Page 112 of Make or Break

“Sir, we need to get her loaded,” a female EMT said.

Another EMT glanced toward the camper. I couldn’t keep my trap shut. “Two others are in there, but they aren’t in bad shape like she is.”

An officer caught their stares, then spoke into the walkie-talkie on his shoulder. One of the fire rescue crew radioed back and nodded at the other EMTs before they moved out.

I didn’t bother to look back at the cop. With Ricochet at my side, I ran for the Explorer, praying the whole way.

“How the fuck did you not clock that bastard?” Tiny boomed at Lark.

We were at the far end of the ER waiting room, and getting all sorts of glances and looks.

Lark leaned toward Tiny, taking his life in his own hands, but he didn’t match Tiny’s volume when he spoke. “He spent every Monday night at the bar. Nothing about him was off.”

“Bullshit,” Tiny spat. “I asked her about him because I saw it immediately. You let your guard down.”

Lark dragged his hand through his curly, graying hair. “Shit ain’t my fault. He was—”

I edged closer. “He harassed her two weeks ago.”

“You and Ricochet made too big a deal—”

“Shut it,” I bit out, crowding into Lark’s space. “She’s in there gettin’ stitches and who knows what else. We’re lucky we got there in time - and you wanna pin this on us? You need your fuckin’ head examined.”

Lark’s eyes shone with annoyance. “I’m sayin’—”

“You’re done sayin’ anything, man,” Gamble said.

Volt came to my side. “Take a walk with me.”

“Respect, Prez, but not—”

“Garrison,” a doctor in navy blue scrubs called.

I strode to him.

Gamble walked next to me. “She’s my daughter.”

“She’s sedated and being moved to a room. We gave her two units of platelets and fourteen stitches.”

“God Almighty,” I breathed.

“Her nose wasn’t broken, but she has a contusion on her orbital bone. We want to observe her for signs of a concussion.”

That asshole got off way too easy. I should have beat him harder. Now he’d be in jail, hopefully forever.

“Can we see her?” I asked.

The doctor nodded. “I’ll have a nurse take you to her, once she’s moved to a room.”

I turned around and found Volt standing there.

He tipped his head to the double doors outside. “I’ll make it quick.”

Once we were outside, Volt pulled a vape from his back pocket. “You said some things at church.”

I dragged a hand down my face, tugging at my beard. “Yeah. I was also pretty fuckin’ angry.”

Volt cocked a brow and gave a single nod. “Said you got enough money to fund any dream she wants. How much are we talking?”