Page 113 of Legacy of Lies
“Not fine. She needs to be checked out,” Garrison interrupted. “But I’m looking for my son, Zach Taggart. Is he here?”
The receptionist picked up the phone, mumbled into it, and then pointed through the double doors. Sara held back.
“Stay with me. Please.” The words seemed ripped from him. His haunted amber eyes bore into her face, like he memorized her appearance. A shudder drilled through her.
She’d miss his eyes, his intensity.
Her heart broke into little pieces. Maybe she could stay at his side for a bit longer. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt him.
Sure as hell would hurt her.
• • •
Garrison pushed down nausea as he shoved open the ER doors, Sara right behind him. He’d watched his mother die of cancer in this hospital five years ago. Now Zach was somewhere inside. Alive? Dead? Sweat broke out on Garrison’s brow.
At the direction of a nurse, he rounded the corner of a patient room and tore the curtain aside. Eric and Shelby looked up from their seats in hard plastic chairs next to a hospital bed. They both looked like day-old leftovers, poorly reheated.
Zach sat up and smiled. “Dad!” His bright orange hair stood straight up from his head. Smudges of dirt speckled his forehead and cheeks.
Garrison’s chest tightened as he hugged his son hard to his chest. He’d almost lost the most important person in the world to him. Never again would he take his kid for granted.
He shifted his grip, careful of the electrodes and IV lines coming out of his child.
“Kerr said Dad’s here,” Garrison said over his son’s shoulder.
Shelby rubbed Zach’s head and, with a tilt to her head, led Garrison and Sara out of the room and down the hall a few feet. Eric stayed with Zach.
A sinking feeling settled in his gut.
Shelby pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Dad’s in the CT scanner right now. Doctor thinks maybe it’s a stroke.”
“From tonight?”
“He might have been going through a series of ministrokes over the past few days. Apparently his blood pressure is sky-high. Damn it. I should have known.”
Sara’s tired eyes widened, but she pressed her lips together.
Garrison rubbed his head. “Not your fault. Guy’s stubborn. I’m amazed you got him here tonight.”
“He had a seizure; police and EMS were already at the house. So we didn’t give him a choice.”
“Will he be okay?”
“Not sure. But they’re taking good care of him. Might admit him, if he’ll allow it.”
“Oh, he’ll allow it,” Garrison growled.
“Kerr’ll be here soon, and he’s planning on staying with Dad. All night if necessary.”
“Good.” He faced Sara. “Please get checked out. I need to know you’re okay.”
She opened then closed her mouth. “Sure. Okay.”
Waving a nurse over, Garrison handed her into the medical professional’s care. He wanted to go with Sara, but he needed to be with his son. With twin unhappy expressions, Shelby and Eric withdrew from the exam room.
“Doing better?” Garrison rested his hand on Zach’s head and shoulder.
“Lots. You know what?”
