Vigilant

“Okay,” she nodded and watched as he ran off to the house, leaving her with Peter.

“Those girls…”

“He’ll get them, but you’re banged-up pretty bad, let’s go before the cops show up. The neighbors will call at any moment.”

“But…”

“You can call your friend on the way.”

“Oliver? Oh my god, Oliver.” Ari had almost forgotten him in all the insanity.

“He’s been looking for you.”

Peter carried Ari to the car. Through the window, she looked back at the house. Several other boys from the GYC followed Davis in. Boyd had Jace held to the ground. Tying his hands behind him. “Why didn’t Davis call Detective Bryson himself?”

But Ari knew before he answered that this was a matter beyond the police, a personal vendetta between Davis and his brother. Davis would want to take him down on his own terms without legal interference. There would be no third chances.

* * *

Ari kept it together until Oliver showed up at the hospital. Before that, she had to play the part that she and Peter orchestrated on the way to there. He dropped her off in the ER then turned around and Ari ran to the nearest cop, requesting that he call Detective Bryson immediately. The officer recognized her from the missing persons reports and tried to get her statement but she held firm, refusing to speak to anyone but Bryson.

While she waited, emergency workers rushed her to an examination room. A short, older Asian nurse declared her dehydrated and hooked her to an IV. Other nurses came in and took her bloody clothes and clipped her nails, sealing them in plastic, tagged bags. Everything about her was now evidence in a crime. Including her body.

“Ari,” the doctor said, after completing most of this exam. He introduced himself as Dr. Marlow. He was young, probably doing his residency. Ari bet he had no idea about the magnitude of her being his patient. That this would be all over the news in a matter of hours. He stood next to her bed, going over her history. “Were you assaulted? Sexually? If so, you should be examined.”

Ari shook her head, fighting tears. “No. He tried to but, no.”

Thankfully, a commotion in the hallway stopped that line of talk. She hadn’t been abused, but the other girls couldn’t say the same. She’d been lucky.

“Is she in there?” she heard. Oliver. He shouted loudly, “I need to see her!”

“Please,” she begged the doctor. “Let him in. He’s my only family.”

“I’ve completed your exam so if you’d like him to come in, that’s fine. Overall, Ms. Grant you’re healthy. Apart from the dehydraton and exhaustion, your injuries are superficial, I’m confident you’ll make a swift recovery. At least physically. The police will be here soon. Let the nurses know if you need anything.” Dr. Marlow opened the door, allowing an eager Oliver to enter the room.

“Oh God, Ari,” he said, pushing the doctor aside. He looked like a mess, his hair more unruly than normal. Tired purple rings surrounded his eyes. He scooped her up in a hug. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Stop,” she cried, sobbing uncontrollably. “You know if you cry, I’m going to cry and then it will just be horrible, ridiculous crying.”

Oliver took her hand and tried his best to climb in the bed. “You were just gone Ari. One minute I knew you were in your bed and the next—gone. You didn’t show for work and neither Davis nor Nick knew where you were. I almost lost my mind.”

A knock interrupted their reunion and Oliver sat up. Detective Bryson stood at the door, a look of relief on his face.

“We’ve been looking for you,” he said.

“I’m supposed to tell you what happened,” she said. “Only you.”

“Okay, the doctor said you were ready to talk.”

“I am,” she looked at Oliver. “I want you to stay also.”

“Sure,” he said, holding her hand.

Ari took a deep breath and told both of them everything that had happened since she left her bedroom window.

TWENTY SIX

She couldn’t go home.