CHAPTER 40
Mina
“Hey, Mina. How are you feeling?”
My eyes popped open, my mind ripped out of the delicious daydream brought on by the dose of morphine the nurse gave me just minutes ago.
I blinked, bringing Ozzie’s face into focus. “Hey!” What felt like a smile spread over my face. “Morphine is amazing. So is this cloud they’ve put me on.” The pain in my side had faded to a dull roar, and a floaty sensation filled my limbs. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I was on a cot in the ER, but it felt much lighter and softer than that.
He chuckled. “I’m glad you’re feeling good. You’ve got some decent injuries.”
“Oh yeah?” Again, somewhere, I knew that, but my brain was a little fuzzy. I remembered my ribs hurting, but that was it.
“Yeah. The staff called your parents since you were too out of it once they gave you morphine to really understand what was going on. The nurse let me speak to them. Your mom said you broke your bottom three ribs, one of them in two places. Luckily, they’re not displaced, so no surgery required. You also lacerated your spleen. They’re watching that.”
“Yikes. That sounds bad.”
“Bad enough you’re going to be a guest here for a while. The nurse told me they’re getting a room ready for you upstairs.”
I frowned. “No. I want to sleep in my own bed.” With Luke. Because we wore out the dogs.
Wait. Ozzie was back, so he’d take them. Even better.
My frown deepened as my foggy brain tried to make sense of things. Why was Ozzie here and not Luke? Where was he?
“Where’s Luke?” I voiced the thought.
Ozzie’s amused look faded. “Yeah, about that.” His mouth twisted, and he glanced away for a second. “He’s down the hall in another cubicle.”
“Oh. Okay.” My eyelids drooped.
Several beats passed before the implications of that cleared my addled brain.
“Wait, what?” A bit of the fog cleared as concern entered the picture.
“Sarah got to Claire and Ellis and took them to the antique store. She tried to burn it down with them in it. Luke ran in and got them out. They’re all here being treated for smoke inhalation.”
I kicked at the blankets covering my legs, then put an elbow under me to sit up.
Fire raced through my side, and I fell back to the bed with a moan.
“Easy.” Ozzie took my hand and helped me straighten up against the bed. “They’re fine. Just hacking. Claire and Ellis might have to stay the night, since they were in the smoke longer, but I imagine once the ER staff cut Luke loose, he’ll be up in your room. So, just take it easy. He’s okay.”
More sober now, thanks to the rush of adrenaline, the throb in my ribs registered. I winced as I shifted. “What happened? Is my building gone?”
“No. It’s damaged, but I think it’s fixable. It hadn’t been burning long, and the fire department was there pretty quickly. Sarah and Miranda set fire to a pile of shop rags and some packing material.”
My brows twitched down. At least we wouldn’t have to start from scratch, and hopefully, The Cozy Cup could still stay open.
“Did Luke tell you it was Sarah who murdered Moira? That Miranda and Walter just helped hide her body?”
Ozzie nodded. “Both women are in custody. Chief Riggs and I caught them running from the fire. It’s over now, Mina. All of it.”
I smiled. “That’s great news. Moira can finally rest in peace.”
“Yeah, and her family gets closure.”
That was the best part, knowing her parents could rest easy, and so could Rich.
