Chapter 35

After Nick hung up the phone, he called Denise to tell her what was going on and to meet them at the hospital. While he was on the phone with her, the ambulance and a few police cars showed up. As the police were talking to AJ and Nick, Howie and Brian arrived, panicked when they saw the flashing lights in front of their friend’s house.

“What happened?” Brian asked, concern apparent in his face.

“Felicia didn’t open her door. We found the spare key, came in…and…and she was just there…all bloody….she had a pulse, but it was weak,” AJ said, no tone apparent in his voice, staring off to where she was laying on the stretcher. The police were now conversing with the EMT’s, determining what to put on the police report.

“Oh god…did you call Denise? Or Lenni?” Howie asked, looking at AJ and Nick.

“I called Denise, but I didn’t have a chance to call Lenni. I was going to call you guys next, but they came right after I hung up,” Nick said. His eyes were red and puffy, and his cheeks had tearstains on them.

“I’ll call her,” Howie said before stepping outside with his cell phone. He was afraid that if he stayed in the house any longer, he might get sick, or get too distracted to tell Lenni what was going on.

Nick sighed and put his head in his hands. Brian wrapped an arm around him and rubbed his back. AJ just stared at Felicia as an EMT worker came over to the trio.

“Mr. McLean, Mr. Carter. We are going to take her to the hospital now. Incase she wakes up on the way there, we would like her to see a familiar face,” she explained.

Nick looked over at AJ. “You go with her man.”

AJ didn’t even need Nick’s permission; he was going with her no matter what. He patted Nick on the back and ran over to the ambulance. Once he was gone, Lieutenant Root, the policeman who talked to Nick and AJ, came over with a female detective.

“Mr. Carter, this is Detective Vinton. She is with the Special Victims Unit,” Root said before going back to dust for prints.

“Special Victim’s Unit? Isn’t that basically sex crimes?” Nick asked, his voice trembling. Thanks to Felicia, Nick was now a Law and Order: SVU fan, and thought he knew everything about it.

“Yes, in most cases it is. I was brought in because of how Miss McLean was found,” Vinton said, referring to the pants. “There are just some questions that I need to ask before you can join her and her brother at the hospital.”

“Go ahead,” Brian said.

“And what’s your name?” Vinton asked, taking out his notepad.

“Brian Litrrell.”

Vinton wrote it down and continued with her questions. “Did Felicia have anyone who was an enemy?”

“Well, she just broke up with someone, but it was mutual. At least that’s what she told me…” Nick trailed off.

“What is his name?”

“Jono Novak,” Brian spoke up, realizing Nick wasn’t going to answer.

“Do you know his contact information?”

Brian nodded and took out his palm pilot. He read off the information to the detective.

“Thank you both. I’m sure we will find out who did this to her, especially once she regains consciousness,” Vinton said sympathetically. “You can go to the hospital now. If we need anymore information, we will you ask you there.”

“Thank you,” Brian said, helping Nick off the couch. Vinton gave them both a quick nod before joining the other detectives. “Come on, let’s go grab Howie and go there.”

Nick nodded, but he didn’t really hear Brian. Brian led him to the car, and Howie came over to them.

“Lenni will be there as soon as she can. She was just getting out of her workout class,” Howie said. Nick opened up the back door and got in, not saying a thing. Both Brian and Howie sighed and got into the front seat, with Brian driving.

“Jono did it…” Nick whispered as Brian pulled out.

“You don’t know that for sure Nick,” Howie said, looking at Nick through the rearview mirror.

“Trust me…. I know.”

“We should be arriving in five minutes,” the driver shouted out to the back.

Five minutes my ass, AJ thought bitterly. It has only been ten minutes, but to AJ it seemed like an hour. Aside from AJ in the back with Felicia, there was another EMT to make sure Felicia’s stats were going back to normal, and another SVU detective, incase Felicia woke up and had something to say. Felicia was hooked up to a bunch of wires and tubes, making her seem like a nine-year-old. Just like when I met her. I can’t believe it’s been so long. AJ heard the heart monitor go fast and he looked over at her. It looked like she was struggling against something, and it seemed that her breathing was becoming labored, even though she had an oxygen mask over her face.

“Shh….Felicia, you need to calm down,” AJ said, patting down her hair, trying to stay calm.

Suddenly, her eyes bolted open, and she looked around. She started to freak out when she realized she couldn’t move, and she thought AJ was Jono.

“It’s okay, I’m right here,” AJ said, making sure his face was in her view.

Once Felicia realized it was AJ, she calmed down, and soon drifted back to unconsciousness.

I’m gonna kill that bastard. Whoever he his, he’s toast.