Page 65

“Fuck!” Austin jumps out of the vehicle with me. We both run over to the car, but Austin holds me back for a moment. “I’m gonna need you to stay in control, Hawthorne. Focus on the scene and let Rescue get her out and over to the hospital. Got it?” I mindlessly nod. All I can do is try to keep myself from screaming her name.
Collecting myself, I walk up to the tangled, metal mess.
“Kat! Kat! Baby, can you hear me? She’s unconscious, Hardwick.” I look over at her and survey her injuries before calling out to Austin, “She’s got cuts everywhere. Kat’s really pale. Shit, they won’t be able to get to her from the driver’s side door.”
“EMS is one minute out. The front passenger side’s fucked up too. Damnit.”
“They’re going to need to use the hydraulics to get her out. The dash’s pushed in. They may need to take the whole top of the car off. Let them know!” I yell back.
“Officer?” a man calls from behind me.
“I need you to move back, sir.” Pointing to the sidewalk, I lead him there.
“Wait! She was saying something before she passed out.”
I stop dead in my tracks. “So, you talked to her? Did you see what happened?”
“Yes. My car’s stopped over there.” He starts pointing, but I interrupt him.
“Okay, don’t go anywhere. We’ll want to get your statement. Got it? Just go sit down over there out of traffic.”
He nods and then adds, “She was calling for her husband or boyfriend. Bryce or Brian or something. She kept calling his name out.”
I thank him, but chills are running down my spine. Then, I turn back to Austin, who’s trying to clear the scene of onlookers. I run back up to the car and look in.
My throat is dry and my hands are shaking. I cut the side window air bag out of the way. She looks even more pale than before.
“I’m right here, baby. No way am I leaving your side. EMS is almost here, so just hang on, okay? I love you, Kat. Just hang on for me, please.” My voice catches, and I step back, still shocked. I turn to Austin. “Where the fuck is EMS?” After I scream that out, I see them pulling up. “Get them to block off the road here and the one over there. We need to secure this area so they can work.”
Austin nods and directs them on where to go. I radio in that we need more units to re-direct traffic and get these cars out of here.
“That’s Hawthorne’s girl. Get her the fuck out and get her to the Metro Medical as fast as you can!” Austin points to me as he lets them know. “The driver in the other vehicle is sitting there. You’ll need to look at him too. He’ll need transport and bloodwork done as well. I smell alcohol on his breath. He’s a little torn up.”
Waving them off, Austin walks over to me.
“Come on, man. Let’s move so they can work,” Austin places a hand on my chest and helps push me back. He leads me a little ways away so they can start cutting apart the car to get her free.
“Fuck, Hardwick. I can’t lose her. Fuck.” I can barely even speak. Tears are burning my eyes, though I try to hold them back. “She’s so pale, so still.”
He gives me a concerned look, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Hawthorn, you need to sit. You’re going to pass out. You look as white as a ghost right now.”
I shake my head at him. “Absolutely not. I need to go with her. Her parents—I need to call her parents. Vicki, too.”
“Don’t worry about Vicki; I’ll call her. Right now, you need to worry about yourself. You are no good to her if you’re a mess. Call her parents once we get her out, then you can let them know she is going to Metro. Don’t worry about work; I’ll let Sargent know. We’re all here for you both. You know that.”
“The guy over there, in the Cubs jersey. He knows what happened.” I run my hand through my hair. “Fuck. She needs to be ok. I can’t lose her, man. I just got her back.” Running my hands over my face, I feel the wetness on my cheeks. I don’t even realize that I’m crying until I feel it.
“Hawthorne, focus on what needs to happen right now. Let everyone do their job to save her. Look, they almost have her out. Get on the phone and call her parents.”
Pulling out my phone, I take a deep shuddering breath and call Liz.
“Hi, Bryce! How are you doing?” Fuck, I’m about to break her heart.
“Liz, I need you to sit down and listen to me for a moment.” Last thing I need is for her to fall or faint.
“I’m sitting already. Bryce, what is going on? You have me a little scared. Is Katrina ok?” Liz’s voice is shaky.
“I’m sorry, Liz.” I pause and take a deep breath. My stomach in knots, knowing the news I have to break to her about her daughter. “Kat’s been in an accident. They are taking her to Metro Medical.” My hands are trembling.