“And why were they prescribed?” She types into her laptop, no doubt investigating the side effects.
“After I came back from Afghanistan, I had trouble sleeping.” Recalling the nightmares, I shudder.
One thin brow rises over an almond eye. “Is that why you left the military?”
“No, but I signed a non-disclosure agreement. I can’t discuss it.”
Sighing, she leans back in her chair and captures my gaze. “Ms. Manuel, I’m your lawyer, you can tell me everything. If I’m to help you, I need to see your discharge paperwork.”
“Fine. Give me your computer.” I sign on, log onto my cloud space, and click the link where I stored the documents.
As she reads, her brows crease more and more. “I am so, so sorry. I believe you and they had no right to ask you to keep it quiet.”
“They held all the cards. Either I signed, or they wouldn’t give me an honorable discharge. I didn’t have the money to fight them in court.”
Her steely eyes narrow and her voice tightens. “God knows what you went through and if you like, I can make them pay. However, we should slay one dragon at a time. Tell me what you think caused the accident.”
“Simple. The back rotor failed. I’m guessing a loose bolt or a manufacturing defect. The bird was almost brand new, so it’s most likely the latter.”
“Very well. I’m on it. Absolutely no talking to anyone unless I say so. I don’t care if it’s J. Edgar Hoover or the president of the United States.”
“Got it.”
“Good.” Standing, she shakes my hand. “Thank you for your service, Second Lieutenant Manuel.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Being addressed by my rank churns up a longing for my former life, hard to bury. Not wanting to face those unwanted feelings, I ask the nurse to keep visitors away, turn out the lights, and close my eyes.
Struggling and thrashing my hands, I wake from yet another nightmare. I can’t breathe or move my head. Something soft shuts off oxygen from my nose and mouth. Is this real? Wait. Is someoneactuallytrying to kill me?
My elbows on the mattress, I kick hard and connect with flesh. Encouraged, I repeat the action until the pressure on my face loosens enough to turn my head. Blessed air fills my lungs. The next time the pillow pushes down, I have more strength and brain power.
Instead of prying the hands away, I karate chop an inner elbow. Immediately, the arms bend, and as a face touches my reaching fingertips, I dig my thumbs into eye sockets. A man yelps, he lets go and as he races out the door, I jump up out of bed, and trip on my fucking blankets.
By the time I untangle my legs, he’s gone.
“Help.” My hoarse croak alarms no one so I crawl to the nurses station and look up at the desk. “Please, help me.”
Seconds later, I’m back in bed surrounded by men in scrubs. After I explain the attack, they round up a hospital security guard, whose tone suggests he doesn’t believe a word I’ve said.
“Where’s the bruises?” His brows raise.
“It was a pillow. A fluffy soft one.”Are you fucking kidding me?“Why are you wasting time? Call the police.”
He snickers and looks at my doctor. “I bet she had a head injury, right?”
Dr. Young Balls nods, purses his lips, and tilts his head apologetically which only pisses me off more. “No way. Check security. There’s a camera in the hallway. It will back me up.”
“I already did. There was nothing to see.” The jackass rent-a-cop smirks.
Fuck. How is that possible?
~ Chapter 5 ~
Dash
“She said someone tried to kill her, but the rent-a-cop thought she imagined the whole thing.” On the other side of the video call, my father rattles off the gossip he picked up from a retired schoolteacher volunteer.
“I believe her but what can I do? She made it clear she doesn’t want my help.” After wiping the fog from the mirror, I lean over the sink, and shave below my nose.
