Page 118 of Promising You
I open my eyes more and realize that I have no idea where I am or how I got here. The room I’m in looks like a small office with plain white walls and short beige carpeting. Across from me is a large wooden desk and a wall of bookcases. I notice a strong leather smell and see that I’m lying on a dark brown leather couch.
“Where am I?” I ask the doctor.
“You’re just a few miles from Moorhurst. Your grandfather called me right after you passed out. Luckily I was still in town from seeing you earlier today.” He smiles. “We really need to stop meeting like this.”
“My grandfather?” I suddenly remember the scene outside the Student Services building on campus. An old man approached me, claiming to be the father of Royce Sinclair, my biological father who I learned about a few months ago. The man said his name was Arlin Sinclair and that he needed to talk to me. Two large men surrounded me and I knew that the old man wasn’t just there to talk. He was there to kill me. To finish the job his son was supposed to do.
I bolt up from the couch and pain shoots from my knee, forcing me to sit down again.
“What are you doing?” My sudden movement startles the doctor and he quickly rests my leg back on the couch. “You know it’s too soon to put weight on your knee like that.”
I grab hold of his lab coat. “Tell me where I am! Tell me exactly where I am!”
“I told you,” he says calmly. “We’re at your grandfather’s office.”
“I don’t have a grandfather! My grandparents are dead!” I’m panicking, searching the room for an exit. If the scene with Sinclair really happened, then why am I still here? I should be dead. He should’ve killed me by now.
“Yourmaternalgrandparents are deceased.” Cunningham remains calm as he tries to hold me still with one hand while using the other to take something from his lab coat. “Your grandparents on your father’s side are very much alive. Now look right over here for me.”
He shines a bright light at my eye, making me squint. I push the light away. “I have to find out what’s going on.” I attempt to get up again but he remains seated next to me and won’t let me move.
“Jade, you have a serious concussion and you need to calm down. I believe your blackout was caused by stress. I want you to take some time to rest and relax this week.”
Relax? Does this guy not get that my life is in danger?
“Take me back to campus. Please! I need to see Garret. I need to get out of this place.”
“Your grandfather will be here any minute, and after he talks with you he’ll take you back.”
I grab Cunningham’s lab coat again and yank him toward me. “That man is trying to kill me! Don’t you get that? He wants me dead! He needs to bury the evidence of what his son did to my mom.”
After I say it I realize that I was never supposed to tell anyone that. Then again, Cunningham was there the day Royce Sinclair was killed by Garret’s dad. He was one of the doctors who took Garret away after he was shot. So maybe he already knows what happened. Still, I’m not sure if he knows the whole story or just part of it.
Dr. Cunningham removes my hands from his lab coat and sets them back at my side. “I can assure you that Arlin Sinclair is not trying to kill you.”
“Why are you here?” I ask, still completely confused.
“I told you. You passed out and Arlin called me. Listen, Jade, I want you to take some days to rest. Stay home from class for a couple days. And make sure someone stays with you overnight. Garret, or your friend, Harper.”
“How do you know about Harper? And why are you working for Sinclair? I thought you worked for the Kensingtons.”
“I work for a private medical clinic that treats a very select group of individuals.” He puts his hand on mine and looks me in the eye. “But you already know that, don’t you?”
I nod.
“You also know that it’s best not to ask questions, correct?”
“Yes.” I decide to go along with whatever he’s saying. Maybe doing so will buy me a little more time before they kill me. But if they’re killing me, why is Dr. Cunningham worried about my concussion? And why did he just tell me to stay home from class? And have Garret stay with me overnight? Wait. What?
I’m slowly realizing that maybe I’m not going to be killed after all. But then why was Arlin Sinclair at Moorhurst today? And why did he kidnap me and take me here?
“Is she awake yet?” I tense up hearing his voice again.
“Yes, but she’s a little confused,” Cunningham says.
“Because of her head injury?” I glance back at the door and see the old man rushing over to me. “I thought you said she was okay!”
Cunningham stands up. “Yes. She is. What I meant is that she’s confused by the situation. The confusion is not due to her concussion. Forgive me for not being clearer.”
