Barely Forgotten by Black Molly

Author:Black, Molly [Black, Molly]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths
ISBN: 9781094396545
Google: E3TuEAAAQBAJ
Amazon: B0CS54JGHB
Goodreads: 205219705
Publisher: Unknown
Published: 2024-01-01T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The flashing red and blue lights of a police cruiser cast an uneasy glow over the hospital's emergency room entrance as Tessa and Jake arrived with Benjamin Hargrave in tow. Tessa, gripping Benjamin Hargrave's good arm more gently than she might have under other circumstances, could feel him wincing with each jolt his body took from the hurried pace as they exited the car.

“I know what…I know what you think I did and it’s crazy,” Hargrave was saying. “You think I killed her. You think…”

But the pain in his arm was causing him to stop himself short. It was an odd situation for Tessa; having never experienced such pain (or any, really, for that matter) she always got the feeling that people like Hargrave were being over-dramatic. But the look on his face, the redness of his cheeks and the waxy pallor to his skin, made her think he was truly in horrendous pain.

The sterile scent of antiseptic hung heavily in the air as the trio stepped through the automatic doors of the emergency room. The linoleum floor was a glaring white, reflecting the bright fluorescent lights above. The hospital's corridors were quiet and relative calm, given that it wasn’t yet 7:00 in the morning.

Tessa’s gaze locked onto the uniformed officer who stood near the entrance. He nodded grimly as she approached him. He looked to be near retirement age, the blue uniform making his hair appear a little whiter than it actually was. The name tag on his left breast red REYNOLDS.

"Agents," Reynolds said, stepping forward to assist as they ushered in Benjamin Hargrave. He looked even worse off under the glaring fluorescents, almost like a wax statue. "We've already got a room for him and a doctor on standby."

“Oh,” Jake said, clearly surprised. “That must have been Lawson, calling ahead.”

"Yes, that's right," Reynolds said. "Special Agent in charge, Lawson. She sounded quite abrupt and wanted to make sure everything was ready for you when you arrived."

“Well, lead the way, then,” Jake said, gesturing him forward.

They moved swiftly, Reynolds leading them beyond the check-in desk and helping them avoid the red tape. The staff, recognizing the intensity in their eyes and the silent language of law enforcement, wasted no time. A young doctor, his scrubs a splash of green amidst the white, approached them almost immediately.

"I’m Dr. Pearson,” he said. His eyes took in the sight of Hargrave’s arm right away. He did his best to hide the wince that came to his mouth, but Tessa saw it. “I’m no X-ray machine, but I’m all but certain that’s broken. But let’s have a look.”

“And you’ll let us know the moment you’re done, correct?” Tessa said.

“Absolutely.”

Tessa watched as Hargrave was whisked off to an examination room, flanked by medical personnel who operated with practiced precision. Reynolds, seeming to understand that his role was over, nodded politely to them both and headed back down the hallway.

Left in the hallway by themselves for a moment, Jake looked to Tessa and sighed. “Initial thoughts?”

“Well, he certainly ran as if his life depended on it.

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