Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Sagan

Esme informs me she can’t sleep.

So, we settle in on the sofa and watch Christmas movies until I pass out. When I wake up, I kick myself for not watching her more closely.

Esme’s gone. I sit up straight, then finally notice she’s curled up in a ball at the other end of the sofa.

“Come on, sweetheart,” I murmur.

I carry her to the bed in the corner and crawl in next to her.

At about 3 a.m., the shit storm blows back in.

I wake up to Esme sitting up, stock straight, gasping for air.

“Baby, talk to me. What is it?”

“Where am I?”

“My apartment, baby girl. And you’re safe.”

She does her special breathing to calm her hyperventilating. “They followed me.”

“Who followed you?”

In my somewhat disoriented state, I assume she means Frye, or Dr. White, or someone else.

“Grandmother…mother…father…”

Shit. This doesn’t make any damn sense.

“I don’t hear anything.”

She sobs. “You don’t see them?”

I look to where she points, over by the window.

That’s it. I’m getting to the bottom of this.

I grab my phone and call Dr. Allen’s after-hours number.

To my surprise, she answers.

“I need you to take a look at my girlfriend. I need you to do a complete checkup and medication assessment.”

“Is she safe right now?”

“Of course. She’s with me.”

“Ok. Sit tight and I’ll meet you at my office at 8 a.m. before regular hours.”

“Thanks, Doc.”