Page 99 of Hell Hath No Fury

“Then what happened?”

She closed her eyes, replaying the events in her mind. “I noticed the headlights getting closer, and the car moved into the other lane. I figured it was finally going to pass me after all that way. But just as he was almost beside us, he must’ve clipped my back fender. I remember a jolt. Then I was in a spin and a skid. I heard Nell scream. For a second, I felt airborne, and I thought we were gonna roll.” Emma opened her eyes, staring at the road ahead, grateful that Matthias was driving. “I remember wrestling with the steering wheel, trying to get control, but before I could, there was that tree we slammed into, and the airbags exploded.” She aimed a thumb over her shoulder. “You saw how the car ended up.”

“I did.”

“When I looked around for the guy who hit us, he was gone. I saw taillights in the distance and assumed it was him.”

“You told all this to that Ohio patrolman?”

“Not quite all of it.”

Matthias shot her a look. “What does that mean?”

“I told him all about the actual collision. I left out the part about the guy following us from Akron.”

“Why?” Matthias did not sound pleased.

“Because I wasn’t sure. Like I told you, it might not have been the same car. Heck, it probably wasn’t.”

“But you think it was.”

Did she? And was she ready to admit her fears to Matthias when she was well aware of how crazy they sounded? “I don’t know.”

“What about Nell?”

“She didn’t know about it. She fell asleep as soon as she polished off the bag of chips and was still sleeping when the guy hit us.”

“Rude awakening,” Matthias said, his voice filled with gravel.

She didn’t reply. They cruised past a road sign indicating they were getting close to East Liverpool and the hospital. Emma prayed she didn’t find Nell stoned on pain meds.

“You said you might know who was driving the other car,” Matthias said.

“I said maybe. I’m not even sure?—”

He raised a hand, cutting her off. “Just tell me.”

She exhaled before telling him about Nell’s visit to Zeke’s brother.

“What’s his name?” Matthias asked.

Emma tried to recall Nell’s words. “I can’t remember. Lester? Levon maybe? It probably wasn’t him, anyway.”

Matthias didn’t say anything more, but she had a feeling he was far from letting it go.

ChapterThirty

“Do you mind waiting out here for me?” Emma asked Matthias when the Emergency Department receptionist agreed to let her go back to Nell’s treatment room.

He didn’t question her request, simply nodded, leading Emma to love him even more.

When she stepped through the privacy curtain, she was relieved to find Nell looking alert, albeit pale. And in pain.

Before Emma could ask, Nell said, “I already told them I’m an addict. No opioids for this girl. Just extra-strength Tylenol.”

“Good.” Emma rolled a wheeled stool to her sister’s bedside and sat. “What did the doctor say?”

“Nothing yet. I’ve had X-rays and a CT scan. Now I’m waiting to learn the results.” Nell reached out to Emma, who took her hand. “How about you? Are you hurt?”