Chapter Twenty
Abel
“We’ve got her stable enough for surgery,” the doctor says, and I feel Adam’s hand release a bit. “I can’t make any promises. Her heart is weak, and that makes the surgery hazardous. We wouldn’t typically perform surgery on someone in her condition, but without it, she will die. Even if she survives the surgery, there’s a chance her heart won’t hold out. This is a lot of stress her body might not be able to handle. We’ll do our best.”
Another hour goes by while we wait for word about the surgery. We’ve been moved to a family waiting room in the surgical department instead of down in the Emergency Room. The door opens, and we all jump up again. It’s not the doctor, though. It’s Ian and another agent.
“I’m sorry. I tried,” Ian says, and then I understand why.
“You can’t be serious. Please let me stay until she’s done with surgery,” Adam pleads as they put us in handcuffs.
“That’s not the way it works, Mr. Reid,” The other agent answers.
“I’ll stay here and wait for her to get out of surgery. If anything happens, I’ll find a way to tell you. I’ll tell her you were here,” David tells Adam before we’re led away.
“Thank you,” Adam replies.
We’re taken to an FBI building and put in separate rooms for questioning. I tell Agent Holmes the entire story from when I found Adam in Tom’s office until now. I don’t leave anything out because I don’t think lying or omitting details is going to do anybody any good now.
Agent Holmes leaves after I tell my story. I assume he’s gone to question Adam and compare our stories. Ian comes in after a few minutes with some food. He’s gotten us burgers and fries. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until he showed up.
“I don’t think they’re going to charge you with anything,” he says in between bites. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen to Adam, but as long as you cooperate with any investigation, they don’t want the hassle of prosecuting you.”
“Adam is in a lot of trouble, huh?” I say and take a bite of my food.
“I can’t say much, but he’s in more trouble than you. There could be a way to get him cleared, but I can’t talk about that yet.”
When we’re done eating, he collects the trash and leaves. I’m sitting there for another hour or so and Agent Holmes comes back into the room where I’m being held.
“You’re free to go,” he says, and that’s when I see that he didn’t close the door behind himself.
“What about Adam?”
“I can’t talk about that with you, but you can go.”
The first place I go when I’m released is back to the hospital. David is still in the waiting room where I left him, and Becks has joined him. They’re both so still and quiet that my heart jumps into my throat.
“She’s alive,” David says when he sees me. “She survived the surgery but she’s in intensive care. None of us can visit her in there so we told them we’d wait here. One of the nurses said she’d take Sophie a note when she wakes up.”
Becks is texting someone and she jumps up after she hits send. “I’ve got to go. I think I’ve got a way to make things a little easier for Adam. I’ll tell you about it later. When I can,” she says and hugs me before taking off.
The only thing left to do is sit and wait.
“You really care about Sophie, don’t you?” I ask David when I can’t stand the quiet anymore.
“Yes, I do.”
“She’s almost nineteen, you know,” I say and nudge him in the arm with my elbow.
“I know. I think I’m going to take her to Rome for her birthday. If she’ll let me. Sophie’s never traveled much, and I’d like to do that for her. As long as she makes it,” he says, and his eyes get watery. “I’ll never forgive myself if she doesn’t. I should have blown my cover and gotten her out of there.”
“You did your job. More people could have gotten hurt if you hadn’t. You took care of her the best you could, and that’s what matters.”
“I hope she’s not mad at me.”
“I don’t think she is.”
A nurse peeks her head into the waiting room.
“Come on, you two. The doctors have gone home for the day. I can sneak you in to see her for five minutes, but you’ve got to hurry.”
David and I both get up and head for the door.