See Me(137)

Colin offered a statement to the sheriff, a police officer from Shallotte, and Detective Wright from Wilmington, all three asking questions at various times, then Evan did the same. Both admitted that they had no idea what had happened once Margolis had entered the house, only that he hadn’t been in there long before the gunfire sounded. Colin also told them that Lester could have finished off Margolis, but hadn’t.

Later, after he and Evan had been cleared to leave, Colin called Maria to tell her that he was heading home to change but wanted Lily to drive her to the hospital so Maria could meet him there. As he was talking to her, he overheard a nearby officer tell Detective Wright and the sheriff that the house was otherwise empty, and that Lester appeared to have been living alone.

After ending the call with Maria, Colin stared at the bungalow, wondering where Atkinson had been staying. And why, again, if Lester was so paranoid, he’d let Margolis into the house in the first place.

“You ready to go?” Evan asked, interrupting his thoughts. “I need to shower and change and just get the hell out of here.”

“Yeah,” Colin said, “okay.”

“What do you want to do about your car?”

Colin looked over at it. “Let’s deal with it later. Right now, I don’t have the energy to care.”

Evan must have seen something in his expression. “Are you sure that going to the hospital is such a good idea?”

For Colin, it felt like less of a choice than a requirement. “I want to know if Margolis is going to be all right.”





CHAPTER 28





Maria





S

ince Colin’s phone call, Maria’s mind had been racing, trying to piece together everything that had happened.

Colin tracking down Lester. Lester shooting Margolis. Lester aiming the gun at Colin. Colin taking Lester down. Colin and Evan trying to save the detective’s life. Margolis being loaded into the ambulance. Lester resisting arrest, screaming that he knew what Maria had done.

Lester.

She’d known all along that it was Lester, that he was the one to worry about, and she kept reminding herself that he was behind bars now. This time, he hadn’t vanished or simply run off; this time, they’d caught him, and he’d shot a cop and there was no way he could get to her.

What about Atkinson? a voice inside her asked.

She didn’t want to think about that. Still wasn’t sure what to make of it. It still didn’t seem to fit…

Too much. What had just happened was overwhelming enough; the fact that Colin and Evan had been in the middle was nearly too much to process.

Lily, Maria thought, was experiencing the same wild flow of emotions; since they’d arrived at the hospital a few minutes earlier, she’d barely spoken and continually scanned the parking lot, watching for Evan’s car. Maria had the sense that Lily needed to see and touch and hold her fiancé, as if to prove to herself that Evan was really and truly okay.

And Colin…

Of course he’d found Lester on his own; of course he’d rushed toward Lester while the gun was pointed in his direction; of course he’d taken Lester down without getting hurt in the process. And now, of course, Lester was locked away, and while she felt relief, there was anger in the feeling as well. Worry, too, for Margolis, and she had trouble understanding how Lester had gotten the better of him. She’d told Margolis that Lester was dangerous; she’d told him he had a gun. So why hadn’t Margolis listened to her? Why hadn’t he been more cautious? How could he have gotten shot? Maria didn’t know, nor did Colin. When they had spoken earlier, Colin had said that he wasn’t sure Margolis would survive the ride to the hospital. But Margolis must have survived, she thought. While she’d been waiting with Lily, half a dozen officers had entered the hospital and none had come out, which meant he was still alive, right?

She was too afraid to ask.

By the time Evan’s car finally pulled into the lot, Maria could barely keep her thoughts straight. She followed Lily toward the car, and as soon as Colin stepped out she put her arms around him and held him close.

The four of them made their way into the hospital, got directions, and took the elevator to the second floor. They were directed down the corridor to the surgical waiting area, which was crowded with law enforcement personnel as well as a few people who looked to be friends or family. Somber and grim faces momentarily turned their way.

Evan stepped closer to Colin. “Maybe we shouldn’t be here,” he suggested.

Colin’s face showed nothing. “He wouldn’t have been shot if I hadn’t called him.”

“It’s not your fault,” Evan said.

“He’s right, Colin,” Lily added. “Lester did this, not you.”

Despite their words, Maria knew that Colin was still trying to convince himself of the same thing, but couldn’t quite bring himself to believe it.

“Fine,” Evan said. “Do you see anyone we can ask about Margolis’s condition? I don’t see a nurse…”

“Over there,” Colin said, nodding toward a man in his forties with cropped gray hair. The man saw them as well and headed their way.

“Who’s that?” Maria whispered.

“Detective Wright,” Colin said. “He was one of the people who took my statement earlier. Evan’s, too.”