Chapter Ninety-six Evan Sterling’s POV (Present Time)

The gunshot sounds weren’t coming from down the building but up, that was how I knew it must be from Edward’s ward. My heart pounded, hoping he hadn’t done something stupid to worsen his case. I had no idea where my mother was, but I knew she was in the building. I put a call through to her and her phone rang and rang but she didn’t answer. I clenched my jaw, finding my way up the flight of stairs.
On getting to the floor before the one my father was, I saw men in black trousers and white shirts with gun holsters around their waist gingerly going up the stairs. I assumed they were part of the men sent to watch Edward.
“What’s going on up there?” I asked one. He threw me a hurried gaze and his eyes settled on my bandaged arm and shoulder.
“You shouldn’t be here. This place is sealed we have a hostage situation—”
“Is the aggressor Edward Sterling?” I asked. He stopped to give me his full attention.
“I didn’t catch your name, sir?”
“Evan … Evan Sterling,” I said. A deep frown furrowed his eyebrows and his eyes grew icy cold pretty fast.
“Your father shot an agent.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” I mumbled, running my fingers through my hair. I let out a string of expletives.
“He is holding three doctors, and another of our agents hostage. One of the doctors is shot as well,” the man said. My heart lunged in the wall of my chest.
“Which of the doctors is shot?”
“I believe his name is Dr. Foster--”
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” I exclaimed loudly. “I have to go up there…” I said and started to hurry past him. He reached for my good arm and scowl at me.
“We are trying to get civilians out of there not add to the number!”
“Maybe I can help distract him. You see, Doctor Foster and those other doctors up there are very close friends with my wife, Doctor Estera Roberts. If Edward kills them, I doubt she would ever forgive me. I need to go up there and you can’t stop me,” I growled. The coldness in his eyes eased up a little.
“He is still armed and a little unstable… “
“He has always been unstable, man. He is my fucking father. Believe me, I know!”
“Okay, then, let’s go together,” the man said and he led me up the stairs and past the other men who had been listening in on our conversation. When we got to the corridor leading to Edwards’ room, my stepped faltered.
‘Jesus!’ the word sounded in my head. Edward was holding Doctor Ashley Benjamin against his front with a gun pointed to her head. Her nose was bleeding and she had blood all over her scrubs. Doctor Ameera Rasheed was on the floor next to the body of Doctor Cole Foster, pressing interlaced hands to his chest. She was crying and blood was on her face and her hands were soaked with it. I didn’t see any other person, and I assumed the two agents must be in the hospital room either dead or wounded. I swallowed hard.
“What have you done?!” I growled, not thinking of being cautious now. The agent that came up with me tried to stop me from advancing, but I pushed his hand away. Stalking down the corridor towards them, Edward jerked his gaze in my direction and I saw rage flash in his eyes when he saw me. He removed the gun he had to Ashley’s head and pointed it in my direction.
“Stop!” he yelled. I ignore him.
“This is madness! Have you gone mad?!” I yelled uncaring about what happened now. “You shot a doctor and agents?! This is way more than just petty fraud or working books! Father! What the hell is going on with you?!”
“This is your fault!” he yelled back.
“My God! You actually shot him, a doctor!. And fucking agents?!”
“He was trying to handcuff me to the fucking bed. I am not going to jail, Evan. I am not!”
“So, this is the way then, to plead your cause? Going on a killing spree!”
By this time, I was just about a few feet from him. Ameera looked up at me with pleading eyes. Ashley was too terrified for words. The two were shaking.
“Help us, he is dying…” Ameera whimpered. I directed my eyes to meet Edward’s gaze. He was still holding his hand steady pointing the gun at me.
“Let them go, father, give yourself a redeeming chance at least,” I said with gritted teeth.
“Do you think I am a moron?! I already know it is over for me. I need them. These doctors are my way out of here,” he said. I shook my head.
“There’s no way out of here, dad—-” I said, holding his gaze. His cold eyes flickered with emotions as he returned my gaze. “The entire place is swimming with police and MLARS. Did you really kill the agents? Are they still alive? Can the doctors help to save them?”
“Doctor Foster was trying to help them when he shot him…” Ameera interjected.
“I told him to stop. He ignored me!” Edward yelled.
“He was trying to help you!” Ameera cried.
“If there is any chance they can make it please let the doctor’s help because if they die …. There would be no redemption for either of us and their colleagues will kill you, father. They will not give us a fighting chance. There will be no lawyers. No court. No jury. It would be plain execution right here. Let them help you. Please,” I said. But before he could reply, I heard my mother’s voice, she was arguing with one of the agents. I looked back and saw her pushed forward, busting out from the corner at the end of the hallway.
“Evan?! Edward!” She called. My father cursed. Her steps faltered when she saw the doctors and Edward pointing a gun at me. She held up her hands to her mouth and her blue eyes clouded with horror.
“Oh, my God. No!” she said. “Is that Doctor Foster?! Jesus. Jesus… Why are you pointing a gun at our son?! Ed!” she said. “Edward! My God, what have you done? I went to get you a lawyer and you do this!”
“You bloody liar! You and your treacherous son abandoned me to my fate!”
“What are you talking about?!” She yelled and turned around to point a shaky finger at a man in a black suit peeking out at the end of the hallway. “That is Blake over there! I told him to come to speak with you. You fool!” she said. Edward blanched. “Why would you do this, Ed?! How do we fix this?!” she said and started to cry.
“Let the doctors go, let them check the agents and doctor Foster while you speak with Blake, please…” I said. His eyes darted from me to my mother and I saw his eyes soften as he studied her.
“I thought you hate me… you can quit the crocodile tears now, Charlotte…” he said, sounding quite vulnerable.
“You are so stupid, Ed! We can fight and argue all day and all night. Still, that doesn’t mean I want you to end up dead or in jail. You are so fucking blind!” she sobbed. He swallowed and suddenly pushed back from Ashley. She rushed to Foster and I saw her exchange glances with her friend.
“We need a surgeon, he is dying…” Ameera said. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, I saw Edward jerked back from the corner of my eye. I raised my eyes long enough to see his forehead blasted open with a bullet. A gasp escaped his mouth. My mother screamed. I quickly reached for her to wrap her in my arms and push back against the sidewall. Ameera and Ashley hunkered down over Foster as the agents shoot Edward several times until he fell to the floor with a thud. There was a moment of absolute stillness before four hospital guards with nurses rushed forward with a hospital gurney to lift Foster. I held my mother tightly, making sure her face was buried in my chest so she wouldn’t see my father’s body riddled with bullets. His blood pooled under him. I let out a sigh. My heart constricted as the image of him with his eyes softening when he saw my mother replayed in my head. It may seem crazy, but I think Edward and my mother were still very much in love. They just may have forgotten how to show it to each other. I buried my face in her hair, holding her firmly refusing to let her go.
“Shh … ” I murmured.
“Edward--Edward,” she continued to cry.
“I’m sorry. He is gone.” I said. She shook, sobbing loudly.
“Cole!” the unmistakable cry made me snap my head in that direction. Estera was standing at the end of the corridor, watching the hospital staff push Foster towards her. “No. No. No!” she cried as she rushed forward. Ashley and Ameera tried to hold her back but she pushed the two out of her way. Her eyes were clouded with shock and anguish. She reached forward to touch Foster’s face and cried, “Cole!” I shut my eyes, unable to bear to watch her suffer.
‘Dear God, don’t let him die…’ I prayed silently, knowing this may just be Estera’s breaking point — a true deal breaker. I am not a fool. I knew she loves Foster. She may love me way more than him and in a totally different way, but I knew he was important to her. The man was her mentor, a friend, and—I’m certain was–-once a lover. If my father cause her to lose him in this brutal way, I was scared I might lose her too.