Page 13 of Savage Seduction

“The driver of the other car had a head laceration and a broken pelvis. I was trying to calm him down so he didn’t attempt to get out of the car and possibly bleed out from a severed artery. It was weird though.”

“What was?”

“Some of his injuries I expected, and some were out of place.”

“What do you mean?” I sit forward in the chair, my cop mind surging to the front of my consciousness.

“The head laceration and broken pelvis… totally typical of the type of crash that night. But there were bruises on his arms and legs and what looked like a cut across his neck.”

“Could the seatbelt have caused it?”

Ben thinks about it for a few moments. “I guess so, but in my experience, the seatbelt will burn, bruise, or even tear at the skin of the MVA victim… this looked more like a slice.”

“Did you ask the guy what happened? Maybe his injuries caused the crash?”

“I was more concerned about his broken pelvis and keeping him stable. When I arrived at the hospital he’d passed away. The attending physician had already declared him dead from the accident. I kind of put it out of my mind.”

I turn my head slightly to the right as if I'm trying to see what was playing out inside my mind. I was thinking about that night. There was something that had struck me as odd too, but what was it?

There was something else.

“Are you okay, Max?”

I nod slowly. “I was thinking back to the crash. When I was pulling the girl from the car, a man ran past me. At first, I didn’t think too much of it, although it struck me as odd.” I shake my head. “I don’t know… I feel like maybe there was someone else involved in this crash.”

“Like another victim?” Ben’s tone grows concerned.

“No… Maybe? I’m not sure. I think I’m being crazy… never mind me.”

“Well, anyway,” Ben continues. “When the paramedics showed up to stabilize and transport the patient, I left to look for you.”

“You did?”

He nods. “My phone started blowing up with texts and calls from the chief of surgery at the hospital. You know the wreck on the freeway? It was one of the worst in recent memory and I was there all night doing my best to patch people up.”

“Damn,” I say. “Long night I bet.”

He smiles and looks off for a brief moment, a sadness in his eyes. “Lost a few but saved as many as we could. Let’s not talk about all this sad stuff. I did leave my number with Hector at Taco Caliente, hoping he would give you my number.”

I cross my arms. “I kind of feel bad. The more I’d thought about how you’d left, I might have… accidentally misplaced your number.” I hold up my hands in mock self-defence. “Maybe it was an accident, who can tell?”

“Totally understandable.” He smiles. “If I’m being honest, I sure am impressed with you and how you handled yourself out there.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely. Kind of sexy seeing you pull that girl from the car.” He chuckles. “How about I give you my number directly this time?”

I take out my phone and type in the number as he recites it to me. His phone buzzes. “There,” I say. “Now you have my number too and neither of us can accidentally lose it.”

Ben nods. “Max Salgado,” he says as he saves my number in his phone. He puts it back into his pocket. “Is it okay if I call you tonight? Maybe we can go out for dinner?”

My face flushes with excitement. I nod. “I’d like that. Plus, it’s my day off from work. I’d asked for the time in case my test today went badly. I figured I might need a drink or three.”

Ben looks me in the eye. “Somehow I doubt you’ve ever failed at something you put your mind to.” He sits back in his chair. “I have a good sense about these things.”

His confidence in my abilities mirrors my own. Despite the butterflies before a test, it always seemed to work out for me. It feels good to have someone in my corner. “That’s very kind of you to say.”

“Do you mind if I ask what you’re majoring in?”

---