Page 75 of One Night Years Ago

He smiled ruefully at his leg and nodded. “I’d be grateful.”

Chapter 29

Natalie

Emma was already dressed when Natalie walked into the hospital room. Her bright purple top and green flowery shorts, which Natalie had taken from Emma’s apartment the previous evening and dropped off for her, contrasted wildly with the white, sterile hospital room.

“Sorry I’m late, Em,” Natalie said, rushing in.

“That’s alright, Natalie, thanks for coming to find me. I heard about the town meeting. How did it go?”

“Word spreads fast.”

“Indeed. Half the men in town drove straight to the hospital, apparently.”

Natalie smiled. “That’s good to hear.”

“Did you really ask them all to be tested?”

“I did.”

“You think it’ll help you catch him?”

“I don’t know, Em, but we have to try everything at our disposal.”

“I’ve been racking my brain, trying to remember something else about him. Some smell, something about his voice … but there’s nothing. I was so scared, it’s like my brain went numb. I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“How’s Hunter doing? Dr. Boyle told me he broke something in his foot.”

“He’s going to be fine. It’s a miracle you didn’t break anything when you hit the water.”

Emma raised her T-shirt to show Natalie her side, which was black and blue. “Barbara thinks the fact that I wasn’t fully conscious when I landed in the water helped me.”

“Whatever it was, I’m grateful. I don’t think I’ve ever been as scared in my life as I was when I saw him throw you in the water.”

“He was strong. I flew through the air like I was weightless.”

Dr. Leroy walked into the room, pushing a basic wheelchair in front of her. The doctor looked beautiful, like she’d slept a full night’s sleep and had taken particular attention with her makeup. Natalie wondered if she was seeing somebody new.

“Sheriff. Emma, are you ready to go home?”

Emma eyed the wheelchair warily. “Is that really necessary, Barbara?”

“It’s hospital policy, sorry. Just until we’re outside.”

Outside in the corridor, the three of them ran into Dr. Ford. He was strutting around like an overgrown peacock, delighting in the fact that his hospital had become the center of the town’s gossip.

“Sheriff, so glad you’re here! Ever since I volunteered my DNA sample this morning, we’ve been working nonstop at the lab. Brian, the technician who came from the city lab, thinks he’ll be able to take a full fridge with him when he goes back this evening. He’ll be back first thing tomorrow morning to keep going.”

“That’s great, Dr. Ford, I’m glad to hear that. Will you please check with Brian how long the samples will take?”

The big man boomed. “So much work! I’m asking people to donate blood while they’re here, might as well do a full service to the community, right? Hahaha.” His eyes looked beyond Natalie towards Emma. The large wheelchair made her look more like a child than a woman.

“Emma. I am so sorry I wasn’t here on Saturday when you came in. But of course, Dr. Leroy was the best person to treat you, keeping in mind the situation.”

“Thank you, Dr. Ford. I feel very lucky that Barbara was here.”