Page 119 of Quiet Beautiful Things

I tell it three separate times, and he keeps asking more questions. I throw up my hands. “How many fucking ways can I say I walked into the middle of it, and then he shot me, and we fought until Tara shot him? Ask the goddamn neighbors. I mean, Christ, my girl is hurt. I have to get to her.”

Mitch walks in. “The coroner is here. We’re done for now. But you’ll need to come to the station for an official statement. And, don’t leave town.”

I glare at him. “Where the hell would I go, Mitch? Ellie is in the hospital. That’s the only place I’m going to be.”

He nods and steps aside. “You’re free to go then.”

I’m walking out when it occurs to me that Tara is still here and is clearly shaken. I go to her. “Thank you,” I say with the utmost sincerity. “That could have gone the other way. You saved Ellie. And you saved me.”

“Too little too late,” she says, tears streaming down her face.

I get my phone out. “I’m going to have my mom come over. She’ll help you and get you anything you need. Her name is Sarah.” I turn to Mitch. “Can you stay with her until she gets here?”

“Yeah, go.”

I walk out of the room that’s now filled with a dozen officers. Things like this don’t happen in Calloway Creek. Grant’s body is put into a body bag and lifted onto a gurney. Evidence tags mark bullet casings and other things they find important. A large pool of blood remains on the floor. It doesn’t even turn my stomach to see it. He got what he deserved.

Questions from nosey neighbors are shot at me from every direction as I make my way down the stairs and to the car. I don’t answer any of them. I call Mom on the way to the hospital. I call Allie, who’s still with Maisy, and give her the gist. I drive as fast as I can, knowing most of the town’s patrol cars are back at Ellie’s place. I even run the one traffic light in town, once I’m sure the coast is clear.

I’m at the hospital in less than five minutes.

I park on the grass next to the ambulance bay, not caring if my car gets towed, and race inside, the whole time praying she’s okay.

Her hands. I can’t stop thinking about them. What if her body went into shock and her heart stopped and I wasn’t withher? What if the injury to her head is severe? What if I’ve lost her before we even have a chance to be…us?

Holly Overton sits behind the desk in the ER. She looks up with sad eyes. “I know why you’re here, Blake. But I have to follow the rules. Family only.”

“Are you fucking serious?”

“I can’t let you back. I’ll lose my job.”

“She doesn’thaveany family here yet. I’m the only one.” I run a hand through my hair. “Shit. I have to contact her parents.”

“I can do it if you’d like.”

I shake my head. “No. It has to be me.” I look past her to the locked doors leading to the back. “Holly, I have to know if she’s okay. Please. I love her.”

Her face is filled with empathy. “No promises. But I’ll see what I can find out. Wait here.”

“Believe me, I’m not going anywhere.”

As she disappears through the doors, I sit and let my head fall back against the wall. My leg is throbbing. Has it been this whole time, or am I just now noticing?

I stare at my phone, wondering how I’m going to tell her parents. I don’t have their contact information, but a quick search has me finding the phone number of Dr. Kyle Stone from New York City. I press the phone to my ear, hoping I don’t have to leave a message. When he answers on the third ring, though, my heart lodges in my throat, because I know he’s about to be as devastated as I am.

Chapter Forty-three

43

Ellie

Ugh.

My head is pounding. And my tongue is fuzzy.

I reach up to feel my head, and,oh my God,my hands. Hurt doesn’t even begin to describe the pain. My eyes fly open. I’m disoriented by the overhead light. Someone… a nurse?... comes in, looks at a machine to my left, fiddles with something, and then I feel a rush of euphoria that dulls the pain.

It hurts to raise my hands. They’re bandaged from my fingertips to my wrists.Why?

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