BONUS SCENE HAGAN
She heard the people and machines. Hagan could hear them, but whenever she opened her eyes, she couldn’t see anything but lights above her. And shadows moving around her. She cried out. Her head…hurt. So much.
Someone leaned over her. “Hagan? Squeeze my hand if you understand me.”
She thought it was a woman, but she couldn’t be sure. Hagan squeezed the hand touching hers. She could…do that. With that hand. Her other arm was completely on fire. “I…hurt?”
“Yes. You are hurt, but you are going to be fine. We are transporting you to another hospital with a better ortho trauma unit.” Hagan forced her eyes open.
There was a paramedic there. Lillian. They’d gone to school together, but Lillian had moved…
to Helery Springs…years ago. “You’re going to be okay, Hagan.
I promise. There is just a better trauma center in Finley Creek. ”
“Finley Creek…Gen?”
Lillian nodded, as she adjusted something by Hagan’s head. “Yes. You just rest. It’s okay to sleep now. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
“The FBI agent…with me? She…okay?”
“Treated last night and released this morning, I heard. Everyone is going to be okay. You have just been out from meds, for about twelve hours. We were asked to handle the transport—I volunteered. Just hang on and enjoy this ride on the county dime. I promise, you are going to be okay.”
Hagan told herself that as the movement of the ambulance lulled her back to sleep.
She didn’t wake until the sounds of the doors opening jerked her back to reality. Reminded her where she was. “Lillian?”
“We’re here. We’re going to wheel you in, Hagan. Just hold on.”
Hagan just stayed right where she was. As they wheeled her into the hospital entrance. Someone met her there.
Someone with big brown eyes and wild curling blonde hair. Hagan just blinked at her. She knew her…very well. Some of her fear lessened.
“Well, look who the ambulance just rolled in. We’ve been expecting you…Hello Hagan, can you squeeze my hand, toots?”
Hagan reached for her hand.
“Good. Now, I am going to stay with you until we get you transferred into ortho’s care.
I’ll tell you all about the wonderful, phenomenal surgeon you get to meet.
He helped take care of my baby sister recently when she fell out of a tree on a daring rescue mission. Can you tell me that sister’s name?”
Hagan did. Of course she did. She’d gone to school with this woman’s younger sister, too. They were…friends. Good friends.
They’d shared a room when Hagan had lived with this woman’s family those ten months, too. She’d never forget.
“Good. She is a bit memorable. Can you tell me what happened? I can stay with you for a few minutes, then I have a consult on a five-year-old. Go back to sleep if you need to. I know they gave you some strong stuff before the ride from Helery Springs. Someone—one of us—will be with you when you wake. You won’t be alone, sweetie. I promise.”
Hagan clung. Tears hit her eyes. She didn’t want to let go. “I am just so damned tired of being alone.”
“Well, you won’t be alone now. I’ll make sure of it. Just sleep. You are safe here now…”
Hagan drifted off. When she woke, someone was sitting next to her bed, knitting. Knitting like her life depended on it.
Her best friend in the entire world.
That’s when the tears hit.
Her bestie stopped knitting. She always knit when she was nervous or worried. She always had. Knitting was something her bestie’s late mother had taught her; Hagan had heard it before. “Well. Things got a bit crazy in Helery County. And of course, you were right in the middle of it.”
“Yeah, things were getting a bit boring.” Hagan looked around the pale yellow room.
Definitely hospital, and a nice one too.
The one in Helery Springs was incredibly run-down.
She was surprised it was still even operating, at this point.
It was probably just a matter of time. Her arm was secured to a brace of some sort. She tried to move it.
“Nope. No moving your arm. The orthopedic surgeon will be in shortly to talk to you about what they need to do to put you back together again,” another voice said from the other side of the bed.
Hagan turned slightly, ignoring her neck screaming at her that moving was not allowed.
She blinked at the dark-haired woman right there.
“You have more damage to your left arm than Helery Gen was comfortable treating. They will probably do surgery in the morning. The swelling needs to go down first so they can see what is going on.”
Fear went through her. Surgery…going under…well, Hagan had never liked the loss of control like that. She looked at her best friend. “Summer—"
Summer leaned over her. Summer’s older sister Samia—a trauma physician in this hospital—leaned closer on the other side.
Summer patted her hand. Hagan resisted the urge to cling.
If anyone on the planet would always be on her side—it was Summer.
“We’re not going to leave you alone, Hagan Selene.
One of us will be with you every minute that we can. ”
“For as long as you need us. And when you get out of here, we’ll be taking you home with us. For as long as you need,” Samia added. “We have plenty of room.”
“You…don’t have to…do…I need to go home…” Right? Helery County. That was home. But right now…the thought of ever going back there again, made her sick to even think about.
“When you are ready. But…you are my best friend in the world. That means…you’ve been voted onto the island long ago.
No matter what. You aren’t going to do it alone.
” Summer had tears in her big dark eyes.
“You scared me. You aren’t allowed to do that, you know.
We have already gotten the cat settled at the castle.
You are just to focus on getting better.
Sam and I are going to take care of everything, we promise. ”
Hagan just stayed right where she was, until the doctor—a seriously hot guy that at any other time she would have drooled over—came in.
Then, she fell asleep listening to Dr. Carrington and Samia discussing the schedule for her upcoming surgery.
Summer was still holding her hand. Samia fussed with her blanket.
Another female voice said something. Hagan opened her eyes one more time.
“How is she?” the older woman standing there asked.
Bonnie. She’d raised Summer. And…Hagan a little bit, too.
Hagan had spent more time at Bonnie’s house than she had her own growing up.
It had been the only safe place she had had.
“I got here as soon as my shift ended. I’ve been worried sick since Joy told me what happened and that they were bringing her here.
Why did it take so long for someone to tell us? ”
Bonnie leaned over her head, smoothed the hair off her brow.
Hagan’s breath caught…
She wasn’t alone. “Bonnie…”
“Sweetie, you are going to be okay…You are not alone now.”
**I had no idea when I started this book that Hagan would become as important as she did.
I love the surprises that happen when I write.
BUT…now, I am excited to write Hagan’s book when the time comes…
but…which ASHER brother will it be…? There are six left to choose from.
(Pierce already has his heroine picked out, lol…
you’ll see her soon!) Watch for the next PAVAD: COLD CASE book coming soon! **