Muted Anguish

CHAPTER 21: MAKING PROGRESS

Patrick Snowman hopped out of his car and made his way to the apartment the Kings had rented for their temporary stay. They were currently at the hospital with their son but Keisha was present, along with two of the victim's friends and his brother.

“Did you offend anyone of late or are you aware of anyone that may have wanted you or Cameron dead?" He asked
“Dead, no, geez”
“Have you received any threats?”
“Threats?” She paused to ponder a moment before paling an unhealthy shade.
"Miss Felton?" He probed, scrutinizing her expression. She seemed to have remembered something.
“Y-yes, once but he… I don’t think he would’ve acted on it”
“Someone threatened you?” Lester asked incredulously “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Cameron didn’t think it was necessary. Besides, it happened days before we left for London which was about a month ago or two"
“Well, Cameron’s in the ICU now, still don’t think it’s important?” he asked peevishly
Snowman stared at her “Who threatened you, Miss Felton? If possible, can you recollect his exact words too?”
“Julian” she responded hesitantly “Julian Martinez, but I don’t think he’d do…”
“No way, Julian?!” Keith exclaimed angrily “The fucking dickhead that picked a fight with Cameron some days ago? No fucking way”

The serious expression on Patrick's face changed to that of professional curiosity
“Les, can you believe this?” Keith turned to Lester
“Can you believe what?” Harvey asked, coming into view. He approached the detective and extended his hand towards him in vague familiarity “Afternoon, detective”
The detective nodded stiffy in response “Afternoon, Mr King”
Harvey crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Keith “What were you guys talking about?”
“The fucker threatened Cameron and Keisha some months back”
“What fucker?”
“Julian”
Harvey’s face grew rigid “What?” he looked at her “Is that true, Keisha?”
“Yes”
Before he could say anything else, Patrick interrupted “Can you perhaps quote what he said that day? If you still recollect”
“Um…” Keisha thought for a while “He said we should fear him. That’s all I can remember”
“It’s okay,” he wrote it down in his notebook “You said this Julian picked a fight with Cameron days after?”
“Yes. The fucking bastard was so jealous and bitter. He attacked Cameron even when he was aware Cameron had problems controlling his rage” Harvey explained “That guy’s got some balls threatening a King”
"Two officers have been appointed to you, Miss Felton. You are to take them with you anywhere you go until the hitman is nabbed"
"He could still be after me" Keisha whispered, paling again
"Yes. We believe he could still be after both of you but there's no cause to worry. There are already officers stationed both inside and outside the hospital"
She nodded and Patrick rose to his feet "Thank you for your time"
He left for the hospital.

CAMERON'S POV

Pain.
I'd never known pain so immense before.
It tore through me as a wild storm tore through a ship.
It racked my entire being.
Slowly, cracking my eyes open with excruciating difficulty, I tried to sit up but immediately regretted the action. Everything around me swam and my head pounded like it was being constantly hammered by something powerful.
I’d been in an accident. A mad man had tried to run Keisha and me over. Well, he succeeded in running me over.
Keisha!
I bolted upright and grunted when a slice of pain ripped me in the side. Glancing down, I noticed my side was bandaged and it throbbed badly. My left arm was broken and also heavily bandaged. So was my head. I reached out to run my hand over my bandage. Something felt off. Something felt weirdly off.
My ward was empty and it reeked of antiseptic. I loathed hospitals.
It was when I took a good look around I realized I was in the ICU.
Everyone must’ve been worried sick about me... and Keisha? Keisha had seen the whole thing happen. She must’ve been so terrified. I wanted to run to her but every part of me hurt and I could barely even attempt to stand on my own.
My mum walked in and instantly dropped the bouquet she carried in her hands when she saw that I was awake
“Hey, mum” I croaked
“Oh, my baby” she ran to me and touched my face tenderly, her eyes were red and it was no doubt she’d been crying. “The doctor took out your oxygen immediately you started responding to treatment. I’m so glad you’re awake”
“Where’s dad?”
“He’s answering a few questions from the detective”
“What detective?”
“The one investigating your case”
“What case?”
I couldn’t understand what she was saying.
Mum paused “The doctor said confusion was one of the symptoms of your head injury”
“Mum, I’m fine”
“I-I- We thought we were gonna lose you” she wiped at her eyes, taking her phone from the top of the bedside drawer “I’m going to inform Harvey that you’re awake”
I yawned and settled into my pillows, trying to ignore the throbbing in my head and side.
“Are you okay, baby?”
“Yeah” I replied drowsily, my eyelids drooping “Just sleepy that’s all”
She was saying something but I couldn’t hear. The minute my eyes closed, I lost consciousness.

############################

Hank flashed his badge at the boyish-looking clerk behind the car rental shop
“Someone rented a 2017 Mercedes C300 from this shop and tried killing a young, college couple with it. Can you remember the person you rented it out to?”
The clerk was appalled “Well, I- I did it rent out to a man today. He- he hasn’t even returned it yet” he fumbled, flipping open the book where he kept his records “I knew he wasn’t an American because of the way he sounded”
“What did he sound like?”
“Mexican… I think” he pointed to a name on the list "Here, his name is Ryan Gonzalez"
"It's a fake" Hank stated, barely glancing at the name "Will you be able to identify this man if you see him again?”
The clerk nodded “Yes. Yes, I would”
“You got any CCTV here?”
“Yes,” he pointed to an angle up in a corner of the ceiling.
The detective smiled “Then let’s go”

Minutes later, Hank was on his way to the precinct with the flash drive containing the footage in his hands. He called Snowman.
“Where are you? Get your ass to the station. We’ve gotten a break in the case”

APRIL'S POV

I drove to the hospital like a person possessed. Cameron had gotten into an accident and he was in the ICU.
According to the rumours, it was a hit and run.
When I arrived at the hospital, I met Alan King rounding a bend in the hallway. I had no difficulty identifying the oil magnate.
"Mr King, my gawd!" I rushed towards him and gripped his arms, he regarded me puzzledly and I went on "I heard about what happened. Is- is he okay, sir?!! Is he okay??! Tell me"
"He's fine" Mr king replied still staring at me weirdly
I heaved a sigh of relief and bowed my head apologetically "I'm sorry for my reaction. My name is April McFallen, I'm a friend of your son. He saved my life once"
His expression relaxed and he patted my shoulder "Cameron's asleep for now but he's okay. He's one lucky kid, that one"
"They catch the asshole yet?"
"No, but the detectives are still on it"
"They'd better find him on time," I said angrily "I'm ready to rip whoever did this to pieces"
"Darling, get in line" Alan spoke and looked at me, his face hard with seriousness "Whoever did this would curse the very day he decided to fuck with a King"
The harshness of his tone caused me to flinch.