Chapter 15
….
The gunshot rang out before Abigail dropped the gun, Dr Victoria Munroe ducking down when the gun went off. Screams could be heard from the corridor, Victoria looked around the room, her first thought being Kate to see that she was unharmed. She saw the fear on Abigail's face before her eyes landed on Red who was on his knees, Lizzie kneeling beside him, as droplets of blood landed on the floor. Before Victoria could say anything, security were in the room.
"Gentlemen, it's okay. Everything's fine in here, it was an accident."
"Ma'am."
"She didn't realise the gun wasn't locked, it's fine. I can take it from here."
"Are you sure Doctor Munroe?"
"I'm sure…thanks Stan, just go…and calm everyone out there, let them know there's nothing to worry about please."
"Yes Ma'am."
As the security left, Victoria quickly closed the door for privacy before coming over and kneeling down beside Red.
"Abigail, bring me over that trolley…now please."
"I didn't mean too, it just went off I…"
"Abbey please….the trolley."
Abigail did as she was told, bringing it over as Victoria began to search the trolley, she helped Red off with his jacket and ripped his shirt sleeve so she could have a better look at the wound.
"Okay, Abbey, pass me some bandages."
The young woman did as she was asked while Victoria got some medical equipment and began prodding Red's arm, blood running down it.
"The bullets still in there, I'm going to have to pull it out."
"Do what you have to do." He replied.
Kate watched in horror at what had happened, trying to get out of the bed to see how he was.
"Raymond I…"
Victoria glanced behind her to see Kate trying to stand on her own.
"Kate…get back in to bed, you're in no state. You, what's your name?"
"Elizabeth…Liz."
"Liz, go and keep an eye on her, keep her in bed please."
Lizzie was on her feet and over to Kate's bed, halting the woman in her tracks.
"Lie back down Mr Kaplan."
"Elizabeth dearie I…"
"Ssshh I know, he'll be okay."
"She didn't mean to shoot him, she didn't."
"It's okay, I know it was an accident."
As they watched Victoria tend to Red, Abigail moved closer to him, coming to kneel beside him, fear and sadness on her face. He tried to remain strong but the pain was unbearable as he let out a pained noise when Victoria went deeper to remove the bullet. To everyone's surprise, Abigail reached across, taking tight hold of Red's hand, allowing him to hold on through the pain.
"How did you find me?" Kaye asked Lizzie.
"With difficulty, we were searching all the hospitals for Kaplan, it was Red who suddenly told us to search under Nemec. What did she do to you?"
"She didn't mean too, she was upset."
"If she hurt you, daughter or not, she has to pay. She's killed someone, an innocent young woman."
"I know dearie, I know."
"What happened to your head?"
"When she first captured me, she knocked me out, she hit me a little too hard. I had a blood clot. The good doctor over there fixed me up."
"You were very lucky."
Kate reached out, taking hold of Lizzie's hand.
"She's our daughter Elizabeth." She whispered, tears in her eyes.
"I know, Red told me everything. I am so sorry for what he made you do all those years ago."
"She's angry, she's scared. She didn't know what she was doing. I don't want her to end up like us. Aside form this, she's a good girl."
"We'll help you work all of this out okay, don't worry."
"I can't lose her again, I've only just gotten her back."
"I know, we'll sort this…all of us."
"Raymond wants her dead, I can tell by the way he looked at her when he walked in."
"He's angry, much like she is. We need to sit them down together and talk about all of this properly. Let's just get Red seen too first and then we can concentrate on this mess."
Kate let tears fall from her eyes as Lizzie wrapped an arm around the older woman, just relieved that she was safe, whether she knew it or not, she'd come to mean a lot to Lizzie too.
…
The knock at the door caused them all to freeze, before Victoria walked over and opened it to see the security men there.
"Hi Stan."
"We just wanted to check everything was okay in here, do you need us to call the police."
"No Stan, everything is under control, as I said before it was all just an accident. It's all taken care of now, but thank you for your concern."
"It's no trouble doc, you know where we are if you need us."
"Thanks Stan." She smiled before closing the door once more.
She turned around to look at all the faces watching her, Red was not sitting in the chair by the window, Abigail not far from him while Lizzie still had a secure arm around Kate who looked like she wanted to be sick.
"Right, I think it's time you all told me what the hell is going on here, don't you."
…
To Be Continued…