Part 38 (1/2)
SUNDAY, 2:58 P.M.
I NEED UR HELP. I NEED U 2 COME GET ME.
A text from Camille. The girl's phone had been silent for so long, Serena was almost shocked to see her message pop up on the screen. Serena took another bite of her late lunch-a ham and cheese sandwich on whole wheat.
WHAT'S WRONG? She texted back.
I JUST NEED HELP. HAD A FIGHT WITH MY DAD. WILL U COME GET ME?.
Serena looked at Paul. ”I've got to go.”
”What's wrong?”
”Camille needs me. She's texting me, asking me to come get her.”
He frowned. ”You think that's wise? Is she with her father?”
”I don't know.” Serena texted, WHERE ARE U?
A pause. Then, I HAD TO DO IT.
Serena's blood chilled and her stomach twisted. Had Camille gone ahead with the abortion?
DO WHAT? Anxiety swirled. TELL ME WHERE U ARE.
AT MY DAD'S.
IS HE THERE?.
NO. HE LEFT. PLEASE JUST COME GET ME AND TAKE ME TO COVENANT HOUSE. I'LL STAY THERE, I PROMISE.
Paul frowned. ”You said her dad was a violent man. Maybe you shouldn't go.”
Serena rubbed her forehead as she thought, reasoned it out. ”She says her father's not there.”
PLS COME GET ME BEFORE HE GETS BACK!.
”I probably shouldn't, but I have to. She needs me.” Serena texted. START WALKING. I'LL MEET YOU.
A long pause then, I CAN'T. HE WARNED ME I'D BETTER BE HERE WHEN HE GOT BACK. IF I LEAVE AND HE'S ON HIS WAY BACK, HE'LL SEE ME. PLS SERENA! I'M SCARED.
Serena's heart thudded. She should just call the cops and send them out there, but what if her father was there and the cops showed up? He'd take his wrath out on Camille.
She couldn't do that to the girl.
Paul nodded. ”I'd go with you, but I have a date with a possible kitten owner.” He paused. ”But this is more important. I'll go with you.”
She smiled at her co-worker. ”You're a good man, Paul.”
A flush crept up his neck and he snorted. ”I don't know about that. A sucker for cute kittens, yeah, but . . .” He shrugged.
”But you can't go with me. I can't drag you into this. If her father comes back . . . no, I'll call Dominic.”
She grabbed her purse and texted, I'M COMING.
Then stopped. ”I don't have a car.”
He tossed her his keys. ”Here. Take mine. I'll get Dorie to bring me by your house to get it later.” He looked at the schedule posted on the wall. ”She'll be here in a couple of hours.”
”You're sure?” She clutched the keys in one hand, her phone in the other.
”Go. The possible kitten owner is meeting me here.”
”At the dumpster?”
Paul grimaced and nodded.
”Great. Thanks, Paul.”
”Sure.”
Serena punched in Dominic's speed dial number as she headed out of the hospital toward Paul's car. Dominic would be horribly upset with her for leaving the safety of the hospital, but Camille needed her and she'd promised the girl she'd be there for her.
She had no choice. She had to go.
Dominic's phone went to voice mail. ”Hey, I got a text from Camille. She's at her father's house. 114 Bolton Drive. I'm headed over there to pick her up. Her father has a violent temper and I wanted you to go with me. But she said he wasn't there, so I'm just going to pop over real fast and get her before he gets back. Maybe you can meet me there. Call me.”
She hung up and climbed into Paul's Jeep Cherokee. Then thought about what she was doing. She called Colton and got his voice mail. He and Dominic were probably together working on something and couldn't be interrupted.
Her fingers hovered over the 911 b.u.t.ton she'd programmed. But if Camille's father came back and saw the police there, Camille would suffer for it.
What do I do? What do I do?
The screen blinked. R U COMING? PLS SERENA, I'M SCARED.
Serena set her jaw and sent up a prayer.
YES. ON THE WAY.
Dominic looked up to see Hunter followed by two federal agents escort a man in his fifties toward his office.
His father.
Not that the man deserved the t.i.tle, but nevertheless, that's the one he had. He gave a nod toward the conference room. ”More privacy.”
Hunter nodded and escorted them down the hall. Dominic rose and followed. He stopped in the door and stared. His heart thudded, then slowed. David Allen didn't look like the man Dominic remembered from childhood. He was withered and stooped, looking twenty years older than he was.
The consequences of too much alcohol, drugs, and prison. He supposed that would do it to a person.
Dominic waited for the emotions to hit him like they had a little over two months ago when he'd tracked his father down to find him in prison. Hate, love, anger, resentment, bitterness. He'd run the whole range. Today, he simply felt . . . pity.