Heavenstone 02 - Secret Whispers

were bashed on impact, but if you saw the car, you’d wonder how anyone lived.”
    “What about Lucille?” Ethan asked.
    “Don’t know the extent of her injuries yet. She wasn’t wearing her seat belt, apparently.”
    “Do we know exactly how this happened?” Ethan asked.
    “I spoke with the traffic officer who was on the site. Apparently, a truck moved into Teddy’s lane around a curve and slammed into the driver’s side of his car, sending it careening over the edge of the road, where it turned over a few times before landingupright. Fortunately, the truck driver didn’t flee the scene. He called for help immediately.”
    “Where’s Daddy?” I asked.
    “He’s in one of the examination rooms in emergency, Sam.”
    “Can we see him?”
    “Yes,” he said. “He’s conscious. C’mon.”
    Ethan reached for my hand, and we followed him through the lobby to a corridor. The emergency-room doctor and a nurse were standing in the hallway talking softly just outside the examination room. They turned as we approached, and Uncle Perry introduced us.
    “This is Mr. Heaven-stone’s son-in-law, Ethan Hunter,” Uncle Perry said. “And this is his daughter, Semantha.”
    “Dr. Morris,” the doctor said. “He’s resting comfortably now. X-rays show a slight concussion. His left arm was broken. We didn’t see any tear in his shoulder, but it’s taken a hard blow and twisting. Fortunately, he had his seat belt on and didn’t get thrown about during the rollover, or he would have had far worse injuries, maybe fatal.”
    I glanced through the door and saw Daddy dressed in a hospital gown and lying on a gurney. I could see his eyes had already begun to turn black and blue.
    Ethan nodded, looked at me, and then, holding his breath, asked, “Any more news about Mrs. Heaven-stone?”
    “Well, as I’ve told your uncle, apparently, she wasn’t wearing her seat belt. She’s suffered somesevere head injuries, I’m afraid. She’s in intensive care. Dr. Neuberger has been called in to examine her. He’s our top neurological surgeon.”
    “She’s unconscious?”
    “Oh, yes. They may or may not have decided to operate by now. I’ll call up for you,” he added, and looked at me with great sympathy. “Sorry,” he said.
    “She’s not my actual mother,” I said. The moment I said it, Ethan released his grip on my hand and gave me a severe look of disapproval.
    “Does Mr. Heaven-stone know the extent of Mrs. Heaven-stone’s injuries?” Ethan asked.
    “He knows as much as we know at the moment, yes. You can go in to see him,” he added, glanced again at me, and then walked off with the nurse.
    Ethan, Uncle Perry, and I entered Daddy’s room slowly. He had his eyes closed.
    “Ethan and Sam are here, Ted.”
    “Hey, Dad,” Ethan said softly.
    Daddy opened his eyes. He looked at him and shook his head.
    “What a horrible mess,” he said. Then he turned to me and for a moment looked terribly confused.
    “Hi, Daddy.”
    “Semantha?”
    “I’m sorry you were in a terrible accident, but I’m glad you’ll be all right.”
    He simply stared at me and then looked at Ethan, who nodded at the silent thoughts that passed between them.
    “I should have waited and not called you,” Ethan said. “I’m sorry.”
    “No, it’s not your fault. We weren’t going that fast. The driver of that truck told the investigating officer that something blinded him, a flash of light. They’re checking to be sure he wasn’t drinking. I saw no flash of light. We nearly missed going head-on. Who knows? Maybe that would have been better. You know about Lucille?”
    “We don’t know any details. Dr. Morris is calling up for us.”
    “Good,” Daddy said. He looked at me again.
    “Why did you cut your hair like that, Semantha?”
    “I felt I needed to,” I said. He closed his eyes. “Do your injuries hurt?”
    “Yes,” he said. “They’re not giving me anything strong for pain just yet because of my concussion. I’m such a fool. Lucille wanted us to use the limousine, but I decided to drive us. I don’t know why,” he said. “I don’t know why. I usually worry about having too much to drink. What was in my head?”
    Cassie, I thought. Cassie whispered to you. She was in your head.
    “It doesn’t sound like you could have prevented the accident, but why wasn’t Lucille wearing her seat belt?” Ethan asked him.
    “She was, but the clasp must have snapped open under pressure, so they think she