Pit of Redemption - Chapter 10 (Luis, Eve, and Rebecca)
by Courtaney
 

Chapter 10

Luis walked down the hospital corridor, looking for Eve Russell. He turned the corner and spotted her outside of the emergency room. “Dr. Russell, I want to talk to you…about Sheridan.”

“Sure, Luis, what is it you need to know?”

“I was wondering about her last check-up with you. Was everything OK? I wasn’t able to be there with her. Antonio came. I just couldn’t bring myself to ask him about it. I have a feeling he wouldn’t tell me, even if there was something wrong.”

“Luis, you know I’m not supposed to talk about patients' medical conditions with anyone,” she said, noticing his disappointment. “But since Sheridan is missing, I’ll tell you whatever I can.”

“I know you told me recently that Sheridan’s condition is delicate – that her life and the baby’s could be in danger if she continued to be under too much stress.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Eve replied.

“So I guess I want to know two things. First, did you tell Sheridan anything at her last visit that would make her want to leave town on her own – like if she didn’t, the baby would be in trouble?”

“I didn’t say anything like that, Luis. I would never suggest someone in Sheridan’s condition just up and leave town. Travel itself would not be good for her.”

“OK,” he said, “I figured you were going to say that, but I just had to check. I don’t believe Sheridan left on her own accord.”

He continued, “Now for my second question. I want the truth, Eve. Do you think that Sheridan and the baby’s lives are in danger if she was kidnapped and is being held somewhere? I mean, if otherwise she’s being treated all right?”

“I, I don’t know, Luis. I’ve never been kidnapped, but I can guess it would put someone under a lot of stress – tremendous stress. That wouldn’t be good for -"

“Oh, Luis! Luis!” The two looked up to see Rebecca Hotchkiss coming down the hall, out of breath. “I just came from checking on Gwen. She’s OK, but Luis, I have to tell you I am very worried about my Pookey.”

“Your what?” Luis asked, confused.

Eve looked at Rebecca intently, worry coming to her face. “What’s wrong with Julian?” she asked, unable to wait for Rebecca to explain to Luis just who her “Pookey” was.

“He, he didn’t come home last night!” Rebecca revealed. “Look, Luis, you’ve got to do something – file a missing person alert or something. Please.”

“Hold on now, Rebecca,” Luis said. “How long has Julian been missing? When was the last time you saw him?”

“He was in his bedroom yesterday afternoon, watching some videos. I couldn’t see why he was even watching them – I mean they didn’t look that good if you ask me, but Pookey has been having some problems lately, if you know what I mean – so maybe they will help him, I don’t know.”

Eve felt herself blushing at Rebecca’s story.

“Listen, Rebecca,” Luis explained, “I don’t think we need to get into all of Julian’s uh, troubles, not right now anyway. Can you just tell me what time you last saw him?”

“I guess about 3 p.m. yesterday. He gave me his credit card to go shopping with. I bought the neatest costumes, but when I got home to try mine on for him, he was gone.”

“Is his car missing?” Luis asked.

“Why, yes,” Rebecca answered. “It had been parked out front when I left.”

“I don’t think I’d worry just yet, then,” Luis said. “Julian has been known to – how do I put this delicately – visit other people sometimes, am I right? He likes the company of ladies in general, and maybe -"

Again, Eve could feel her cheeks getting hotter. Good thing the two of them aren’t looking at me, she thought.

“Oh, no,” Rebecca declared, “Pookey wouldn’t go behind my back with another woman. Not unless -"

“Unless what, Rebecca?” Luis asked.

“Well, not unless she came back to him,” she said, raising both hands in the air.

“Who is ‘she’?” Luis inquired.

“Well, there’s this woman that Julian's been pining after his whole life. Lately, he’s been thinking about her a lot. He’s hardly been my Pookey,” Rebecca said, her voice pained from the thought of her love's heart belonging to someone else.

“And you think that just maybe, he’s with this woman? That they might be together?” Luis asked.

“I guess it is possible,” Rebecca admitted, looking like she lost her best friend. “But I never imagined that’s what it was.”

“Luis, don’t you think you should take Rebecca’s statement anyway, and go looking for Julian?” Eve said, knowing that she was the woman they were speaking of. And Julian wasn’t with her…

Luis checked his watch. “From what you’re saying, Rebecca, it looks like Julian has been missing for 18 hours at the most. I’ll have to wait another six hours to officially start the case, but I guess there’s no harm done in taking your statement a little early. Let’s go somewhere in private.”

Luis led the shaken Rebecca to the waiting room.

Eve stood frozen in the corridor, worry about Julian taking its effect on her. “I hope he’s OK,” she thought, “I can’t lose him too.”

She carried on with her duties outwardly like nothing was wrong the rest of the day. But inside, Eve was sick with fear…
 
 
 

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