Chapter 37
THIRTY-SEVEN
When the cleaning lady finds me handcuffed to the bed, she doesn’t seem the slightest bit surprised. She fishes the key from the backpack Ben left behind as if she had been instructed exactly where to find it.
Once she frees me, she hands me a note and leaves the room like this is a completely normal situation for her.
My heart feels like it’s been ripped out of my chest but I’m too angry to cry. I crumble the note up without reading it, tossing it across the room before thinking better of it and walking to get it.
I smooth it out, looking over the words.
Clearly it’s Ben’s handwriting, because there is a little doodle of a broken halo on the top of it and a broken heart on the bottom.
He knows the tattoo I drew for him. Other than those two markings all it reads is ‘Plane ticket waiting for you at SFO airport.’
I rip the note to pieces and throw them all over the room. It’s childish and dramatic but I don’t care. They obviously knew I was tied to the bed for the last two hours.
Grabbing the backpack off the floor I call myself a car as I march out of the hotel room. I don’t want to spend another second here any longer.
By the time I get to the airport and pick up the ticket back to LA that is waiting for me, it’s been almost four hours since Ben left me.
I’ve been calling and texting him nonstop. Everything from calling him names, to begging for him to not do it. He doesn’t respond to any of them, and it only makes me crazier.
I scroll through my phone not sure who else to call. Cameron is a theory, but I don’t want him involved in this anymore than he already is. When I get to the end of the list and see Wes’s name programmed into my phone, I know who I need to call.
It rings twice before he answers.
“Hello, Prue.”
“Where is he?”
“I dropped him off at his condo about thirty minutes ago, so I assume he is either on his way to being a murderer or dead.”
“And you just let him do it?”
“He’d let me if the roles were reversed.”
“No. He wouldn’t. He would’ve done it for you.”
“That’s probably true,” Wes says softly. “And I would’ve helped him had he let me.”
“You should’ve taken him anywhere else. Anywhere but there. What kind of friend just lets…”
“Prue. Listen, I love the guy, probably more than you, so trust me when I say that there was no way I could’ve talked him out of this. I tried.”
“Should’ve tried harder.” I choke back a sob. “I can’t lose him.”
“You barely knew him. Imagine how I feel.”
“So, go back there and stop him!”
“I have my orders. Pick you up from the airport and keep you safe until everything settles. That means more to him than his life. I will honor those wishes.”
“God,” I breathe out, letting the tears stream down my face.
“I’ll see you at the airport when your flight lands.”
When I land in LA, I spot Wes by the baggage area waiting for me. I quickly bolt the opposite way. I don’t care what Ben asked him. Right now, I just need to find Ben and stop him from whatever he is going to do if he hasn’t already done it.
I start marching toward the exit when a thin, pale, black-haired girl steps in front of me. I know who she is right away. It’s impossible not to know the great Abbey Dark.
“Prue?” she says softly.
“Leave me alone.”
“I’m Abbey.” She smiles, even though she looks extremely nervous. “Ben told Wes you were difficult, so I was put in as a backup. I mean I kind of owe Ben. He helped keep Wes from murdering someone.” She wraps her arms around her stomach.
“I’m glad Ben decided to be the better friend,” I snap. “And if you think this makes you even with him, you are so wrong. He did more for Wes and you than you can ever repay.”
“Hello, Prue,” Wes says from behind me. I turn to look at him. “I understand you’re upset, but please don’t take it out on her.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I roll my eyes. “I should be nice to your girlfriend that you get to be with because mine decided to keep you from going to jail for life after you just let mine…”
“Take a bullet to the chest for you.”
“What?” My voice cracks.
“At least that’s what the news is saying.” Wes shrugs. “We can find out more when we get to the hospital.”
“He’s alive?” I ask as tears slowly slip down my face.
“I don’t know.” He sighs, his eyes drifting toward Abbey. “All I know is they found him with a gunshot wound to the chest.”
“Oh God.”
Abbey doesn’t come with us to the hospital. She takes a car home. Didn’t want to take up any of the attention. Personally, I just think she hates hospitals and knows I’m not going to be easy to be around.
When we get to the hospital it’s pure chaos. The police almost didn’t let us in, but Wes seems capable of talking his way into anything. Charming bastard couldn’t convince Ben not to do it, though.
It’s a media circus outside. It’s all over the news how Ben Parker got shot in the chest inside his condo. The press are outside causing a shitshow as we sit waiting to find out if he is alive or not.
Wes sits beside me as cops stand down the hallway talking. They’re waiting for more information like us. Wes tried to get the nurse to tell him anything, but apparently, he isn’t his emergency contact. I beg. I offer the nurse all the money in my account, but they still won’t tell us a damn thing.
I sink into a chair as Wes calls Joan to come down, hoping she might be able to find out more as his mother.
I stare at the clock. We’ve been here for an hour, and no one is telling us anything. For all we know Ben is dead right now. Wes doesn’t speak either, just stares at the wall.
When his phone buzzes, we both jump. He glances down before getting up and disappearing down the hall. I want to follow him, but I can’t move.
A hospital waiting room has become my own personal hell. I’ve never felt so hopeless, scared or alone.
When Wes returns a few minutes later, Joan is hanging onto his side, crying. Wes keeps his arm wrapped around her shoulder, comforting her.
It never dawned on me that Wes was that close to Ben. Or that Wes would be that close to Ben’s mother.
“Wes, is my son dead?” she asks, standing in front of me.
“They won’t tell me anything. We were hoping they might tell you,” he says.
“I highly doubt they will tell me anything if they didn’t tell you.”
“Worth a try,” Wes says.
I watch as they stand at the nurse station. Joan becomes very animated as she demands information. Wes just keeps his arm around her the whole time.
When my phone buzzes in my hand and Charles’ name flashes across the screen the realization that Ben took a bullet for nothing makes me throw my phone at the wall. It crashes into the wall and hits the floor as I bury my head into my knees.
Ben is probably dead, while Charles is still a free man. He’s going to come after me and I’m going to be trapped for the rest of my fucking life.
“I think it’s toast,” Wes says, holding my broken phone out to me.
“I’m not staying here.” I stand up. “He did it for nothing. Charles is calling me. He is going to show up at some point and try to get his revenge. He did it for nothing.”
“Don’t worry about Charles. He won’t be a problem much longer.”
“Why?”
“Don’t worry about that right now.” He sighs. “You’re his emergency contact,” he says, staring at me. The disbelief on his face lets me know he was unaware of this part of Ben’s plan.
“What?”
“Not sure when he changed it, but they won’t tell Joan or me anything because you’re his emergency contact.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh.”
The lady looked over my ID for a full three minutes before finally taking me back to a smaller waiting room. I tried to convince them to let Wes and Joan come with me, but they wouldn’t let them join me, so I’m forced to find out this news by myself.
They just left me in this tiny room all alone. I fear any moment they are going to tell me Ben is dead, and I’ll have to find a way to tell Wes and Joan when all I’ll want to do is cry.
My heart is pounding in my chest so hard I barely hear when the doctor walks into the room.
“I’m Dr. Richardson. You’re here about Benjamin Parker?
” I simply nod. “He came in with a gunshot wound to the chest. Just a few inches above his heart. He lost a lot of blood, and by the time they got him here, he already coded once. They were able to get his heart started in the ambulance, but he did code once more on the operating table. It took a moment, but we were able to bring him back. We don’t know if there will be any lasting damage from that, but he seems determined to live.
He has a long road to recovery ahead of him.
Nerve damage, three broken ribs, a lot of internal bleeding, and a concussion. ”
“But he’s alive?” My voice comes out as a whisper.
“He’s in critical condition, but yes, he is alive.”
“Good. Because I’m going to kill him,” I say as tears pour down my face.
Lucky for me the doctor has a sense of humor and doesn’t forbid me from seeing Ben after threatening to kill him.
They currently have him in the ICU but hope to move him to a private room once he is more stable. I can’t go in the room, but they allow me to stand outside. My eyes are glued to him through a small window.
I watch as his chest rises and falls, with help from the tube down his throat. There are so many wires going from his body to different machines. A monitor displays his heart rate, and the repetitive beating sound brings me a little more peace.
He is in tough shape, and it terrifies me. I keep waiting to wake up and find out he isn’t alive after all. The damage is severe. No one knows for sure if he will fully recover. Talk of brain damage or lasting nerve damage has me fearing the worst.
He risked his life for me. I have no idea if it even worked. Charles could’ve covered his tracks too well to get caught. This might not be the end of trouble for us, but just the start.
Wes doesn’t seem concerned, but I’m not sure he fully realizes the situation.
They finally make me leave after close to an hour. It’s hard to walk away. Leaving Ben alone is hard to do, but I don’t have a choice. I need to go update Wes and his mother anyways.
When I walk back to the waiting room, I find Wes and Joan sitting side by side. He holds her hand, comforting her. Both of them look so distraught it makes me feel bad for being gone so long.
This whole time Ben felt so alone, but these people did care about him. They are his family. He risked leaving them to protect me. It makes me feel worse to know that it’s my fault. I never should’ve dragged him into this.
“Hey,” I say softly, and they both glance up at me.
“You were gone so long,” Wes says. “What’s the news?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh god.” Joan gasps and covers her mouth.
“No. Wait. I mean, I’m sorry I didn’t come to tell you sooner. He is alive, barely, but alive.” I quickly try to correct myself.
This woman who I barely know jumps to her feet and wraps her arms around me. She grips onto me tightly, crying into my shoulder.
Wes nods his head, but his eyes dart to the hallway. When he stands, he touches Joan’s back gently.
“Hey Joan. I need a minute with Prue, okay?”
She nods, still crying, but seeming more at ease as she sits back down. Wes places his hand on my arm, guiding me away from her.
He tucks us against the opposite wall, as I notice two police officers headed our way.
“They are going to want to talk to you. I’m not sure exactly what they will ask, but I can assume it will involve Charles and probably your relationship with Ben.
“What do I say?”
“The truth, but you know, maybe not the whole truth,” Wes says softly. “I know you probably aren’t happy with Ben right now, and lying isn’t smart, but maybe just leave out unnecessary details.”
“Should I say Charles, did it?”
“I don’t know if you need to. I’m sure they have all the evidence they need.”
“What evidence?”
“You really don’t listen, do you?” He laughs.
“What evidence, Wes?” I push back.
“Before kidnap… taking you to San Francisco, he had his apartment fitted with hidden cameras. You know, just in case someone decided to break in and steal his guitars or something. And just maybe, they are very well hidden,” Wes says quietly.
“And maybe they caught the whole thing, and the police are collecting the data as we speak.”
“He planned to get caught.”
“He planned to make sure it didn’t fail. If the blood was on his hands, yeah, it wouldn’t be good for him, but if something happened to him, they’d be able to pin it on Charles.”
“Ben is insane.”
“Insane and alive.”
“Until I kill him.”
“Yeah?” Wes laughs. “And when do you plan on doing that?”
“Oh. I plan on making it take a lifetime.”