Chapter 4

Lawndale General Hospital,emergency desk,4:58 PM

"Rescue 7 just radioed us about a TA on Gorman Street."the nurse at the desk told the attending physician."One victim,female,approximate age seventeen or eighteen,multiple injuries.They're on their way here right now,ETA six minutes."

"Is the portable X-ray set up?"the physician asked her.

Picking up her chart to sign a medication order,the nurse replied,"It's in Exam One right now."

"Good."the attending physician said.With that,he turned and briskly walked to the main doors to wait for the ambulance's arrival.

The offices of Vitale,Davis,Horowitz,Riordan,Schrecter,& Schrecter,5:03 PM

Helen Morgendorffer flew out of her office with cell phone in hand."Marianne,cancel all my appointments."she commanded briskly as she passed her assistant's desk."If Jake calls,tell him I'll meet him at his office.If the hospital calls,have them page me on my cell phone.Anyone else,either take a message or tell them it'll have to wait until Monday.I've got a family emergency to deal with."

Eric Schrechter,head of the firm,noticed what was happening and asked,"What's wrong?"

"It's Daria."Helen sighed,dialing Quinn's pager number."Her friend Jane left a message at my desk saying she's been in an accident."She tapped her foot impatiently waiting for the office elevator's doors to open.

"Anything I can do to help?"Eric asked.

Helen shook her head."Not right now.I'll let you know if there is."

The Morgendorffer house,5:08 PM

"Like,what's taking Daria so long?"Quinn complained,pacing back and forth in her room."I could have written that dumb book in the time I've spent waiting for her to get home...."She rolled her eyes as she glanced out her window at the still-empty driveway.

Just then her personal pager started beeping.Glancing at the display,she saw her mother's cell phone number."Uh oh."Quinn said,eyebrows raised.Suspecting something might have happened to her sister,she quickly picked up her own phone and started dialing. Helen answered on the first ring."Quinn,are you at home?"

"Yeah,Mom."Quinn said,grabbing her purse and jacket."What's going on?Is Daria okay?"

"I'm afraid she's in the hospital,honey.She was coming home from her friend Jane's house and another car ran into her and just took off.They've taken her to Lawndale General."

"I'm on my way."Quinn said,reaching for her address book to look up Sandi's home number."Just give me a minute to call Sandi and get a ride and I'll meet you guys in the waiting room as soon as I get there..."

"You can call Sandi,"Helen said,"but don't go anywhere.I'm picking your father up and then we're coming home to get you.Just wait for us out on the front steps.We'll be home in about ten minutes."

"OK,Mom."Quinn nodded.As soon as her mother had hung up,Quinn raced downstairs,picked up the cordless phone from the kitchen,dialed Sandi's number,and sat down on the front steps of the house to wait for her parents.A minute later,she heard Sandi's mother Linda on the other end of the phone:"Griffin residence."