Chapter 3

Dustin Finch stepped out of his office, swept a glance over the crowd bunched together, and frowned. "What's going on here?"

A couple of coworkers gave him the story in a few sentences.

When he'd heard it, his eyes landed on me. "Ellie, quit dragging your feet. A life's at stake. Get Jacqueline to the hospital, now."

"Mr. Finch, I—"

He waved me off. "Do as I say."

I opened my mouth, but the refusal had nowhere to go except back down my throat.

Something went cold in my chest.

If I said no one more time, I'd be openly defying my boss and would look exactly like someone who'd let a woman die.

Refuse, and I'd be blacklisted across the whole company, dragged by the online mob, my job gone, my reputation finished.

Go, and every ounce of blame for the baby they couldn't save would get pinned on my shaky driving.

Either way, a dead end.

I dug my nails into my palms and made myself nod. "Fine. I'll take her."

All I could do now was hope they'd get there fast.

I stepped forward, carefully steadied Jacqueline, and walked her slowly out of the work floor.

I kept her upright the whole way to my car and eased her gently into the back seat.

Once she was in, she sank back against the seat and let out a long breath.

Then her head lolled to the side and she went limp against the cushions.

"Jacqueline? Jacqueline!" I patted her shoulder twice. Nothing.

She really had passed out.

I pulled out my phone to check the time, and the wail of an ambulance came down the street.

They were here.

Back when Jacqueline first started crying out in pain, I'd already texted my cousin, who's a doctor, telling him there was a pregnant woman at the office with stomach pain and to send an ambulance fast.

When the two paramedics came running up with the stretcher, I was standing outside the car door, holding my phone out to show them her condition.

"She's pregnant, sudden abdominal pain, then she blacked out. Her hands felt cold when I touched them. She went under about a minute ago." I got it all out in one breath.

The paramedics lifted Jacqueline off the back seat with brisk, practiced hands, laid her flat on the stretcher, and got to work, blood pressure cuff, oxygen mask, the whole sequence.

When they slid the stretcher into the back of the ambulance, I climbed in after it without a word.

"Family?"

"Coworker. I'm going with her."

At the hospital, Jacqueline was wheeled into the trauma room, and I sat waiting on a chair outside.

The doctor came out and pulled down his mask. "We couldn't save the baby."

Right then a man came charging down the far end of the corridor, his whole face frantic and furious.

Had to be Jacqueline's husband. I'd seen him come pick her up after work before.

He grabbed me by the collar and roared, his voice ragged. "You're the one who was driving? Did you drive too fast and shake my baby loose? You just got your goddamn license and you thought you could drive?!"

He shook me by the collar and the back of my head cracked against the wall, a dull throb spreading through my skull.

Just then the door behind me opened again and Jacqueline's bed was wheeled out.

She saw me, pointed, and sobbed. "She's the one who was driving! She just got her license, the car jolted over and over on the way, and it hurt so bad I couldn't stand it!"