6
Wade was shaken. The major impact from the vehicle had hit on the passenger's side, where Rachel had been sitting. He had asked the doctor for information on his passenger, but all they knew was that there we no casualties. Good news, but it still didn't answer his question. Since he'd lost consciousness for a while, he would have to remain in the hospital overnight, as a precaution. They did not want him moving about unsupervised so he had no way of checking on Rachel. He laid back thinking this was not the way he had planned on spending his first weekend at his new place.
"What the hell happened?"
The booming voice sounded familiar. Wade looked up to see his brothers Dane and Drake in the opening. He attempted to sit up, but the buzzing in his head preempted the movement.
“Hey." Drake rushed to his side. "You okay?"
"No, he's not okay," Dane huffed at his brother then looked at Wade. "What the hell happened?"
"Man, why you have to barge in demanding answers? Can't you see he's been through a traumatic experience?" Drake placed a hand on Wade's shoulder. "You don't have to explain anything." Drake bent to his ear. "Are there any drugs or anything in your car?"
The look Wade sent to Drake had the impact he wanted.
Drake had to grin. "Okay, okay. I had to ask. I work with industry people. It's the first thing we check."
"Get out of the way," Dane ordered as he physically pushed Drake aside. "For the third time. What happened?"
"Someone t-boned us." Wade explained as he attempted again to sit up.
"Us?" Dane raised an eyebrow as he pushed Wade back down. "Who is us?"
"Can we at least hear how he is doing before you start with the twenty questions?" Drake lashed out.
"Where is Ross?" Wade asked. Ross was the calm brother. The one who handled things without the headache of bickering between Dane and Drake. Those two were like oil and vinegar.
"Ross and Monty are at the NBA All-Star game in Houston," Dane explained. "They should be here soon."
"We were just an hour away by plane," Drake offered. "So we flew out together."
"Now that everyone is accounted for," Dane huffed, "you want to tell me what in the hell happened and who is we?"
"Rachel."
Dane and Drake glanced at each other.
"Is that code for something?" Dane asked.
“No." Wade grinned as he shook his head and regretted it. "Rachel Fontaine is one of my employees. I had just bailed her out of jail. We were on our way to see one of her informants, when we were t-boned out of nowhere."
"Did you see who hit you?" Dane asked.
"Is she pretty?" Drake asked.
Dane turned and glared at his baby brother. "Is that all you ever think about?"
"Pretty much.” Drake grinned.
Dane released a nervous chuckle, then turned back to Wade.
Wade, still a bit shaken replied, "I never saw it coming."
"Have you spoken to the police?" Dane asked. "Did they get any information on the driver?"
"I was out. I don't know what is going on with the driver or Rachel." He glanced at his brother. "Dane Can you check on that for me?"
"Hell, yeah, I can. What's her last name again?"
"Fontaine."
"I'm on it." Dane walked out of the room to get answers.
Drake walked over to the bed. "You know he is the king of conspiracy theories. He's going to come back with a plot to take you and your employee out."
Wade smiled, knowing Drake was right. "I need to make sure she is all right."
"What about you? You seem a little out of it."
"The brain is floating on the clouds, but I'm okay. Just need a minute."
Drake pulled up a chair next to the bed and took a seat, propping his feet on the edge of the bed. "Do you need me to take over for you on Monday?"
“No, I should be good by then.” Wade attempted to sit up again, this time a little slower. That felt somewhat better.
"I'll stay here with you tonight. Dane can stay at your place. At least that way you can get some sleep. If he stays here, he will be asking you questions all night long."
"You don't have to stay, but I appreciate the thought."
From the hallway they could hear the rise of Dane's voice.
"What do you mean you can't give me any information? She was in the car with my brother. Somebody is going to tell me something or I will tear this place apart."
Wade and Drake glanced at each other.
Drake slowly took his feet off of the foot of the bed. "I will see what bug got up his ass. You stay put."
Drake walked out just as an elderly couple was approaching Dane and the nurse he was having a disagreement with.
"Excuse me," the elderly man began. "Are you asking about Rachel Fontaine?"
"I am." Dane gave the couple a look over. "And you are?"
"I'm Judge Fontaine, Rachel's father and this is my wife, Abby. Do you know something about Rachel's condition?"
Dane extended his hand. “No, sir,” he said as he shook the judge's hand. "I'm trying to find out what happened. She was in the car with my brother." He gave the nurse an agitated look. "I'm afraid that people here aren't very helpful."
"Join the club," Clayton replied.
"It's not that we don't want to help. There is no new information from the last time I was asked,” the nurse commented.
"Since there are several inquiries into Rachel Fontaine's condition it would be prudent of you to see what you can find out,” Dane suggested.
The nurse gave him a long stare then slowly walked behind the desk.
"You indicated that my daughter was in the car with your brother." Clayton asked, "Who is your brother?"
"Wade Tyson.” Drake stepped forward to supply the answer. "We recently purchased Cahill Broadcasting. Wade is heading up the news division, at WRGN, Channel 7."
“Oh, yes.” Abby nodded. "Rachel mentioned the company has been sold. I can't imagine why they would be in a car together."
"According to my brother," Dane offered. "He had just bailed her out of jail."
"Rachel?" Clayton exclaimed. "He had just bailed Rachel out of jail?" Clayton and Abby glanced at each other confused. "I would have known about that." Clayton pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "I'm going to get some answers." He stepped away from the group.
Abby turned to the men standing in front of her. "He's a little upset. Rachel is our baby and we tend to be a bit overprotective of her." She tried to smile. "How is your brother doing?"
Dane and Drake glanced at each other. "You're not going to ask us how we can be brothers?" Dane asked.
"It's usually the first question we are asked when we tell people we're brothers," Drake explained.
"Because of your different races? No.” Abby shook her head. "I assume you are adopted. We deal with blended families all the time. So, how is your brother doing? I pray he wasn't seriously injured."
“No, just a slight concussion,” Dane answered.
"They are keeping him for 24-hour observation as a precaution," Drake added. "He is asking about your daughter. He wants to make certain she is all right."
"I wish we could offer more. Unfortunately, they are not giving us much to go on."
Dane touched Abby's shoulder. "We will find out what we can." He stomped over to the nurses’ station as Clayton rejoined them.
"Chief Williams will find out what he can and join us here.” Clayton squeezed his wife's shoulder, then kissed her forehead.
Drake stared at the man. "So you're a judge, hmm?"
"Yes, I am," Clayton replied.
"Let me ask you something. If a vehicle is pulled over and the authorities search your car and find drugs in the backseat. Can you be hit with a drug charge?"
"Yes," Clayton replied. "Are you talking about the actor who was pulled over and claimed the drugs belonged to someone who was in the backseat?"
"Maybe......." Drake replied.
"Yeah, he’s going to be found guilty."
"But why?" Drake insisted. "They weren't his drugs."
"Son," Clayton spoke patiently. "If you are a Black man driving, you know there is a ninety percent possibility of you being pulled over. It is your responsibility to check your car every time you get in or someone gets out. So, when you are pulled over, the officers have no reason to arrest or shoot your ass."
"That just doesn’t seem right to me."
"It is incredibly unjust, however, it's the world we are living in today." Clayton frowned. "What's your connection to the case?"
"None," Drake assured him quickly. "I just have to make a decision on how his stupidity is going to impact my show."
"She's being scanned," Dane said as he walked up. "It shouldn't be too much longer before you have some information. I spoke directly to the tech doing the scanning."
"How did you manage to do that?" Abby asked.
"I threatened to sue the hospital if they did not give me the information.” Dane shrugged. "You’d be surprised how fast people move when you have the means and fortitude to sue them."
"Unh....huh..." Clayton nodded as he stared curiously at the two men.