Page 66 of The Smart Killer
“Sit. Have coffee. Breathe,” Hugh said, watching his son pace. Noah made his way to the security system and looked at it again.
“Son. I get it,” Hugh called out from the living room while Noah scrutinized the smart home control panel. “You want to be the head of the spear. It’s admirable. I was exactly the same at your age. That’s why I set my eyes on moving up through the ranks and becoming Adirondack County sheriff. And like I told you before, there is a better chance of you obtaining that than any rank higher inside State Police.”
That’s when it dawned on him.
A chill ran down his spine as he thought about Luther Ashford and his dislike of the man. The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to form a disturbing picture.
“Dad. We have had our differences, but I implore you not to stay here tonight. Go anywhere but here. Two days, that’s all I’m asking.”
Right then, a phone call came in. He answered it without glancing at the caller ID, his mind still grappling with the new information.
“Mr. Sutherland.”
It was the doctor overseeing Ethan. “Yes?”
“I’m afraid Ethan has taken a turn for the worse.”
His heart dropped.
22
News about Ethan spread fast courtesy of Hugh while he drove like a lunatic, lights flashing, siren wailing to clear traffic out of the way.
There were some perks to his work.
When Noah reached the hospital in Saranac Lake, his aunt Gretchen, brother Ray, sister Maddie, and daughter Mia were there.
The waiting area was suffused with an air of tension. The fluorescent lights cast a harsh, sterile glow on the faces of worried family members huddled together. The walls, painted a dull shade of beige, seemed to close in on them, echoing the constriction in Noah’s chest. The soft hum of machines and the occasional beep from monitors filled the otherwise hushed room. A few groans emanated from the injured. A man sat rocking back and forth, his hands trembling. Was he high? Struggling with pain? Noah felt physically sick as he entered with his father Hugh by his side.
Their footsteps were muffled by the worn-out vinyl flooring beneath their shoes.
As they approached, family members rose from their seats, each offering tight, comforting hugs.
Maddie spoke with a tremor in her voice, her eyes red-rimmed from tears. “They are working on him at the moment. I haven’t been able to get anymore information.”
Desperation flickered in Noah’s eyes as he tried to gather his thoughts. He approached a nurse stationed at the reception desk, his voice cracking. “Can you please tell me how my son is doing? Ethan Sutherland.”
The nurse offered a sympathetic smile, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. “Yes. Um. I’ll go and check for you. Please wait here.”
While they waited, the family sank into the uncomfortable chairs, their collective anxiety palpable. Time seemed to slow. Every second, an agonizing delay. No one dared to break the heavy silence except for Mia, her voice laced with accusation. “This was because of Big G’s bowling alley, wasn’t it?” Her anger was as deep as his.
“Who?” Gretchen asked.
Before Noah could respond, a doctor emerged from the double doors, his weary eyes reflecting the weight of his words. “Mr. Sutherland. Dr Janson.” His voice was calm but strained, betraying the seriousness of the situation.
“What happened. I thought he was stable?”
“He was. Unfortunately, we can never really determine how the body will respond. Ethan began having a seizure. We had to place him into a medically induced coma.”
Noah’s heart skipped a beat. “What?” The word escaped his lips in a breathless whisper, his eyes wide with disbelief and terror. The thought of losing him seemed unfathomable.
The doctor raised a calming hand. “It’s a measure to help decrease brain swelling and protect his brain against furtherdamage. It’s not common, more of a last resort when other options have failed.”
Noah nodded, trying to process what he was hearing. “How long will he be in that state?” His voice was low, almost drowned in the sea of uncertainty.
Dr. Janson hesitated, his expression grave. “I can’t say for sure. If we see improvement, we’ll bring him out. But there are risks. Complications can arise. We are doing everything we can. I will keep you informed.”
A heavy silence fell over the family as the doctor walked away, leaving Noah deflated and helpless. Moments on the edge of life and death brought daily life into perspective. Nothing mattered to him more than his kids. No matter what age, no matter what disagreements. They were his anchor, his reason for getting up and moving forward at times when he’d wanted to fold after losing Lena and Luke. The room seemed to close in around him, suffocating him with fear. The uncertainty of Ethan’s fate hung over them like a dark cloud.
