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“Jesus.”
“His face,” I squeezed out, feeling the familiar sting of hot tears. “He’s barely recognizable.”
“Poor young fella.”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“He’s a troubled lad.”
“He’s a good man.”
“I never said he wasn’t.”
“No more, Dad.” Sniffling, I looked to my father. “I know you’re upset about the baby, but you can’t be hard on him. It’s too much. He has too much shit in his life. Just…just be kind to him.”
“Aoife.” My father’s eyes were filled with emotion when he whispered, “I’m afraid for you.”
“And I’m afraid for him,” I replied, pushing the car door open and climbing out. “Thanks for the spin, Dad.”
“Aoife, wait!”
I didn’t wait.
I couldn’t.
Instead, I closed the passenger door of my father’s van and strode off in the direction of the entrance to the A&E department.
Blinking away any residue tears, I slapped on my brightest smile when I walked through the triage area and headed down the jam-packed corridor in the direction of the admissions cubicles, not stopping until I had reached Joey’s room.
“I hear you’ve been causing trouble,” I teased, pulling back the curtain. “Plotting a jailbreak, stud?”
My smile remained in place, but my heart plummeted into my ass when my gaze landed on the empty trolley. His blanket was strewn over the bed, while his clothes and shoes had disappeared from the chair at his bedside. His IV pole held a full bag of clear fluid, while the line that was supposed to be attached to my boyfriend’s arm was on the floor, dripping clear fluid into a little puddle.
Panicked, I looked around wildly, frantically searching for his face in the crowded corridor, even though I knew in my heart it would be a fruitless search.
Because my boyfriend was gone.
The ledge I had been desperately trying to pull him back from?
There was no doubt in my mind that he had gone trip-tumbling over it.
PART 7
76
The Missing List
AOIFE
After searching the hospital for Joey, and coming up empty, I had called up our friends to come get me, needing bodies on the ground to help sniff him out before he came to any harm.
Aoife: Tell me that you’re okay. Please. I’m going out of my mind here.
Aoife: ANSWER YOUR PHONE, ASSHOLE!!!
Aoife: How could you just vanish on me? WTF, Joe! Call me, dammit!
Aoife: Where are you? Come on, Joey, please.
