Unseen Read Online Free PDF Page B

her head. “That’s awful.”
    “He said he was framed.” Will paused for effect. “But it’s obvious nobody hung him out to dry.”
    Sara kept shaking her head. “How long did it take for you to come up with that?”
    Will leaned forward and kissed her—not an apologetic brush across the lips or a quick goodbye, but something longer, more meaningful.
    Briefly, Sara considered the fact that the entire emergency roomwas on the other side of the door, that anyone could walk in on them, but then Will deepened the kiss and none of that mattered. He was out of his chair, on his knees in front of her. He pressed closer, pushing her back against the chair. Sara started to feel lightheaded.
    “Jell-O cup!” a man screamed from the ER.
    Sara jumped. Will sat back on his heels. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
    “Sorry,” she apologized, as if she could control the patients. Sara straightened Will’s collar, smoothed down his tie. She could feel his pulse pounding in the side of his neck. It matched her own beating heart. “The drunks are waking up.”
    “I like Jell-O, too.”
    “Will—”
    “I should probably get to work.” He stood up and brushed the grime off his pants. “Remember what I said, okay? I’m not going anywhere.” He grinned. “I mean, I’m leaving now, but I’m coming back. As soon as I can. Okay?”
    Her mind filled with things to tell him—that she wanted him to promise that he would stay out of harm’s way, that she needed him to assure her that everything was going to be all right. Sara knew these promises would be meaningless at best and a burden at most. The last thing a cop needed to think about when he was in the line of fire was whether or not his girlfriend would approve.
    In the end, she told him, “Okay.”
    He smiled at her, but again, Sara could tell that something was off. She could see it in his eyes—a hesitation, a concern. As usual, Will didn’t give her time to question him.
    She caught a glimpse of the crowded hallway as he opened the door and left. The morning rush had arrived. The cacophony of beeping monitors and machinery had started to rev. Patients were already parked on gurneys in the hallway. The drunk screamed for Jell-O again, then another screamed for the first one to shut up and also that he wanted some Jell-O.
    Sara clasped her hands together in her lap, silently reviewing her conversation with Will. What was he really trying to tell her? Why had he come to the hospital when everything he’d said could’ve been relayed over the phone? At least he’d admitted something else was going on. He could be so damn inscrutable, and Sara was not too proud to admit that she often found herself outmaneuvered.
    She touched her fingers to her lips, felt where Will’s mouth had been. Was that the point of his visit? Was kissing her Will’s way of making sure she didn’t forget him while he was gone? Or was he marking his territory before he left town?
    Only one of those options was flattering.
    Sara’s phone rang. She dug around in her pocket, feeling for the telltale vibration. She expected—hoped—that it was Will, but the caller ID read TALLADEGA CO, AL. Over the last week, he’d called from a lot of strange places, but never from Alabama.
    Sara answered, “Hello?”
    There was no response, just a low humming sound.
    Sara tried again. “Hello?” There was still no response, but the humming got louder, more animal than electronic.
    “Hello?” Sara was about to end the call, but, unreasonably, her mind flashed up the image of Will lying on the pavement, his body rent in two. She stood from the chair. “Will?”
    There was a huff of air down the line.
    “Hello?” Sara pulled open the door. She ran into the hall, nearly colliding with a patient. This was ridiculous. Will was fine. He’d just left less than two minutes ago. She could still feel his mouth on hers.
    “Hello?” Sara pressed the phone to her ear. “Who is