Page 113 of Temptation
“Sloane?”
She turned at her name.
The EMT, Adam East, stood a few feet away, wearing his blue uniform, with a radio and strap sliding across his shoulder and down to his waist. He owlishly blinked at her. “You already got the call?”
She still didn’t have a phone. So, no. She hadn’t gotten any call. “What call?” What was he talking about?
“Your friend, Lily. You…you got the call about her?”
Her heart seemed to stop. Why would I get a call about Lily?
“I, um, just brought her here.” He took a few halting steps forward. His worried gaze swept over her.
Lily didn’t leave town. Preston had told her that, but Lily should have been safe with Atlas. Atlas always kept Lily safe.
“I…” Adam raked a hand through his hair. “I was sure you were going to be contacted?—”
She shot forward and locked her hands around his arms. “Is it the babies? Are they okay?”
“I…Look, I’m sorry, but I’m not allowed to tell you anything about her actual condition. That’s against the rules. She’s here, though, I can say that much.” His eyes lit up. “And, hey, I can take you to her. That work for you? That good?”
“Yes, yes! Take me to her!” Please let the babies be all right. Please let Lily be okay.
“Follow me.” He turned and began hurrying through the hospital corridors.
She chased after him.
“This place can be a maze,” he tossed back to her. “I’m here so often, though, that I know it like the back of my hand. I’ll get you to her. Fast. Promise. Everything is going to be okay.”
He turned a corner. She whipped around it, too. They’d left the bustling ER. Gone past four, no, five closed doors. Voices grew muffled. His black boots squeaked against the tile.
Automatically, her gaze darted to his boots.
Muddy boots.
Her steps faltered. It was nothing. Of course, he’d have muddy boots. It had stormed like crazy all night long. Some of the mountain roads were impassable, she’d heard that on the radio. Mud was everywhere but…
But…
But he worked with Bridget Russell.
They hadn’t gotten the tox report back on Preston’s blood work. They didn’t know what drugs he might have been given to knock him out when he’d been abducted.
An EMT would have access to a lot of drugs. EMTs come in and out of hospitals all the time.
“You transferred here,” she said as she followed behind him, steps slow, going deeper into the hospital. “You said Bridget was the first friend you made when you arrived.”
He looked back at her. Grief sharpened the planes of his face. “She was.” Gruff. “She was so kind to me. So good to me.” His head swung away. “Can’t believe she’s gone.”
“I’m sorry.” She wet her lips. Her steps slowed even more. “Where did you transfer from? I can’t quite place your accent.”
He rounded another corner. “California.”
She couldn’t see him. She stopped near the corner. “Which part of California?”
No answer.
“Adam?” Her hand rose and pressed to the lily charm on her necklace.
