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"She's alive! Thank God she's alive! Is Meagan going to be alright?" I asked the paramedic who was kneeling down next to her.
"She's in shock, and her breathing is labored. We need to get her to the hospital," he said, starting an IV.
I rode in the ambulance with Meagan, holding her hand and reassuring my kid sister she would be alright. I wasn't sure if she could hear me, but I hoped and prayed she could.
At the hospital, they rushed her off to do an MRI. I sat in the waiting room sipping coffee for at least an hour before Officer Clemont came in to give me his report and my phone. "I have someone at her apartment now, collecting evidence. And I'll have someone come and pick you up. And we'll arrest the guy who did this to your sister as soon as we find him."
"Look, there's more," I said. "My sister is also best friends with Ariel McMasters, a woman I have started seeing, but…."
I continued filling Clemont in on what had happened with Ariel. A wave of panic washed over me when the officer just shook his head and explained there was no evidence of a crime and she had a right not to inform me of her whereabouts if she didn't want to. He quoted some law that stated I couldn't report Ariel as a missing person for several more days, no matter what.
I raised my brow. "Officer, there's one last issue. You need to contact Detective Carter. There's an ongoing investigation of assaults and murders targeting my business partners and their families." Finally, I collected my phone from him and held up a finger. "Hold on. Let me call my business partner. I'll get someone to come and pick me up. No need to inconvenience you any further."
"I understand," Clemont told me, handing me his card. "Don't hesitate to reach out…."
"Thank you, sir. Much obliged." I shook his hand.
Honestly, at this point, I just wanted law enforcement out of my sight. And I definitely didn't want them near my car. So far, no one had discovered Ariel's weapon, but the way things were going tonight, I wasn't about to push my luck.
After questioning the nurse about Meagan’s condition, I was informed they were still running tests on her and directed to the family waiting room. Slumping onto the couch, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked for any news about Ariel. But again, there was nothing. So I started massaging my temples as a question I had been trying to avoid came to mind.
Had Ariel suffered the same fate as my sister?
Chapter Fourteen
Guy
After the doctor called with Meagan's diagnosis, I tossed and turned until the wee hours of the morning, finally deciding I wanted to be near my sister's bedside. When I stepped inside the hospital, I was half asleep until the disinfectant smell hit me in the face — rendering the nightmare again from a few hours before, haunting me! And when I walked into Meagan's room, I was shocked at what I saw. Meagan was lying in her hospital bed, hooked up to a machine that beeped with every beat of her heart. She looked so pale and fragile, and I felt a lump in my throat.
I sat next to her and took her hand in mine. "Meagan, I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I never dreamed the mystery surrounding me would affect you." Meagan slowly regained consciousness and met my gaze. Then, without saying anything, she shut her eyes once more.
It was then that I realized the enormity of my mistake.
I was so caught up in my own life that I didn't dream Meagan might be in danger. Then I shook my head. “Damn it, Carter shared the blame for this, too. If he'd been paying attention, he would have assigned a security detail to my sister.”
But it was too late, now!
I wanted to punch him in the face! I wanted to throw something to work off my anger! Instead, I called Investigator Carter's number again, but I got his voicemail again. "Shit!" Not bothering to leave a message, I grabbed the control in Meagan's bed and pressed the call button.
A nurse rushed in a few moments later. "Yes, Mr. Jackson?"
"I need to speak with the head of security immediately. It's a matter of life and death."
She nodded and left the room. A few moments later, a tall, imposing man walked in. "Mr. Jackson, I'm head of security here at the hospital," he said. "What can I do for you?"
"I need around-the-clock security for my sister. She's in grave danger."
"Of course, Mr. Jackson. We'll do everything we can to protect her."
Impressed by his efficiency, I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, Meagan would be safe... even if it was just for now. Before long, a security officer was outside her door. I nodded in his direction before turning my attention back to Meagan, willing her to wake up. "Please, Meagan," I whispered. "Wake up. Tell me who did this to you."
I stayed by her side all day, waiting to see the doctor for an update. Finally, she arrived and prepared me for the worst. "Mr. Jackson," she said, "If the swelling in her brain doesn't go down soon, we will have to operate and release the pressure inside her skull to avoid permanent brain damage. The good news is we pumped her stomach just in time. The sleeping pills she took would have been lethal in another hour."
"Doctor. Just for the record. She was forced to take them. Her name wasn't even on the prescription bottle."
She grabbed my hand. "Oh, I'm so, so sorry. I assumed. I didn't see the police report. I'll make a note of that in her chart."
"Please do!"
