Page 47 of Lost
“Zachary Bennett,” she said, having glanced back at her screen. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to need to see some ID. Hers is a police matter, I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course.”
He extracted his licence from his wallet and handed it over to the woman. For several long moments she examined it, turning it this way and that, checking for any sign that it might be a fake. Finally satisfied, she handed it back and clicked through to the file.
“All right,” she said. “You’ll need to go up and speak with her assigned doctor. I’ll call ahead and let him know that you’re coming.”
As per the receptionist’s directions, they took the elevator up to the second floor and made a left. Lysander fidgeted, clearly agitated that they would have to deal with the doctor before he could see his sister. Zack wouldn’t say it aloud, but he was glad for this minor delay. He needed the moment longer to prepare.
They found the door easily enough and were being summoned into the office before they knew it.
Doctor Martin was an older man with greying hair and gentle eyes. He abandoned his paperwork when the three of them entered, smiling kindly at them over his desk and gesturing for them each to take a seat.
“You must be Dakota Maverick’s family.”
“We are,” Zack confirmed. He held a hand out to the doctor as he introduced himself. “Zack Bennett. My wife, Georgia, and my son, Lysander.”
“It’s lovely to meet you all. I’m Doctor Martin and I was the first doctor on scene when Dakota was brought in this morning.” He looked at the three of them squarely and asked, “How much do you know about the state she was in when she came to us?”
“Not much,” Zack admitted. “My lawyer said she was unconscious. That she was in rough shape. That’s about all we know.”
Cutting right to the chase, Georgia asked, “Is she all right?”
“I’m afraid not. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Dakota passed away earlier this morning.”
There was heavy silence in the room as he, Georgia and Lysander took in what Doctor Martin was saying. Zack had been prepared for a lot of things — to hear that Dakota would have to stay in the hospital; to learn that some sort of permanent damage had been done to her in the time that she had been missing.
But he had not expected this.
“A Detective Jameson has asked to speak with you,” Doctor Martin went on gently, extracting the card from his desk drawer and offering it to Zack. “He’ll be able to provide you with a—”
“I don’t believe you.”
These words were Lysander’s. If it took Doctor Martin by surprise, the man wasn’t showing it. He looked as calm and sympathetic as he had before Lysander had spoken, and didn’t seem to take offence to being called a liar. He didn’t even flinch when the boy jumped to his feet and glared at him.
“I want to see her.”
At this, Doctor Martin looked to Zack. And he knew why. He was the parent, and Lysander was still a minor — if Dakota really was dead, Lysander would only be able to see her if he had permission. Without a second thought he was nodding. How could he deny his son this? It was his sister they were talking about. And truth be told, Zack wanted to see her too. Maybe they would get lucky and Lysander would tell them they had the wrong girl. For the first time, Zack actually found himself hoping that Dakota was still missing.
“May we?” he asked the doctor.
“Very well,” Doctor Martin said. “If you’ll please follow me.”
Lysander was silent as they walked, his jaw set and his eyes refusing to meet anybody’s gaze. He didn’t comment as they took the lift down to the basement level; he said nothing as Doctor Martin led them down a couple of cold, deserted corridors. There were no windows down here, but the sounds of people working in a kitchen echoed from not too far away. They were headed in the opposite direction. Towards a part of the hospital where there was nothing but the low hum of electricity.
The morgue was quiet and cold. Doctor Martin led them through an unmarked door, where the lone coroner looked up, and Zack found his wife suddenly closer to his side. He wrapped an arm around her waist for support. She hated places like this, he knew. But he also knew that she would never wait outside, even if he asked her to. If there was even the slightest possibility that he was going to need her, she would be there. And he was definitely going to need her.
Everything happened quickly after that.
The coroner opened one of the coolers and pulled the tray out, throwing the sheet back to reveal the girl’s face only after he had been given the okay nod from Zack and Doctor Martin. Lysander stepped forward.
Zack didn’t need to wait for his son’s confirmation to know. This was Dakota. There was no doubt about it.
She was pale and gaunt and her lips had already turned blue, but he still recognised her from the photos. Her dark hair was a mess, but it was still hers. Her eyes were closed, but he knew that behind her lids they would still be the same steel blue as Lysander’s. He longed for her to open them so that he could see them for himself. Just once.
Lysander reached out to her, and jerked back immediately with a gasp.
“Cold,” he breathed. “She’s so cold.”
