The Guest House Hauntings Boxset by Hazel Holmes (novel books to read txt) 📕

just wanted to be warm again. But a voice kept her awake, a nagging, frightened voice.

“Don’t give up, Sarah! Keep fighting!”

She was floating again, and then doors shut, and there was the wail of a siren. She suddenly realized that her surroundings had changed and a mask covered her face. Every breath fogged the clear plastic, and the people on either side of her continued to work on her stomach, wiping away blood and cutting her clothes.

Sarah wanted to ask for Dell, she wanted to ask where he was, but she couldn’t find her voice. She was so tired. And as the paramedics around her shouted for her to stay awake, Sarah couldn’t do it anymore. She closed her eyes and let warmth engulf her as the sirens continued to wail.

Another burst of warmth. A touch. Feeling. It was familiar, and good. Sarah’s eyelids fluttered open as she awoke. At first she was blinded by white light, and she expected to see Iris again in that gown of white. But she wasn’t there.

“Hey, whoa, take it easy.” Dell gently placed his hand on her shoulder and eased her back down onto her pillow before Sarah could straighten herself up. “Doctor don’t want you moving around.”

Something tickled Sarah’s nose, and she reached up to find plastic tubes. She gave them a yank and felt the thick reams of plastic slide down the inside of her nose, and she breathed freely once they were gone.

“Not sure you were supposed to do that,” Dell said.

“What happened?” Sarah asked.

Dell raised his eyebrows. “Whatever you did, it got me out of that hell.”

“And Kegan?” Sarah asked.

“He copped to everything,” Dell answered. “The murder of the girls. Your abduction. Everything. And he named Dennis as his accomplice, who didn’t deny it.” He paused. “He even confessed to Brent Alvarez’s murder.”

“Are you serious?” Sarah asked.

Dell nodded. “But you’ve been summoned back to New York. Subpoena. After you’re better. But…” He rubbed his palms over his thighs. “Things are looking pretty good right now.”

Sarah stared at Dell, though she wasn’t sure for how long. Long enough for him to smirk.

“What?” Dell asked.

And then without a word, Sarah raised her hands and cupped Dell’s cheeks. She held them for a long time, and then she started to cry. And as she cried Dell embraced her, holding her gently, but protectively and firmly.

It was an embrace that she had wanted for so long, and she never could have imagined how good it would make her feel.

The moment was interrupted by the doctors, who made their presence known by a stiff clearing of the throat. “Just need to check Sarah’s vitals.”

“Right,” Dell said and then stepped toward the door. “I’ll be right back when they’re done.”

“Okay.” Sarah smiled as she watched him leave, and when he was out of sight, a hollowness filled her heart. But it wasn’t painful. It was a promise that would be fulfilled. It wasn’t a feeling she was used to.

“Okay, Ms. Pembrooke, looks like everything is healing up nicely.” The doctor smiled as he checked off some boxes on her chart. “Vitals are looking strong. Responding well to medication. You should be out of here in no time at all.” He placed her folder back into its slot at the foot of her bed, then rapped his knuckles on the bed’s foot end a few times. “I’ll send your friend back in.”

“Wait,” Sarah said, stopping the doctor before he opened the door. “How long have I been out?”

“A couple of days,” the doctor answered. “That’s normal after the type of surgery you went through, so nothing to worry about. And you’re lucky to have your friend out there.” He smiled as he opened the door. “He never left your side.”

The door remained open for a minute, and then Dell returned. He had his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. It was here that she realized that he wasn’t in uniform. He looked more at ease. She liked that.

“Doc said that you’re going to make a full recovery,” Dell said. “And that you’re pretty stubborn.”

“Sounds like every adult who tried to reprimand me when I was a kid.” Sarah laughed, but then stopped when a sharp, stabbing pain spread through her body.

Dell rushed forward and placed his hand over hers. “Yeah, you won’t be able to do that for a while.” He gently rubbed his thumb in a circular motion on her hand. “Better?”

Sarah smiled. “Better.”

After a week in the hospital to recover, the doctors finally said it was time to part ways. Dell had managed to get her clothes washed, and he escorted her out the doors to his police cruiser and helped her inside.

“Oh,” Sarah said, settling into the seat as Dell walked around the front to the driver’s side.

“You okay?” Dell asked as he slammed the door shut hard enough to rock the car, which caused Sarah to cradle her stomach.

“Just take it easy on the speed bumps,” Sarah answered.

Dell laughed and then started the car, shifting into drive. He looked at her in the passenger seat before he took his foot off the brakes. “You sure you want to go back?”

“I’m sure,” Sarah answered.

Sarah kept her eyes glued to the view out of her window. All she had seen for the past week was the inside walls of her hospital room. The scenery of Redford, no matter how limited the view, was better than the off-white walls she’d stared at for the past week.

She adjusted her bag that rested between her legs on the floorboard, and she must have been staring at it for a while because Dell nudged her with his elbow.

“It’s not too late to just keep going,” Dell said.

“I know,” Sarah said. “But it’s something I want to do.” She smiled at him. “And thanks for the ride.”

“As far as I’m concerned, you have as many rides as you want for the rest of your life. Consider me your personal driver.”

“A girl