Chapter 5
FIVE
GABI
With a sigh, I turned up the volume on my car radio as I backed out of my sister’s driveway and headed toward Sutter’s Ferry. The village was going to be a madhouse, with people fleeing like rats from a sinking ship.
More people would stay than go. That was the way of things here. We were hardier than most storms, which was why our village had survived in some form or another for more than a century.
On the radio, Sam continued, “For those staying on the island, sandbags are still available behind Town Hall until noon or whenever supplies run out. All residents should be finalizing storm preparations and have emergency kits ready. Expect powerful winds, flooding rains, and storm surge up to fifteen feet in vulnerable areas. We’ll continue to keep you updated on Hurricane Hannah’s track and intensity as it approaches.
Stay tuned to WHAT for all the latest storm news. Be safe out there, Hatterwick!”
For at least the dozenth time, I cursed the crap timing of Dr. Sibley’s vacation to Mexico.
The idea of being the only doctor on-island for this made me nervous.
Not that I wasn’t capable, but depending on how the storm went down, there might be greater need than I could manage as just one person.
I was praying for the best and otherwise bracing myself for a total shitshow.
Despite the relatively early hour, as I hit the edge of the village proper, I could see evidence of the news spreading.
Streets were clogged with vehicles as tourists fled toward the ferry terminal that would get them back to the mainland.
Locals were easy to pick out. They stood outside homes and buildings, boarding over windows or installing hurricane shutters.
Others would be gathering supplies and planning hurricane parties.
Me, I’d be making sure that the clinic was ready for whatever emergency came our way as a result of storm prep or the aftermath.
Because of the congested roads, I was later than I intended when I pulled behind the clapboard building housing the clinic.
Nina was just slipping out of her car, her myriad of tiny braids gathered into a thicker plait that hung over one shoulder.
She flashed a bright smile that stood out against her medium brown skin.
“Mornin’, Doc. Looks like it’s gonna be a nasty one.”
We both looked off to the south, where clouds were already beginning to build in the distance. “I think they’re wrong about when it’s gonna hit. We’re gonna get somethin’ sooner.”
“Hope not. Lotta folks still tryin’ to get off-island. Rather not have to find a place for them.”
Or spend all our storm supplies. Not that we’d begrudge them aid if needed, but despite some of the monster houses marching along our coastline, in general, our island wasn’t exactly rolling in money and assets.
Because we depended heavily on tourist dollars, we tolerated the annual invasion of our shores with varying degrees of hospitality, but there was no quicker way to draw a line between us and them than the kind of storm that would dry those tourist dollars up for a stretch.
That and no islander wanted to be responsible for idiot mainlanders who didn’t have the first clue how to prepare for or ride out a storm like this.
"Here's hoping they get off-island as planned," I said, though I had my doubts about the timing.
We strode up the weathered wooden stairs toward the back entrance of the clinic.
Like most buildings scattered across Hatterwick, the structure was elevated on sturdy concrete stilts—a necessary precaution against the relentless storm surges and seasonal flooding that came with our coastal location.
The morning air already carried that heavy, electric feeling that preceded big weather, and I could taste the salt spray being whipped up from the increasingly agitated ocean.
"Are you planning on keeping us open regular hours today?" Nina's voice carried a note of concern as she glanced toward the darkening southern horizon.
"Depends on what comes in, I guess." I shifted my medical bag to my other shoulder, already mentally cataloging our supplies and staffing for what was bound to be a challenging day.
"You and I both know we're gonna get more people in for accidents from the storm prep—folks falling off ladders while securing shutters, cuts from boarding up windows, that sort of thing.
We'll be keeping an eye on the weather reports. "
At the door, I paused, my hand disappearing deep into the depths of my oversized purse as I fumbled for my keys. Something about the entrance looked... off.
"Something wrong?" Nina stepped closer and followed my gaze.
I stared at the door knob, taking in the fresh scratches gouged deep into the metal all around its circumference. The hardware itself appeared loose, a little askew in its mounting, as if someone had tried to wrench it clean off the door. "Somebody tried to jimmy the back door."
"Oh, shit!" Nina's voice pitched higher with alarm. "Do you think they got anything?"
I leaned in for a closer examination without touching anything, noting the way the wood around the lock mechanism showed fresh scrapes and gouges.
"Doesn't look like they actually got in.
" But the very fact that someone had made the attempt sent an uncomfortable chill down my spine—especially with a hurricane bearing down on us and the island about to be in chaos.
Other than Morrison's Pharmacy on Main Street, our clinic was the only medical facility on the island, which made us the sole source of prescription medications for miles around.
We maintained strict protocols and didn't keep any Schedule-One narcotics on hand for precisely this reason, but your average desperate thief breaking into a medical facility might not know or care about such distinctions.
Pi pulled my cell phone from my pocket. "Do you feel safe running around to the front to check that door?"
Nina uncapped the mini-mace canister attached to her keychain. "Got it covered."
As she disappeared around the corner of the building, her footsteps crunching on the gravel pathway, I dialed 911.
"911 dispatch. What is your emergency?"
"This is Dr. Gabriella Carrera calling from the island clinic on Pelican Way. There's evidence that someone attempted to break in sometime since we closed last night."
"Is the door currently open, ma'am?"
"No, it's still closed. I haven't touched anything yet because I don't know if it's actually unlocked or not. My initial assessment is that they weren't able to gain entry, but I can't be certain without a proper examination."
Nina reappeared around the corner, giving me an enthusiastic thumbs up and calling out, "Front door looks normal!"
I relayed the information to the dispatcher. "The front entrance appears to be untouched."
"Please remain outside the building until an officer arrives. I'm dispatching someone to your location now."
"Understood. We'll wait out here."
Nina and I retreated to our respective vehicles in the small staff parking area, settling in to wait. The morning was growing warmer despite the threatening clouds, and I found myself checking my watch every few minutes, thinking about all the patients who might need us today.
Kristie Turner pulled her bright yellow Mini Cooper into the cramped staff lot, her late-thirties energy apparent as she bounded out of the driver's seat.
She took one look at us sitting in our cars and called out with characteristic humor, "Are we having some kind of pre-hurricane party in the parking lot this morning? "
"Attempted break-in." I gestured toward the clinic's back entrance. "We're waiting for the police to clear the building."
"Well, damn." Kristie pushed her shoulder-length blonde hair back from her face and glanced at her watch. "Guess that means we're gonna be late opening this morning. Does this give me enough time to make a quick run to Panadería de la Isla for some pastries?"
The mention of Marisol's bakery made my stomach rumble, reminding me that I'd skipped breakfast in my rush to get to work early.
I dug through my bag for my wallet, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill.
"You know what? It's gonna be a hell of a long day with this storm coming. Get some treats for all of us."
"You want your usual empanada?" Kristie asked, already jingling her car keys.
I shook my head, feeling the stress of the morning settling into my shoulders. "Not sure a breakfast empanada is going to cut it today. I need sugar—real sugar. Get me as much as you can manage for twenty bucks."
She grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Consider it done, Doc."
A few minutes after Kristie drove off, a familiar police cruiser pulled into the lot.
Officer Cory Teague emerged from the driver's seat, his tall frame unfolding as he adjusted his duty belt.
Even after all these years, seeing him in uniform still felt a bit surreal—I could still picture him as the lanky high school senior who'd been a year ahead of me, more interested in surfing than law enforcement.
"Morning, Gabi," His easy coastal drawl marked him as a true islander. "Nina said y'all had a little trouble here?"
I gestured toward the clinic's back entrance, where the damage was visible even from several feet away. "I don't know if they managed to get inside or not. We haven't touched anything, figured you might want to dust for prints or whatever it is you do."
"Smart thinking." Cory nodded in approval, then turned to Nina. "You mentioned the front entrance wasn't disturbed?"
"That's right," Nina confirmed, stepping closer to join our conversation. "Front door was still locked tight, and there weren't any scratches or damage that I could see. Doesn't look like they even tried anything there."
"Makes sense." Cory pulled a small digital camera from his belt. "Since the front faces the street, they'd be taking a big risk of being spotted. Y'all got any security cameras covering this back area?"
"No. That's obviously something we need to address." I made a mental note, but any major security upgrades would have to wait for Dr. Sibley’s return from his vacation.
Cory went about his work methodically, documenting everything with photographs from multiple angles before pulling on latex gloves and testing the door handle. It turned freely but the door remained closed—still locked tight.
Once I'd unlocked the entrance with my key, Cory insisted on preceding us inside, systematically clearing each room of the modest clinic building.
"Everything looks secure in here," he announced.
He waited while I conducted my own inspection, checking our medical supplies cabinet, the locked medication storage, and the small safe where we kept emergency cash. "Nothing seems to be missing," I reported with relief.
"Well, that's good news." Cory closed his notebook with a satisfied snap. "In cases like this, no news really is the best possible outcome."
"You're not going to bother dusting for prints, are you?" I suspected I already knew the answer.
"I could go through the motions, but since that's the door your entire staff uses multiple times every day, any prints are going to be muddled.
And considering that whoever did this didn't actually manage to gain entry, and we don't have any video evidence linking anyone to this door last night, there's not much more we can pursue.
Especially with everyone on the island busy preparing for Hurricane Hannah. "
"That's more or less what I figured you'd say.
I mainly wanted to get it documented, just in case of.
.. whatever might happen next." The thought that troubled me most was that if someone had attempted this once, they might very well try again during the storm when they assumed the building would be completely abandoned.
"Absolutely the right call," Cory assured me, tucking his notebook back into his uniform pocket. "I'll make sure this report is properly filed. And y'all might seriously want to consider upgrading that lock or adding a deadbolt before the next time you close up."
Right. Because we had unlimited time and resources to deal with hardware upgrades while the entire island was frantically preparing for a major hurricane. But I simply nodded. "I really appreciate you coming out so fast, Cory. Please stay safe out there today."
"You too, Gabi. Y'all are gonna be busy."
Kristie returned just as Cory was pulling out of the parking lot, her Mini Cooper loaded with the sweet, yeasty aromas of fresh pastries from Marisol's bakery. At almost the same moment, Justin Humphries, our other nurse scheduled for today, arrived in his beat-up pickup truck.
He climbed out slowly, his eyebrows raised as he took in the scene—Kristie with her arms full of bakery boxes, me standing by the clinic entrance, and the lingering presence of official police business hanging in the air.
"I take one day off and come back to find police cars in the parking lot?" Justin drawled, his voice carrying that particular blend of curiosity and concern that came from years of working in emergency medicine. "Is there somethin' important I need to know about?"
"Attempted break-in sometime last night," I explained, already moving toward the clinic entrance.
"Whoever it was failed to get inside, but we'll discuss all the details during our staff meeting later.
Right now, though, come grab one of Kristie's pastries and let's get these doors open to the public.
I can already see folks starting to line up outside, and something tells me this is going to be one very long day. "