Page 60 of Healed Heart

“Can you give me his number?”

“Sure,” Ralph says.He reads off a series of numbers, and I jot them down.

“Thanks for your help,” I say.

“You’re welcome.And Jason?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m truly sorry about Lindsay and your daughter,” he says, his voice full of sincerity and regret.“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“Me too,” I say before ending the call.

I stare at the number written on the notepad.Another lead to follow, another name to chase.The path to the truth is paved with painful memories and grim discoveries, but I have to keep moving.I have to find out what really happened to Lindsay.

I dial Steve’s number with steel in my veins.The phone rings once, twice, three times, and then a rough voice answers.

“Hello?”

“Steve Chapman?”I ask, my voice steadier than I feel.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Uh…no.I’m not.Is Steve there?I got this number from an old classmate of his.”

“Your classmate doesn’t keep up to date.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is Steve’s brother Tom.Steve’s dead.”

ChapterTwenty-Three

Angie

Visiting Ralph Normandy isn’t the way I wanted to spend my afternoon, but I have a strange feeling that I’m meant to be here.That it will affect Jason.

Yeah, Ralph’s a dick.He tried to blackmail me into sleeping with him, and he went whining to HR about Jason and me.Sure, he did it anonymously, but still.

Is there anything good in him to see?

I mean, he’s going to medical school, right?He wants to be a surgeon.A healer.

That’s worthy of respect, isn’t it?

Normally the answer would be a resounding yes, but this is Ralph.

Tabitha comes with me, but Eli chooses not to.He won’t cut class for Ralph, and I can’t blame him.I have enough guilt eating at me from doing that myself.

I’ve cut two classes in two days.My first semester, I didn’t cut any classes, even when I had that terrible cold.I dosed myself up with cold meds, wore a mask, and sat in class taking copious notes on my iPad.

“Here we are,” Tabitha says when we reach Ralph’s room.

I peek inside.Ralph is lying in bed while a nurse checks his vitals.

We wait outside the room until the nurse leaves.

“Come with me,” I say.