Chapter 47
FORTY-SEVEN
ONE HOUR AGO…
Maria never would have left Jordon’s side if it wasn’t for Sandra’s words running on a spool in her mind.
Don’t play the hero… But being a hero was in her DNA.
She didn’t fight injustice on the streets like a cop, but she did her part to save lives inside this hospital.
Being placed in such a position where her hands were tied by a man who saw fit to storm in here with a gun was infuriating.
And watching Jordon in so much pain had her feeling powerless.
She also felt lost without the freedom to conduct her rounds and check in on her patients. They would need her by now. And even if they didn’t, this had dragged on for hours, and they’d be hungry. She’d do what she could.
Dr. Bell tried to discourage her from leaving, and so had Jordon. His pleas had been the hardest to overlook. What if he wasn’t alive when she returned?
But, no, she couldn’t think that way. No good would come from that.
She’d start by checking in on Gail and Phoebe Chapman, but she’d hit the vending machine first. After using change from her pockets and getting two bags of chips, she headed to their room.
She tried the handle and found it was locked. “Gail? It’s me, Nurse Torres. Maria.”
Silence. When they’d parted ways, she told Gail not to answer the door under any circumstances. Maria knocked softly and announced herself again.
This time, the blinds on the door were lifted. Gail peeked through.
Maria tucked inside the room and locked the door behind her. “How are you two?”
Gail looked over her shoulder at her daughter, who was sleeping. “We’re doing all right. Why did you lock the door again? That gunman can’t hurt us now, right?”
“Just extra precaution. And you don’t want to be roaming the halls when the police come in.”
“Have you heard something about that yet?”
“No. But here. I thought you might be hungry.” She handed the chips to Gail, knowing that Phoebe wasn’t to eat this close to her heart transplant. She had to believe the operation was still happening. “I know Phoebe needs to fast.”
“Thank you.” She popped a bag open and took out a chip but didn’t put it into her mouth. “But that’s only if she’s getting the surgery.” Gail’s voice cracked on that, and Maria touched her hand.
“Let’s keep positive, okay?”
“I’m trying. How is your boyfriend?” Gail crunched down on the chip, and Maria realized how hungry she was.
“Would you mind if I…?” She pointed at the unopened bag in Gail’s hand.
“Not at all.” Gail handed the bag over with a smile, which faded fast. “But you never said how your boyfriend is doing.”
Maria didn’t want to give too much thought to his condition. He was stable, but that could change in an instant. She took out a few chips and munched them down. Then licked her lips of the crumbs. “A doctor is with him, but he needs surgery.”
“Let’s hope he gets it.” Gail put a hand over her chest. “When I saw you, I thought maybe he was already…”
Maria shook her head.
“Good, but I just don’t understand why the police haven’t stormed in here yet.”
Maria struggled with the same question, but it came down to one thing. “There are a lot of lives on the line in here. And there are other gunmen.”
“What?”
“It’s not just the people on this floor in danger. Dr. Bell told me he heard about one on the second and sixth floors before the phones went down. There could be more.”
“And you never shared this with me?”
“I didn’t want to scare you any more than you already were.”
“But Phoebe…”
“She’s fine, and so are you. And you will be as long as you stay in this room.”
“And what about you?” Gail looked Maria up and down. “I get the sense you’re not staying.”
“I’m not.”
“At least leave me the gun in case another gunman comes.”
“The ones from the other floors can’t get to here. The elevators and the doors on the stairs are locked. The man from this floor is locked in the storage room.”
“Why are you holding on to the gun?” Gail’s eyes were wide, and fear was etched into her facial expression.
“Just in case…” Maria took a deep breath and put a hand over her stomach, her thoughts drifting to the child she was carrying.
“I don’t understand.”
“Other patients could need my help. This has been going on for hours. I’m going to get more food from the vending machine and do whatever I can to make this easier on everyone until the police shut this down.”
Gail greedily ate the chips and quickly polished off the bag.
“Here, finish mine.” Maria gave what was left of her chips to Gail.
“No, you don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. They really aren’t doing anything for me.”
Gail smiled at her. “Okay. I’ll happily eat them.”
Maria couldn’t think about taking one more bite.
It wasn’t the chips that were the problem, but her clenched stomach.
She just had this horrible premonition in the pit of her gut.
It was unclear if it was uncertainty about Jordon or more than that.
“I’m going to go now. Lock the door behind me.
” She left and ducked into the hall. Before moving on, she waited to hear the lock engage.
Maria didn’t know why she was so anxious.
That man was secured in a locked room. The other gunmen couldn’t get to this floor.
She went over all these details and facts repeatedly in her mind, but there was still this niggling feeling in her gut.
It’s just my imagination… all those drama shows on TV…
She hit the vending machine again, this time feeding every cent and buck she had into the thing.
She used her credit card when that ran out.
Armed with a cart full of chips, chocolate bars, and nuts, she carried out her rounds, checking on her patients.
Surprisingly she found most of them in good spirits, considering.
Those who weren’t holed away with nursing staff or doctors didn’t know much of what was going on, just that the hospital was in lockdown.
They were terrified when she knocked on their doors, and at first, she wondered if she was doing more harm than good.
But when she let them select a snack and saw the smiles on their faces, she felt better.
After making her last stop, she found herself across from the storage room where she’d locked up that man.
She wondered if he was still out cold, or if he’d come to and was disoriented in the dark.
Then she remembered he wouldn’t need to be for long.
She’d left his phone on his person. He’d just need to fish it out of his pocket and turn on the flashlight.
Would he find the release switch? That was a strong fear.
She went to move on, but found her steps were leaden. That FBI agent had asked about his phone, and she’d only do that if it might serve a purpose. Possibly it would shut down communication between him and the others, destroy chances of him coordinating his moves with theirs.
Don’t play the hero…
The haunting words cycled back. She had hit him hard, and it was quite possible he was still out cold. She could get in, grab his phone, get out. Easy peasy.
Don’t play the hero…
Instead of pushing her away, the advice was urging her forward.
As she thought earlier, she was a hero. Wasn’t that what her patients thought when they saw her?
Getting his phone might help the FBI and police bring this all to an end sooner.
Jordon would get the surgery he desperately needed.
The bad guys would be taken away, and the patients would be safe again. Her baby would be safe.
She inched up to the storage room and leaned her ear to the door. Silence. If he was awake, he would most likely be moving around in there trying to figure a way out.
This was it. She was going to do this. She’d make it quick. In and out, then call Sandra.
She entered the code to unlock the door, and slowly opened it. The lights automatically engaged.
The man was still in the wheelchair. His head was slumped forward, just the way she’d left him.
Get his phone, call Sandra. You’re a hero, Maria! Her inner cheerleader spurned her on.
She quickly reached him and rooted through both his pockets at once to save time. What she didn’t count on was for him to wake up, wrap his arms around her middle, and pull the gun from her waistband.