Molson’s friend just smiled.
“Someone who can’t be bought,” Molson replied as he headed to the elevator. His friends joined him.
“You won’t let her die?” Ted asked anxiously as he trailed them to the hallway.
Molson didn’t answer. One of his friends hit the elevator buttons. As the doors closed, Holly slipped into the elevator with them.
She cleared her throat nervously.
“Snitches get stitches,” someone remarked.
“Not this one,” Molson said sharply. “Doc, if I wanted to get Sugar here to a hospital not owned by David Ramesly’s family, where do I go?”
“Mercy is the closest,” she protested.
“Not an option,” Molson didn’t trust that something wouldn’t happen to Bethany there.
“General is the next closest,” Holly said.
“That’s where people go to die,” one of the men said dismissively. It was known as the poor people’s hospital, an inner city building that was old, decaying, understaffed and undersupplied.
“Next?” Molson asked.
“The other hospitals are too far away,” she insisted. “If it is an overdose then she’ll die before she gets treated on time unless we go to Mercy.”
Molson didn’t like the options. “You got wheels?”
“Excuse me?”
“Wheels. A car. You got a car?” Molson repeated with some frustration as they exited the building. “Not like we can take Sugar here on the subway.”
“Yes,” Holly dug in her purse for her keys, trying to keep up with the group of men.
“I’m going to let the cleaning lady know she can go back to work. Call it a false alarm or something,” one of the guys commented as he split from the group.
“What are you doing?” Drew demanded as he ran up. He’d parked the bike on the sidewalk and had come directly to Molson as they were coming out of the building. “I thought I told you to stall, not grab her.”
“Your welcome,” Molson replied dryly. He was surprised as Drew immediately reached out to transfer Bethany into his own arms. Molson smirked. “You got a thing for her?”
He gave Molson a dark look, ignoring the comment. He looked with alarm at the nearly unconscious Bethany. “What happened? Have you called an ambulance?”
“No,” Molson shook his head. His friends had melted away as soon as they saw Drew. They knew he was a cop and didn’t want to stick around. Molson didn’t blame them in the least. “We were about to take the Doc’s car to Mercy. It’ll be faster.”
“Doc?” Drew questioned.
“Doc Urshman here,” Molson nodded in Holly’s direction. “I thought you might want to talk to her.”
Drew gave a short nod. They followed Holly to her car. Drew was surprised when Molson not only helped put Bethany in the back seat but jumped in the front passenger seat.
“Thought I’d see how this all plays out,” Molson winked at Holly. “Hey Drew, you know our old man is involved in all this?”
Drew frowned. “What do you mean?”
“It was all cozy up there. The Doc, Sugar, Sugar’s dad and Mr. Moneybags Ramesly hisself,” Molson shrugged. “He must have a stake in all this.”
“Stop calling her Sugar,” Drew glared at Molson who ignored him. “When we get to the hospital, I’m going to take both your statements.”
“I expect nothing less,” Molson commented. “Honey, you gonna lay on some gas? It’d be better if we get to the hospital before she dies.”
