Page 45 of Lake's Legacy

“I thought you wanted to check in at the hospital and have me show you around."

“Well, yes, but after your friend…”

“No, we’ll still go. I’m okay. I am sad and furious, but I can do nothing for Talia now. I want to go to the hospital.”

“Okay, then,” Annette agrees.

“I can tell you what I found when you return,” Pirate says.

I nod at his suggestion before forcing myself to finish my cold sandwich and even colder soup.

“Ready?” Levi asks after he helps Jack clear off the table once everyone has finished eating.

“Let me grab my jacket,” Annette says, jogging up the stairs.

“You’re going to be warm enough?” Levi asks me.

I’m wearing jeans and a thick sweater. “I’ll be fine,” I assure him.

He wraps his arms around me and holds me close. “I’m sorry about your friend, but I’m happy they didn’t get their hands on you.”

“Me, too,” I agree. “I keep thinking about the men driving that van.”

“What about them?”

“I keep thinking I should recognize them. I feel like if I had, then maybe Talia would still be alive. But I’ve viewed the footage multiple times. Nothing stands out.”

“Maybe you should show the footage to Annette,” Levi suggests.

I lean back and look at him. “Why? She doesn’t know anyone at either hospital.”

“She doesn’t, but maybe if she sees the footage before she goes to the hospital, something might catch her eye.”

“Oh, that’s not a bad idea.”

When Annette comes back downstairs, I run the idea past her.

“Couldn’t hurt to take a look,” Annette agrees, following me when Levi and I lead her down to Pirate’s office. Knocking, we step in and explain what we want to try.

Pirate pulls up the video on the larger screen and lets it play. We both watched it several times. I can’t shake the feeling that I know them but still can’t place them. It's very frustrating.

“What is he doing?” Annette asks when we’re watching the actions of the two men outside my car when they first realized I was no longer inside.

I lean in and study the image, recalling what I witnessed that night.

“He’s punching his fist into his palm,” I tell her. “I forgot he did that several times. I guess he was angry.”

“Okay, I’ve seen enough. I think I’d recognize them if I saw them again. Maybe,” Annette says.

“Let’s head to the hospital. We’ll take a tour of the building. Maybe we’ll get lucky,” I say as I follow Levi outside.

Once at the hospital, I accompany Annette to Human Resources, where she checks in and collects her badge. While she meets with the head of obstetrics, I sit in the hallway and watch everyone who passes by. The men who tried to kidnap me were wearing surgical scrubs, but that didn’t mean they were doctors. I study the nurses, security, and the maintenance crew. I’m so focused on my search that I don’t realize Annette has joined me.

“Sorry,” I tell her when I realize she’s been trying to gain my attention.

“That’s okay. Did you recognize anyone?”

“No,” I say. “Let me give you that tour.”

---