Chapter !!
Chapter 9
If my time. It came with a headache and didn’t solve
I remembered why I hadn’t cried in five years, tears were a waste of anything. I rolled my eyes at myself for even crying at all
1 started the vehicle, leaning over the seat to pick up the nose mask that was always in my case. With my shades, these could help conceal my identity.
“Which hospitals are closest to the Caravan event center?“Laskeil.
“There are a lot,” the automated voice in the car responded, but I’ve narrowed it down to two within a mile radius.
1 inputted the address into the GPS and hit the accelerator.
1 parked in front of the first hospital. The rain didn’t seem like it would be stopping any time soon.
I reached for the green umbrella in the trunk, shipping my glasses and the nose mask on.
Stepping out of the vehicle. I felt a small wave of panic. If someone really was out here looking to kill me, then I was letting myself fall right into their den.
I swallowed a growing lump, taking rushed steps towards the hospital entrance.
“Excuse me?” I called the nearest nurse I could find. I scrunched my nose, hating the smell of the hospital, “was anyone rushed here in an emergency?”
“We get a lot of emergencies daily,” she said the obvious like I was the dumbest thing ever.
I looked around me, people were running around in a haste, others waiting to here news.
“If you’ll excuse me,” the nurse turned to leave but I hurried to stop her with a hold of her arm.
“Specifically Neil Devon?” The hesitation in my voice made me realize how terrified I was of finding out what his fate was.
My phone vibrated in my purse that I’d clutched over my shoulder. I flinched, before getting it. It was a call from Max. 1 knew what he was going to say and hung up as quickly as I could.
Almost immediately, he texted me.
Leah what on earth are you doing? Where are you?!”
I bit on my lower lip before shutting my phone off. I needed to know about Neil, and now.
“No, no we didn’t, the nurse said, drawing my attention back to her. I pressed my lips into a thin line to hide my disappointment.
“Thank you,” I turned around on my heels so I could get out of there as quickly as i could.
My grip tightened round the umbrella handle, ‘Neil where are you?” I asked, heading to my car to try the second location.
As I got closer, the thought that it would be harder to find him made my chest tighten a little.
Max would never let me hear the end of it but I had to, “I just need to know that he survived that’s all.”
“Excuse me?” I went straight to the receptionist this time, “there was a shooting at a funeral today I need to know if the victim was brought here.” I held my voice as I waited for her response.
She stared at me with suspicion before proceeding to flip the pages in her hands, “and what’s your relationship with the
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21:19 Sat, 8 Mar G
Chapter 9
patient?”
My fingers that had been drumming against the counter impatiently, stopped. I looked at her blankly.
“Hm
She repeated her question.
I paused to think, what would I say? Surely they wouldn’t be giving out his information to randoms.
1 cleared my throat and straightened up, he’s my husband”
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The words felt bitter in my mouth. I never thought I’d say those words again. I didn’t have time to think about my lie as she asked again
“And his name?”
“Neil.” I felt hope, that must mean something, “Neil Devon.”
As she scanned through the list of patients I couldn’t breathe. I needed her to assure me.
“We haven’t received a name like that, I’m sorry,” she finally said, causing me to almost lose my balance.
I wasted no time in taking my leave, ‘this is going to be harder than I thought, I groaned, walking to the hospital’s parking
lol.
The only person with the connections that to trace Neil’s location was Max and I knew he would never do it
“Did they take him to a private villa?” I found myself asking, “that would make sense, Neil isn’t just anybody after all.”
That’s when the thought crossed my mind. What if he never made it to the hospital because he was dead by the time the paramedics arrived.
I paused in my tracks, reaching into my purse to dial Max, I had no other choice. The rain was starting to seem like it would never end and I was running out of time. He could track Neil down and let me know.
I was mid way through turning my phone on when I heard it.
Sobbing sounds.
I turned my head in the direction and found Ella standing with her back to me, her phone pressed to her ears, “I just sent the address to you… Yes, he’s in the third VIP ward…“
I held my breath as I listened in.
Ella was here, that could only mean Neil was too.
“Okay, I’ll come get you,” I heard her say before her footsteps receded.
I didn’t waste any time before heading back into the hospital. My head was lowered as I tried to find the VIP ward. Was the nurse lying? Were they trying to protect his identity?
All those questions left my head the moment I saw him lying there on that bed with all sorts of tubes connected to him.
My face was blank, I didn’t know what emotion to express. Slowly I walked into the room, standing next to his bed.
I stared down at his unconscious body, and the slow rise and fall of his chest.
It seemed he’d undergone surgery. My fingers trailed to his hair and I moved the stray strands out of his face. “you fool, you
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Chapter
should have done this all those years ago, saving me, it’s too late now,” I scoffed the words.
“He’s in here, mother. I heard Ella’s voice and her rapidly approaching footsteps.
My eyes widened and I wasted no time in turning around to leave
My steps were halted as Neil’s hand caught my wrist in a sharp motion. I turned my head to him, my eyebrows pulling, together
Slowly, he managed to mutter the words, “Don’t… Don’t got
