Chapter Sixteen #2
“I’m Deputy Sheriff Starr. I brought in the old man, Mr. Ackerman? He’s very ill—”
“Are you a relative?”
“No, but—”
“I’m sorry. We can’t give any medical information to a nonfamily member.”
“But I’m law enforcement. I need to know if there was any foul play.” My excuse was weak, but I’d be damned if I didn’t at least try to find a way.
“I’ll tell the doctor, and if there’s something you should know, he’ll come and speak to you.”
She bustled away, and I made a face at her retreating back.
Maybe I should’ve tried to charm her. I took a seat in the waiting area and stared into nothing.
Would this be me at Mr. Ackerman’s age? Living alone in a tiny, run-down house, too ill to clean and do the dishes?
Too frail to be able to call for help? I shuddered at the thought.
Everyone in town loved Mr. Ackerman—how come no one had thought to see how sick he was when he’d failed to show up at his store for so many days?
For at least three hours, I sat lost in my thoughts.
“Deputy Starr?”
I blinked to see a tall, lean figure in a white coat, and I jumped to my feet. “Yeah.”
“I’m Dr. Christianson. I’ve been working on Mr. Ackerman. You’re the one who found him?”
“Yes. How is he?”
“He’s weak, dehydrated, and has pneumonia. His heart is also having trouble, so we’re monitoring him for that.” His face was grim. “He’s a very sick man. It’s a good thing you found him, or this would’ve been a very different story.”
“Is he going to die?” My eyes filled with unexpected tears for a man I barely knew yet felt a strange connection to, as if he and I shared something.
“It’s too early to say what the prognosis is for recovery.
Right now, we have him on antibiotics and fluids, and that should start to work on the pneumonia.
He hadn’t taken his heart meds in almost a week, so that’s most likely the cause for his cardiac setback.
The next twenty-four to forty-eight hours should tell us more. ”
“Thanks. I appreciate you telling me all this. Can I see him?”
He smiled. “I think he’d like that. The nurse mentioned you were the one to call for help, he said ‘Oh, my good friend.’ ”
Suddenly lighter, I returned the doctor’s grin. “He’s a fighter. I’ll make sure he takes care of himself.”
The doctor led me through the emergency room to a curtained-off area. “He’s in here, but remember, he shouldn’t talk much.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
He nodded and hurried away. I pushed aside the curtain, and I didn’t know why I thought Mr. Ackerman would look better than he did.
He was white and lying still, only now he had a ton of machines and tubes attached to him.
They made me feel a little better, as at least he was being monitored.
His eyes opened, and I took several steps closer.
“It’s me, Mr. Ackerman. Dominic Starr. You’re gonna be okay.”
With an effort that must’ve been Herculean for him, he lifted his arm and waved for me to come near.
I sat on the small swivel chair and scooted next to his bed.
He moved his hand again, and I rested my large one over it.
It looked so brown and strong on his pale, spotted skin.
Emotional, tears burned my eyes. Who would be sitting by my bedside when I’m eighty?
“You brought me here?” he whispered, and I nodded.
“Don’t talk. You need to save your strength.
We went by your store today, and the kid you had watching it said you hadn’t been feeling well for a few days.
That didn’t sound good to me, so after my tour, I went to check on you and found you in bed.
You should’ve called the doctor or for an ambulance. ”
“Doctor’s away. Ambulance costs too much.”
Anger at a failed system made me see red. “It’s your life. I’m going to give you my number, and if you ever need anything, no matter what, you call me. I don’t care if it’s at night or if I’m working. Promise me.”
“Don’t want to be a bother.”
“You aren’t. Promise you’ll call me from now on.”
A tiny semblance of a smile tipped up one corner of his lips. “Girlfriend might get mad.”
“No girlfriend, so that’s not an issue.” Calling Emmy my boyfriend sounded so juvenile, yet I cringed at the word lover. That made it seem all about sex. And wasn’t it too soon to be thinking of all this?
“Why not? Good-looking feller like you.”
“I guess I haven’t found the right person to put up with me.”
“Don’t be alone.” He closed his eyes and sighed.
I stood to leave. “I’ll let you rest now, but I’ll be back to check on you. Are there any family members you want me to call?”
“No…no family. You’re the only one who cares. Even George left me.” He coughed. “I’ll tell them to put you in as my contact.”
I nodded. “Good idea.” I wondered who George was. Maybe his pet had died. “I’ll check in later. Rest now.”
His breathing came slow but steady, and I guessed he was asleep.
There was little more I could do, so I left the hospital and drove home.
I had a ten-minute drive, and by the time I turned onto my street, the sun had begun to set.
I showered to get the hospital smell off me and then lay down for a few minutes.
I awoke to a pitch-black living room and my phone ringing.
Fearing it was the hospital, I grabbed it.
“Hello? Who’s this?”
“It’s me. What’s going on?”
My scrambled brain took a moment to catch up with my words. “What? Emmy? Is that you?”
“Are you okay? Where are you?”
I glanced at the screen and saw it was almost eleven p.m. “Shit, I’m sorry, I was supposed to be at your house. I came home after the hospital and fell asleep—”
“Hospital? What the hell is going on?”
“If it’s okay to still come, I’ll explain.”
“Get your ass here ASAP.”
On my drive to Emmy’s, all I could think of was poor Mr. Ackerman, lying alone in his bed. How scared he must be. When Emmy opened the door, he looked at my face and pulled me into his arms.
“Hey. It’s gonna be okay. I’m here.”
“Yeah. I know.”
This was the only place I wanted to be. The only person I wanted to be with. I didn’t know what the hell it meant, but I knew with startling clarity, I would never let him go. I couldn’t.
“Whatever it is, it’ll be all right.”
And I believed it would be, as long as Emmy was there with me.