They shook hands. "How do you do?" said Daniel, keeping his professional demeanor.
The captain and the detective exchanged pleasantries with Daniel. "I'm sorry to have to meet you under such circumstance, Mr. Addington," Captain Burke added.
"When did the accident happen?" asked Daniel.
The detective flipped open his notepad. "The accident happened at 10.45 AM in Mansfield Park. There was a witness-an elderly woman walking a dog saw a white pickup truck cutting through the park. The driver tried to avoid a girl on a bike but overcompensated and hit Ms. Winters."
Daniel unconsciously ran his hand through his hair. He did that often when he was deeply disturbed. "Did the driver leave the scene of the accident?
"The witness said the driver stopped at first but when he saw how bad Ms. Winters' condition was, he took off. An hour later, we recovered the abandoned truck in Westlake Mall parking lot," said Harper.
"Have you been able to apprehend the driver?" asked Daniel.
Captain Burke answered this time. "My department is actively seeking the suspect by putting out an APB to our active units. We are doing everything we can to bring the suspect to justice, Mr. Addington."
"I appreciate your cooperation and the help from your department in this time of need, Captain."
"It's our duty, Mr. Addington. We will let you know as soon we have any new developments." The detective nodded. "Good day, Mr. Addington. Ms. Povitch."
They waited for any news on the surgery. In the meantime, Daniel called Marcus, the security executive who was in charge of his family's security detail, and gave him instructions to investigate the incident. Having two accidents in less than a month was hardly believable, and it couldn't be dismissed as a simple coincidence.
Daniel and Anika waited for several hours until the surgeon emerged from the OR. They were then ushered into a small consultation room.
"How is she, Doctor?" asked Daniel impatiently.
"I'm Dr. Huang, Chief of Medicine here. Ms. Winters is stable at the moment. She's in the ICU while we're continuously monitoring her condition. Are you her family?"
Daniel and Anika traded gazes. "She is my fiancée," said Daniel firmly. "Charlotte doesn't have any immediate family, save her mother, who is currently being treated at Bellevue."
"Bellevue?" The doctor looked interested.
"Yes. Bellevue psych ward. She's been in there for the past three years, but she's been in the hospital for almost twenty years."
Depression. Suicidal tendency schizophrenia. And attempted murder on her daughter when she was only four years old. Daniel remembered the passage from Charlotte's dossier. Mary-Anne Winters had suffered a nasty episode that had prompted her to jump into a freezing river with her small child, hoping that death would reunite their family again.
"I see. I assume Ms. Winters' mother isn't capable of making decisions regarding her daughter. The reason I asked is because I need to contact the person who can act as her legal guardian."
"That person would be me," said Daniel in an irritated tone. "Would you tell me how Charlotte is doing?"
"Stabilized. For now. However, she will need a kidney and liver transplant in the next seventy-two hours."
The news hit him like a brick wall crumbling to the ground. His sister gasped and clawed his arm with her manicured nails.
"Kidney and liver transplant?" echoed Daniel. He was numb.
"Ms. Winters sustained numerous grave injuries when that car hit her. The impact shattered her rib bones and fractured her left clavicle. There's a fracture in the ulna and radius bones of her left arm. Fractures in the fibula and tibia of her left leg. Her left ilium bone is also broken, but we were able to reconstruct it with pins. Both of her kidneys are damaged from the impact. One is only twenty-percent functioning, but we have to remove the other. Because she suffered so many bone fractures during the accident, some of them damaged her liver. We are keeping her on dialysis, but she needs those organ transplants. Fast. Within seventy-two hours preferably."
Daniel had a hard time finding his voice after hearing the extent of her injuries. When he finally spoke, he was surprised to find that his own voice sounded angry. "Due to my fiancée's grave condition, isn't there a donor program available to save her life? If it is about money, I assure you that-"
Dr. Huang cut him with a wave of his hand. "What makes this particular case complicated is that Ms. Winters has a very rare blood type-AB negative. Only one percent of the world's population shares the same blood group. I checked with my colleague in the organ donor registry, and there is no suitable donor for Ms. Winters at present. We are hoping that Ms. Winters' immediately family have the same blood type and are willing to become an organ donor." The portly doctor fixed his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "If I may inquire, what condition does her mother have that means she has to be treated in Bellevue?"
"She's unstable. Emotionally," said Daniel diplomatically.
"And how about her current physical condition?"
"I'm not sure. I haven't met her in person, but I can find out and forward the information to you immediately."
Dr. Huang thumbed the file in front of him. "Given that you have the power of attorney over Ms. Winters, if her mother-Mrs. Mary-Ann Winters I see is her name-is a suitable donor, we should schedule the surgery as soon as possible. When can Mrs. Winters be here?"
Daniel calculated. "Tonight. There is paperwork I must complete."
"Understood." Dr. Huang gave him a stack of documents to sign. "This is my direct number. Please contact me when you have an update on the patient transfer. On behalf of Harborview staff, we are looking forward to working with you, Mr. Addington."
Daniel got up and shook the doctor's hand. Anika did the same.
"Can I see her, Doctor?" asked Daniel.
"Yes, but she won't be conscious for the next few hours."
"That's all right. I just need to see her."
Daniel Addington prided himself on controlling his emotions. However, when he saw how bad Charlotte's condition was, he almost lost it. The woman he loved was in a private room, as Daniel had requested. Her broken body lay supine on the hospital bed. A few different machines recorded her vitals. In addition to the highly trained staff in the hospital, Daniel had requested that his own family physician monitor Charlotte's condition in person. Dr. Hartford was en-route from La Guardia Airport at that moment, taking the earliest flight with his own staff.
Daniel sat wordlessly next to the bed. He took Charlotte's hand and squeezed it tight. Only this morning they'd made love, and he'd promised her he'd teach her something new. Now, watching her sleeping with so many wires and needles attached to her was surreal.
"Danny," Anika started. "I'm sorry."
He just realized that his sister had been with him for hours during the surgery. It was rare for Anika to show empathy like this, especially to his girlfriends. Actually, as he recalled, his sister had never been nice to his exes. Being the only girl in the family made Anika a little too competitive and attention seeking.
"I appreciate what you did for Charlotte," said Daniel. "Thank you, sis."
Anika touched his shoulder. "What can I say? She's growing on me, this girl."
"She's special."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I'll have a judge grant me the power of attorney for her care. Then, I'll fly to New York to retrieve her mother."
Anika seemed to want to say something but decided against it.
"What is it?" he pressed.
"What if Charlotte's mother doesn't want to be an organ donor?"
Daniel stood up and released Charlotte's hand. He didn't answer his sister's question. "Can I trouble you one more time?" he asked.
"Of course," said Anika. "Anything."
"Please watch over her until I get back. Charlotte doesn't have anybody to support her in a time like this."
"Of course. You can count on me."
"Thank you, my dear sister."
Chapter Eight
Charlotte woke up to the smell of coffee. Breakfast. A big breakfast. Bacon. Fluffy pancakes on the griddle. She found herself lying on the floor clad in a baby-doll dress made from linen like the one she used to wear in her childhood.
It took her a moment to recognize that this was the dress she used to have when she was a kid. Her mother, on a good day, had sewn a simple dress with the leftover fabric they'd found in Grandmaman's attic.
She hoisted herself into a sitting position.
Where am I?
She looked around.
Am I dead?
She had no clue of her whereabouts. She wasn't in any kind of room that made sense. The walls were white. The ceiling was white. The floor was white. It felt like she was sitting in the middle of nothingness save for a closed door a few feet away.