Chapter Nine: The Hospital
Voight promptly went to the hospital upon hearing that Erin had been admitted a few hours earlier. His mind pondered the circumstances surrounding the incident.
'Will you please slow down, Hank,' Al panted as he followed Voight into the hospital. 'We were fortunate that Stewart allowed us to leave,' Al remarked as he caught up with his friend.
'I could have managed without you,' Voight expressed as he scanned the waiting room for the person who had brought Erin in. Maggie approached them and greeted them, signaling them to follow her. Voight and Al followed Maggie outside Erin's room.
'Can you provide us with details of what transpired?' Voight inquired as they paused at the door. 'A classmate brought her in and mentioned that two men were in an alley,' Maggie began and paused for a moment. 'However, he stated that only one of them was kicking and beating her.'
Voight inquired about Erin's well-being, his hand clenched at his side while contemplating the consequences for those who had decided to brutally beat a young teenager. Maggie glanced into the room and observed Erin connected to various machines, a tube assisting her breathing.
"When Michel brought her in, she was in critical condition, having ceased breathing for ten minutes due to a collapsed lung," Maggie expressed, lamenting the ordeal the young teen had endured.
Voight, with his hands clenched at his sides, questioned the severity of the beating Erin had suffered, eager to confront those responsible. "It was quite severe, we have images documenting the extent of her injuries," Maggie disclosed.
Voight acknowledged Maggie's observations and confirmed, 'Whoever did this made sure to kick her hard in her stomach and chest, resulting in severe injuries.' Al inquired about speaking to Michel upon noticing a boy of Erin's age beside her in the hospital room.
Maggie affirmed, 'Of course, I'll fetch him, and he may have a name to share.' Voight expressed gratitude, 'That information will greatly assist us,' as Maggie went to call Michel out.
Voight peered through the window, witnessing Erin's condition, and clenched his fists. Al reassured, 'Hank, we will find a solution, I assure you,' placing his hand on Voight's shoulder.
Voight pondered, 'How? She refuses to disclose who she was fleeing from,' expressing distress at the sight of Erin in bed with a ventilator and various medical devices attached.
Al was going to respond to that but tapped his partner on the shoulder when Michel walked out of Erin's room" Hi, you wanted to ask me a few questions.' Michel replied looking at the two detectives.
Voight nodded, gesturing for Michel to join them. 'Yes, Maggie has informed us of your efforts in bringing Erin in and obtaining the name of one of the suspects,' Al added as he retrieved a notepad and pen from his pocket. 'I was on my way to work when I heard cries for help,' Michel recounted, taking a moment to compose himself.
'Upon reaching the scene, I found Erin in distress, with the assailant already overpowering her in what appeared to be an attempt to cause great harm.' Voight, with a firm grip, inquired further, 'Is there anything else you can recall?' he asked, peering into the young man's eyes.
Michel replied, 'Erin referred to her attacker as Luke, who had blonde hair. Unfortunately, I did not catch the names of the other individual involved, except for one with long dark hair. However, my priority was ensuring Erin's safety.'
Al acknowledged, 'You were more helpful than we required. Now, all we can do is wait for Erin to wake up and inquire about what happened,' he stated as he stored his notepad. Michel, in agreement, sighed and expressed his regret, 'I just wish I had arrived a bit earlier.'
Voight affirmed, 'It's not your fault. Erin may not have survived if you hadn't intervened.' As he rose, he declared, 'I will go check on her and then return to the district,' disregarding the potential reprimand from Diana for not following the prescribed return time.
Al consented, 'I will stay for a while and then inform Meredith of the developments at home,' he stated, trailing after Voight to Erin's room, leaving Michel alone in the waiting area.
As the young teen prepared to leave, Tish hurried over and exclaimed, 'My goodness, baby, when I heard you were at the hospital, I thought you were injured,' running her thumb over his cheek. 'No, I'm fine. I'm the one who brought Erin to the hospital,' he reassured.
Tish, may I inquire as to why Michel was with Erin once more? Just recently, she explicitly requested the brunette to refrain from contacting her boyfriend. "Why?" Tish asked with an attempt to maintain composure, fighting against any hint of jealousy.
She believed Erin had an ulterior motive to lure Michel away. "Tish, Erin was actually attacked," Michel replied, aware of Tish's suspicions. "I wasn't with her after school; I can assure you, I was on my way to work when I coincidentally passed by the alley where she was."
Tish furrowed her brow, puzzled by Michel's explanation. She had only instructed Terri to intimidate Erin, not to cause harm. "Upon arriving at the scene, I found Erin being brutally attacked by someone. I intervened and drove them away, then immediately brought her here as her condition is deteriorating," Michel clarified.
"If you doubt me, you are welcome to verify by checking that room," he offered, feeling frustrated when Tish doubted his integrity. The disbelief in her eyes struck Michel deeply. "Oh, heavens, this was never my intention," Tish murmured, as she realized the gravity of the situation.
Michel directed his attention towards her and inquired, 'What are you referring to, Tish?' His eyes narrowed as Erin's actions began to make sense. 'Was it you who orchestrated the incident with those individuals targeting Erin?' he questioned with a hint of anger in his blazing eyes. 'For what reason would you do such a thing?' he demanded.
'Was it because I conversed with her and missed meeting you at the cafeteria, prompting you to send someone after her?' Michel questioned as he moved closer, causing Tish to step back. 'I instructed Terri to only intimidate Erin, I never intended for any harm to come to her,' Tish said tearfully, her vision blurred by tears.
Tish had not expected Terri to take it to such extremes. 'Michel, I apologize. I viewed Erin as a threat to our relationship. I understand her appeal, but I misjudged her before getting to know her,' she concluded with a sniffle. 'Erin's beauty can be captivating, hence my misguided actions.'
Michel conveyed, 'Erin almost jeopardized her well-being due to your reckless intentions. Before passing judgment on someone, it is imperative to contemplate your actions.' He then expressed his desire not to engage in conversation at that moment and proceeded to check on Erin in her room.
Witnessing Erin connected to medical equipment and a breathing tube, Tish was taken aback and exclaimed, 'Oh my God.' She realized that the situation had escalated beyond what was intended, as she had only meant to startle Erin.
Observing Michel take a seat, the blond realized she had to speak with Terri before leaving the hospital to discuss the implications of her actions. She reassured herself, 'I only intended to startle her, I assure you.'