“And Roy Conklin is dead.”
Jeff’s hands clenched. “At least something went right.” He shoved away the clipboard. “Tell me what happened.”
Olivia grabbed the pen and papers and gestured toward a small sofa across the lobby. Once they were seated, she said, “Evan tried to run. Roy jerked him by the arm and Evan fell into the coffee table.”
Jeff could hardly breathe.He’d been twiddling his thumbs at the police station while Evan fought for his life.
“According to SWAT, Roy raised his gun like he was going to shoot. The sniper got Roy first.”
Too close. Jeff had come too close to losing his son forever.
Memories of Evan as a toddler, waddling toward him on chubby legs, made his eyes burn. More followed. Evan calling him “Dada” for the first time, Evansmiling up at him as Jeff readDiary of a Wormbefore bedtime, Evan crying when he fell and skinned his knee on the sidewalk.
“He’ll be okay.” Olivia laid a hand on his shoulder. “You being here for him is exactly what he needs. It’s the only thing you need to worry about.”
Were his thoughts that transparent? So much for his fucking poker face.
Poker…
Tara.
There was no time for thoughtsof her. And she was gone anyway. “I need to get this done.”
With a nod, Olivia rose from her seat. “You want anything? Coffee?”
He declined and forced himself to finish the paperwork. Clipboard in hand, he returned to the desk and gave the man behind the counter his info.
“Okay, you’re all set. There’s a waiting room in Pediatrics. The doctor will come find you there when they have news.”
Jeff gripped the counter and nodded. He thought he’d felt impotent when Evan was missing?
“Mr. Patarava?” The man handed him a slip of paper. “If you’re interested, our hospital has a program where you can donate blood while you wait.”
Was his sense of helplessness written all over his face? Probably. And probably everyone felt the same way in this type of situation. He wasn’t unique in hisfear.
Did that make it better or worse?
It didn’t matter. The guy had given him something he could do. Something meaningful. His type A blood wasn’t as useful as O-negative, but it could still be of value to someone. “Thank you. I’ll do that.”
Within an hour, he and Olivia lay on tables with needles in their arms. Jeff had told her she could leave, but she’d refused.
“You think I wouldleave younow?” she’d asked, twisting her plump lips into a scowl.
He’d been paying her to look for Evan, but after months of constant contact, she felt more like a friend.
As much as he’d like to blame her for what happened to Evan tonight, the rational side of him understood that she’d made the best decision with the information she had. Most likely the right decision.
“I never thankedyou,” he said. “For all the time your team put into this. For finding him.”
She nodded. “Just doing our jobs.” But clearly it was more than that or she’d have left by now.
Maybe she understood that not being alone helped. Not just for moral support, but because he had to keep his shit together. Definitely a good thing.
Though, he’d much rather have Tara by his side.
She probably didn’tweigh enough to give blood, but he could use a heavy dose of her strength and optimism. It was his own damn fault she was gone. He hadn’t wanted to get too attached, hadn’t wanted to rely on her too much. Too fucking late. Only now could he see that she’d quickly become as necessary to him as the blood currently draining from his veins.
He would get through this, but it would be far easier ifhe could hold her hand, take the solace she gave so generously. See her reassuring smile.
