The nurses checked every room on the floor, opening curtains and pushing aside equipment, trying to make sure Arron hadn't been moved without anyone knowing.
Courtney snapped, "How in the hell do you lose a patient? How do you lose Arron?"
A doctor hurried in and said, "He was here when I brought him back from his MRI. I charted it myself."
My heart kicked in my chest.
"Is my brother okay?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Everyone said yes, but nobody looked confident.
A nurse offered to take me downstairs for ice cream so I wouldn't see Courtney getting more upset. Courtney and the doctor waited upstairs for the police to arrive.
When the police reviewed the security footage, they asked Courtney if she recognized the two men dressed as doctors.
Courtney leaned forward to look at the screen.
Her face went white.
Jose and Eric.
They were the ones pushing Arron out of the hospital.
Courtney came downstairs and sat next to me quietly.
"Is Arron okay?" I asked.
She took a shaking breath. "I'm not going to lie to you… Arron is missing. And I think your stepdad might know why."
My stomach tightened. Missing? My brother was missing?
Courtney stood and held out her hand. "Let's go home and get you ready for bed."
---
No one knew the truth yet — Jose and Eric weren't hurting Arron. They had moved him to a different hospital, somewhere out of town, so he would be safe until he woke up.
And Arron had no idea where he was. In his mind, he was dreaming — dreaming of a life with Courtney, a life where they'd move far away from all of this.
What no one expected was that Beth's sister, Jennifer, had been the reason Arron was taken.
When she heard he'd been shot because of John's gang business, she panicked. She knew how dangerous John was, so she paid Jose to move Arron somewhere safe. She didn't know Courtney and I were visiting him that day.
---
Meanwhile, John and Sue had gone out of town to meet someone. Sue sat at a table by a window and waited. A few minutes later, John walked in with Jose.
Sue had no idea they were brothers.
Jose knew everything about John's plans — including John's attempt to kill Sue's ex-husband and the warning that the shooting at my birthday party might happen. John didn't care. He never did.
"So," John said, leaning back, "you got any new info for us to use, little bro?"
Jose's jaw tightened. "No. Not after you got that boy shot like that. Our deal is off. No more helping you. I'm done with your sick game."
He stood up, paused, then looked straight at Sue.
"If I were you, I'd leave before something happens to you or your daughter."
Then he walked out, leaving Sue stunned.
---
Courtney took me home, helped me get ready for bed, and tucked me under Arron's blankets. I just wanted to find my brother. I didn't understand why he disappeared… or who would do such a thing.
All the questions swirled in my mind, and Courtney didn't have answers. Not yet.
I lay down slowly, fighting tears. I felt like everything inside me was breaking.
Courtney kissed the top of my head. "Everything will be okay," she whispered, though I could hear the fear in her voice.
After she thought I was asleep, she stepped out of the room and made a call.
"John, it's Courtney," she said in a cracking voice. "Arron went missing from the hospital today. I saw the security footage… Jose and Eric took him. I told the police, but in case they don't do anything… just—just please bring Arron home."
John exhaled heavily. "I'll see what I can do… but it might cost you."
Courtney hung up and sat at the kitchen table crying, her hands shaking. She was terrified for Arron… and scared for me if something happened to him.
She checked her school assignments, hoping something would distract her, and eventually went to bed.
Both of us prayed the next day would bring answers.