Page 21 of Flashback

Allie coughed and approached the desk. If she was honest, she probably did need to be checked out.

After a little paperwork, a nurse ushered her and Dakota into the small emergency department. She checked her vitals. “Might as well settle in for a bit. With all the other fire-related injuries, we’re short-staffed, and it might be a while.” She turned on the television that hung in the corner of the room and handed the remote to Allie. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

As soon as she left, Allie hopped off the bed. “I’m going to see if I can find Jen and talk to her alone.”

“I’ll go?—”

“You should stay here.” She stopped Dakota with a hand to his chest. His very muscular chest. Over the last few hours, she’d seen a lot of different sides of Dakota Masterson. He really was a hero.

Don’t get carried away, Allie!

She dropped her hand. “Last thing we need is you getting into another public brawl.”

Dakota snapped his mouth closed. Hurt flashed in his eyes.

Aw, why had she saidthat?

She winced. “Sorry. I just mean…it’s just that you’re rather…intimidating. If Jen will speak to anyone, it will be me.”

“Fine.”

Obviously Dakota wasn’t happy about it, but he stayed.

Allie slipped out of the tiny partition behind the curtain and heard familiar voices across the hall. The door was cracked open. Ray was nowhere to be seen, but Jen spoke with the doctor as he examined the cut on Nolan’s leg. Ethan sat in one chair with his leg propped up on another.

“I’ll have Ethan sent down to X-ray, and the nurses will prep Nolan for some stitches. I’ll be back when we get those records,” a voice said, probably the doctor.

Allie leaned against the wall and pretended to look at her phone when the man in scrubs and a white lab coat came out of the room. As soon as he turned the corner to the nurse’s station, Allie went in.

“Hey, just wanted to check on everyone.” She offered Jen a warm smile. “Are you holding up okay?”

Jen nodded and held Nolan’s hand. “I am now.” She smoothed the boy’s blond hair off his forehead.

“Great. Um…could I talk to you a sec, in the hall?”

Her gaze flicked to the doorway. “The doctor is coming right?—”

“It won’t take long. I promise. And we’ll be in the hall.”

Jen followed her to the corridor. Her gaze shifted around, like she was on the lookout and would bolt at any second. A woman used to living on edge, watching for a threat.

“Jen, are you safe?”

“What?” She finally looked at Allie. “I don’t know what—” Her hand fluttered around her throat. Jen wrapped her other arm around herself.

Allie lowered her voice. “Are you safe. In your home. With Ray?”

“I’m fine.” She smiled a little too brightly. “Really.”

Fine? Then why were her hands trembling? “Are you? Because the boys told us?—”

“Boys tell stories.” Her voice came out forcefully. “Like I told you before, they make stuff up. You can’t listen?—”

“I think it’s more than that. You can tell me the truth. We can get help for you if you need it.”

Jen shook her head and glanced down the hall. “No need. I’m fine. Great, even. The boys are…fine. Well, they will be once the doc sees them. But they’ll be okay.”

Allie didn’t believe her, but without proof or Jen’s cooperation, her hands were tied. Ray’s voice carried from farther down the hall. She was running out of time.

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