all, he had to be at work at five AM . He had a night cap, packed his lunch for the next day, and was in the middle of turning off the lights when the steady knocking started at his door.
    His immediate thought was that there was an emergency at the station, but if there was, surely someone would have called.
    His Ty-Bow flannel was open around his tee shirt, and the man of fifty, in decent shape, walked to the door. “Doc.”
    Val took off his hat, and hurriedly stepped inside. “We have a problem, Larry.”
    His insides shook. Without knowing specifics, without hearing what the problem was, the sheriff was pretty certain he knew what the doctor referred to. Almost as if he waited thirty-five years for the knock at the door.
    He knew the day was coming, he just hoped it wasn’t in his lifetime.
    Larry shut the door. “What … what is the problem?”
    Val only turned and faced him. His expression said it all.
    “Jesus,” Larry gasped out. “When?”
    “It had to be while I was making rounds. Between one and three this afternoon.”
    “Oh my God.” Larry swiped his hand down his face, walked to the fireplace mantel, and grabbed his bottle. He poured a drink.
    “This day … we hoped would never come.”
    “We knew it would.” Larry downed his drink and poured another. “Who?”
    “Roman.”
    Larry closed his eyes. “Maybe he won’t get sick. You said, I remember years ago, that in a few