Page 92 of We Own Tonight
“Eli isn’t answering the phone or my texts, and he said he’d be here ateight.”
He looks at his watch and back to me. “I’ll go to the house and check onhim.”
I shake my head. “No, I mean, he has no idea you’rehere.”
Randy’s eyes flash with something, but I don’t catch it. “You should do that . . . so it doesn’t ruin theparty. . .”
“Okay,” I draw the wordout.
“My brother has no idea how lucky heis.”
I smile and shrug. “I think we’re bothlucky.
I’m fully aware of how blessed I am that Eli thought enough to chase after me. All those times I tried to get rid of him make me grateful that he doesn’t like to be told no. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what real love islike.
I enter the house and explain to everyone that I’ll be back. “I’m going to check on him. It’s been an hour, and he still isn’tanswering.”
I hop in my car, telling myself the entire way to remain calm no matter what. He’s given me no reason to distrust him, and he’s probably sleeping. Who am I kidding? He’s not sleeping. The only reason I feel as though I’m a good cop is because of my intuition. It’s something so many of us brush aside, but I believe it’s a gift not to be squandered. How many times did I think Matt was unhappy and pretended I was being stupid? So many I lost count. I think back to when Stephanie’s symptoms started, how the doctors told us she didn’t need the extra tests, but I demanded they do them. I knew there was something we were missing, and I refused tobudge.
Right now, my nerves are screaming that something isn’t right, and he isn’t where he shouldbe.
I pull up to his house, and the lights are still on. I use the key he gave me and headinside.
“Eli?” I call out, but no oneanswers.
I hear noise coming from the family room off the kitchen. I turn the corner, but it’s just the television. I check the pool deck before moving on to the rest of the second floor. This freaking house needs to besmaller.
My heart starts to quicken as I get closer to the bedroom. I don’t know where he is, but each step I take makes my stomach grow tighter. I close my eyes, steeling myself for whatever I might find, and open thedoor.
He lies crumpled in the middle of the bedroomfloor.
“Eli!” I scream and rush toward him. Sweat covers his body, he has a gash on his head where blood leaks from. His breathing is labored, and his eyes flutter open to closed. “Oh my God.” My hands shake as I try to turn him over. “Eli, can you hearme?”
He struggles for breath, and I’m not sure if he’s conscious when he mutters something incoherent. I lean closer, listening, and swear I hear the word “Help.”
“Stay awake,” I say as I tap the side of hisface.
I dial 9-1-1, and my mind switches immediately into police mode. My voice shakes, but I’m able to give the dispatcher his address, my badge number, and a rundown of the situation. They instruct me to keep him awake if possible and to wait forhelp.
It shouldn’t take long for the paramedics to arrive, but each second feels likehours.
I sit on the floor with his head in my lap. “Can you open your eyes?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond. “Can you hear me, baby? Can you tell me whathappened?”
“Heather,” Eli’s eyes open, and he starts to struggle. “Have to get . . . to . . .phone.”
“I’m right here, Eli. Don’t move, just stay with me,” I command as I wipe a bead of sweat from his forehead. “Help is on theway.”
He pants again, and I take his pulse several times, watching the clock move. His heart rate is all over the place. I hear the banging on the door below, and I now understand what it feels like on this side of the door. My fear of leaving him to let them in but knowing I have to makes my heartplummet.
“I’ll be right back,” I say, even though I know he probably doesn’tunderstand.
I rush down the stairs faster than I knew I could move and throw the door open. Two of my fellow squad members, Whitman and Vincenzo, standthere.
“Covey?” Whitman asks withsurprise.
“He’s upstairs. Where are the medics?” I ask without answering the questions in theireyes.
“They’re pulling through the gate now,” Vincenzo replies. “Are you onduty?”
