Secrets in Battle: Secrets of Savannah Series Book 3 (21 page)

Chapter 40

It’s hard to believe that I’ve just passed my first trimester. Twelve weeks
, even if I do look more like twenty thanks to these two growing so quickly. Judd and Ryder completely painted the inside of the house and we have everything set up the way we want it. The only room not finished is the nursery, I just had them paint it a neutral color, that way we don’t have to repaint. We can’t wait to find out if we are having boys, girls, or one of each. I’m kinda glad that we aren’t having identical twins. Something about two people looking so much alike freaks me out.  I know that even though the babies are fraternal, they could still look a lot alike, but not identical. 

It
’s Thanksgiving break and I volunteered to do some extra time in the ER. They are always shorthanded during the holidays. The good thing about the nursing program I’m in is I have the same advisor all the way through. After telling her about the twins, she suggested that while I’m feeling up to it,  I could do some extra hours.  She would save them for next semester in case I have to go out early or go on bed rest.

The week of Thanksgiving break is crazy at a hospital. College students are celebrating being home or just being on a break. Alcohol poisoning, drug overdose and DUI wrecks top the lists.

I was just sitting down to eat my granola bar when a young blonde girl was being brought in the wrong ER doors by a brunette girl. One of the guards was about to send them back out when I made my way over to them. Something drew me to this girl.

I look at the security guard. “It’s okay
, I’ve got it.”

I turn to the girls. “Girls
, what’s going on? What’s your names?”

The brunet
te looks at me. “I’m Jenna and this is my cousin Becca. We think someone put something in her drink. We were at a party in Column Heights. We were talking to these really nice guys and they were giving her drinks.”

“What about you?”

“I don’t drink. I was drinking bottled water.”

I pull the girls into a small exam room. “Did anything else happen?”

Becca still isn’t speaking. “Jenna, did something else happen to her?”

She nods her head. “I’m not sure how far it went, but the blonde guy kicked her out of the room when she threw up on him.”

I touch Becca’s shoulder. “Okay, Becca. I need you to put on this gown and put your clothes in this bag. I will be back with a doctor soon to check on you.” Becca nods and I look at Jenna. “Jenna, could you step outside with me for a minute?”

I had a sinking feeling about just who had thrown this party. I know Column Heights. I know the Wilson’s live out there and a bunch of others who thin
k their money buys them everything.  “Jenna, it’s policy that I have to file a police report on this. Do you know the address where the party was at?”

She nods. “Yes.”

“I know Becca isn’t talking much right now, but will you be able to talk to the police?”

“Yes. Who in the hell do these guys think they are? How could somebody do that to someone? I though
t she quit breathing on the way here. When her father gets word on this, he’ll kill someone. We weren’t even supposed to go out tonight.”

I pull my phone from my pocket. Call it my new found mothering instincts, but I d
id some social media investigating on Patrick and his friends. I pull up some pictures of them.

“Jenna. Were any of the guys in this picture at the party?”

She nods and starts pointing. “That’s the asshole who kept giving her drinks and the blonde asshole is the one who took her to the room. They kept trying to get me to drink something other than my water. When I wouldn’t, they just ignored me and tried to separate us.”

She had just pointed to Patrick as the blonde and
the other was the guy who’d drugged me.

“Jenna
, I think you should call her dad. This is about to get ugly.”

She sighs. “He’s out of town.” She lowers her voice. “Her father is Senator Brooklyn.”

“When is he due back?”

“Tomorrow, he’s coming in for Thanksgiving. We just got in a couple of days early.”

“You need to go ahead and call him. He’ll probably come on. The guys you just pointed to? Well, they do think they can get away with anything. She’s going to need her father’s support.”

She nods and goes to make the phone call while I get Dr. Anders. We go in and do her exam. Dr. Anders said that even though I went against the admin policies for getting the girls in
, one of the most important jobs as a nurse was to get as many details as I could. 

A little while later
, a deputy comes in from the sheriff’s department. He’s the same deputy that took my statement at Nana’s.

“Well
, it’s nice to see you again, Ms. Garrett.”

“Please
, call me Annabelle.”

“Annabelle
, please call me Steve. Can you give me a heads up of what’s going on before I go in there?”

I run down the story with him
, letting him know that Jenna has contacted Senator Brooklyn and he’s on his way as we speak. I show him the pictures on my phone of the guys Jenna pointed out. He’s going to speak with the girls. I stop him before he goes in.

“Steve
, I need to tell you something. The second guy in that picture slipped drugs in my drink a little over a year ago. The only difference is I didn’t finish my drink and I left and called a friend before anything could happen.  I wouldn’t let my friend take me to the hospital to get a report. I should have, it might have stopped them. If she decides to go further with this, it will get ugly. I just hope more girls will come out and seal the fate of these assholes.”

He puts his hand on my shoulder. “Annabelle, I’ve watched way too many girls go through something like this. I’ve been an officer for fifteen years,
but my job doesn’t get any easier. I know the two jerks in those pictures and you’re right, they think they can get away with anything, but this time I doubt it. The Senator will be out for blood. He lost his wife when she gave birth to Becca. That little girl has been his life since she was born.”

I nod. “If you need anything with the case or my statement
, just let me know. If you could, keep this quiet until he’s had a chance to get here and check on her. She’s very shaken.”

“She has every right to be and she also has every right to her privacy.”

“Thank you, Steve.”

He nods and walks into the exam room with Jenna and Becca.

Chapter 4
1
             

Even though it’s Thanksgiving, the cows don’t know that. I was up and getting ready for the day when my exhausted Princess came in. She took a shower and went straight to bed. She told me we needed to talk when she woke up for lunch.

As I make my way back home for lunch
, I’m a little worried. I don’t know what she wants to talk about but I’m kinda nervous. She’s been working quite a bit trying to do some extra so next semester won’t be so hard on her.

Pulling up to the house
, I see a dark sedan pulling in at the same time. An older gentleman gets out and opens the rear door for another man. I do a double take when I realize it’s Senator Brooklyn.

I walk over. “Sir
, can I help you?”

He nods. “Are you Ms. Pearl’s grandson?”

I shake my head. “Not by blood, but by love, yes. If you are looking for her, she passed away a few months ago.”

“No
, young man, I’m not. I just recognized the address when we arrived. I was friends with her son, Greer, back in our college years. I’m actually here to see Ms. Annabelle Garrett. The lady from the hospital told me I could find her here.”

I nod. “Yes, she’s my-.” What do I call her
, my baby momma?  “She’s my girl. She’s sleeping from work last night. I’m about to go in and wake her up, though, for lunch.” I motion for him to come in the house behind me. “If you’ll have a seat, I’ll get her.”

He nods and takes a seat. “You’re Nelson’s boy
, aren’t you?”

I nod. “Yes
, sir.”

“You’re right
, you were her grandson by love.”

I walk into our bedroom and see her sleeping so peacefully. I hate to wake her but she has to eat. Plus
, I’m curious as hell to find out what’s going on.

Sitting on the side of the bed
, I rub her arm. “Princess.”

She rolls a little. “Hmm?”

“Can you tell me why there is a Senator in our living room that wants to speak with you?’

She bolts up in the bed. “What?”

“Senator Brooklyn is in the living room. He asked to speak with you.”

She shoves the covers off the bed and runs to the closet. “Tell him I’ll be out in a minute. Offer him some coffee, tea or lemonade.”

I chuckle. “Yes, ma’am.”

Walking back into the living room
, I motion down the hall. “She’ll be out in a minute. Would you like some coffee, some sweet tea or lemonade?”

“No
, thank you. I really need to get back to my daughter.”

I nod. “Okay.”

He looks at my small limp as I walk to the couch. “I heard about your injury. Is everything coming along alright?”

I shrug. “I have good days and bad days. Physically and mentally.”

I knew the Senator had served in the Gulf War so he would understand.

He looked at me. “All I can tell you
, son, is that it’ll get better as time goes on. You learn how to deal with it.”

“I hope so. I’m working on it.” Beau gets up and flops his head in my lap. “Beau here is helping me
, too.”

He nods and smiles. “I’ve read the studies. You know
, I remember how in tune my animals were to me when I got back from overseas. I always thought they could sense that I needed a sounding board or a friend.”

“He’s been great. Helps a lot a
t night.”

We both look up when Princess enters the room. She smiles. “Senator Brooklyn, what can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to stop by personally and thank you for taking care of my daughter last night.”

She shakes her head. “I’m just sorry she had to go through that. Is she doing okay this morning?”

“She’s at home with my sister, Dawn, and my niece, Jenna. She’s resting. I know we have a long road ahead of us, but I’m going to make sure those boys pay.”

She smiles. “I’m glad. I told the officer
, Steve, that I would be willing to give my statement. If it would even help. It’s been over a year, but in any case, I’d be willing to give it.”

I look at both of them. “Wait. What’s going on? What statement?”

The Senator stands up. “I’m going to be going so you two can talk. I just really wanted to say how much I appreciate how nice and sensitive you were to the girls last night. They needed that nurturing.” He points to her rounded stomach. “You are going to be a wonderful mother.”

She stands and smiles
, walking him to the door. She give him a hug. “Tell Becca if she wants to talk or anything to call me. I gave Jenna my personal number last night.”

He nods and wishes us a happy holiday.

After the door is closed, I look at her. “Princess, are you going to explain this to me?”

She sighs and looks sad.
“His daughter and niece were at a party last night in Column Heights. She had drugs put in her drink and well, it’s possible that Patrick Wilson had sex with her. The girls came into the ER. They ID’ed the guys to the officer.”

“How did they ID them?”

“I pulled up some social media pictures from Patrick’s pages. It was him and the guy who drugged me. I told my story to the officer.”

I flop back on the couch. “Whoa, this is going to get ugly.”

She sits down with me and puts her head on my shoulder. “I know. I just feel so bad for his daughter. She just thought she’d sneak off to a party and have fun. Those assholes ruined it for her, they took so much from her in just a few hours.”

She’s crying now. This has been known to happen since she’s gotten pregnant, but I know today the tears aren’t for her. They are for that girl. I need to make her smile and my conversation with the Senator convinced me that I’m ready.

I get up to go to our bedroom. Beau hops up on the couch and lays his head protectively on her stomach.

When I return
, she’s wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get so emotional. It just bothers me.”

“Baby
, you have every right to be upset about this. Now. Have a seat. I’ve been thinking.”

I sit on the edge of the coffee table in front of her. “When the Senator pulled up and asked for you, I called you my girl because I wasn’t really sure what to call you.” I reach in my shirt pocket and pull out the box I have been hiding. “I’d like to start calling you my fiancé. That is
, if you’ll let me.”

She start
s sobbing and Beau barks at me. “Yes!”

I pull her up from the couch as I st
and up and swing her around. “I love you, Annabelle.”