“Eight and a painful tetanus shot.”
“You okay?”
“Other than a headache, I’m okay. Just got home; Mark brought me. I’m getting ready to lie down. I hope they’ll let my car stay at the impound lot all night.”
“Not a problem. Mel knows that it’s your car.” She explained about the call from Shea regarding Benton.
His voice took on new energy. “That’s not possible. I know she was in Hawaii.”
“That’s what I told Sara. Up for a drive out to San Bernardino?”
“I just took some pain pills. I can’t drive. Besides the fact I don’t have my car.”
“If you want to go, I’ll pick you up. I need your address.”
He gave it to her. “I might fall asleep on the way there.”
The way he said it made her smile. After a minute, she realized it was the first time she’d smiled in what seemed like a very long time.
CHAPTER 30
Ben was bruised and pale when she picked him up, and Lainie felt guilty about asking him to come along.
“You look awful. Maybe I should let you rest,” Lainie said as he settled into the passenger seat.
“My wound is not life threatening. Doctor said no concussion. But who likes to have a needle and thread pulled though their skin? The pain pills are making me loopy.”
“All right, Loopy, I’ll let you rest.”
“Humph.”
A few minutes later a side glance told her he’d closed his eyes. She concentrated on the road, though she longed to talk to the guy next to her. After she had called Ben and asked if he wanted to come along, she realized that she truly had no idea what she would or could do at the hospital. But if this woman really had impersonated her sister, then she was a part of whatever happened to Evie—most likely a big part.
I’d like to confront her,Lainie thought.Shake the truth out of her.Why did she help Stan with his hoax and what else did she help Stan with?
But right now, Benton couldn’t talk. Still, she was the last link to Stan. Lainie was glad she didn’t have to do this alone.
The drive to St. Bernardine took forty minutes, and Ben slept most of the way. He woke up when she exited the freeway. He yawned. “I hope I didn’t snore.”
“No snore, just a little drool.”
“What?” He wiped his face, and she laughed. She was giddy because she was tired.
“Ha, ha.” He stretched. “Seriously, what are we going to do here? She’s in a coma.”
“You’re just asking that now?”
“I’m on pain pills. What’s your excuse?”
The giddiness faded. “I need to find out what happened to Evie. The reason we were certain Evie didn’t die in Hawaii was because of Benton being there. And if Benton is here in this hospital, how could she have been in Hawaii? She also couldn’t have shot anyone at the car wash.”
“The more I thought about it, the more I realized that she could still have been in Hawaii.” Ben rubbed his eyes. “I need to see the collision report and check the times, but she still could have been here. She would have had to leave right after she tried to run you over.”
“And then she got snatched up by Vine?”
“That’s the direction I’m going.”
“I’m not sure that works for me, but I have nothing better. I want to see her and confirm that she’s really seriously injured. If so, then Stan is the only one left to find.”
