CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The next day, Janita arrived at the Brackenridge Medical Center with a change of clothing for Von. After their horrific crash yesterday, Janita miraculously got out without a scratch, but Von was knocked unconscious. The doctor kept him overnight for observation. But he was otherwise okay too.
He hopped off that hospital bed when she came into the room like he couldn’t wait to get out of there. He was already showered and was in his hospital gown waiting for his clean underwear and clothes.
“Hey,” Janita said as she sat the overnight bag on his bed. “How do you feel?”
“A little stiff,” he said as he unzipped the bag, “but I’m good.” He looked at his sister. “What about you?”
“A little stiff,” she said too, “but thank God we’re alive. You should have seen our SUV.”
“A total loss?”
“Are you kidding me, yes! Total. It was a mangled mess. How we survived,” she said, and shook her head.
Von pulled out the clothes he needed but stopped and looked at his sister again before he went into the bathroom to dress.
Their SUV was how they made a living. A security company like theirs had to provide transportation.
Now they had none? Which meant they had no business.
Von was thinking that maybe Hawk could give them a loan until the insurance company paid up. “Did he call you back?” he asked her.
Janita shook her head. “No.”
“You should have left another message.”
“I left several messages, DeVontay. Last night and this morning too. But he hasn’t returned any of my calls, okay?”
“Don’t tear my head off. I was just asking a question.”
The stress and strain were all over Janita’s pretty face. “I’m sorry,” she said. “We don’t have any way of making any money right now. And because it was a hit and run, our insurance company doesn’t know who to sue.”
“The police think it was road rage,” said Von. “But why would somebody be enraged with us when we didn’t do nothing to them?”
“That’s how people are nowadays. Maybe they just wanted to have some fun. Maybe we were the wrong color. Maybe they thought we were somebody we wasn’t. I don’t know.”
“But you wish Hawk was here. Don’t you?”
Janita looked at her brother. She never wanted him to see her so vulnerable, but she knew she couldn’t hide it from Von. “When he was with us, I felt complete. And . . .”
“And safe?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He knew what she meant because he felt it too.
Janita kept talking. “But when he left like that it just . . . And then that crash happened. It’s a lot.”
Von agreed. But he could also tell something else was bothering her. “What is it, sis?”
“I checked the blogs and other social media, but there was no mention of Kemberly attempting suicide like Hawk said.”
“Maybe he paid off people to keep it out of the press. That’s what they do in show business.”
“Yeah maybe.”
“But?”
Janita shook her head again. “Something feels wrong,” she said and looked over at her brother. “I’ve been trying to shake it, but I can’t.”
“You think those guys that shot at us are coming back for more?”
“I’m not talking about that. I feel like something’s wrong with Hawk.”
Von didn’t expect to hear that. “Why would you think something’s wrong with him?”
“I don’t know, but that’s what I feel. I even tried to call his mother and see if she heard from him.”
“And?”
“She wouldn’t answer my calls. Then I called Matty, but his secretary wouldn’t put me through to him at all. And I don’t have his cell phone. I even tried to talk to his father’s assistant or secretary or somebody in his office, but you know how that went. I didn’t get past the receptionist.”
“Yeah, I figured that. But what about Dray? He seems cool. He might answer your call.”
“I don’t have his number. But I did call his brother Minka’s hair salon.”
“Let me guess: His bougie ass didn’t give you the time of day?”
“Actually, he did. He took my call.”
“Wow, really? What did he say? He’s heard from Hawk?”
“Not a word since he left Brackenridge,” said Janita. “But he said that’s how Hawk is. They rarely ever hear from him. He’s just off doing his own thing, was how Minka described it. He wasn’t worried at all.”
Von stared at her. “But you still are.”
“I still am, yep. And it’s heavy on me too. I cannot shake it, Von.”
“What about Eagle Records? Did you call Eagle Records?”
“I called over there first thing this morning. I got as far as an assistant to one of his assistants. She took my name and number, but I had a feeling that girl thought I was some groupie or something and didn’t even write it down.” Then she exhaled again.
Von could see it was eating her alive. Which was so out of character for Janita. “What are gonna do about it?” He asked because he knew she was going to do something. She wasn’t the type to just let it go. Especially for a man Von was convinced she really cared about.
Then she said something he never thought he’d hear her say. “I booked me a flight to Los Angeles. I’ve got to go and make sure he’s okay.”
Von was floored. “But you hate flying, Neet!”
“I know.” She was distressed. “But what else can I do? His family isn’t going to check on him.
I can’t get anybody at his company to go check on him.
I even told that assistant that they should do a welfare check on him.
I told her I think something might have happened to him.
But she just brushed it off. Like girls call all the time claiming something like that.
And maybe she’s right. Maybe I’m just . .
.” But then Janita scrunched up her face.
But now Von was worried too. But not about Hawk, but about his sister! “Have you considered the possibility that he’s not returning your calls because he doesn’t want to?”
She nodded her head. “Yes, I’ve considered that possibility from jump.”
“And?”
“I’ve still gotta go. If he tells me to fuck off, then fine. I’ll do that. But at least I’ll know he’s okay.”
Von’s heart swelled with emotion. Because that was his sister through and through. He’d never met a better person ever. “When’s your flight?”
“In a couple hours.”
“Then I’d better get dressed because if you’re going to L.A., I’m going too. And before you object, I know we can’t afford it. I know that. But there’s no way I’m letting you go to that hellhole alone.”
Janita smiled.
“Book me a flight too,” he said, and went into the bathroom to dress.
Janita didn’t want her baby brother witnessing her probable humiliation if Hawk told her to leave him alone, but she was too relieved to have him with her. She was terrified of flying. She was terrified that if Hawk told her to get lost, it would devastate her.
She used her already near-maxed credit card and quickly made him a reservation too.