“No. This is Greer.” His voice was strained. “She was taken to the hospital by ambulance thirty minutes ago.”
Liam was up and running down the hall. “Is she okay?”
“I don’t know yet. We just got the fire put out. I went looking for her phone to give you a call. A vent collapsed on top of her. She was unconscious when they pulled her from the building. She’s had trauma to the head, resulting in a laceration.” Emotion filled Greer’s voice.
Liam stopped outside the conference room, where Sophia and Bella were hanging out. “Okay, Greer. Which hospital?”
“She was taken to Renegade Mercy General Hospital. Lieutenant Fischer rode with her while the rest of us worked the fire. I’ll text you his number.”
“Thank you.” Liam opened the door and faced the teens. “Get your things. We’ve got to go. Sam was hurt at work and has been taken to the hospital.”
“What happened?” Bella’s face paled.
“I don’t know yet. Greer is texting me Lieutenant Fischer’s telephone number. As soon as I get it, I’m calling him.”
The girls rapidly gathered their things, and they all took off down the hall to the elevator. The doors opened immediately after he pushed the button. They loaded into the elevator, and Liam jammed the close button. “Come on.”
He received a text from Samantha’s number with Fischer’s number. He clicked the telephone number and held the phone to his ear. “Pick up. Pick up.” He jammed the close button again.
He should have taken the stairs. He could have been in his car by now.
He lifted his foot to do just that when the elevator doors finally slid shut.
The phone continued to ring until voicemail picked up. He hung up and called again. The doors slid open, and they raced to his SUV.
“Answer the phone.” He hung up and dialed again.
“Lieutenant Fischer.” The man answered on the second ring.
“Fischer, this is Liam Roberts. Tell me about Samantha.” He climbed into his SUV, fired up the engine, and activated the lights and sirens. Once he was sure the girls were buckled and all pedestrians were cleared, he jammed the pedal to the floor. The engine roared as he tore out of the parking lot.
“We don’t know anything yet. She was unconscious but stable when she arrived. They’re doing a CT scan right now.”
Lord.
It was all he could say. God knew his heart and what he wanted.
“I’m on my way with Bella. Call me as soon as you hear anything, but I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he said, a little more forcefully than he should have.
“Will do.”
Liam tossed his phone onto the passenger seat. He looked at Bella in the rearview mirror and relayed to her what Lieutenant Fischer had told him.
Was she okay? She had to be okay.Lord, she needs You. Be with the doctors. Give them knowledge and discernment. Steady their hands.
The drive to the hospital took forever. He gripped the steering wheel until his fingers went numb.
The tires squealed as he pulled into the hospital parking lot. He parked the SUV in a space marked for law enforcement and jumped out.
He flew through the doors, Bella and Sophia on his heels, and looked for Lieutenant Fischer. The man was standing by the automatic doors that led to the patient area. A few other men in RFD shirts stood with him. Colleagues he’d yet to meet.
“Fischer.” Liam strode up to him. “Any news?”
“Not yet.” He shook his head.
“Tell me everything.”
Lieutenant Fischer said, “We were called to a fire at an abandoned commercial building. A vent fell on Samantha as she advanced the line.”
