Free Death Changes Everything by Linda Crowder

find the breath to speak. Emma was suddenly frightened.
    “It’s Matt.”
    “Is he hurt?”
    “He was in an accident. It’s bad, Em.”
    “Does Kristy know? Was that her?” Emma jumped up from the sofa, feeling the need to move.
    “Captain Danning. He thought it would be better if Kristy heard it from us.”
    “Then let’s go! Oh God, Jake, what if he…?”
    Jake’s mind snapped back from the initial shock and he stood up. Catching Emma’s flying hands, he held them tightly and looked into her eyes. “You need to be calm. You need to be strong for Kristy. Go tell Grace where we’re going. I’ll call the hospital from the truck and see how he’s doing.”
    His words had the desired effect and Emma went down the hall to where Grace was stirring after her nap. She offered to come with them, but Emma could still see dark circles beneath her eyes, so she urged her to stay home and rest. She let her know about the roast in the oven and Grace promised to keep an eye on it.
    Emma climbed into Jake’s truck and covered the ten miles into town as quickly as the law would allow. An agonizing twenty minutes later, he pulled into the loading zone in front of Kristy’s apartment. “You go get her, I’ll call the hospital.”
    Emma left Jake in the truck with the motor running and ran into the lobby. She punched the buzzer and waited anxiously for Kristy to answer. “Get your coat on and grab your purse!” she shouted into the speaker. “I’ll explain when I get up there.”
    The door popped open and Emma rushed to the elevator. “Oh come on!” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and leaned again on the brightly lit elevator button. When the door finally slid open, Kristy was inside, a frightened expression on her face.
    “What is it?” she asked, her voice shaking.
    Emma took her friend’s hand and pulled her from the elevator. “Kristy, honey. Matt’s been in an accident.”
    “Is he all right?”
    “Jake’s talking to the hospital now.”
    The two women rushed across the lobby and out the doors to the waiting truck. Emma climbed into the back with Kristy, holding tightly to her hand as Jake pulled away from the curb. Jake talked as he drove. “He’s got some broken bones and he’ll need surgery for internal bleeding. Too soon to say more.”
    Kristy, who’d been unconsciously holding her breath since Emma told her Matt had been hurt, let out a slow, ragged breath and started to shake. Emma squeezed her hands and Kristy gave her a weak smile. “Go in. I’ll park the truck and come find you.” Jake stopped long enough for the women to jump out, then sped off toward the parking garage.
    Emma and Kristy stumbled up to the reception desk in the Emergency Room waiting area. “Can I help you?” asked a young woman.
    “I’m Kristy Castle. My boyfriend, Matt Joyner, is here.”
    “Are you family?” Seeing the stricken look on Kristy’s face, her voice softened. “Engaged, did you say? That sounds like family to me. Have a seat and let me tell them you’re here.”
    Not two minutes later, a nurse came out and motioned them to follow her. “How is he?” asked Kristy as they fell in behind the nurse.
    “I’m not gonna lie to you. It’s not good. His face is cut up pretty bad so he looks rough. Doctor’s still determining the full extent of his injuries. We’re just waiting for an OR to open up.”
    She said all this at a breathless pace that brought them to a room just off the nursing station. “You can sit with him. The doctor will be by to speak to you soon.”
    Kristy stared at the curtain inside the room that hung between them and the bed, providing the patient privacy in the busy ER. She reached out to pull the curtain aside, but her arm was shaking too badly. Emma stepped forward and gently pulled back the curtain.
    Matt lay on the bed, his eyes closed, his face bloodied. His chest was bare, with more bandages covering his left shoulder. Tubes and wires seemed to be