Obsession

Suspect: Chapter 43

Jeremiah Hastings had reached his tolerance limit.

When he arrived at the hospital, he found Regina and was then permitted into the ward where his son was being kept and treated. Jeremiah took only one look at his son and felt his anger soar to unprecedented heights. He had never been so angry before.

Gabriel's nose was twisted at an odd angle and a doctor was setting it right when Jeremiah had arrived. The first thing he had heard upon entering the room was his son's soft cry coupled with a sickening crunch of the fragile bone being broken back into place. Then he had taken a moment to survey the damage, the nasty bruises on his son's face, the busted mouth.

Gabriel did not wear a shirt, so his father had seen everything. He saw the angry bruises covering most of his son's side, the blaring reddish colour indicative of damaged ribs.

"Mr. Hastings," the doctor greeted.

"What's the damage?" he retorted. The edge to his tone was noticeable and not even Regina's hand gently resting on his shoulder could calm him down. Jeremiah was in an incredibly foul mood and very little could subside the raging torrent in his chest.

The doctor turned to Regina, uncertain if he should disclose the information sensing that there might be a commotion if the man learned the extent of his son's injuries. Regina nodded for the doctor to go on ahead.

"A broken nose, and it'll need some stitches. As for the damage inflicted on his side, the symptoms he's displayed and described to me are consistent with cracked ribs but without an x-ray, I can't be certain of the damage's extent. There might be some internal bleeding, though. According to what Gabriel has told the Sherriff, he was hit with a length of 2x2 wood and lead piping."

Jeremiah's nostrils flared. "Who did this?"

"Jer," Regina tried but Gabriel's quiet voice interrupted her. His eyes were blank, almost cold, and he held not an ounce of remorse for the chaos he would set in motion.

"Nico's dad, and Gordon Isaacs. Mr. Hoffman thinks I had something to with Nico's disappearance. He was the one with the lead piping."

"Are they here at the hospital?" Jeremiah queried.

"They are receiving medical attention," the doctor informed but no less than a heartbeat later, Jeremiah Hastings stormed out of the room and regret assailed the doctor.

The irate father stalked through the hallways of the hospital, calling bloody murder, shouting for Richard Hoffman and Gordon Isaacs to come out and face him.

"Jeremiah, listen," Regina tried in exasperation, rushing forward but failing miserably to intercept his pathway. Jeremiah manoeuvred around her.

Up ahead, Jeremiah spotted Richard Hoffman hobbling out of a room with his wife by his side, most of his weight leaning on her petite frame. A roar of fury burst free from Jeremiah's lips, and he bounded forward, charging at Richard Hoffman with a left hook that knocked the man down for Richard sought to get away and his injuries rendered him relatively defenceless in the wake of Jeremiah's onslaught.

Richard's wife, Torri Hoffman, crashed against the wall, caught between it and her husband's weight, bracing his fall. She screamed as Jeremiah landed blow after blow. The commotion created quite the stir as floor security came running forward to pull Jeremiah off of the wounded man.

"Get off of my husband, you madman!" Torri Hoffman screamed.

Jeremiah paid her no mind or heed as he continued to throttle Richard Hoffman, his desire for vengeance and payback bubbling dangerously hot and sending him on a high. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and Jeremiah wished he had a length of lead piping to dish out the punishment that Richard had so kindly bestowed upon his son.