Evans. If nothing else, the elderly doctor knew how to put people at ease, unlike the woman who had come in earlier. Angie slipped her hand in his. Until he felt the comforting warmth, he hadn’t realized how worried he was. He moved closer, so he could hear what Doc Evans was saying.
“I’ll explain what I know,” Doc Evans said. He took a seat in an empty chair and indicated that Justin and Megan should sit. Justin complied, but Megan remained standing, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, clenching and unclenching her fists.
“Sam’s description of Rose’s symptoms presented themselves as typical for influenza. Rose had a flu shot, so I didn’t think she needed more than bed rest and fluids. However, Dr. Cantwell discovered Rose was having difficulty breathing, which could be indicative of pneumonia, and thought she’d get better care in the hospital.”
“Wait,” Justin said. “Aren’t there shots for pneumonia, too? Didn’t Oma have one?”
“Yes. That’s why she’s going to the hospital,” Doc Evans said. “In patients her age, sometimes the immunization isn’t fully effective. Unfortunately, the pneumonia immunization carries the same risks as the flu shot. Neither gives a one hundred percent guarantee a patient won’t contract either disease. We only hope the severity will be lessened.”
“She’s not going to die, is she?” Megan’s voice cracked.
Doc Evans looked as though he wanted to pat Megan on the head. “I strongly doubt it. As I said, we’re taking precautionary measures. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get to the hospital.”
“So do we.” Megan looked at Justin. “You have Sam’s keys?”
Justin patted his pocket. “Yep.”
“I want to go, too,” Angie said, with a questioning glance at Gordon.
“Why don’t you ride with Megan and Justin. I’ll follow.”
Angie seemed to understand that she’d do more good supporting Megan than sticking with him. With her arm around Megan’s waist, she urged her friend toward the exit. “Let’s go.”
Gordon stepped across the parking lot to his car, wishing he had his official vehicle, with its lights and sirens. Of course, running with them was against regulations, but then again, he was the chief. Who would question him?
As he drove, he remembered Rose visiting him every day when he was nine and laid up with a broken leg. How much he owed her, sitting there with him, helping him with his schoolwork, reading to him, making him understand how important it was to be able to read. If he hadn’t fallen out of that tree, he might very well be one of the scumbags he now spent his days trying to catch.
At the hospital, he found everyone but Sam in the hospital lobby. Justin had his arms around Megan, who had her face buried in his chest. Gordon’s pulse kicked up a notch. Had something gone wrong?
Angie stared expectantly at Gordon. Did she expect a hug, too? Or was he supposed to comfort Megan? He waited, a technique he’d found worked well with suspects, who usually filled the void. Angie broke away.
“We’re not allowed upstairs yet. Only Sam,” Angie said. “We haven’t heard anything.”
Gordon sat, waiting, as endless minutes ticked by. Finally, the elevator dinged, and everyone’s eyes shifted in that direction. Sam, looking ten years older than when Gordon had last seen him, shuffled toward them.
Megan rushed to his side. “How is she?”
Sam rested his hand on Megan’s shoulder. “She is on a breathing machine and awake. She would rather be alone—she doesn’t want to be seen this way. She said to tell you to go home.”
Over Megan and Justin’s protests, Sam insisted they do as Rose requested. “Wait for me in the car. I need to use the men’s room and will be right there.”
When Megan and Justin left, Sam pulled Gordon aside. Angie got the hint and moved farther away, giving them some privacy. Sam lowered his voice. “Rose, she isn’t speaking clearly. Her fever, I think. I
“I’ll explain what I know,” Doc Evans said. He took a seat in an empty chair and indicated that Justin and Megan should sit. Justin complied, but Megan remained standing, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, clenching and unclenching her fists.
“Sam’s description of Rose’s symptoms presented themselves as typical for influenza. Rose had a flu shot, so I didn’t think she needed more than bed rest and fluids. However, Dr. Cantwell discovered Rose was having difficulty breathing, which could be indicative of pneumonia, and thought she’d get better care in the hospital.”
“Wait,” Justin said. “Aren’t there shots for pneumonia, too? Didn’t Oma have one?”
“Yes. That’s why she’s going to the hospital,” Doc Evans said. “In patients her age, sometimes the immunization isn’t fully effective. Unfortunately, the pneumonia immunization carries the same risks as the flu shot. Neither gives a one hundred percent guarantee a patient won’t contract either disease. We only hope the severity will be lessened.”
“She’s not going to die, is she?” Megan’s voice cracked.
Doc Evans looked as though he wanted to pat Megan on the head. “I strongly doubt it. As I said, we’re taking precautionary measures. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get to the hospital.”
“So do we.” Megan looked at Justin. “You have Sam’s keys?”
Justin patted his pocket. “Yep.”
“I want to go, too,” Angie said, with a questioning glance at Gordon.
“Why don’t you ride with Megan and Justin. I’ll follow.”
Angie seemed to understand that she’d do more good supporting Megan than sticking with him. With her arm around Megan’s waist, she urged her friend toward the exit. “Let’s go.”
Gordon stepped across the parking lot to his car, wishing he had his official vehicle, with its lights and sirens. Of course, running with them was against regulations, but then again, he was the chief. Who would question him?
As he drove, he remembered Rose visiting him every day when he was nine and laid up with a broken leg. How much he owed her, sitting there with him, helping him with his schoolwork, reading to him, making him understand how important it was to be able to read. If he hadn’t fallen out of that tree, he might very well be one of the scumbags he now spent his days trying to catch.
At the hospital, he found everyone but Sam in the hospital lobby. Justin had his arms around Megan, who had her face buried in his chest. Gordon’s pulse kicked up a notch. Had something gone wrong?
Angie stared expectantly at Gordon. Did she expect a hug, too? Or was he supposed to comfort Megan? He waited, a technique he’d found worked well with suspects, who usually filled the void. Angie broke away.
“We’re not allowed upstairs yet. Only Sam,” Angie said. “We haven’t heard anything.”
Gordon sat, waiting, as endless minutes ticked by. Finally, the elevator dinged, and everyone’s eyes shifted in that direction. Sam, looking ten years older than when Gordon had last seen him, shuffled toward them.
Megan rushed to his side. “How is she?”
Sam rested his hand on Megan’s shoulder. “She is on a breathing machine and awake. She would rather be alone—she doesn’t want to be seen this way. She said to tell you to go home.”
Over Megan and Justin’s protests, Sam insisted they do as Rose requested. “Wait for me in the car. I need to use the men’s room and will be right there.”
When Megan and Justin left, Sam pulled Gordon aside. Angie got the hint and moved farther away, giving them some privacy. Sam lowered his voice. “Rose, she isn’t speaking clearly. Her fever, I think. I
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