The Pain of Silence
Chapter 13
It was close to two in the afternoon when Tony and Brooke pulled into Vanessa's driveway. Brooke saw her mom's car was gone. "I wish she would have waited to go out! I don't like the idea of her being alone."
They both got out of his car. "Did she say where she was going?" Tony asked.
"She mentioned getting some groceries. I'm sure she won't be long."
"Well, Vanessa and Joe get out soon, so I'm sure the rest of the gang will be here soon."
They walked to the front door and behind them they heard someone pull into the driveway. It was Frank and Callie in the Hardys' van.
"Hey guys!" Tony said and noticed Frank's grim expression as he got out of the van. "What's wrong?"
"We need to get to the hospital." Frank looked at Brooke, and from the look on her face, she had no idea what's going on. "Brooke, is your cell phone on?"
Brooke pulled out her phone and saw there were several missed calls and two voicemails she'd missed. "It's on silent. I didn't realize that. What's going on?"
"You'll want to get in the van. We should get going. I'll explain on the way there," Frank said and Tony and Brooke quickly climbed into the backseat.
Brooke entered her password and listened to her voicemails. The first was from the Bayport Police asking for a return call and the second was from Frank.
"Was my dad found? The police left me a message," she announced.
"I wish I could say yes to that. No, it's your mom. She had a car accident. The police tried to contact you. Your mom woke up, and was able to give them your number. When they couldn't reach you, they called my father. He let me know and Joe, so they're meeting us there."
"A car accident!? Is she okay?" Brooke glanced at Tony fearfully. "I can't believe it. I go out and this happens…"
"It's not your fault. You didn't know!" Tony reassured her.
"My father told me that someone was trying to pass her and a car came around a corner in the other lane, causing her car to go off the road" Frank explained and Brooke leaned back in her seat, ashamed; even though she knew she couldn't have done anything, she still felt guilty. Tony reached over and tried to comfort her, but she seemed to be lost in thought.
"She was unconscious when the paramedics arrived. I don't know anything other than that."
Brooke had gone silent on the group and Frank looked in the rearview mirror at her. "Brooke?"
She wiped away a stray tear that had trickled down her cheek. "Yeah?"
"Just making sure you're okay. The accident happened a little over an hour ago, closer to noon, so if something bad were to have happened since, I'm sure we'd have heard about it by now," Frank informed her.
A noise interrupted them; it was Callie's cell phone ringing. She picked it up and saw it was Vanessa calling. "It's Vanessa," she announced and answered. "Hi Van, where are you?"
'We're almost at the hospital. We'll meet you in the parking lot before we head in."
"Okay, we should be there in a couple minutes. See you then." And then to the others, Callie added: "They're almost there. They'll meet us in the parking lot."
The group arrived at the hospital and found Vanessa and Joe waiting by her car. Everyone quickly went inside, unaware that they were being watched.
Scott had parked his truck behind a building near the hospital and walked over, expecting his daughter to eventually arrive. He saw a van pull up and park near a young man and girl, who were waiting in the parking lot. He saw Brooke emerge from the backseat with Tony and the group walked into the hospital together.
He smiled and walked back to his truck, deciding to stick around for a while. He was pleased to know whom to look for when he searched for his daughter again. He knew he'd have to find her when she wasn't with all her friends.
He pulled his truck into a different spot, to keep an eye on the hospital parking lot, in hopes of following his daughter to where she was staying.
Brooke approached the nurse behind the desk. "Hi, I'm Morgan Tyler's daughter. She was in a car accident."
"Let me see…ah yes, she's being looked at by a doctor. She was brought in nearly an hour ago. I'll let them know you're here if you and your friends want to have a seat?"
"Thank you." The group went and sat in the waiting room.
After fifteen minutes Brooke started getting impatient and stood up, walking over to the window and looking outside.
Joe glanced at Tony and pointed at Brooke, hinting for him to go over to her. Tony went over to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"
She nodded. "I'm just worried. I'm sure she'll be okay, but I want to know who did this. It may have been a freak accident, but I think the timing is bad. I think it had to do with my father," she announced and looked at the Hardys. "Is that what you and your father think?"
"My dad told me that there were areas of black paint on her car which is the same color as your dad's truck. Yes, we do have reason to believe he followed her and it may not have been on purpose, but he pushed her off the road," Frank conceded.
"Our father is talking to the police about your father and how he thinks it's linked to him. Some people are saying that it could have been someone else because there are plenty of black cars and trucks out there. I also think it was him – or she had very bad luck, which doesn't seem right to me," Joe put in.
Frank's cell phone went off and he excused himself from the waiting room. Ten minutes later he returned.
"What's up?" Joe asked.
"That was Dad. There were two witnesses who spotted Morgan and a man arguing at the grocery store. When they described him, it sounded like Mr. Tyler's description. He wanted to warn us to keep an eye out for him," Frank reported.
Brooke saw a doctor walk out, and hoped it was for her mom.
"Anyone here for a Morgan Tyler?" the physician asked.
Brooke quickly walked forward. "Yes, we are. I'm her daughter."
"I'm Doctor Jenson and I've been treating you mother. She's doing very well. She has some swelling on her wrist; it's sprained. She had a cut on her forehead, but she seems to be doing fine. There is nothing to be worried about. Did you have any questions?"
"So she can go home?" Brooke asked hopefully.
The doctor nodded. "Yes, in a little bit. We're just finishing up a few things. We're giving her a Velcro splint for her wrist. I suggest she just take it easy tonight."
Brooke sighed with relief. "Can I see her?"
"Of course. You can follow me."
"Thank you, doctor." Tony said and rubbed Brooke's back. "Want me to go with you, or do you want to go alone?"
"I want to go alone. I'll be out in a little bit," she said, and Tony placed a kiss on her forehead.
The doctor turned and made his way towards Morgan's room and Brooke followed him.
"Here you go. If you need anything, press the call button. I have to check on a patient. She should be fine," he reassured her before leaving.
"Thanks." Brooke walked inside and saw her mom was sleeping peacefully. "Thank God…" she pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down.
Back in the waiting room, the Hardys, Vanessa, Tony, and Callie had huddled together to make a plan.
"Our dad does not want Brooke going anywhere alone," Frank informed them. "So, if we leave here, I want someone to be with her at all times, preferably more than one person." He looked at Tony. "I know you took tonight off, so that's good. I want to run home and check in with Dad about what he's found out."
"What do you want Callie and me to do?" Vanessa asked.
"Well, I'll have Callie come with us. You can stay with Brooke and Tony if that's okay? Then we'll meet up as a group later. I have a feeling if we're in public, he'll be spotted. He found her mother, I'm sure he'll find her. Then we can call the cops before he does anything."
"That sounds good. We'll see if Brooke likes the idea," Joe said and the group settled down, waiting for their friend.
Half an hour later, the Hardys and their friends went their separate ways. Vanessa pulled her car up to the exit of the hospital and the Hardys and Callie got their van.
From a distance, Scott kept an eye on his daughter and watched as the van drove off first, followed shortly after by the car. Scott started up his truck and stayed in the distance, following them.
When Vanessa pulled onto her road, Scott slowed down but didn't turn. He made sure he saw where Vanessa pulled her car up and drove away.
He wasn't quite sure how he'd get to his daughter with all the people around and decided to wait to make his move. He knew he had to make it soon, before he was caught.
"Mom, the doctor wants you to rest tonight. Do you want to lie down?" Brooke asked her mother as they walked inside.
"Yeah, I do," Morgan said sadly. She was still shocked about everything that happened.
"Mom, are you sure you're okay? He did this, didn't he?" Brooke asked and her mother nodded.
"He came after me because I wouldn't go with him. If you go out with your friends tonight, please be careful, sweetie," Morgan said and Brooke gave her mother a hug.
"I love you. I'm so glad you're okay."
"I love you too. I'll be upstairs. I'm probably going to sleep for a little bit. Have a good night with Tony and the others." Morgan placed a kiss on Brooke's forehead.
"Thanks, Mom. If you need anything, let us know. I think we may get something for dinner in a little bit."
"I'll be fine." Morgan made her way upstairs and Brooke joined Tony and Vanessa in the living room.
"We're just waiting for Frank to call us to see what's going down tonight" Tony told her as she sat down beside him.
"Sounds good. I'll be glad when this is over," Brooke said, just as Tony's cell phone rang.
Tony answered his phone and Brooke and Vanessa patiently waited to find out what the plan would be.