“Hi, Jessie,” the girl said, confirming they were. “I’m Hannah. I hear sirens outside. I’m going to get help. I promise I’ll be right back.”

Jessie nodded as the girl staggered off to the front of the house. After she was gone, Jessie managed to roll over from her side onto her back. She looked up at the body of the other woman, likely Hannah’s mother, still dangling lifelessly above her. Somewhere off beyond the couch was the girl’s father.

Rolling her head to the left, Jessie looked at Xander Thurman. His head was on its side so she could see his face. It was drenched in blood, as the wound on his forehead was still seeping. His eyes were open, though the left was so encased in blood she couldn’t really see it.

But the right was mostly clear. And as she lay on the ground, waiting for help to arrive, Jessie stared at the green eye of the man who’d tried to kill her, her own father. She couldn’t help but admit, as she drifted off into oblivion, that it really was like looking in a mirror.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Jessie was freezing.

It took her several seconds to realize that was because she was in a thin hospital gown with no sheets covering her in a chilly room and ice-cold oxygen blasting from a mask on her cracked, parched mouth.

She wanted desperately to ask for a blanket or at least an ice chip. But neither her mouth nor her body was reacting to her brain’s instructions. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she managed to do the one thing within her power: she groaned.

She couldn’t open her eyes but heard shuffling nearby. Soon a voice she didn’t recognize, likely a nurse, spoke to her soothingly.

“Ms. Hunt, you are at California Hospital Medical Center in downtown Los Angeles. I’m Joanie, your nurse. You were attacked and suffered several serious injuries. But the important thing to know is that you’re going to be all right. You’ve been in surgery for the last several hours. Once you’re stabilized, we’ll move you out of the ICU. One of your colleagues will be in later to walk you through what happened to you. But for now, you need to rest.”

“Ahhss,” Jessie managed to moan.

“If you’re asking for ice chips, we need to hold off on that until the doctor gives the all clear. I know you’re uncomfortable. I’m going to rub some petroleum jelly on your lips, which may help a little. I’m also going to put a sheet over you in case you’re cold. You have goose bumps. If you don’t want that, make some kind of noise. If you don’t say anything, I’ll assume you’re okay with it.”

Jessie remained silent. Soon she felt the chill dissipate slightly, which she assumed was due to a sheet, though she never actually felt it on her skin. She did feel the Vaseline being rubbed on her lips, which offered a bit of relief.