April.
I pull up and rush inside. “What’s going on?”
The policeman turns to me. “Mr. Garcia?”
“Yes.”
“It appears you had a home invasion.”
“W-where’s April?” I stammer.
“She’s been transferred to Memorial Hospital by ambulance.”
“She’s hurt?” I gasp.
“She called emergency services because someone was in the house. When the patrol car got here, they found her unconscious.”
My eyes widen. “What the fuck?”
“We’re dusting the house for fingerprints, but unfortunately the security cameras weren’t recording. Do you have any idea why they were off?”
“That’s impossible. They’re always recording.”
“Yes, but-”
She’s hurt.
“Not now!” I yell as panic sets in. I turn and run to my car. I take off at speed.
Has she been shot?
I grip the steering wheel with force, and I drive like a maniac.
This isn’t happening.
The traffic is backed up, and I run my hands through my hair in frustration. “Come on!” I yell.
My phone rings through my car speakers. It’s Spencer.
I click accept. “Oh my fucking God!” I yell. “There’s been a break in at my house. April is hurt. She’s gone to the hospital in an ambulance.”
“What the fuck? Is she okay?”
“I don’t know, I’m in traffic, and…” I peer up the road to see that the traffic is static for miles. “Fuck it!” I punch the steering wheel.
“What hospital?” he asks.
“Memorial.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
I hit the end button and do a U-turn in the middle of the road. Cars honk their horns. I drive up and over the curb and cut the corner to take a shortcut. Twenty minutes later, I screech to a halt outside the front of Memorial Hospital. I get out of my car and run to the reception area.
“Hello. A-April Bennet has been bought in by ambulance…”
The lady fakes a smile, as if annoyed by my rudeness. “Hello.”
“Yes, hi.” I widen my eyes. I don’t have time for you, bitch. “Where is she?”
The woman slowly types the details into her computer, and then she waits.
“Well-”
“I’m looking, sir,” she cuts me off. “What was the surname?”
“Bennet.”
She looks again.
“Oh my god…. will you hurry up?” I snap. “I don’t have time for this.”
The woman’s eyes rise to meet mine, and then slowly go back to her computer.
For fuck’s sake.
“Here she is,” she replies, monotone. “She’s still in Accident and Emergency.”
“Where’s that?”
“Go back out through the front doors and turn right. It’s about fifty meters. You will see a large Accident and Emergency sign.”
“Thank you.” I run out the doors, down to A&E, and over to reception. “Hello, my girlfriend April Bennet has been bought in by ambulance,” I pant.
The nurse looks up and does a double take. “Mr. Garcia?”
Oh no, she recognizes me. “Yes. Where is April, please?”
She types into her computer.
For fuck’s sake, doesn’t anyone know what is going on around here?”
“Take a seat, sir. I’ll have a nurse come out and get you.”
“I need to go in now!” I snap. “It’s an emergency.” My eyes hold hers. “Please.”
She exhales, stands, and she opens the security door. “This way, please.”
I follow her down the corridor and into what looks like a triage room. There are numerous beds in one huge room. Each bed is surrounded with a curtain.
“This way.” We go to a cubicle, and she peers in. “Hello.” She smiles. “I have April’s partner here.”
“Yes, come in,” a male voice replies.
The woman pulls back the curtain, and my face falls. April is lying in bed with a deep-purple and black eye. She offers me a sleepy smile. A doctor is with her.
“Oh my God.” I rush to her side, bend and kiss her temple. “Are you all right?” I whisper as I brush the hair back from her forehead.
She nods with a soft smile. “I’m fine, Seb.”
“You are not fine. You’ve suffered a serious concussion,” The doctor interrupts.
“What happened?” I ask.
“Someone broke into the house.”
“They hit you?”
“No.” She huffs. “I chased them and tripped on the rug. I fell into the marble kitchen counter.”
My eyes widen. “You chased them?”
“Excuse me,” the doctor says. “I’ll be back in a moment.” He walks out of the room, and I bend and kiss April’s forehead. “I’m so sorry. I left my phone in the car, and-”
“Sebastian, it was Helena.”
I pull back to look at her. “What?”
“It was Helena in the house. I was watching her from upstairs through the surveillance cameras. She was looking for something in your office, then she kicked Bentley. I snapped and marched down there.”
I frown, imagining the scenario.
“Sebastian, she had something hidden behind her back. She took something from your filing cabinet. I was chasing her to get it back.”
My blood runs cold, and my heartbeat pounds in my ears. “What was it?”
“I couldn’t see, but she got it out of the filing cabinet.”
“Have you told anyone else this?” I whisper.
She shakes her head. “No, I wanted to talk to you first. She didn’t recognize me.”
Adrenaline surges through my veins. “Don’t tell anyone. Say you saw nothing.”
“It will be on the cameras.”
“They weren’t recording.”
“Why not?” Aprils eyes widen. “What are you going to do?”
What needs to be done.
The curtain flicks open. “Time for your CT scan.” The nurse smiles.
“Don’t you worry.” I bend and kiss April on the temple, faking a smile. “Rest, my love.” I push her hair back from her forehead. “I’ll wait here for you, okay?”
She gives me a weak smile before she’s wheeled away.
I put my hands on my hips and turn to face the wall. My heart is pumping hard, and fury fills my every cell.
This time, Helena has gone too far.