Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Valuables I’m assuming,” I lie. “Is everyone ok? Lacey, I know your leg needs attention, but other than that?”
“I’m fine,” Lacey says.
Justine nods mutely. She looks like she’s about to pass out and she practically falls onto a chair. I look at Amelia. She frowns and shakes her head.
“We’re ok, but you’re not,” she says, her voice full of worry. “And don’t be trying to pull any of this macho bullshit about being ok. You’re bleeding heavily and you look like you’re about ready to pass out. Sit down. I’m calling an ambulance for both you and Lacey.”
My head is spinning again, and as much as I’d like to find out what exactly happened here first, I know if I don’t get my shoulder fixed, Amelia will be proved right: I’m going to pass out.
“No ambulance,” I say. I hold my phone out to Amelia before she can argue. “Call Doctor Singh. He’s in my phone. He’s my personal doctor. Tell him what’s happened and get him over here now.”
31
AMELIA
Some of the panic leaves me when Viktor tells me to call Doctor Singh.
I was afraid I was going to have an argument with him about getting looked at, and I really thought he was going to pass out from the loss of too much blood before I could call for help for him. I would still prefer an ambulance, but if Doctor Singh is Viktor’s personal doctor, he’s likely better than anyone Viktor would see at the hospital anyway. Lacey doesn’t want to go to hospital either.
I find Dr. Singh’s number in Viktor’s contacts and hit call. He answers quickly, announcing his name in a business-like manner that helps to keep me calm.
“Doctor Singh, this is Amelia Madison, Viktor Leshchenko’s girlfriend,” I say. “We need your help desperately. Viktor has been shot in the shoulder and Lacey has been shot in the leg.”
I realize Dr. Singh likely has no idea who Lacey is, but I just need him to know how serious this is. I’m kind of hoping he’ll hang up and call an ambulance.
“Viktor told me to tell you the situation and ask you to get over here as soon as you can,” I add.
“Are you at the main residence?” Dr. Singh asks.
“Yes,” I say.
“I’m on my way. In the meantime, please apply pressure to any bleeding wounds,” he says and ends the call.
“Sit down,” I tell Viktor again when I see he’s still standing.
He must be feeling pretty damned close to losing consciousness, because he doesn’t argue with me. He just drops into a chair. I run to the kitchen and grab a pile of clean tea towels and then I run back to the living room. I hold one of the tea towels out to Justine. She just looks at it.
“Justine,” I say. Nothing. I snap my fingers in front of her face. “Justine.”
She rouses herself a little as I say her name for a third time. I push the tea towel closer to her and she takes it this time.
“The doctor will be here soon, but in the meantime I need you to press this against the wound in Lacey’s leg and hold it, ok?”
She nods and gets up. She seems to be a little bit more with it as she kneels beside Lacey and tears the pant leg to expose the wound. She folds the tea towel and presses it onto Lacey’s leg. Lacey winces but she doesn’t complain. Justine starts to talk quietly and reassuringly to her.
I move back over to Viktor and open his shirt.
He smiles hazily at me. “I don’t think we should do this with those two in the room.”
His voice sounds a little weak, but his teasing tells me he’s not too far gone.
“You should be so lucky.” I try to grin but fail.
As gently as I can I peel the shirt off his hurt shoulder, wincing when I see all
the blood and the hole in his shoulder. Grabbing two tea towels, I make a thick pad and press it against his shoulder. He sucks in a pained breath.
“Sorry,” I say, holding the tea towels firmly in place.
“It’s ok,” he says. “Let me hold that. I need to go and find Lenny and see what the hell is going on.”
He starts to stand up, but I put my hand on his good shoulder, holding him down and shaking my head.
“No way,” I say. “The doctor told me to do this and I’m doing it whether you like it or not.”
“Fine,” he sighs, accepting that I’m not giving in on this one. He smiles a little. “You know, you’d make quite the nurse. You really took charge of this situation.”
“Yeah, well don’t be getting any ideas about nurse outfits,” I quip.
“Too late,” he says weakly.
Viktor coughs and I feel a rush of blood seeping through the tea towel. His face is pasty white, and he slumps in his chair. Where the hell is Doctor Singh? I make a decision in that moment. If he’s not here in the next five minutes, I’m calling an ambulance whether Viktor likes it or not.