Page 17 of Waste
“As I stated, inform investigating DI, Parker. Now, sir, is there anything you wish to add?” Simmons asked Drew.
“No. What hospital is Shelley going to? She requested that I accompany her.”
“And you said you weren’t friends?” Simmons pressed suspiciously.
“I didn’t. I wish to get to know her.”
“So, why attend the hospital?” Simmons demanded.
“Because Shelley asked me to. It’s common decency to offer comfort to someone, even if you’re strangers,” Drew retorted. “Or has that flown out of the window alongside kindness, courtesy, and respect?”
“Mind who you’re speaking to,” Simmons warned.
“You mind the same, Officer Simmons. What hospital is Shelley being taken to?”
Shelley ended the standoff when she called out his name.
“Shelley, I’ll follow in my car,” he replied.
“Okay. Don’t leave me alone,” Shelley pleaded and coughed to clear her throat.
“I won’t,” Drew promised. He turned and held Simmons’ gaze. “Was that plain enough?”
“I need your address and details.”
Drew gave them to the PC and then notified him of which hotel he was staying at. Drew had a home address in London, but they weren’t in London. He informed Simmons he was here for work before Simmons let him go. Drew muttered several uncomplimentary things under his breath as he climbed back in the car. He entered the hospital postcode and then drove after the ambulance.
One thing bothered him. What was the likelihood of both the brakes and the handbrake failing?
Shelley
She didn’t know what had got into her, but she found herself begging Drew to stay with her, knowing she just needed someone. Her family would panic when they discovered she’d had an accident, and she didn’t need that. Her mother was only just calming down about the attack. The four times a day phone calls had finally whittled down to one per day.
Shelley’s older brother, Charlie, was overprotective. He’d smother her in his attempt to look after her. Shelley wanted to know her injuries before she contacted them. It made sense and would stop them from panicking.
The last person she’d expected to see peering at her had been Drew. But relief had swamped her when she’d seen him. The panic that had been building had faded, and his calmness had calmed her, too.
A nurse poked her head into Shelley’s bay. “There’s a Drew Martin here to see you.”
“I asked him to come,” Shelley murmured, feeling shy. What would Drew be thinking? She was acting like a crazy person.
Drew appeared as Shelley was trying to figure out how to act. “How are you doing?” he asked with concern.
“I’m okay,” Shelley replied. Jo had been correct about one thing: Drew was a gorgeous man.
“I doubt that, considering the state of your car and the two head injuries I saw,” Drew stated as he pulled a chair up and sat down. He studied her face closely. “Have medical personnel seen you yet?”
“No, I’ve only just arrived,” Shelley murmured as she fought to keep her eyes open.
“Shelley? Are you okay?” Drew’s voice rose with concern as darkness flowed over Shelley, and the last thing she heard was Drew bellowing for a doctor.
Drew
Shelley’s eyes rolled up and closed, and her body went limp. He yelled for help and checked Shelley for a pulse. Alarmingly, blood trickled from Shelley’s ear. Did that mean a brain bleed?
Drew bellowed again, and a nurse answered.
“Keep your voice down. What’s going on?”
