Midnight Sun (97 page)

Chapter
21

Providence
Hospital

4:45
p.m.

The
emergency
room
at
Providence
Hospital
was
very
busy.
Summertime activities provided no shortage of sprained ankles, broken bones
,
and other assorted injuries, many the result of mixing alcohol with activities like mountain biking or riding four-wheelers or jet-skis.
Marcus
and
Mike
walked
in
and
found
Hilde
waiting
for
them
amidst
a
crowd
of
people
with
ailments
ranging
from
broken
limbs
to
invisible
sicknesses
that
could
be
anything from the
imaginary
to the
deathly
contagious.
Marcus
hated
emergency
rooms
—his
body
visibly
tensed
as
they
walked
through
the
doors.
Hilde
saw
them
enter
and
moved
toward
them,
tears
in
her
eyes.
At
the
sight
of
Hilde,
a
lump
formed
in
Marcus
throat
,
preventing
him
from
speaking.

“
Is
she
a
l
l
right?
”
Mike
asked
.

Hilde
nodded
quickly
and
wiped
the
tears
from
her
eyes.

“
She
’
s
fine.
No
physical
damage,
but
she
’
s
been
through
a
lot.
It
was
pretty
bad.
”

Hilde
motioned
to
the
security
officer
,
who
buzzed
the
door
open
and
let
them
through.
They
walked
down
a
short
hall,
their
shoes
clicking
on
the
tiles
like
a
clock
counting
down.
They
turned
and
went
down
another
hall
,
passing
several
small
exam
rooms
until
they
came
to
Lonnie.
A
look
of
relief
rapidly
spread
across
her
face
as
Marcus
entered
the
room.
He
breathed
an
audible
sigh
at
the
sight
of
her
alive
,
then
sucked
a
sharp
gasp
as
she
turned
toward
him.
A
bruise
colored
the
right
side
of
her
face,
and
her
lips
were
swollen
on
that
side.
A
bandage
covered
the
cut
across
the
side
of
her
neck
,
and
several
large
B
and-
A
ids
covered
her
forearms
and
the
back
s
of
her
hands.

“
Dear
God
,
Lonnie,
what
happened
?
”
Marcus
asked
as
he
crossed
the
room.
He
stood
in
front
of
her
and
gently
examined
the
wounds.
“
Who
did
this
to
you?
”

“
I
met
an
old
friend,
”
Lonnie
replied
through
puffy
lips.

“
I
’
ll
kill
the
bastard.
”

“
Too
late.
”

He
put
his
arm
around
her,
resting
his
hand
on
her
shoulder.
She
winced
at
the
pressure
of
his
touch
and
he
pulled
away.

“
The
baby?
”

“
Baby
is
okay.
The
doctor
is
coming
in
with
an
ultrasound
to
verify,
but
the
way
it
’
s
kicking
,
I
am
pretty
sure
the
baby
is
fine.
Tough
kid.
”

“
Like
M
om.
”

“
Marcus,
Kharzai
was
there.
”

“
Kharzai
did
this?
”

“
No,
he
saved
me.
”

Hilde
stepped
forward.
“
He
wasn
’
t
there
when
I
came
to
find
you.
”