Chapter 47
Dean
We were hungover.
After a late breakfast of the greasiest things we could find in the kitchen, Seb and Kira stumbled back into bed, armed with aspirin. Lily and I were tempted to do the same, but we had agreed to lunch with Mom.
“We could push it back to dinner with her instead.” I pulled on my sunglasses as we left the apartment, trying to nullify the throb in the back of my eyeballs.
“We’ll survive,” Lily laughed, taking my hand to tow me towards my car. She wore ankle boots, a light purple T-shirt, and skinny jeans that made this hangover only slightly better as long as she stayed in view. “And she’s probably already made the food.”
“Well, while you eat, I’m takin’ a nap.” I fished the car keys from my back pocket.
“Okay, old man,” she grinned, walking ahead of me, out onto the sidewalk.
Her smile faded when her eyes landed on the front of the Cadillac. She froze.
I followed her gaze.
Placed on the hood of the car was a pristine white lily.
The hangover became a second thought as I scanned the street. There was nothing out of place, and the cop car was still parked across the road fifty feet away.
Lily carefully picked up the flower. “Maybe it was some kids trick or treating…”
I took the flower and marched to the cop car. If it was something as innocent as a joke, maybe it's why they hadn’t reacted.
What kids leave flowers on Halloween?
I knocked on the window impatiently with the side of my fist.
The driver lazily rolled down his window. “Can I help—”
“Did you see who left this?” I said.
He looked at the flower with disinterest. “What do you mean?”
Don’t drag him through the window.
I gritted my teeth, trying to stay calm. “It was on my car.”
“We were told to make sure she was safe,” he nodded to Lily as she joined my side. “No one said anything about watching your car.” He seemed to think this was a joke with the way he chuckled with his partner.
I’m gonna drag him through the window.
“You do realize we’re together, right? She travels in my car.” My tone was getting sharper. I couldn’t help it. “You didn’t think that maybe those orders to protect her included watchin’ for anyone who stops outside the fuckin’ apartment block?”
“Watch your tone, Moretto.”
My eyebrows lifted, and I stepped forward. “Watch my tone? Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me—”
Lily placed a hand on my arm but addressed the officers. “Can you contact my father, Detective Whitmore, please?”
The officers shared a look before the driver sighed and lifted his radio, except right before he went to speak, a report buzzed through about a house fire and gunshots.
He responded to that instead, and I rolled my eyes, moving away from the car.
Lily followed. “It’s okay, Dean. We’ll take it to my dad after we see your mom—”
An address for the fire was given over the police radio, barely audible over the static but clear enough for Lily and I to stop.
It was my address.
I ditched the flower and ran to my car. Every thought evaporated from my head, and my stomach twisted. “No-no-no—”
Police sirens sounded as the cop car sped by. Lily climbed into the Cadillac as I did. She didn’t speak, instead she hastily shoved on her seatbelt while I ripped the gear stick into drive. The flower was on her lap, I guess for evidence later.
I took a shortcut to my house, avoiding more cops as I went way over the speed limit. Lily’s hand was pressed against the dashboard.
I need to get home.
I need to get to Mom.
One more street—
Dragging the steering wheel down, I took a hard left onto my street.
The road was blocked with police tape, cop cars, fire trucks, and an ambulance… There was a cop car across from the house with its windshield completely peppered with bullet holes and the front seats covered in blood. That was the police surveillance Mark promised for my mother.
I stopped the car right behind the police tape and climbed out, unable to see the house beyond one of the fire trucks until I rounded the front of it.
Brick was charred, something in the roof continued to smoulder, and the windows all had the same large, splintered hole in their centers.
Police were stationed everywhere.
I ducked under more tape to get closer, but one of the officers stepped in my way.
“What happened?” I knew what happened.
“Sir, I need you to get back behind the tape.”
I shook my head. “Where is she? Where’s my mom?”
Another officer joined, taking hold of my shoulder. “Sir—”
I shoved at his chest. “Get the fuck off me! Where is she?!”
“Dean.” Her voice was gentle but firm, and sliced through the tension so easily.
I turned around, ignoring the fact that a few more officers had walked over, and found Lily.
Her eyes were wet with tears as she grabbed my wrist and began leading me down the sidewalk.
I thought she was pulling me away from causing a scene.
Instead, she was bringing me to the ambulance as they brought a stretcher to its back doors.
Mom was on it, covered in foil, and blankets, and bandages, and tubes with an oxygen mask over her face.
I reached them, overhearing the tail end of what the paramedics were discussing.
Patient is a paraplegic…. Burns to 80% of the body, including airways.
I couldn’t get to her side. I knew the paramedics were doing their job, but I couldn’t get to her side.
“Sono qui, sono qui, mamma.” I said urgently.
Her eyelids fluttered and barely opened. Ash and blood caked the side of her head, and her hair, usually so black and beautiful, was matted and wet with more blood.
I needed her to know I was there. That she wasn’t alone.
Her eyes found mine as they loaded her into the back of the ambulance.
I went to follow.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have the room,” a paramedic said, placing a gentle hand on my arm. “We need to go.”
I nodded, backing away from the doors as they said something about a hospital, and closed her in.
Everything seemed to warp and slow. Noises were distant or fading in and out. I couldn’t think beyond the buzzing in my head.
Someone gently took my hand, and then their hands were on my face.
I looked down and found Lily, but struggled to speak. “I don’t—where—where’s Bella?”
“Bella is fine. A neighbor is taking care of her. We need to follow the ambulance.”
“I didn’t hear what hospital…”
“That’s okay. I did.” The calmness in her voice provided something to keep me from losing it. “Come on.”