Sharon Sala - Dark Hearts

She scanned the credit card, gave it back and then handed him the room key.

“Room 130. It’s around back, which will give you a little more privacy.”

He was surprised by her thoughtfulness.

“I appreciate it, Mrs. Summers.”

“Delia! Please! And give Trey my best. We all have Trina in our prayers.”

He left the office and drove around back and easily found the door to his room. He swiped the key card and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the furnishings as he went in. It had a tan carpet, brown-and-gold bedding and tan-and-gold curtains.

He left his suitcase on the bed and sent Trey a text that he was in town. Now that he was there, he felt the need to hurry and get to Trina. He washed up in haste, and when he saw Trey hadn’t returned the text, he began to worry. Being chief of police in your own hometown had to have its own set of challenges.

By the time he got to the hospital he had a knot in his stomach. Hospitals made him antsy anyway, and having his sister in critical condition made it worse. Last night’s rain had left puddles in the parking lot, and from the look of the sky it appeared more rain was imminent.

He was walking toward the hospital when his phone signaled a text. It was Trey.

I’m just leaving the high school. I’ll be there soon. Lee will fill you in. He’s Trina’s boyfriend.

Sam frowned as he reached the entrance. Damn it to hell but he hated hospitals. He took a deep breath, walked inside like he owned the place and headed for the information desk.

A uniformed volunteer smiled at him as he approached.

“Ma’am, how do I get to ICU?” he asked.

She pointed down the hall. “Take the elevator up to the third floor, take a right and go all the way to the end of the hall.”

“Thank you,” Sam said, and headed down the hall. Three women were already waiting at the elevator when he walked up. They turned out of curiosity. While he didn’t recognize any of them, they obviously knew who he was.

The elevator opened, and he followed them on, pressed the button for the third floor and then moved all the way to the back of the car.

A thin brunette was the first to speak. She was clutching her purse against her chest like a shield as she turned around.

“You have my sympathies,” she said.

An older woman nodded. “And mine,” she added, while eyeing him from head to toe.

The third woman was a buxom blonde whose gaze was more intent and less into consolation. “Long time, no see, Sam,” she said.

“I’m sorry, you ladies have me at a disadvantage,” he said.

“We’re Harpers,” the blonde one said. “Wilma is our mother, Wilda here is my younger sister and I’m Wynona.”

He had a vague memory of skinny kids running wild along the creek.

“You lived across the creek from my parents’ farm,” Sam said.

Wilma nodded. “We still do. We’re so sorry to hear about your mama. This whole killing business has been horrible. Just horrible. I haven’t had one good night’s sleep since they found Dick Phillips hanging in his barn.”

Sam flinched. Obviously one of the details Trey had yet to fill him in on.

The elevator stopped on two and the women got off.

“It was good to see you again,” Wynona said, and then winked.

Sam’s phone rang just as the door closed between them. He noticed it was from the office and let it go. He’d already told his secretary to cancel his appointments until further notice. Whatever was happening, it could wait.

He got off the elevator on the third floor and headed down the hall just like the lady had said, following the signs to ICU.

The nurse on duty at the desk looked up.

“What room is Trina Jakes in?” he asked.

“What’s your name, please?” she asked.

He frowned. “I’m her brother Sam.”

“Could I see some identification, please?” she asked.

His frown deepened as he handed his license to her.

She checked it against a list, then handed it back with an apology.

“I’m sorry, but we’re under orders from the chief of police to limit her visitors to immediate family only, and I’m new to Mystic and don’t know anyone.”

Good call, little brother. “It’s okay. I appreciate your diligence.”

“She’s down that way in 12B. There’ll be a guard at her door who will probably ID you, as well.”

Sam heard her, but he had begun to hear what was going on in here, as well, and when the skin tightened on the back of his neck, reminding him of all the time he’d spent in ICU, he knew it was going to be a hard visit to make.

He lengthened his stride and saw a man standing guard by a door. Room 12B.

“Sam Jakes. I’m here to see my sister,” he said and flipped open his wallet, letting the guard see his private investigator license as well as his ID.

The guard looked closely at both before he gave the okay for Sam to go in.

“Good to meet you, Mr. Jakes. I’m Mike Cantrell with Embry Security. Visiting will end at noon and resume again at 2:00 p.m.”

“Thanks,” Sam said and entered the room.

As he did, the young, dark-haired man sitting beside her bed suddenly stood.

“I’m guessing you’re Lee,” Sam said.

The man nodded.

“I’m Sam Jakes. Nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too, sir,” Lee said. “I’m going to step outside and give you some time with Trina. She’s in a drug-induced coma, so don’t worry about her not responding to anything you say. The doctor said she’s holding her own. That’s the update.”

He eyed Sam curiously as he left the room, and Sam could only imagine what he was thinking—probably something along the lines of Where the hell did he come from?

Four

Sam’s hand was shaking as he reached for Trina’s arm. This was a slap-in-the-face wake-up call to point out what he’d been missing. She’d grown up and nearly died before he could get his ass home, and right now he couldn’t remember even one good reason why it had taken him so long.

“Hey, little sister. It’s me. Sam. I don’t know who did this to you yet, but I promise we’ll find him. Just get well and know we love you very much.”

During the time he’d been in the hospital he’d gotten good at deciphering the readings on the various pieces of medical equipment, and from what he could see Trina appeared to be stable, so she was doing her part. But being back in this hospital made him remember all the times his mother had come to see him. All the nights she’d stayed at his side, the tears she’d shed listening to him scream as the doctors began to debride his burns. His family had been there for him. All this time he’d thought he was protecting them by isolating himself, when it appeared he’d hurt them much more with his absence. He swallowed past the knot in his throat, determined not to cry, and was so lost in thought that he didn’t hear the footsteps behind him. Then he felt the pat on his back, and his vision blurred.

He turned, saw the weariness and the grief in his brother’s eyes, and in that moment their mother’s death was finally real. “I am so sorry,” he said.

“So am I, Sam,” Trey said, and hugged him, taking comfort from the strength in his brother’s grip.

“You have hell on your hands, don’t you?” Sam said.

“Yes, and I don’t know why,” Trey said. “It’s noon, which means they’re going to run us out of here for a couple of hours. I need to swing by the precinct to pick up Dallas, and then we can go to lunch and catch up.”

Sam looked back at Trina, and then leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Be strong, little sister.”

“We’ll be back,” Trey added.

They walked out together with a nod to the guard, and left the hospital.