“All done.”Erin hurried back to Eli’s side, her brow rising as she eyed me.“What’s this?Shouldn’t we retrieve the bullet before we celebrate?”
“Anesthetic.”Collecting the crystal tumblers, I carried them across to where she stood and placed them on the table beside the couch.
“You can’t be serious.”She looked from the glasses to my face.“He’ll need more than that.”
“That’s all I have.”My tone was even.“And by the time this is over, I’ll need one, too.”
Easing Eli upright, I handed him one of the glasses.“Sip at this.”
Erin was right, it wasn’t a conventional way to sedate a patient, but then, nothing about that day had been normal.
“Thanks for this, Owen.”Eli scowled as he shifted his weight.“I know you don’t know me.”
“I know her.”I gestured at my sister.“And she’s the one I’m doing this for.”
“Fair enough.”Eli met my eyes.“But I’m grateful.”
I nodded at his appreciation.“Don’t thank me yet.I’m not a surgeon.”
“But you can do this, right?”Erin’s worried voice interjected.
“In theory.I did a surgical rotation years ago, and I deal with wounds at work.”Though, not necessarily gunshot wounds…“I suggest you and I wash our hands, Erin.Better we don’t invite any further infection into the wound.”
She nodded.“Where’s the bathroom?”
“Come with me,” I told her, already pacing in its direction on the other side of the substantial entrance hall.“There.”
Motioning for her to go ahead, I waited as she washed and dried her hands before I moved to do the same.
“Because I love you, I’m not going to call the police.”My voice was low, ensuring my guest couldn’t hear me.“But I really think you should consider it.”
Erin shook her head slowly.“I can’t.”
“Why?”I was sure I didn’t want to hear the answer.
“I’m in too deep.”Her voice trembled.
“The car?”I suggested.“I’m guessing that’s stolen?”
“Something like that,” she mumbled.“But it’s worse than that.”Her eyes fluttered closed.
“What happened?”Drying my hands, I turned to face her.
“I had to…” Her words trailed away, but her forlorn expression conveyed her despair.
“What, Erin?”
“To get out with our lives …” She inhaled, her eyes filling with fresh tears.“I had to shoot someone, Owen.”
“What?”Of all the things I’d imagined her divulging, that was not top of the list.
“I know.”Her face crumpled into more tears as she turned away.“The guy was a brute who’d tied me to a chair and tried to…” Her voice trailed away, letting me fill in the blanks.
“All because of him?”I signaled toward the lounge.
“It wasn’t his fault.”She mouthed the words.“Without him, I’d be dead.”
“How the fuck did all this happen, Erin?”
