Page 36

At the ER, Stone and Tamlyn were separated into different rooms.

Within minutes, a young woman in a doctor’s coat and a middle-aged male nurse entered the one Stone was in.

After they introduced themselves, the doctor said, “Please remove your shirt and pants.”

Stone complied.

The woman gave him a thorough visual examination, then touched his upper chest where the seat belt had draped across him.

He winced.

“You’re going to have a nice bruise there soon,” she said.

“Probably will cover most of your chest.”

“That’ll be attractive,” he said.

“Only if you’re into that kind of thing,” she said, obviously having taken his comment seriously.

“I’m not.”

“Oh, you were trying to be funny.”

“With an emphasis on trying , apparently,” he said.

She nodded without smiling and moved around the examination table so she could see his back.

After she finished there, she said, “You can get dressed.”

He did so as she wrote something on a tablet.

“Are you on any medication?” she asked.

“No.”

“I’ll write you a prescription for extra-strength ibuprofen. Only use it if you really feel it’s necessary.”

“Thank you, Doctor. Can I ask a question?”

She looked at him expectantly.

“There was someone else in the accident with us, named Fred Flicker. He was brought here before we arrived. Do you know how he’s doing?”

“No clue,” she said.

“I just started my shift.”

“He was taken straight into surgery,” the nurse said.

“But that’s all I know.”

“Thank you.”

Stone’s prescription was brought to him a few minutes later, along with several forms he needed to sign.

He was scrawling his name on the last page when Dino poked his head into the room.

“There you are.”

“Here I am.”

“Are you free or are they keeping you overnight?”

Stone crossed the t in Barrington and laid the pen on top of the papers.

“Now I’m free.”

He exited the room.

“Have you seen Tamlyn?”

Before Dino could answer, a nearby examining room door opened, and Tamlyn stepped through.

“Yes, I have,” Dino said.

“She’s right there.”

“How did it go?” Stone asked her.

“Clean bill of health. Though I’ve been told I might be sore tomorrow. You?”

“My seat belt left a few marks, but nothing time won’t erase.”

“Any word on Fred?” she asked.

“I was told he’s in surgery, but nothing more.”

“He is,” Dino said.

“I’ll show you the way.”

He escorted them to a waiting room near the surgery unit.

Joan and Helene were there.

When Helene saw Stone, she jumped up and hurried to him.

Her face was damp and her eyes red.

She tried to say something, but it was lost in a sob.

Stone wrapped his arms around her, triggering an ache that reminded him about the contusion on his chest.

When Helene finished crying, she took a step back.

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. It’s just…”

“I would have done the same if I were you.”

Joan joined them and scanned Stone up and down.

“You look none the worse for wear.”

“Thanks, I think.”

She turned to Tamlyn and held out her hand.

“I’m Joan, Stone’s executive assistant. We’ve talked on the phone a few times.”

“I recognize your voice,” Tamlyn said, taking her hand.

“Happy to meet you in person, though the circumstances aren’t ideal.”

“I’ll say. How are you feeling?”

“A little off-kilter, but I should be fine.”

“Has there been any word from surgery?” Stone asked.

“Not yet,” Joan said.

“How did this happen?” Helene asked.

“Fred is normally an excellent driver.”

“He still is,” Tamlyn said.

“Though I’d rated him as extraordinary, especially after what he did tonight.”

Stone nodded.

“If it wasn’t for his quick action, I doubt any of us would have survived.”

Helene put a hand over her mouth, frightened by the possibility.

“You should be very proud of him,” Stone said.

A doctor in scrubs entered the room and removed his mask.

“Are any of you here for Fred Flicker?”

“We all are,” Stone said.

He motioned to Helene.

“She’s his wife.”

“Is he out of surgery?” Helene asked.

“He’s being closed up now, so should be out soon.”

“Will he be all right?”

“With a bit of recovery time, he’ll be right as rain. He had a few minor lacerations that needed to be dealt with. He also has two cracked ribs and a badly sprained right ankle. His mobility will be restricted for a bit.”

“Nothing life-threatening?”

“No. In another month or two, he should be fully healed.”

“Oh, thank God.” Helene’s body sagged as the tension she’d been holding on to dissipated.

Joan put a steadying arm around her.

“Here, why don’t you sit.” She guided Helene back to the chair she’d been using.

“How long do you think he’ll need to stay in the hospital?” Stone asked.

“A few days at least,” the doctor said.

“Whatever he needs to get better,” Helene said.

The doctor smiled.

“A nurse will let you know when he’s been taken to recovery.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Stone said.

After he left, Stone, Tamlyn, and Dino went out into the hall where they could talk without disturbing Helene.

Stone and Tamlyn gave Dino their versions of what happened.

“That aligns with what witnesses have described,” Dino said.

“Were either of you able to get a look at the driver?”

“I was a bit preoccupied watching my life flash before my eyes,” Stone replied.

“I did,” Tamlyn said.

“But it was too dark to make out much of anything. He was a guy, maybe middle-aged, but I could be wrong about that last part.”

“There must be CCTV cameras in the area,” Stone said.

“Someone’s checking them now,” Dino said.

“Which reminds me, we found the truck.”

“You did?”

“The driver abandoned it four blocks away.”

“He must have been in a hurry to get away,” Tamlyn said.

“That and he knew what he was doing. He stopped right in a CCTV blind spot and got lost before my people could track him down.”

“I guess that eliminates any lingering doubts about whether the truck hit us on purpose or not,” Stone said.

“He was definitely gunning for you,” Dino said.

“What I’d like to know is why.”

“You and me both.”

“Count me in on that,” Tamlyn said.

“I was thinking the guy who followed us last week might be connected to tonight. Stone, what do you think?”

“Someone followed you last week?” Dino asked.

Stone told him about the previous week’s encounter, then said, “Fred thinks the drivers weren’t the same.”

“I’m missing something,” Dino said.

“The garbage truck followed you and then tried to run you down?”

“No. Someone followed us from Clarke’s, then stopped right before the intersection where we were hit.”

“You didn’t mention that part before.”

“We didn’t?” Stone asked.

“I would have remembered.”

“My guess is he was relaying our position to the truck driver.”

“Perhaps you can find CCTV footage of him,” Tamlyn suggested.

“I’ll pass it on to the detectives,” Dino said.

“Do you know what kind of car he was in?”

“I didn’t see it.”

Stone shook his head.

“Me, neither. Only Fred saw it.”

A surgical nurse walked past them just then and into the waiting room.

They got up and followed her.

“Mrs. Flicker?” she said.

Helene stood up.

“Yes?”

“Your husband’s in recovery. He’ll be unconscious for a while, but if you’d like, I can take you down so you can see him.”

“Thank you,” Helene said.

“The rest of you can continue to wait here, if you’d like,” the nurse said.

“But he probably won’t be up for having any visitors until tomorrow.”

She left with Helene.

“I’m going to go check with the detectives,” Dino said.

“See if they’ve come up with anything new.”

“I’ll stay,” Stone said.

“I don’t want to leave Helene alone.”

“ I’ll stay,” Joan countered.

“You and Tamlyn go home and rest.”