Since the moment Riegan had learnt about what happened to her sister, she had been in a haze of rage that she hadn't had time to feel anything else. Now, as she stood inside the special intensive care unit, worry started seeping in.
She stood at the foot of the bed, watching the unconscious Megan. The thin hospital blanket was pulled up to her stomach. Both her hands, which were bandaged, lay on either side of her with tubes attached to them. Her face and neck had gauze dressings.
Riegan sat beside her sister's bed and gently held her hand. She quietly watched Megan's face for any movement. She still had no idea about the extent of her sister's injuries. To be honest, she was a little afraid to find out. Why would anyone want to harm Megan? Just what did she do to deserve such heartless and cruel treatment?
"Megan," Riegan called out to her sister softly. Hoping she would respond in some small way, however, Megan remained still with not a flicker of movement.
Riegan heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching. It wasn't Rook - she knew that. Though she may have developed a sense of his presence after nearly a decade of working together, Rook had an annoying penchant for moving soundlessly. Riegan waited till the person was in her line of view before she looked up.
Dressed in a pair of flats and a navy blue midi dress stood a woman. She had auburn hair that went past her shoulders and had soft features. Riegan spotted the stethoscope around her neck and deduced that this must be a doctor.
"Hello, I'm the attending doctor, Dr Janet. You must be the patient's guardian?"
Riegan approached the doctor. "Yes, I'm her sister, Riegan."
Dr Janet looked at Megan on the bed before looking back at Riegan. "Maybe we can speak outside Ms. Riegan?"
Riegan nodded in assent. As they both made their way out of the unit, Riegan spotted Rook making his way over.
Rook held out Riegan's phone, and she grabbed it with a nod, without breaking her stride. Rook continued on to stand just outside Megan's unit. Meanwhile, Dr Janet and Riegan came to a stop several feet away, closer to the nurses' station.
"Ms Riegan, your sister came in today unconscious. She had several cuts, abrasions and bruises, including a head injury. We have tended to her wounds, and as for the head injury, we're keeping her under observation to ensure there are no complications. She also has a fractured rib, however, not to worry. It will gradually heal over the next six weeks. Aside from that she also seems to have a low heart rate, so, we're monitoring that as well."
Riegan saw that Dr Janet was watching her and realised that the doctor must be waiting for an acknowledgement. She tried to nod to acknowledge the doctor's words. However, she was wound so tight with tension that her head barely moved.
"Ms Riegan, just to let you know, we have notified the police of your sister's injuries. They will likely be down to speak with you and your sister if she is conscious by then."
The doctor's voice grew softer as she continued, "We do not know if she has been sexually assaulted. Since your sister is unconscious and unable to provide consent, we cannot perform a rape kit exam. However, she has up to 72 hours to decide if she wants to go ahead with the exam or not. Likewise, should she go through with the exam, she can choose to or not to report it to the police."
"I understand, thank you, doctor."
Dr Janet had tended to numerous patients and as a result, crossed paths with plenty of guardians but she had never seen one take the news of assault with such calmness. Her gaze lingered on the lady for a few more minutes before she turned to leave.
Seemingly recalling something, Dr Janet turned to face Riegan again. "Oh, and your sister had no personal identification when she came in, so the registration process has not been completed. You have to go down to in-patient services on the first floor to complete the process."
Riegan nodded in reply and watched the doctor as she walked away. She did not leave to complete the registration process as she was told to instead she walked back into Megan's unit.
As she stood near the foot of the bed, watching her sister, her gaze turned thoughtful. Was this targeted towards her or her sister?
Megan, three years older than Riegan, had always been extroverted. She could easily walk up to someone on the street and strike up a conversation. Unlike Riegan who liked to quietly observe, Megan loved to be in the thick of things. She exuded a charm that attracted people into her circle and was great at making friends. At least that was what Riegan remembered of Megan.
However, Riegan had never been close to anyone in her family and when she left home, she did not bother to keep in touch with anyone. It was a little over a year ago when Megan got in touch with Riegan through social media. They met only a handful of times and what little conversation they had, it was done through messages.
Coming out of her thoughts, Riegan casually turned to the right and her heart nearly jumped out of her throat. She breathed in sharply when she saw Rook standing just two feet away.
Riegan prided in her instincts and sense of hearing, she was rarely caught off guard. And the times she was caught off guard were mostly due to Rook.
"I really -"
"Madam," Rook cut in before Riegan could go on. "Mr Dimitri is in the hospital."