Page 9 of Reacher
“No. I went with him to check on Ice at the hospital.”
“Oh god. Is he okay? Ryder messaged to say he was in the hospital, but not what his condition was.”
I didn’t want to be the one to tell her. She sounded really worried. Did she really know him that well already?
“Uh… they said multiple stab wounds. He’s in a coma.” That was too blunt, and I realised that even before she gasped, and sounded like she’d started to cry.
“Damn. I’m sorry, Tori. I didn’t know you guys were close.”
She sniffled for a few moments.
“He’s been there for us through a lot of our shit. So you’re not there now?”
There’s that lump in my throat again.
“No. I… uh… things with Reacher are… well... I’m home, only I have to leave, because the rent isn’t paid. I’m packed, but I have nowhere to go. You know I can’t get work because… because of them… I’m fucked, Tori. I need somewhere to go.”
She cursed under her breath. “My place… uh, where I was staying. It probably has a couple of weeks left on the lease. It was a short term let, but paid up in advance. I’ll text you the address. The landlord has an office onsite, so I’ll instruct him to give you the spare key. You can use it until… I mean, I can help though, you know? I can send you money.”
I stood up, watching the road for signs of taxis or buses. I had a little cash left, a little left in my account. Not enough for any kind of rent, but enough for a short trip somewhere.
“No, don’t worry about that, please. I… I’ll find something, but the flat, that would really help, thank you.”
Tori was quiet for a moment. “Your mother’s bills will be due soon, Alicia. How are you going to manage that? Like I said, I can help, and I’d like to.”
I shook my head, even though I knew she couldn’t see it.
“I’ll find a way, thank you. I don’t take charity. I have to work for money. You know that.”
It wasn’t the life I’d have chosen for myself. Once I’d been a normal woman, I mean, one approaching middle age as a singleton, but still, as normal as anyone. And then one mistake had sent me down a spiralling path, that I couldn’t find my way back from.
“Okay, stubborn lady, I’ll text you the address. Please call if you need anything though. I know our little enterprise is over now, but I won’t see you starve, okay?”
I thanked her, and ended the call before the tears started. I heard the buzz of the address coming through in a text, but I hadto wait for my vision to clear before I could read it, and right then I couldn’t stop the tears.
Four
Isatinthatwaitingroom with my brothers, and waited for the chance to see Ice. Alicia had taken a long time in the bathroom after I left, long enough that I knew I should check on her. I didn’t want to miss seeing my brother though. I was caught between a rock and a hard place, and that’s the only reason that I sent someone else to check on her.
“Ry, can you go see what’s taking Ally so long? She was using the bathroom by the lifts, but it’s been ages.”
He nodded, and strode out of the waiting room to fetch her, while I kept an eye on that damn nurse. The one who said I could go in there soon, but was still leaving me hanging. I hated one of my brothers being in a place like this, and alone. What would he think if he woke up and nobody was there? It couldn’t happen. That wasn’t how this family operated, dammit.
“Reacher?”
I blinked, shaking those thoughts away to find Ryder standing beside me, and he was frowning.
“What’s up?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a sigh.
“She wasn’t there.”
It took me a moment to catch up with what he was saying. Alicia. She wasn’t in the bathroom.
“What? Did you check the big unisex toilets by the lift?” I stood up, watching Ryder grimace.
“I know the ones you mean, but they were all empty. I checked the whole hallway, and even went and checked the café downstairs, in case she went in search of food or a drink. I can’t find her.”
