“Unfortunately, I remember enough to know it wasn’t Scott orJason,” Garrett admitted.“He was shorter.Had way less muscle.He scaredeasily.He was wearing a cowboy hat and jeans and boots and a T-shirt.Hehonestly could have been anyone in that bar.I should have…”
Keane stopped him.If he let Garrett go on, he would spiralinto guilt and remorse over something he had no control over.“We’ll get thesecurity camera footage.I don’t care who was leading her away.I want to knowwhere Scott was tonight.I want to know where he was every minute of theevening.”
“The police will be here soon, but I don’t know how muchhelp they’ll be.They didn’t even request the hospital check it out.They saidthey would pump her stomach and be done with it,” Gabe said with a frown thatwould make anyone back away.
“Which is why Gigi’s going to make sure they run a fullpanel,” Miranda said with tears in her eyes.“She used a whole lot of words,but I think she wants blood work to see what was in that drink.”
“The drink which is missing,” Gabe countered.“It’s down adrain with the glass in a ridiculously hot dishwasher which will get rid of allthe evidence.If we can’t test the drink, too, the police here won’t know whatto do.Or rather they’ll do what they do best.Which is whatever is easiest.”
“I’d like to know who bussed that table so quickly, andwhere the hell her purse and phone went.”Keane was wound tight.He’d let go ofthe slashed tires.He’d even glossed over the fire since no one was in thebuilding, but he couldn’t overlook this now.Someone wanted to hurt Olivia, andhe couldn’t depend on law enforcement.
Garrett took a long breath and seemed to calm himself.“There’s no real reason I can think of for Scott to want her phone.But I canthink of why Gladen would want it.She’s got evidence on her phone.He doesn’tknow she sent it all to me in the last few days.He knew she didn’t plan totalk to her father until after her brothers’ wedding.He might think that’s thelast place it might be.If he’s the one who started the fire.”
Gabe nodded.“Okay, that’s a good working theory.We need toget Ruby and Harlow involved.”
“Already done,” Garrett replied.“I called Ruby to updateher.I was in the parking lot talking to her when I saw Olivia.She’s got agood line on a couple of suspects, but I’m worried we’re dealing with more thanone, and maybe for different reasons.Gladen wouldn’t have a reason to slashher tires.”
“He could just be angry,” Miranda said.“Olivia can bebrutal when she sees injustice.She doesn’t hold back.I once watched her ripone of my brothers up for doing something dangerous.She made him cry.”
Gabe turned to Keane.“We have to talk about somethingelse.”
He knew what needed to happen now.He had to give up hisplaytime because something was far more important.“We have to call herparents.We can’t hide this.Jack needs to know.He’s going to be better atthis than I am.”
“Better at what?”a deep voice asked.“Better at getting mybaby girl put in the damn hospital?”
Keane’s spine went straight as he turned, dreading the nextfew minutes.“Mr.Barnes.”
Jack Barnes was still in great shape.The man was well intohis sixties, but he looked like he could still kick some serious ass.“Mr.Rollins.I’ve heard you’ve done a good job so far, so I have to ask why youwere at a bar with my daughter.”
“Jack,” a soft voice said.Abigail Barnes-Fleetwood wasstill gorgeous.She had an ageless beauty, as did the man at her side.SamFleetwood held his wife’s hand.“We talked about this.Please don’t do thisright now.”
“We need to see Olivia.We need to make sure she’s finebefore we make terrible choices that will most likely get one of us stuck inthe doghouse,” Sam said.
The door to the ER opened, and a doctor appeared.“Mr.Barnes, if you’ll come back with us.Maybe you and her mom.We need to keepthings to strictly family.”
Sam Fleetwood sighed.“Well, at least the doghouse is nicelyfurnished.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop twenty degrees.Jack Barnes’s voice went arctic, and Keane was glad he wasn’t the one Jack wasglaring at.“Dr…”
“Hayes.”The doctor paled and sounded breathless.“It’s Dr.Hayes.It’s hospital policy that we should only have family involved.”
“You’re new here, Dr.Hayes.I should know because my wifehired you.She’s on the hospital board.So I assume you’ve heard the gossipabout my family.Biologically, Olivia is Sam’s child.We only found that outbecause of her blood type, though I always knew.”Jack looked back, and therewas a tender expression on his face.“She’s got Sam’s smile and his heart.”
“Well, she got your stubbornness,” Sam replied with a grin.
Jack’s expression went cold when he looked back at thedoctor.“So if your only terms for family are DNA, I suppose I should wait outhere.Do you want me to wait out here, Dr.Hayes?”
The doctor’s head shook.“No, you should all come back.Uhm,her cousin is here.Although…I mean…is she adopted?She doesn’t…uhm…doesn’t…”
Miranda’s eyes rolled.“Are you talking about the fact thatGigi’s half black?So we can’t have family members with different skin colors?”
“Thank god.”Abigail looked like she sent thanks to theheavens.“I forgot Gigi was here.She’ll take care of her, Jack.Please.”
Jack huffed.“I can ruin you later.”He looked back at Keaneand Garrett.“You don’t leave.Gabe, come with me.I need an update.Miranda,will you call Julian and let him know what’s happening?We had to take hischopper.Let him know we didn’t steal it for no reason.”
Miranda nodded, pulling out her cell as the groupdisappeared behind the ER doors.
And they were left on the wrong side.
