by J. G. Sumner
“I don’t know yet. He seems to be doing better, but he’s still really sick. Now please, just go.”
“Fine. I’ll leave. But I want to know if anything happens to him. Here’s my card. Call me.”
Rebecca glanced at the card. “You run a used-car dealership?”
“I do a lot of things. Now you better call me when you find out what’s going to happen to him. Got it?”
“Why? Why after all this time do you need to see him? What do you want with him?”
“Life hasn’t been easy for me. I went to jail for a while. Now I’ve got a chance to start over. I met somebody. We’re starting a family and she doesn’t know about you or Skyler. I want to keep it that way. Do you understand?”
Rebecca nodded, still focusing on the number on the card. It seemed familiar. When she looked up, Tony was gone.
Rebecca walked back into the house, confused as to why Tony would come into their lives now. She and Skyler hadn’t bothered him or asked anything from him ever. Why would Tony think they would track him down and interrupt his life now? And if he was so concerned about Skyler, why wouldn’t he ask to see him in the hospital? The entire thing was strange and it didn’t make sense.
Well at least that explains why I didn’t get child support for a few years. I wonder what Tony did to land him in jail?
Rebecca tried to shake it off before grabbing Skyler’s things and heading back to the hospital.
When she arrived at Skyler’s room, the curtain was pulled and the lights off. She looked around and found Jamie at the nurses’ station desk.
“What’s going on in Skyler’s room?”
“They’re doing the EEG. It usually takes about forty-five minutes. You can go in there but you have to be very quiet. We don’t want anything to alter the test.”
“I have some calls to make. How about I go sit on the patio outside the cafeteria? I’ll come back in a bit to see if they’re finished.”
“Okay. If I need anything, I know where to find you.”
Rebecca started to leave but turned around. “Did Skyler wake up or do anything while I was gone?”
Jamie shook her head. “He hasn’t really done anything since you left.”
“Okay.” She knew what the answer would be before Jamie said it. But she had hoped there would be a different one.
***
Laney
Laney finished her shopping in a relatively short amount of time. She found the last bottle of the chardonnay at the beverage store. The bottle was forty-five dollars, but she was assured by the clerk that it was good, and they were flying off the shelves almost as quickly as they were getting them in. Since she had liked the wine when she had it, she felt good about her purchase.
When Laney got home, she placed the wine in the refrigerator to chill. She finished unpacking her groceries, and looked up at the clock. Two-fifteen. Dinner is supposed to be at six. Josh is always early. So I have about three hours.
She read through the recipe and decided to cut up all of the necessary ingredients for dinner. That way, when she was ready, she wouldn’t have to spend as much time chopping things up. Instead, she could focus on Josh and enjoy his company. It took about thirty minutes to get everything prepped, and the dishes cleaned and put away.
She walked around her apartment and began tidying up. Finally, Laney went into her bedroom and cleaned up the clothes she had thrown around and changed the sheets. Josh had never really been past the front door and she wanted to make a good impression when he came in.
She looked at the clock again. Three-thirty. Finally time for a shower. I stink from my run, and I need to shave my legs. She took a quick sniff to her armpit and cringed. Yup, definitely shower time.
***
Rebecca
Rebecca headed up to Skyler’s room. She’d been working for over an hour out on the patio. She still had more to do but she was at a good stopping point.
She went up to the family waiting room and picked up the phone to go back into Skyler’s room. They recognized her voice immediately and unlocked the door so she could go in. As she was entering, Stephen Miller walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped a few inches.
“Oh, hey! You startled me.”
“I’m sorry. That was exactly what I was trying not to do.”
“It’s okay. I was just going to see Skyler. He just had that test done to check his brain function.”
“Is it all right if I come back with you? I have a few things to discuss.”
“Sure.” Rebecca continued walking with Stephen. “How was your interview with Ryan? Did all of your questions get answered?” Skyler’s friend’s interview had escaped her mind until she ran into Stephen.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” They rounded the corner into the unit that led to Skyler’s room.
“Oh?”
“He gave me some information I’m going to have to follow up on. I think you may want to sit down for this.”
She stopped and looked at Stephen. Her breath caught. “What did he do?”
“Let’s go sit down.” Stephen put his arm on her back, trying to guide her into Skyler’s room.
Rebecca didn’t move. “Is it that bad?”
“If my suspicions are correct, it could be.”
“Oh God!” She placed her hand over her mouth. She suddenly felt a need to find Ryan and make him face her.
Instead, she ignored the trembling of her legs and made her way to Skyler’s room. She put her things down next to the chair and kissed his forehead.
“I’m back. I hope you slept well. I love you. I’ll always love you.” She kissed him again, and turned her attention to Stephen.
“Explain what happened.” They both sat down.
“Let me start by saying that Ryan is very remorseful. He feels guilty about what happened to Skyler.”
“Does he have a reason to feel that way?” Rebecca was getting angry now.
“I interviewed him with his lawyer and parents present for about an hour. Long story short, he was with Skyler and the rest of the guys when Curt Dillon, the agent, or sponsor or whatever he is, pulled Ryan aside. He told Ryan that he wanted to put a special piece of equipment on Skyler’s bike to help him perform better during the race. Ryan told him he would have to talk to Skyler because Skyler was the only one who touched his bike. Dillon said he wanted it to be a surprise for Skyler. He told Ryan that when Skyler landed that jump, he was going to offer him the sponsorship, and the new equipment would surely allow Skyler to make that jump.”
“So Ryan somehow got hold of Skyler’s bike and gave it to this Dillon guy?”
“Yes. Skyler apparently always goes to the bathroom right before a race. They all went with him, but Ryan said he would stay back and watch the bikes. That’s when he gave the bike to Dillon.”
“Where did Dillon take it?”
“Ryan doesn’t know. Dillon took the bike and told Ryan to stay put in case Skyler came out of the bathroom. At that point, Ryan wasn’t feeling good about his decision.”
“Surely Skyler figured that out when he came out of the bathroom.”
“Yes, and he was pissed off at Ryan for letting Dillon have it. By the time they found the bike, it was Skyler’s turn to take the track. He didn’t have a chance to check it himself. He just got on and started riding.”
“It sounds like Ryan wasn’t being malicious. He was trying to help Skyler get the sponsorship.”
“That’s how Ryan spins it. However, I need to find this Dillon character and hear his story. If this guy is guilty, he’s going to be charged with attempted murder. If Ryan’s story doesn’t add up the way he says it does, he could be charged with conspiracy to attempted murder.”
“How could Ryan do something like this? I trusted him. He’s always been one of Skyler’s best friends.”
“He swears he didn’t know. He says he was just trying to help, and my gut tells me I should believe him.”
“W
hat about Dillon? When are you going to question him?”
“I tried today. However, when I went by the address for his office, the space was empty. It looks like he left in a hurry. There was nothing inside but some trash and empty boxes. I attempted to call the phone number on the card again today and it was disconnected. Ryan was able to give us a description of Dillon and we are having our sketch artist compose a picture of him. We’ll compare it against our database and see what we can find. I was also going to ask the other boys if they could give a description so we can get as many details as possible.”
“This wasn’t an accident, was it?” She was trying to hold back tears. Stephen took her hands into his.
“I don’t think so. I think someone wanted to intentionally hurt Skyler.”
“But why? Who would want to hurt him?”
“That’s a very good question. I’m hoping to get those answers from the Dillon guy.”
“This is much worse than I thought.” She covered her face with her hands.
“Has Dillon been by since that one time?”
“Not that I know of. You may want to check with the nurses. They would have a better idea.”
“I will. If he hasn’t stopped by, that may be a good sign. He came by when Skyler wasn’t doing well. If he wanted Skyler dead, he may think that Skyler was going in that direction and not feel the need to come back. That said, I want you to call me immediately if you hear from him.”
Rebecca nodded and wiped the tears away. “Yes, I will.” She looked over at Skyler.
Rebecca froze. Skyler was waving his hand by his side.
“Do you see that?” she whispered. Stephen jumped up and walked over to Skyler.
“That doesn’t look like a reflex to me. That looks like he’s waving to get our attention.” She took a deep breath.
“I agree. I think he’s moving his arm on purpose! I’ll go get the nurse.”
Stephen ran out and came back with Jamie.
“Look, he’s waving his hand!”
Jamie watched Skyler move his arm. Not just his hand, but his arm. “I think you’re right. That’s definitely not a reflex.”
Rebecca leaned over Skyler and gave him a hug. “I knew you were in there. I just knew it. Please open your eyes and show everyone else. Come on, Skyler, open your eyes.”
Skyler didn’t. He stopped waving altogether. The small moment of excitement vanished.
Jamie placed an arm around Rebecca’s shoulders. “Baby steps. Remember, baby steps. Maybe next time he’ll open his eyes.”
“You’re right. At least he moved something.”
“We should have the EEG results back by tomorrow morning. That should tell us more. I’m guessing they’ll be good since he’s waving his arm.” Jamie gave her a quick hug. “Don’t worry. We will get him through this.”
Rebecca smiled. “You’re right. God didn’t create the world in one day. We can’t expect Skyler to recover in one day. Baby steps.”
She took a seat next to Skyler and put his hand in hers. “If you all don’t mind, I’d like to be alone with my son.”
“I’ll check on the both of you tomorrow. Don’t give up hope. Your son is a fighter,” Stephen said as he left the room.
Chapter 15
Laney
Laney spent a good amount of time getting ready. She wanted to make an impression on Josh, so she carefully chose her outfit for the evening—a cute little yellow sundress. It fit beautifully, accentuated her tan, and showed a little cleavage. Finishing off the ensemble was a necklace, a solitary diamond her mother had given her for her twenty-fifth birthday. It was simple but elegant.
She wasn’t sure she was ready to take her relationship with Josh to the next level. Things had been going well, but she was still reluctant to get past her first impression of him. There were definitely some red flags where his possessiveness was concerned.
Lately, she’d enjoyed his company and the discussions they had together. The conversation was like nothing she had ever experienced. Josh was intellectual and challenged her. She didn’t want to mess that up by moving too quickly into a sexual relationship. But, man, he’s just so hot!
The thought of Josh got her blood flowing. The way he kissed her made her knees weak and her body melt. She loved the feel of his touch and embrace. Maybe she was ready.
She lit candles around the apartment to provide the optimal lighting for a romantic evening. When the sun did start to go down, the candles would set the right mood and provide some very nice ambiance.
Laney grabbed her iPod and tapped on the Pandora app. She chose the Maroon 5 station. The songs would be mellow and provide the right ambiance without going over the top. It was just what she was looking for.
She took a quick look around and was pleased with the mood she’d created. One of her favorite songs, “Not Over You” by Gavin DeGraw, came on the radio and she began singing aloud.
Her singing was interrupted by a knock on her door. “As usual, he’s early.” Laney smiled as she opened the door and her jaw dropped at the sight standing before her. Her whole intention had been to knock Josh off his feet, but somehow once again he’d turned the tables.
He was wearing black slacks with a white button-up shirt that had the top two buttons unfastened, optimal for showing off his tan. Over the top he had a matching black suit jacket. Of course, he was holding a dozen red roses. What is it with this guy and flowers?
“Are you going to let me in or are we going to keep standing here while you stare at me with googly eyes?”
“Oh geez. I’m sorry. Come on in.” Flustered, Laney moved aside for him to enter.
He held out the roses for her.
“These are beautiful! Thank you.” She took a deep breath as she took them in her hands.
“They aren’t half as lovely as you are tonight. You look stunning in that dress.”
“Thank you. You don’t look half bad yourself.” Laney smiled and gave Josh a peck on the cheek.
“I figured by the look on your face that you were either very pleased or appalled. I’m glad you like what you see.” He chuckled.
Laney walked to the kitchen to grab a vase for the flowers. “Would you care for anything to drink?”
“Sure, what do you have?”
She headed toward the refrigerator. “I picked up this nice bottle of wine today. I was hoping that you would do the honors of opening it for me.” She pulled out the bottle of Far Niente and turned it around so that the label was facing Josh.
“Nice!”
“I know that it isn’t the cabernet that you love but since we’re having chicken, I thought the white would be better.”
“It’s very thoughtful. I really appreciate it. I’d be happy to do the honors. Do you have a corkscrew?”
She reached into a drawer and pulled one out. She watched as he removed the metal foil and cork with precision as though he’d done it a million times.
Laney smiled as he popped the cork. She grabbed two glasses and he poured the wine. She listened as he poured. She loved the sound of the trickle of wine pouring when a new bottle was opened.
She held up her glass. “Here’s to another wonderful evening with an amazing man who’s quickly becoming one of my favorite people.”
He held up his glass and tapped hers and they both took a sip.
“This is really good.” No wonder the bottle cost so much. You can’t get this type of taste from a three-dollar bottle.
“Nice selection! This is a great bottle of wine. I think I’ll have to pick up a few.”
Laney grabbed a skillet. “I need to get dinner going. How about you take your jacket off and stay awhile? I promise I won’t kill you with my cooking.”
He laughed. “If your taste in wine is any reflection of your cooking, I have no doubt that I’m in for the meal of a lifetime.”
“I appreciate the flattery. I don’t know about the meal of a lifetime, but I can certainly hold my own in the kitchen.”
He walked over to the dining table, took off his jacket, and placed it on the back of one of the chairs.
“How’s Skyler doing?” Laney asked as she threw the chicken in the pan.
“We took him off all of the sedatives and paralytics. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to be waking up. He’s had some movement of his right hand, but it’s only been reflexes so far. I ordered an EEG today, so I should have a better idea tomorrow of what he’s going to do.”
“That’s not good. How’s his mom doing?”
He took a sip of wine before continuing. “Rebecca has her moments. Most of the time, she’s as strong as an ox. Other times, it’s like she’s on the brink of not being able to take much more.”
“Is her friend still coming by to be with her?”
“I haven’t seen her since the first couple of days, but that officer who’s been working the case has been there almost every day. I’m not sure what his deal is. You typically don’t see them come by unless the patient is awake and they’re trying to get answers or if they’re planning on arresting them.”
“Stephen is a nice guy. I’m sure he’s just checking on Skyler and waiting for him to wake up.”
“Stephen?” Josh raised his eyebrows.
“Yeah, you know, the police officer?”
“I didn’t realize you were on a first-name basis with him.”
“Well, yeah. You know he’s always in the ER following up on some accident. We’ve talked a few times. And…I may have had a small crush on him at one point.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he’s cute and super nice.”
“Well, so am I, and you didn’t have a crush on me.”
Laney smiled. “Do I sense a hint of jealousy?”
“I’m jealous of any guy who’s able to acquire your attention.” He put his glass down and approached her.
“You have nothing to worry about. I’m a one-guy woman and right now, you have my attention.”
“I guess I had better work hard to make sure I keep it.” Josh wrapped his arms around her.
She laughed. “You’re damned right!”
