Chapter 86

Chapter 86
Lila’s POV

I wasn’t sure how I would feel if I saw Carmen again. It had been long since I last saw her, years really, and in my head I still saw her as that skinny girl with sharp eyes and sharper mouth. But when she walked into the café, I had to pause.

She looked mature, older now. Not old old but grown. More polished maybe. Her hair was shorter than I remembered and her smile the same but heavier, like she carried things too.

I got up and we hugged. It was a bit awkward, but it was real, heartfelt and warm. The kind of hug that pressed a memory back into place.

“You’ve changed,” she said first.

“So have you.” I pulled back and looked at her again. “Maybe for the better.”

She laughed but shook her head. “I don’t know about that.”

We sat. I ordered tea because my stomach wasn’t steady and she ordered coffee like I’ve always known het.

She sat across from me, still in her own world when she's in a restaurant, still stirred too long before drinking, I noticed. It was quiet for a bit and I didn’t want to drag things but the words came anyway.

“I need to know about Dr. Richard,” I said.

Her spoon clinked against the cup and stilled. “You don’t waste time, do you?”

“I can’t.” My voice cracked and I didn’t care. “He’s tied to Mara… and maybe more. I can’t explain everything right now but I need to know where he is. Where he works. Anything you have that will lead me to him.”

Carmen leaned back as she folded her arms. She didn't say anything, she just watched me like she was trying to read if I was serious. When she saw my face, her mouth pressed thin.

“He’s at Westbridge Hospital now,” she said after a moment.

“Where’s that?”

She gave me the name of a street, a part of the city I never went to. It didn’t click in my head right away, but the sound of it stirred something. Like a place I had heard before but buried. I didn’t say anything after that, I just nodded snd signaled for the waiter.

“You are leaving already?” she asked, looking at me. “But we just got here.”

“We.... Are leaving right now.”

Carmen took one last sip from her coffee and grabbed her bag. When we left, the air outside felt too bright for what we were about to do.

The ride to the hospital was tense all through, while Carmen was behind the wheels. She had this small car that smelled like mint and old perfume, and she kept her hands tight on the wheel.

I stared out the window most of the time, trying to map the streets to memory. When we turned near the hospital, it hit me.

I knew this place. I was around here before.

Not in detail, but the shape of the buildings, the slope of the road, it all clicked in my chest. I had been here just weeks ago. I didn’t know why it felt heavy now but it did.

“Here we are,” Carmen said, pulling into the parking lot.

The hospital loomed gray and too tall, windows reflecting the sky in flat pieces. People moved in and out like ants, each having their own destination in mind.

“You sure about this?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “But we’re trying regardless.” I sighed and we walked in as if we were visiting.

I forced myself to keep calm, to keep my face soft. We passed the reception, the waiting chairs, the halls that smelled of bleach and something metallic.

Carmen led, like she knew where to go. When we reached a quieter hallway, she stopped at a corner.

“The records room is that way,” she whispered. “I’ll stay out here and keep watch. You go, try to find something that can help you.”

“Why me?” I asked, my voice beneath whisper.

“You know why. You’re the one who asked for details on Dr Richard, so go in there and find something. And if anyone catches you, I’ll distract them.”

Her plan had lots of loop holes, too many for me to like it, but she was right. I was the one who could find anything on both Mara and Dr Richard, so I nodded and went.

The door wasn’t locked, thankfully. Though that surprised me. It had just a wooden frame and metal handle. I clicked and slipped inside, closing it behind me quickly.

It was colder inside than out in the hallway. The air thick with paper and dust even though the shelves looked neat. The room was stacked with rows and rows of files, stacked together and labeled.

The background had this quiet hummed that buzzed in my ears but I didn't mind it.

I moved down the aisle, searching for Mara’s name. My fingers shook a bit as I trailed them over tabs. There were too many names, too many years, it would take at least a few hours before I could locate what I wanted.

But fate was on my side today as I finally found one with Mara's name on it. I pulled it out quickly, heart thudding like it would give me away.

I opened it fast and my eyes scanned the pages and notes written down. There was nothing strange at first, just normal medical words, tests, dates. It felt too normal to me, not the kind of info I was looking for.

I scanned harder, my eyes jumping line to line. Skimming through large block of texts, glancing pass diagrams and what nots.

But even after everything, there was nothing. Nothing stood out, nothing out of the ordinary.

I felt my chest sink.

Was I wrong? Was there nothing here, nothing that could Mara down? Was I searching the wrong files?

I sat on the small chair in the corner, the file heavy in my lap. I flipped pages slower now, but my hope was slipping.

These were just papers. Just empty words.

I almost put it back but my eyes caught a name from the accident section on top. It wasn't Mara’s.

It was Garrett’s.