Page 65 of Look for Me

“Will he live?” Corinne asked. It was more for the sake of her daughter. Their daughter. Flavian was still Dahlia’s father, after all.

“We don’t know. We lost him twice in the OR.”

Corinne gasped. “Let me see him ASAP.”

The surgeon nodded.

* * *

Was it possible to talk to a comatose person about Jesus Christ? Could he hear her speak and pray? Corinne didn’t know.

But she was going to try, nonetheless.

Suited up with a mask and gloves, Corinne walked gingerly into the ICU. While she felt that it was an overkill, the nurses had told her that Flavian was in such bad shape that they didn’t want him to catch more germs and get infections. He would be wheeled back into more surgery soon.

Corinne knew that the FBI wanted him alive because he was the little fish that could lead them to a bigger fish. That was, assuming Flavian would cooperate with the authorities, something he hated doing all his life, and which had led him to be as elusive as possible.

It was astounding to her that the FBI could not find any way to charge Flavian before. Granted, he had been on their radar only for four years.

Whoever they were after must be worse than Flavian.

Was it Oscar? Or was Oscar yet another little fish?

Flavian was all bruised and bandaged. He had an oxygen mask on his face, machines all around him.

Gently, Corinne squeezed Flavian’s hand—on the arm that wasn’t bandaged.

No response.

Corinne held his hand. “Flavian?”

No reply.

“Flavian, I have something important to tell you.” Corinne gathered her thoughts. She leaned against his ear. “I know you can’t speak right now, and you’re not awake, but I hope you can hear me.”

Flavian didn’t move from his position.

“Jesus died for us, for all our sins.” Corinne’s voice started to crack. “He saved me. He can save you too. It’s not too late.”

No movement.

“Jesus carried our sins—all of them—at the cross over two thousand years ago. He knew what you would do, what I would do.” Corinne began to weep softly. “Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. He is ready to redeem your soul right now. No matter what you have done in your entire life, He can still save your soul.”

Corinne patted his arm. “God loves you, Flavian. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save you from your sins. Believe in Jesus now—”

Beeeep! Beeeeeep!

Corinne looked up. There was a long horizontal line on one of the monitors. She heard alarms outside the intensive care unit. Nurses rushed in.

“Ma’am, you have to leave now!” They ushered her away from Flavian.

Outside, Corinne watched in horror through the glass window as nurses and doctors surrounded Flavian, trying to revive him.

Again and again and again.

To no avail.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

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