Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Neil learned to drive in Europe when he was thirteen, but he'd never driven alone before. It'd always been him and his mother taking turns as they spent long nights on the road. Since her death he'd hitchhiked, walked, and gotten well-acquainted with the follies of American public transportation. Now here he was alone with the road stretched out before him and the steering wheel creaking under his clenched fingers.
He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, trying not to smell blood and saltwater. Neil checked the other seats like he expected to find blood on them and twisted the key in the ignition almost hard enough to snap it.
Neil pulled away from the curb and led the way back to Andrew's house. He'd never driven in Columbia before, and this was only his second time at the Hemmicks' house, but he'd paid attention on the drive over. He still had to think about it, but the bumper-to-bumper traffic gave him plenty of time to figure it out. He was grateful for the distraction. If he was reversing turns in his head, he wasn't thinking about bloodied mattresses and Andrew's inappropriate cheer.
An unfamiliar car was parked behind Wymack's. Neil assumed it was Waterhouse getting an early start on his day and his new case. Neil pulled into the driveway and let Betsy park behind him. Betsy looked like she could handle the groceries, so Neil grabbed his own things and got the door. He checked the living room first, found it empty, and continued to the kitchen. Abby and Wymack were sitting at the table.
Neil gave Wymack the receipt and card. "I can pay you back for one of them."
"I look like I need your money, wise guy?" Wymack asked.
The rustling of plastic bags heralded Betsy's arrival. The room felt a thousand times smaller with all three of them in there. Neil took a couple steps back from the table to give himself breathing room and asked, "The lawyer is here?"
"They both are," Wymack said, and looked to Betsy. "You mind explaining that?"
Betsy nodded but asked, "Where are Nicky and Kevin?"
"Nicky tried to hug Andrew and almost got himself staked with a kitchen knife," Wymack said. "Kevin was smart enough to get him out of here. Last I saw either of them, they were shut in Nicky's bedroom."
"Is he hurt?"
"David was right there, thank God," Abby said. "If he'd been a second slower..."
Betsy looked to Neil. "Do you mind checking on them? I just need a minute with David and Abby."
Neil put his racquet aside and went down the hall to change. His bloodied clothes went in the empty plastic bag and he buried them at the bottom of the bathroom trash can. He looked clean when he glanced at his reflection, but he still felt dirty. Neil checked his fingernails for blood, then leaned in close to the mirror and checked his roots. The latest round of dye was still holding up.
He had his hand on the knob when he heard Abby's startled outburst. He couldn't understand her words from this distance, but he understood the incredulous anger just fine. He put an ear to the door, but she was quick to lower her voice again.
Neil turned the knob as quietly as he could and eased the door open. He held his breath, waiting for the door to creak and give him away, but nothing came. As soon as he could fit he sneaked into the hall. Nicky's room was close enough that Nicky and Kevin would have heard Abby's outrage, but Nicky's door stayed closed. There was no sound from upstairs, either. Neil took a few silent steps toward the kitchen.
It was obvious Abby was trying to keep her voice down, but her strident tone helped her words carry. "—kind of trauma with another is not going to solve anything. It'll only make things worse. I understand what you're getting at, but this isn't the way."
"This is the only ethical solution," Betsy said.
"You can't—"
"She can," Wymack said, cutting Abby off. Abby made a strangled noise as if she couldn't believe Wymack was siding against her. The kitchen went quiet for a tense moment before Wymack spoke again. "If you're sure this is the best option, I'm not going to stop you. I trust you to do what's right by my kids."
"I'm sorry," Betsy said. "I know what this means for your season."
"You worry about Andrew," Wymack said. "I'll worry about my season."
"Andrew won't agree to this," Abby said, a last-ditch effort to change their minds. "Going means leaving Kevin behind. They haven't had more than a campus between them since Andrew took Kevin under his wing. He's not going to change things now, especially not with Riko in our district."
"Andrew doesn't have to agree," Wymack said. "It's Betsy's call."
Neil had heard enough. He stepped into the kitchen doorway. Betsy had taken a seat at the table. Abby and Wymack were so focused on her they didn't notice Neil's arrival, but Betsy was facing the doorway and glanced up at his entrance. She didn't look at all surprised to find him eavesdropping on them.
"Where are you taking him?" Neil asked.
Abby jumped and flicked a guilty look his way. "Neil, I didn't hear you come in."
Neil ignored her and insisted, "Where are you taking him?"
"Easthaven Hospital," Betsy said. "I'm going to take Andrew off his medicine."
Neil felt the floor tilt beneath his feet. "What?"
"It's not official just yet," Betsy said. "I need Mr. Blackwell to sign off on it. He was the prosecuting attorney at Andrew's trial. He's here now with Mr. Waterhouse to evaluate the situation. I strongly doubt he'll contest this, so we should be able to commit Andrew to Easthaven by this afternoon."
"Commit him as in lock him up," Neil said.
"When Dr. Ellerby and Mr. Waterhouse wrote up the original agreement they did it in a way that would garner the least resistance from the prosecution. One of the terms Andrew agreed to was twenty-four-hour supervision during his rehabilitation. Easthaven is one of the best hospitals in the state. He will be in good hands."