Page 12 of Sam's Salvation
“Amber Carter.” Claiming she was Alexandra Burton wouldn’t work now that they’d heard her accent, but she wasn’t about to give them her real name. Amber was another of her identities. If anyone searched it, it would come back to a marketing executive living in Vegas.
“Good. How about what day it is?”
Her pulse pounded in her temple as she tried to remember. “I don’t know. Friday?”
“Close. It’s just after midnight on Sunday morning.”
Audra let out a grunt as memories flitted at the edge of her mind. “What happened? How did I get here?”
“Best we can tell you got hit by a car while you were out running. The police would like to talk to you.”
She bet they would. Some of the night’s events came back to her. “Someone hit me.”
“Yes. You were running and were struck by a car.”
“No. I mean deliberately.”
“What?” Gabby’s voice turned sharp. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. I need my phone.” She touched her side, but realized she was in a hospital gown. “Where are my clothes?” A touch of panic set in as she remembered what else had been in her pocket. “Shit.” She closed her eyes and rested her head against the pillow. The cops probably had a lot of questions for her.
“We had to cut them off of you. But don’t worry, we won’t send you home in a gown. Let me get the doctor to come take a look at you since you’re awake. I know you have questions. Someone will be in soon, too, to take you down to CT.” The woman spun away and disappeared before Audra could protest.
She took the quiet moment to take stock of herself. A chill ghosted over her skin; the thin hospital gown and blanket doing little to keep her warm. With each passing moment, her head cleared a little more. It pounded, though. And throbbed. For that matter, so did her hip and side. Tentatively, she pressed a hand to the crest of her hip. Air hissed through her teeth. “Oh, yeah. Not doing that again.”
The door whisked open, and a young woman in a burgundy scrub top walked in. “Hello. I’m here to take you down for your CT scan.” She walked to the foot of the bed and took off the brake.
Audra’s stomach somersaulted as the bed rolled forward. She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth. “Go slow. I’m nauseous.”
“Got it. No racecar driving.”
The girl expertly steered her out of the bay and down the hall. Audra scrunched her eyes closed against the bright lights and bit back a moan. The gurney swung sideways, and they passed through a doorway into a chilly room that was thankfully dimmer.
“Hi, there. I’m Kate. Misty and I are going to transfer you onto our table. You just stay still. Let us do all the work.”
“No problem.” Audra closed her eyes. The room spun less that way.
The technicians made quick work of putting her on the table and running her through the scanner. In less than five minutes, Audra was back on the gurney and on her way back to the emergency department. Misty rolled her into her original bay, then bid her farewell. Audra lifted a hand, but didn’t open her eyes.
Vaguely, she was aware of people coming in and out. Sometimes they asked her to open her eyes and answer their questions. Mostly, though, they left her alone to rest. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before the doctor came in to talk to her.
The door slid open and the man’s greeting startled her awake some time later.
“Hello, Ms. Carter.”
Audra pressed her palm to her forehead and eyed him with a steely gaze.
He seemed unphased by her ire and smiled. “It’s nice to see you awake.”
Audra did her best to wipe the grimace off her face and studied the mid-forties doctor who’d walked in. A polite smile crinkled his eyes. “Hi. How long was I out?”
“Not too long. Longer than I’d like, but your head CT looks fine. Can you tell me what happened?”
“Someone hit me with their car.”
“The nurse said you think it was deliberate. Is that correct?”
“Yes. Could you tell me what other injuries I have? My hip is killing me.”