Chapter 54 Louise
LOUISE
We crashed through the doors of the hospital and sprinted up to the desk. “Kayley Willowby,” I panted to the woman. “Kayley Willowby—where is she?”
“One second.” She started tapping at her computer.
“I should have been here,” I sobbed to Sean. I’d been too frantic on the drive over to cry, but now the tears were starting to burn my eyes. “I should have been at the apartment with her but I was off—”
Sean grabbed me and pulled me in tight to his chest, stroking my hair. I could feel the tension in his body, too, every muscle knotted under the thin cotton of his tank top.
“Date of birth?” asked the woman behind the desk.
I told it to her between sobs. Come on. COME ON!
The woman frowned. “No Kayley Willowby has been admitted.”
I clutched at the edge of the desk, close to meltdown. “Are you sure? Are you checking the ER?”
“Louise,” said Sean behind me.
My stomach lurched. “Jesus, is she—Have you checked the—” I swallowed. “Would it show up if she was already—”
“Louise!” said Sean, and this time he gripped my upper arm so hard it hurt. I turned around. “Call her,” he said.
I looked at him as if he was crazy. “She won’t be able to answer!” I snapped. “She’s critical!”
“Call her.”
I pulled out my phone and viciously stabbed at the screen, not understanding why I was doing it. One ring. Two rings.
“Yo,” said Kayley’s voice.
The phone almost slipped from my fingers. “Are you—are you okay?” I spun slowly, looking at the hospital around me. “Where are you?”
“I’m fine,” she said, bemused. “I’m at the apartment.”
I looked up into Sean’s horrified face. I’m guessing I was doing the exact same expression.
We ran for the car and raced back across town, tires screeching and engine howling. We made it back to the mansion less than an hour after we’d left it.
But it was too late.
The table was empty. The entire crop was gone.