Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 128083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Triple murder. The two words made him feel suddenly disoriented. “I thought you said it was a break-in.” Three women.
“It was. Only it wasn’t just a break-in.”
“Jesus,” Rex said, uncapping the bottle and taking a drink, the unease spiraling inside him. “In that neighborhood?” Violent crime was everywhere, he supposed, but it generally didn’t touch Palisades Park. He was obsessed with stats, and numbers in general, and knew that very well.
“Fucked up,” Damon said, the register closing with a click.
“Yeah,” Rex agreed with a shake of his head. Cami had a sister, didn’t she? He’d overheard her mentioning someone named Elle or Ellie a few times at practice. He looked up to see that Damon was peering at him curiously and probably wondering why he was still standing there. “How’s the baby?” he asked.
“Colicky.”
Rex had no idea what that meant, but by the glum look on Damon’s face, he figured it wasn’t good. “Sorry about that.”
Damon shrugged. “It’ll pass. Everything does, right?”
Rex raised his water toward Damon in a type of salute and then turned and left the store. He almost headed in the direction of home to work on that college application essay still waiting for him. But he had this odd feeling in his gut, or maybe he was just nosy as hell because he wanted to know what had happened, perhaps even on that street he’d just been on the day before.
The local hospital where the ambulance had most likely been headed was less than a thirty-minute walk, and his aunt Carolyn would still be on shift.
He made the journey in twenty-two, walking through the bevy of squad cars out front. What if it was one of the families from Westridge? He knew he had absolutely no reason to be there, nor would he be of any use to anyone should he know them. But that feeling in his gut wouldn’t let up. What if? He didn’t want to wait until he got to school on Monday to look around for the empty chair and the buzz of gossip that would spread quickly down the hallways.
The hospital lobby was a mess of police and a few reporters who’d just shown up and were moving from officer to officer, attempting to obtain a statement. He beelined for the elevators and got off on the ICU floor where his aunt worked and headed for the front desk. But when the door opened, he quickly stepped in that direction. “Carolyn.”
“Rex? Hey, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. I was just—” They both stepped to the side of the hall when the doors to the unit opened, and a nurse pushing a gurney with an old man on it came through. “I was just wondering if you know anything about the victims from Palisades Park. Half the football team lives up there, and I was worried it might be someone I know.”
Carolyn pressed her lips together and took him by the arm as she turned and began walking. He fell in step with her, and she went out the doors of the ICU, and they began walking down the hall. “I’ve got a fifteen-minute break.”
“Coffee?” he asked.
“No, I’ve had enough caffeine. I need some calories.”
They stepped into a room off the main hall that had a few empty tables and three vending machines on the back wall. “Do you want anything?” Carolyn pulled a credit card from the pocket of her scrubs and swiped it before pressing a few buttons. A second later, the mechanical arm in front of a bag of Cheez-Its rotated aside, and the snack pack fell. Carolyn bent and retrieved it from the bin and turned back to him. She was younger than his mom, but she, too, had golden brown curls and the same pointed chin. But that was where the similarities ended. “You can’t say a word because even the media isn’t releasing names right now. Not until any family members are notified.” She tore open the bag. “It’s a family by the name of Cortlandt.” She shook her head as Rex’s stomach plummeted. Oh God. “One of the worst things I’ve ever heard.”
“Is . . . is the whole family dead?”
Carolyn leaned against the vending machine and popped a cracker in her mouth. She took a moment to chew and swallow as Rex slowly died inside. You don’t even know her, not really. So why did he feel this rising tide of panic?
“No. The father was severely beaten. He has some head injuries, but he’ll make it. He’s in surgery now for a couple serious fractures. And the older daughter is alive.”
“The older daughter? Cami? Camille?”
Carolyn’s eyes lingered on him for a moment. “I don’t know her name. Pretty redhead. That dark kind of red. Do you know her?”
He crossed his arms over his ribs. “Yeah, I do know her. Not well. Not well at all, but . . . she’s a cheerleader at my school.”