“Wewill.”
Carol grabbed Hank’s hand and dragged him toward the truck. He jogged alongside her. They split to jump in the cab. After locking their seat belts, he hit the gas. The truck fishtailed out of theparkinglot.
“Shit,” Hank said. “Tanner was right. The road’s slickashell.”
“Just get us there in onepiece.”
“She’ll get there soon. The doctors will be able to help her immediately. I’m sure they’ll have an update by the time we arrive,”Hanksaid.
Carol scooted closer and rested her hand on his leg. She didn’t want him to take his hands off of the wheel, but she needed to touch him. The close proximity calmed her enough that she could breathe normallyagain.
“Do you think she’ll live?” she asked in a brokenvoice.
“She’ll have the best doctors in the area workingonher.”
She knew he couldn’t promise anything, but she wished he could say that her mom would be all right. If she died now, Carol’s heart would shatter into a million pieces and nothing could put it back togetheragain.
* * *
The driveto Bozeman took two hours. By the time they arrived, Hank’s hands were cramped from gripping the wheel so hard. He glanced at Carol, who had sat pressed up against him the entire trip. She clutched the fabric of his jeans so hard that when she finally released it, a small patch was stillstretchedout.
As soon as he parked, Carol jumped out of the car and ran over to him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed until his ribs hurt. He returned the hug, knowing that she needed the comfort of human touch as much ashedid.
Guilt ate at him the entire trip. If only he’d gone back last night to get her. If only he’d insisted she come with them. Sure, she’d had a shotgun pointed at his head, but still. He should have foundaway.
“Let’s go find her.” Carol released him and wiped tears from hercheeks.
“Okay,honey.”
Inside the hospital, they followed signs to the ER. Hank approached theintakedesk.
“We’re looking for Victoria Fuller. She was brought in a couple of hours ago bymedevac.”
“What’s your relationship to the patient?” The lady squinted at him through thickglasses.
“She’s my mom,”Carolsaid.
“Who’s he?” the ladyasked.
“My husband,” Carolreplied.
Hank’s eyes went wide for a moment before he recovered. The intake lady glared at him as if he’d been the one to beatVickiup.
“Through those doors, room eight on the left,”shesaid.
He grabbed Carol’s hand and walked toward the set of double doors. A buzzer sounded, then the doors swung open. He hurried down the sterile, white hall. The even-numbered rooms were on the left, the odd on the right. He found room eight and took a deepbreath.
Since he didn’t know what he was going to find, he ushered Carol in ahead of him in case he needed to catch her. When they walked into the room, Carol squeaked out a strangled cry. The hospital bed layempty.
“Oh God, she’s dead,” Carolshrieked.
“Wait, honey. We might just be in thewrongroom.”
A nurse burst into the room. “What are you two doinginhere?”
“Looking for Victoria Fuller,” Hankreplied.
“She’s in the OR. Won’t be back for a few hours,” the nurse replied in acurttone.
