You Capture My Attention (GxG)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Valerie's Pov:

I woke up to feeling a loose grip on my left hand. Letting out a ragged breath of air, my eyes lifted. I winced, placing my free hand over my overwhelmed eyes.

'Why the hell is it so bright?' I thought, groaning out as I pushed myself to sit up. I tilted my head to the left and right, working out the kinks in my neck. I glanced down to the sleeping woman next to me, sleeping peacefully in this horribly lit hospital room. Despite the crappy way I felt, I could not help but feel love swell in my chest.

"You're awake." My eyes caught Randy's father, Jared, sitting at the far end of the room. "How are you feeling?" The look on his face showed concerned, but considering he was still in uniform he had a professional appearance.

"Rough." I croaked out, earning a small grin from him.

"I'm glad you're okay." A fatherly smile adorned his older facial features. My eyes fell to the hands that rested in his lap, anxiously playing with his hats rim. "We need to talk, kiddo." He added, speaking softly, his eyes falling to the still sleeping Lyndsey. I didn't have the strength to argue even if I wanted to.

"About what?" My voice was weak as I cleared my throat roughly. Jared's brows furrowed for a moment, leaning back in the borrowed chair.

"For starters, I requested a Tox report on you. Don't give me that look, I would have done the same to Randy and you know it." He offered a stern expression, forcing me to raise my free hand in acknowledgment. "It came back clean."

"Well that's a relief." I smiled knowingly. Jared nodded in agreement. "Is there a but there?"

"The Dr wants to run some tests tomorrow to rule out some things." I raised a brow for him to continue, "they fear you may have been poisoned or something."

I sat there, shocked to my core. Poisoned? Did I hear him correctly?

"What..?" I breathed out, my palms becoming clammy as the conversation I overheard Randy and Lyn having last night creeped to my thoughts.

"Its unclear as of now, but you show similar symptoms to someone who has ingested rat poison." I leaned back against my pillow, digesting the information he offered me. "There's more I'm afraid."

"Of course there is." I laughed dryly, not really wanting to hear anymore bad news.

"Robert was recently spotted here in Los Angeles. Driving your mothers car."  I felt the air leave my lungs rapidly at this. "Its not much to go on and we were never able to track him down, but it was a possible ID match through a red light he ran a days ago when you two got back." Jared stood up, pulling a large photo out of his pocket and unfolding it to place on my lap. I felt a lump in my chest. It was painfully obvious this was him the photo. He had grown a full beard, but the eyes stood out the most to me. He looked as if he was hunting something - or someone for that matter. I couldn't help to noticed that there was someone else in the car with him, but was unable to make out who this person was.

"As you can see - " Jared started, pointing to the person I just thought of -"he appears to be with another. Do you know who?"

"No, but they have a tattoo." I was able to make out, squinting closer at the image. It did appear to be some type of tattoo on the persons left wrist, but I was unable to make out of what.

"Hm, you're right. Appears difficult to tell though." He agreed, "I don't feel comfortable with you staying so far away from us." He frowned, taking the seat next to my bed, "You should come back to the house."

"I'm fine." I offered a small smile, trying my best to seem convincing. He gave a knowing look before the the stirring next to me caught our attention. Lyndsey sat up, blinking away the grogginess she felt. I squeezed her hand gently to grab her attention.