She’d looked up the instant someone had entered the waiting room. The little girl in with Nikkie Jean had had her grandmother and her mother. There apparently wasn’t a father in the picture. They’d decided to take a walk through the halls until they got the word the little girl was fine.
The little girl would be fine; Nikkie Jean was one of the best. Izzie was glad the waiting room was empty. It was a small room, only about two hundred square feet, with far too many hard plastic chairs crammed in there.
She stayed by the door. Cage had told her about how long it would take, but there were never any guarantees.
Jake texted her; he wanted her to stay at the hospital until he picked her up. And no one else.
Well, he could come here—but she was going home with Allen. Whenever that was.
Allen would probably choose to stay here, to be near his sister in case she needed anything. It was a simple procedure, and she’d most likely be discharged first thing in the morning.
Izzie was on the schedule for ten p.m. until seven a.m. She’d curl up for four or five hours in the small breakroom and catch a few hours’ sleep. After she spoke with Jake.
And spent some time with Allen and Shelby.
She called Josey, Annie’s sister, and asked her to keep Oliver all day, if she could. Josey was intending to go to vet school eventually. She loved animals of all kinds and Oliver was more than welcome with her whenever Izzie had to work. Josey was taking over Annie’s house, now that Turner had satisfactorily dealt with Annie’s problems with City Hall.
Oliver would be fine.
Izzie had just disconnected when someone entered the waiting room.
She looked up.
Into Jennifer Henedy’s brown eyes.
Izzie jumped to her feet. This was not what she wanted at all. Not now. Then she looked beyond the councilwoman. Into the face that still haunted her nightmares.
Izzie screamed.
He raised his hand and fired. Just like he had before.