“Shit. Let me just set the security,” Adam murmured, and ducked back inside while Jared started his truck.
They drove to Virginia Mason Hospital in silence, the radio playing something in the background that neither of them was listening to.
When he’d arrived at New Harbor, Jared had immediately pegged Ryder as the fun time party girl. There wasn’t a lot of substance behind her pretty face and sweet nature; she wasn’t particularly intelligent and was probably too trusting of people. He guessed that was what had gotten her into this mess.
Jared needed directions and forced Adam to pay attention to the roads, taking them in to the main parking lot at the hospital. It was late, nearly two in the morning, so the place was pretty empty.
When they walked into the main building, they didn’t hold hands. That would have been too much.
“We’re here to see Ryder Gorden,” Jared said to the night shift receptionist.
He got a cold stare in return.
“She’s in the ICU,” Adam said.
“Ms. Gorden already has several visitors,” the receptionist said stiffly.
“Well, now she has two more,” Jared said, his voice falsely bright. “Where is she, please?”
After being given terse directions, they headed for the bank of elevators.
“Bitch,” Adam murmured under his breath.
In the solitude of the elevator, Jared reached over, gave Adam’s hand a quick, reassuring squeeze.
It took a few minutes of navigating the maze-like hallways to find the ward Ryder was being kept on, and even then it was only recognizing Mia’s hunched, shivering figure that indicated they were in the right place.
“Mia,” Jared said, calling out.
She looked up, phone clutched in her hand, face tear-stained. As Jared slid into the seat next to her and pulled Mia’s small frame into his arms, Adam looked through the doors that led to the ward.
“Biggie’s in there,” Mia sniffed. “Dylan should be here any minute.”
“Okay,” Adam said. “I’m going in.”
Jared reached over and took his hand, and saw a flicker of something cross Adam’s face.
“Do you mind if I go in too?” he murmured to Mia, and she nodded.
“I’m okay. Just upset, I suppose.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in a minute.”
When they finally got into the small hospital room, Jared couldn’t help but notice how Chris looked so out of place in the small, uncomfortable visitor’s chair next to Ryder’s bed. He’d always been a larger-than-life presence. Now he looked… deflated.
“Hey,” Adam said, moving closer to the bed to squeeze Chris’s shoulder. Jared hung back, unsure why Adam had wanted him to come in here. He wasn’t one of them.
“Hey.”
Ryder was deathly pale, which was saying something since she was naturally so fair in the first place. Her hair was scraped back from her face, and her skin had a sickly gray tinge. A variety of different drips, monitors, and a cannula decorated her small body. Jared felt sick.
“Do we know what happened?” Adam asked.
Chris carefully set the small hand he’d been holding down on the bed.
“Someone gave her E, not knowing she has a heart condition,” he said slowly. “It made her collapse.”
“Who gave it to her?” Jared asked.
“You know I don’t know that. When I do, fucker will find himself without any motherfuckin’ kneecaps.”
Adam nodded. “Is she going to be okay?”
“The doctor thinks so. Her heartbeat is stable again. She didn’t get enough oxygen to her brain, which made her have a seizure, so they’re keeping her in a controlled coma right now until the swelling goes down.”
“It’s not your fault, Chris,” Adam said.
“Like fuck it isn’t.”
“I know what you’re thinking, and you need to stop. That isn’t going to help her right now. You need to put all that shit behind you and concentrate on helping her get better.”
Chris nodded and ran his hands harshly over his face.
“I don’t know why she didn’t call me. If she wanted shit, I would have got some for her.”
Adam moved toward the second visitor’s chair, but a light knock at the door interrupted them before he could sit down. A young nurse stuck her head around the door.
“Gentlemen, could I have a word?” she said softly.
Adam looked to Chris, then to Jared, then led the way out into the hall. Chris shut the door behind them, then leaned against the frame.
“The police have made contact with Ms. Gorden’s family,” the nurse said. “Due to the nature of their daughter’s condition, they’ve asked that we vacate the room of all except medical staff, family, and the police.”
“You want us to leave?” Chris asked.
“Yes,” she said, having the grace to look somewhat embarrassed. “I’m sorry.”
“We’re her friends,” Adam said. “We didn’t hurt her. We had nothing to do with this.”
“I understand that, sir, but we need to comply with the wishes of the patient’s next of kin. She’s not yet eighteen. Her parents have the right to exclude visitors from the room.”
Chris looked like he was going to protest; Jared could see his chest puffing up in tell-tale defiance. It wasn’t worth it, though. There was nothing else they could do here.
“Come on, Chris,” Jared said with a sigh. Then, to the nurse, “Is it okay if we call in the morning? To find out how she’s doing?”
“You can call,” the nurse said. “I’m not sure how much we’ll be able to tell you.”
“Okay.”
In the hallway, Mia was standing, waiting for them with Dylan. Jared shrugged out of his hoodie and draped it over her shoulders, nodding to Dylan in hello. It was nearly three in the morning.
“She’s okay?” Dylan asked. He looked wrecked.
“She’s good,” Chris told him. “Looks a bit delicate, but she’s always been a skinny kid.”
Dylan gave him a weak smile. “Thanks for being here. My parents are on their way…. It makes me sick to think she could have been left on her own.”
“It’s nothing.” Chris brushed off the thanks.
With a quick squeeze on Chris’s arm, Dylan ducked into the ward to check on his sister.
“Meet me back at mine?” Adam said, waiting for Chris’s nod before taking off down the hallway, letting the others follow.
