The Private Clinic

CHAPTER 4 - CASPER HARDWIN

Thanks again for the votes and comments! I love writing this story and you all reading it. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter, where we learn a little more about Casper and his rapid mind.

Casper Hardwin, the morning after the accident

[We're on our way now!!! Snow's giving us some trouble, but we'll be on time, promise! Can't wait to see you perform your first paid gig!! Mom and dad are excited tooo. See you there!]

It's physically impossible for me to not come back to Juliet's text she sent last night, every time I hold my phone in my hand.

Mom is dead, they confirmed it mere hours ago, and dad has been gone since the crash happened, died on impact, the paramedics informed me when I arrived. We're orphans, my sister and I.

Chief Webster didn't take me to the crash, he brought me here immediately with the slight chance I could see my mom for a last time, though he couldn't bear tell me it would actually be a last time.

Unfortunately, I didn't even get to see her. I didn't get to say goodbye to either of them. We were finally going to do something as a family, everything was finally in some sort of harmony, and now this.

Any minute now, and they will carry Juliet in with all sorts of commotion, saving her ass from hypothermia and going straight to the IC. She's stupid for walking away from an accident, I can't believe she's that stubborn. When she comes in, at least I will know where she is.

I press her name and the green dial button again. Hopefully, she'll pick up now.

It feels so odd, when they found the wreckage last night, Juliet wasn't in it. I spoke with the police, and they said I was crazy when I told them my sister was supposed to be there as well. But with this text, I can prove it. Though, the bile in my throat hasn't made it possible for me to bring it up yet.

The officers tried to reason with me, saying that if she was in the car, and seriously injured, she wouldn't be able to just walk out. The blow killed at least one of my parents, anyway. Besides, the car was upside down. Mom and dad died, so if Juliet lives, she must be in an awful lot of pain.

The call goes to voicemail. I shove my phone back in my pocket.

"Are you Casper Hardwin, relative to Francine and Ronald Hardwin?"

Confused, I look up and see a tall man looking down at me. I nod and stare out into the distance.

"Son."

"Detective Miller."

He offers his hand out for me to shake it, but I hesitate – I don't know why. After inhaling a sharp breath, I stand up and take the invitation.

"Casper."

"Sit down kid," He lowered himself down onto the chair next to me, "I'm sorry for your loss, these are unimaginable hard times."

I nod again, wanting him to get to the point.

"I heard about you."

"I'm on the case of the disappearance of Juliet Hardwin," he waited for a second before continuing, "don't worry kid, things move pretty fast at the station now. After your statement last night, we got things going."

"Okay." I responded in a flat tone.

Concern strikes his face.

"Why are you still here, kid?"