Connel whistled. 'I knew it! We only just got out of range in time!'
'Th…that was my car,' she whispered, starting to shake, her eyes fixed rigidly on the wing mirror in which she could see the flames.
Connel leaned down and produced a mobile phone from the floor of his seat, began talking into it. Zoe didn't take much notice; she was too busy watching the flames climbing into the sky, realising how narrowly she had missed being killed.
'Are you okay?'
She started, looking at Connel dazedly as he replaced his phone. 'What?'
Patiently he asked, 'How do you feel?'
'How do you think I feel?' she muttered. 'I just crashed my car, I'm aching from head to foot, I nearly died—how would you feel if you were me?'
He brushed her tangled hair back from her pale face. 'Okay, calm down.' Leaning over, he produced a thick tartan car rug from the back seat and folded it over her, tucked it in under her chin and down the side of her body. 'I just rang the police to report the accident. The fire brigade will be along soon, but the desk sergeant said I could take you off to hospital without waiting for them to arrive. They'll talk to you later, when you've had medical treatment.'
'I don't want to go to hospital! I'm not badly injured,' she said in a high, shaking voice. 'I just want to go home to my own bed.'
In the same calm, soothing voice, Connel said, 'You should have an X-ray as soon as possible. You were out cold when I arrived, but I wasn't far behind you. I left soon after you did, so it may not be serious. In case you have concussion, though, you must be checked by a doctor. You're obviously in shock and you may need medication.'
'I'm fine! Just take me home, will you?'
His dark eyes probed her face. 'Look in the mirror. You're as white as a ghost.' He started the car. I've put the seat-warmer on for you, and turned the heating up high. You'll start to feel better as soon as you're warmer.'
Zoe closed her eyes and sulked Why did it have to be Connel Hillier who found her? He was the last man in the universe she would want to see her in this condition. She had never felt this weird before and it scared her. What was wrong with her? Was he right? Did she have concussion? Or was this simply shock?
The car was doing a speed that made her heart stop. She had never been bothered by fast driving before, but suddenly she was terrified.
'You're driving too fast!'
His voice seemed to come from far away. 'We have to get you to hospital as soon as possible. Shock can be dangerous.'
'W…w…who s…said I w…was in ssshhh…shock?' she managed, despite her chattering teeth. 'I…I'm j…j…just c.c.cold And stop driving so fast!'
'Okay, I will. Don't get upset, just lie back and keep warm,' Connel soothed.
The car slowed and she closed her eyes again. The rug was warm, and she could feel the car heating building up, but she was still shivering as Connel drove into the nearest town, some quarter of an hour later. Zoe heard the noise of traffic, sensed that they were out of the country and into busy streets, but she didn't want to open her eyes even when they turned off the road and slowed to a stop.
Connel got out and came round to help her out, but her legs had become rubbery. They gave under her, and Connel picked her up into his arms and carried her inside the building. Her head lolling on his chest, she drifted in and out of awareness, but she knew they were in a hospital by the smell—disinfectant, polish, flowers.
The next couple of hours passed in a sort of daze. She had an X-ray, saw a doctor, had lights shone in her eyes, was examined from head to toe, and told she had a seat belt burn across her body, but she was very lucky the belt had not given way or she might have been killed.
The tired young Casualty doctor smiled at her. 'The cuts and bruises aren't a problem; they'll heal quite quickly. In a few days you won't know they were there. I don't think you have concussion. There are no signs of internal injury in the X-rays, or fractures or brain damage. We don't need to keep you in overnight, but if you get headaches, or problems with your eyes, come back at once. They will be a sign that you may have a problem. When you get home, go straight to bed, take some pills I'm going to give you, and rest for a few days. You're in mild shock, but it doesn't seem serious to me. Your friend will take care of you, will he?'
Friend? she thought vaguely, but nodded, not sure who he meant.
'I'm just going to give you an injection,' the doctor added, and Zoe jumped as he stuck a needle into one of her arms. 'Did that sting? Sorry about that,' he cheerfully said.
'You need to go back to medical school and get some more training,' she muttered, and he laughed as if she had intended to be funny.
She hadn't.
When he showed her out of his consulting room she realised which "friend" he had been talking about as she saw Connel, who sat outside, reading a newspaper.
'Everything okay?' he asked, getting up. I've managed to find a wheelchair—you aren't really heavy, but carrying you about like this is seriously damaging my muscles.'
The doctor laughed.
Zoe's teeth grated. 'I can walk. I'm not a cripple.'