August Unknown Read Free

to the registration desk.
    “She was hit in the face when the airbag went off. Can someone
take a look at her nose?”
    The nurse’s brows drew together. “Toddlers aren’t supposed to
ride in the front seat. They can be seriously hurt or even killed when an
airbag deploys.”
    “I’m not a toddler,” Jocelyn shrieked. “I’m almost eight.”
    Geoffrey’s guilt deepened. He silently berated himself for
even taking her with him on a night like this.
    With her lips pinched together in a tight line, the nurse
stood and rounded her desk. “Come on, sweetie, let’s put you in examination
four.”
    “No.” Her lower lip jutted. “I’m okay, Uncle G. I just want
the lady to be all right.”
    “No arguments. Your mother will never forgive me if I don’t
get you checked out.”
    The nurse held out her hand. “Don’t-cha want a lollipop?”
    “I’m too old for lollipops,” Jocelyn mumbled. She scrunched
her face into an exaggerated pout, but allowed herself to be led away.
    Geoffrey lingered in the wide entrance to the ER. After what
seemed like hours, Dr. Carlson emerged from the first bed. Geoffrey caught a
glimpse of pale white skin before he pulled the curtain back again.
    “How is she?” He fell into step with the doctor.
    “Hard to tell. Have you called your brother-in-law?”
    Geoffrey’s heart dropped into his stomach. “Good God, you
don’t think she’s going to die, do you?”
    “No-no-no. Her vitals are strong, but her arm is broken and
she’s got a nasty bump on the head. You never can tell with head injuries like
this. But regardless of the severity, all accidents need to be reported to the
sheriff. You know that.”
    Geoffrey let out his breath and nodded. “Of course.”
    Dr. Carlson stopped at the registration desk. “Any idea who
she is?”
    “I’ve never seen her before. Thank God she was wearing white,
or I wouldn’t have seen her at all.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Jesus. I
was driving so slowly.”
    Dr. Carlson placed a hand on his shoulder. “It was an accident.
The lights are out all over town.”
    As if to mock him, the main lights buzzed and the hospital
brightened as the power came back on.
    Geoffrey shook his head. “I couldn’t bear knowing I killed
another human being—”
    “You haven’t killed anybody. I’ve ordered a CAT scan to be
sure, but other than the broken arm, it looks like those are her only injuries.
That, and exposure to the elements. She’s hypothermic. We’ve got her on heat
coils right now. Where did you say this happened?”
    “Outside town on the coastal highway, near the old fisheries.”
    Hypothermia? How long had she been outside in the storm? No
wonder her skin felt like ice. Had she started walking toward town when the
power went out?
    Jocelyn burst from the examination room and ran down the hall.
Geoffrey picked her up and settled her on his hip.
    “All fixed?” He forced a smile while inside, the contents of
his stomach felt like month-old milk.
    She nodded, happily sucking on a lollipop. She pulled it out
of her mouth and stuck out a green tongue.
    “Lovely. Come on, let’s go call Uncle Mike.”
    “And Gran Millie, too?”
    He nodded, feeling the weight of this horrible night settling
over his bones. “And Gran Millie, too.”
    * * *
    Geoffrey glanced at the SUV’s dashboard clock. Eight fifteen
a.m. He was probably wasting his time. Visiting hours weren’t until ten, and he
wasn’t even a relative.
    After finally arriving home at midnight last night, he’d
tossed and turned until he got up around four a.m. and tried to do some work.
He couldn’t get the accident, or the poor woman, out of his mind.
    Over and over, he’d rehashed the scenario until he was
convinced he could have avoided it a hundred different ways if he’d just
reacted a little faster. If he’d been paying attention a little harder. If he’d
had both hands on the wheel. If he’d been driving a little slower.
    He’d nearly killed a person.