Page 87 of Love in the Storm

She didn’t need to be told twice. Lyric held onto the strap of her purse and jogged toward the hospital entrance. Inside, the entire front of the hospital was covered in windows, showcasing the few lights in the darkness outside. A woman with short, white hair sitting at the information desk looked up as Lyric approached.

“Hi, I’m looking for Asa Scott,” she panted.

“The police officer?” the woman asked as she pushed her glasses up higher on her slim nose.

“Yes.” She’d been so worried about Asa, but the whole town would be up in arms as soon as the sun rose. It was always a big deal when an officer was injured in the line of duty.

“He’s on the third floor.” The woman pointed to her left. “Take those elevators.”

“Thanks,” Lyric said over her shoulder as she followed the woman’s directions. The elevator ride was torturously slow, and Lyric watched the numbers change.

When the ding let her know she’d arrived at the third floor, the doors opened to a crowded hallway. Officers and reporters crowded the small space, and the waiting room looked to be crowded as well.

“Lyric!”

She turned to see Dawson waving above the crowd and pushed her way toward him.

“This is crazy,” she said as he rested a hand on her upper back, guiding her farther down the hallway.

“It’s a big deal when an officer gets shot. Departments are here from three counties, and the news stations got the tip half an hour ago.”

“Is he okay?” she asked, looking up at Dawson. Despite the chattering in the hallway, she zeroed in on his face as she waited for the answer.

He pushed a hand through his tousled hair. “I hope so.”

They turned the corner, and Dawson led her to a young woman standing by the nurses’ station. She looked up from her phone as they approached.

“Are you the family of Asa Scott?” she asked.

“His mother and son are on their way in. I’m his girlfriend.” The last word trailed off. Was that title enough to allow her to hear the important update? It didn’t hold enough weight. Asa was a part of her, and the distance between them was pulling her down like lead in her stomach.

“If you’re in a time-crunch, we can relay the information to his mom,” Dawson said.

An older man in a police officer uniform walked around the corner and set his sights on them. His hair was dark on the top and completely gray on thesides. His broad shoulders and straight posture gave him an air of authority.

The man extended a hand to the doctor. “Chief Wright, Blackwater PD.”

“Doctor Sanderson.”

Chief Wright turned immediately to Lyric and gave her a quick once-over before offering her his hand to shake. “You must be Lyric.”

“Yes, sir.” A cold sweat slid down her spine. Had she met him before under different bad circumstances? He didn’t look familiar.

“How’s our man?” he asked the doctor.

“The surgery went well. He received a blood transfusion, and we were able to repair the shattered clavicle with hardware. He will have rods and pins that will be in place for a while. He’ll be transferred to the ICU after recovery.” She checked her watch. “We’ll keep an eye on his recovery until he wakes. You should be able to see him in a few hours.”

“So, he’ll make a full recovery?” Dawson asked.

“It will take a long time, but I believe he will. The wound was partially blocked by his vest, which very likely saved his life. He’ll have a long road of physical therapy ahead, and there are likely to be more surgeries in his future, but Officer Scott is very lucky.”

Lyric’s shoulders sagged in relief. It wasn’t luck. It was the Lord. How many times had she commented on Asa’s body armor? She’d even lifted the heavything once and wondered if it would do its job in a pivotal moment.

“Lyric!”

Jacob darted into the hallway and barreled into Lyric, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She rubbed her hand over his hair. “He’s okay. He’s out of surgery, and we might be able to see him in a few hours.”

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