Page 15 of Ignite
“Patton is an expert in finding information. If the plates end up being a dead end, he will find out a way to get the name of the driver who ran your mom down.”
I wished I had Axe’s confidence. In the back of my mind, I knew Patton was an experienced hacker and could find anything on the dark web. He was the main reason that Reyna was alive today. With his expertise, he found Rui Salko and brought him out of hiding. Davian might have had something to do with it, too. But without Patton’s help, the events that led up to Salko’s death could have ended differently.
~
The cell service on the plane was exceptional and I could contact Atlanta General to get updates on my mom. She was out of surgery and in stable condition. The doctors wanted to keep her in ICU, but were very optimistic that she would make a full recovery. Even though my emotions were going up and down with worry, I could finally relax. My mom would be okay. She had sustained a ruptured spleen and a broken leg. Thankfully, the doctors were able to perform open abdominal surgery to remove her spleen, which saved her life. The eight broken ribs were another story. It would be a long time before she could stand up on her own again, but with physical therapy, she would regain most of her mobility. It wasn’t the best scenario for her, but at least she was alive.
The plane’s engines roared and shook as the landing gear came down. The sun reflected off the sleek aluminum fuselage, creating little spots of light through the window as I looked on. As the plane taxied on the runway, my first thought was getting out of the plane as quick as possible. All I wanted was to see my mom. Once I saw her and was reassured that she was okay, I would let Burt know what happened.
Before I placed my feet on the tarmac, Reyna was running toward me. Under any other circumstances, it would have been a perfect Hollywood moment. I was never so glad to see her. She was my best friend and basically my sister. Her arms engulfed me as she pulled me into a hug. “I’m so sorry about your mom,” she cried as she pulled me in tighter. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I replied as the tears welled in my eyes. “Why did this have to happen?” My entire world seemed to shake at its core, and now it was being torn apart by two forces: grief and guilt. The grief was real and tangible, but the guilt of leaving my mom, leaving Atlanta in pursuit of my own dreams, was pure selfishness.
“I don’t know, Kenzi. But Davian will make this right.” Reyna reassured me as she wiped away a stray tear. “Let’s go see your mom.”
Two black SUVs were waiting for us on the tarmac to take us to the hospital. Marcus and Calvin rode with Patton in one vehicle, while Davian, Reyna, Axe and I rode in the other. As we pulled onto the highway, I watched the familiar scenery pass by. My stomach clenched, like my skin was pulling inward. Every time I tried to get a grip on my feelings, they slipped through my fingers like sand. It was no use being strong. Every bump and turn on the road made my mind scream at me. My thoughts were racing so much that I couldn’t catch my breath.
Reyna sensed my torment and took hold of my hand. “We are almost there, Kenzi.”
My mom used to hold my hand and tell me that everything would be okay, but this time I could only imagine her saying the words. And even though Reyna was comforting me, there was no one left to make me feel better. My dad could no longer make his famous chocolate milk and cookies, and sitting around the table as a family was just a memory. I wanted what happened to my mom to be just a bad dream, and I would wake up as the little girl who had no problems or worries. I took deep breath after deep breath, trying to calm myself down while Reyna held my hand tight and tried to comfort me.
“I should have never taken that job in Chicago.” I cried.
“Don’t you dare think that way. There is no way you could have known this would happen to your mom,” Reyna said as she leaned over and pulled me into a hug.
~14~
Axe
I fingered the cross hanging around my neck. It was my talisman, good luck charm, and a prayer all in one. I should have been the one comforting Kenzi. Margot wouldn’t be lying in an ICU bed if it hadn’t been for me. Part of me wanted to go with Kenzi to the ICU to be with her mom, but she asked Reyna instead. I didn’t blame her for asking her best friend instead of me. Truth was, I was the worst boyfriend Kenzi had ever had. She was a forgiving person, but there were just too many things to forgive.
I walked down the long hallways of the hospital as I dialed River’s number. A text would have been an easier way to let him know I wouldn’t make our meeting at the pier, but the conversation I was about to have with him was not something I wanted to type.
As I exited the hospital, the buzz of the emergency room faded behind me; it brimmed with tension and sadness. I inhaled a breath of fresh air and savored it. It slid down my throat, sweet and crisp, like the first drop of rain on your tongue during a summer shower.
Before River could get a word in, I asked, “Did you know about your brother’s plan to hurt Kenzi’s mom?” He was lucky that he wasn’t here to face my wrath. My fists itched at the thought of pummeling him like I had wanted to do so many times before. I had a feeling he knew what Van and Niles were up to.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he grumbled into the phone, unwittingly admitting that he knew nothing about what Van and Niles had done. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”
“Margot Horton is in ICU fighting for her life.” I told him in a calm voice, not yelling at him like I wanted to do, but I could hardly keep my voice from shaking with anger. “Your brothers put her there by having one of their cronies run her over.”
“I haven’t seen or talked to my brothers since the restaurant. You were there. I had no idea of their plan. Is she okay?” River seemed genuinely concerned, and I believed he was clueless about his brothers’ dirty deeds.
“She is in stable condition. Do you know where your brothers are and who they hired to kill Margot?” I asked, teetering on whether or not to believe him.
“I don’t keep tabs on my brothers’ doings or who they associate with. Let me make a few calls. I think I might know someone who does.”
I finished the call with River having no more information than a few minutes ago. As I walked toward the ICU, I felt the hair along my neck stand up. The sense of danger filled me, and my instinct to look around surfaced. My senses heightened, and I could detect the faint smell of bleach from the nurse's station. Looking around, nothing stood out. Only the soft hum of music from hidden speakers and quiet sounds of respectful conversation from a group of doctors and nurses as they made their way down the hallway could be heard. I didn't like what I was feeling, but there wasn't time for paranoia. As I pushed my uneasiness to the side, a text hit my cell. My eyes fell to the screen, and I saw a message from an unknown caller. My hands shook slightly as I read the message. I sensed an undercurrent of danger all around me. Worry tightened my chest and my instinct to look around surfaced.
Leaning against the wall at the far end of the hallway was a man wearing a baseball cap. One hand was in his pocket, with the ball of his shoulder pressed against the wall. His head was lowered and I couldn’t see his face. His clothes were army green and black, and he wore combat boots. When I looked at his clothes, things came back to me. When I looked deeper, I could feel my pulse racing, my palms getting sweaty.The thing that got my attention was that he was staring at his phone, as if he was texting someone. Me. His gaze locked with mine. A chill went up my spine when I saw the look on his face. He scanned me from top to bottom, and then his eyes looked past me.
Something in my gut told me to confront him, so I walked toward him. He darted around the corner and toward the stairwell. I picked up my pace and yelled, “Wait, I just want to talk.”
He didn’t turn back but kept moving, his legs carrying him faster. I took the steps two at a time, but when I got to the main floor and pushed open the door, he was gone.Where the hell did he go?I looked around—nothing. It was like he was a ghost. I kept my sights on the people in the lobby, hoping he would reappear. Still nothing.
I couldn’t let this guy get away, so I weaved between the people and headed for the revolving door that led to the street. Once outside, I looked to my right and then to my left. Still no sign of him. I was just about to give up when I caught a glimpse of him heading to the parking garage across the street.
Following him, I shouted at him to stop. He stopped for a moment to look behind him.As he crossed the street, a car honked loudly at him as it narrowly avoided hitting him. Something had spooked him into running out into the traffic without thinking. Cars honked angrily at him as he ignored them and ran across the street. Curses flew from the drivers' mouths and wheels screeched as drivers slammed down on their brakes. Horns blared repeatedly, sounding like birds in distress. Somehow, he avoided getting hit and made it across the street. My skin flushed with anger and embarrassment as I followed in his path. Irritated drivers continued to honk as I ran past the stopped cars.Who was this guy and why was he running?
