Chapter 17
Rowan was having a fantastic night. He really liked Bex’s family and the dinner was outstanding. He was already thinking of ways to make love to Nell tonight when his cell phone rang.
He would have ignored it, but anyone who would have called him was here tonight, which could only mean it was the hospital. “Excuse me,” Rowan said, sliding back his chair and leaving the dining room for a quiet space to take the call. “Townsend,” he said as soon as he answered it.
“It’s Patel. There’s been a serious accident at a boating event in the bay. Several children are injured. Your whole team is in surgery. Any chance you can come in?”
Rowan looked to the table and at the water he’d had instead of wine. “Yeah. I can be there within the hour.”
“Thank you. I know this is the only time you’ve taken off. I hate to interrupt it.” Dr. Patel told him before hanging up.
“Is everything okay?” Nellie asked, having gotten up from the table to check on him.
“They need me at the hospital. I’m sorry. I don’t know how late I’ll be.” It was the first time Rowan truly felt guilty for going to the hospital.
“Don’t be sorry,” Nellie told him, placing her hand on his arm. “You’re going to help someone’s child. Never be sorry for that.”
“Did something happen?” TJ asked as he joined them. “You look worried.”
“I need to get to the hospital for surgery. I don’t know how long I’ll be.” Rowan glanced down at Nellie and then to TJ, who nodded in understanding.
“No problem. Nellie can stay here with us. We’re going to be partying late into the night and the kids are here too.
There are plenty of couches for everyone.
” TJ slung his arm around Nellie’s shoulders just like he was her brother.
“Are you any good at pool? We’re going to have a tournament and I need to know if we should be on the same team or if I should make you Jimmy’s teammate and take you both down in the first round. ”
Nellie laughed and it made Rowan feel less guilty about leaving her. She would have fun and be well protected.
“I’m surprisingly good at pool. Come on, partner. Let’s go wipe the floor with your family.”
“Yes!” TJ said, giving Nell a high five before heading back into the main room and announcing the tournament would start in thirty minutes.
“Be safe. I’ll be here when you get done.” Nell rose up and gave him a kiss. Rowan was man enough to admit he clung to her as he kissed her back. He didn’t want to leave. But as she said, he had a child to try to save.
“Come on, kid. I’ll drive you back to your house. I think my car is the last one in the driveway,” Tony, Bex’s dad, said as he slapped Rowan’s back.
Rowan closed his locker door. He was dressed in scrubs and the nurse had given him the rundown on the surgery he needed to perform. He was walking with the nurse to the operating room when another nurse jogged up to them.
“Doctor Townsend, a sheriff is at my desk asking if you’re here. What do I tell him?”
“Sheriff from where?”
“Holland something,” the nurse replied.
Rowan almost rolled his eyes. “Tell him I’m in surgery,” he told her as he went to scrub in. The sheriff of Holland Springs was not a priority for Rowan. He could wait if he really wanted to talk to Rowan.
“He made it seem important,” the nurse said, sounding worried.
“Is it more important than this kid’s life?” Rowan asked. The nurse didn’t answer. “That’s what I thought. And you can ask him that if he gets pushy.”
The door closed on the nurse and all thoughts of the sheriff, Nell, or Ingram dropped from his mind as he picked up the scalpel.
Countless hours later, Rowan yanked off his gloves, mask, and surgical gown. He pushed out of the operating room and headed down the hall toward the surgical waiting room. He pushed open the doors to the waiting room and looked around, seeing the sheriff immediately stand up.
“The Mauer family,” he called out, and saw the sheriff stop as a mother leapt up, tears running down her face, as she nervously walked toward Rowan.
Rowan smiled kindly at her, but that didn’t ease the fear in her face.
“Let’s go in here to talk.” Rowan held open the door to the conference room as she walked through it, looking as if she’d fall over at any minute.
The door closed and Rowan turned to the mother.
“I’m Dr. Rowan Townsend. I operated on your son, Oscar.
He’s a tough boy, Mrs. Mauer. Not many five-year-olds would come through an injury like that, but he did.
Abdominal injuries like that are going to take time to heal.
The propeller luckily missed his vital arteries.
I had to remove a section of his intestines, so he’s going to be very sore and on a very limited diet for a bit.
However, he’ll be just fine in time. I also checked on your husband.
The surgeon is almost done with the injury to his leg from the propeller.
I’m not sure of the extent of the damage done to his leg, but the surgeon was able to save it and didn’t need to amputate.
Both of your boys will come home, Mrs. Mauer. ”
Through the tears, Mrs. Mauer asked questions and Rowan spent fifteen minutes with her answering them all.
“He’s not awake yet, but he’s in recovery.
Normally, we don’t let parents back there until after he’s woken up, but I think it would do him good to see your face when he opens his eyes.
Come with me. I’ll have them take you to your son. ”
“Thank you, Dr. Townsend,” Mrs. Mauer was crying as she held on to his arm while he walked her through the waiting room.
“Can you page a nurse to come take Mrs. Mauer to recovery. I want her with her son when he wakes up,” Dr. Townsend told the staffer behind the desk.
“Yes, doctor,” he replied.
Rowan barely turned away from Mrs. Mauer when the sheriff was there. He looked to be in his fifties with his sandy blond hair more blond than sand with age.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to talk to you, Dr. Townsend.”
“Yeah, that can happen when there’s an emergency surgery. I’m assuming you’re not here for your son or daughter. What can I do for the sheriff of—?” Rowan waited for the sheriff to introduce himself.
“Josiah Faust, Sheriff of Holland Springs.” The sheriff held out his hand and Rowan shook it.
“I’m still kind of new here. Where is Holland Springs?” Rowan asked.
“About forty or so minutes north of Shadows Landing. That’s where you live, right?”
Rowan grunted as he ran his hand over his face.
“I’d say I spend most of my time here. But, yes, I have a house in Shadows Landing.
I also share a place near the hospital with my brother.
Why? What does this have to do with some town I’ve never heard of?
” That should irritate him if he’s anything like Ingram.
Narcissists don’t like being told they aren’t important.
Sheriff Faust bristled just as Rowan anticipated. “I’m here about a boy you treated, a John Doe. His father, Judge Ingram Faust—”
Rowan’s eyebrows rose. “Wow, must be a small town if one family holds both jobs. Which John Doe are you talking about and do you have a warrant for his medical records?”
Josiah turned his phone around and it was a picture of James Avery. “This one.”
“Ah, now I remember Judge Faust. Sorry, I can’t tell you much.
HIPAA prevents me from disclosing any medical records without a warrant or court order for patients and non-patients.
I can’t even confirm or deny if he’s John Doe.
I’m assuming you don’t have a warrant since you haven’t presented it to me.
You know the law. I’m sorry, there’s not much I can say to you. ”
“This child’s father, Ingram Faust, is worried sick. The mother, Sue Ellen Faust, kidnapped the children. Further, Sue Ellen’s sister, Nellie Katherine Hale, assaulted Judge Faust a couple of days ago. It’s been on the news.”
Dread filled Rowan’s stomach, but he couldn’t show it. “I didn’t see it. I’ve been a little busy. What happened?”
“Nellie attacked Ingram when he was out searching for his children. Used a bat to beat him up pretty bad. But Ingram took a swipe at Nellie and we pulled the blood from his hands and under his nails. DNA just came back. It’s Nellie’s.
” Josiah pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Rowan.
It was a DNA test and it read positive for Nellie’s blood.
It looked legit, but things could be faked.
Rowan handed it back to him. “The court issued a warrant for her arrest. She’s going to spend a long time in jail, but Ingram is too soft.
He said he’d drop the charges if Sue Ellen brings the kids back.
See, I think you’re lying and you know all of this because I think that John Doe wasn’t a John Doe.
If you don’t tell me the truth, I’m going to arrest you.
” Josiah puffed his chest out with the threat.
Rowan laughed, surprising Josiah. “Try it. I dare you.” Rowan stopped laughing and stepped into Josiah’s space.
“Let me tell you this, Sheriff. As someone who has seen a lot here in the hospital, if a woman takes her kids and runs from her husband, there’s usually a reason.
You should also know that from your job, or did you never think to ask your own relative if his wife has a reason to run? ”
Bullseye. Josiah flinched before his face turned red with anger.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Now, don’t come back without a warrant and don’t you think for one minute you can walk in here while I’m in surgery and try to intimidate me or anyone else here.
The law is very clear on matters of patient privacy and this hospital has an excellent legal department.
Your behavior is not very professional but for someone from such a small town, maybe you don’t know any better. Goodnight, Sheriff.”
Rowan didn’t turn around as he headed to the locker room to change.
He wanted nothing more than to go back to Shadows Landing, but he wasn’t stupid.
The sheriff would be following him. He would be mad about not being able to flex his authority with Rowan.
The moment he heard his last name was Faust, Rowan knew he couldn’t be trusted.
He was only an extension of Ingram. However, what worried him was the warrant for Nellie.
How had they gotten her blood for the DNA test, because it was clear she didn’t do it.
She had been with Rowan the entire time.
Rowan changed, talked to some people, checked in with his staff, and then headed to the parking garage.
As he exited the garage, he saw the sheriff trying to blend in.
He didn’t blend. Instead of turning for Shadows Landing, Rowan turned toward the condo Wilder let him use whenever he needed it.
Since marrying Bex, they’ve been spending more time in Shadows Landing than in the condo.
It didn’t take long before he was pulling into the small parking lot to the side of the old mansion turned condos. The light over the front door was on as he used his key to get into the lobby.
“Oh! You scared me.” Miss Tibbie looked as if she was in the wrong decade, wearing a silk dressing gown with feathers and slippers with matching feathers. “Another late night of surgery?”
“More like a tail that goes by the name of Sheriff Faust.”
Miss Tibbie’s smile fell and she shook her head. “Reports are coming to me saying that Ingram is spiraling. The clerk told him this morning that a reporter had been there asking to pull cases.” Miss Tibbie smirked at that as her little dog seemed to mimic.
“They managed to get a DNA test showing Nellie’s blood on Ingram from that so-called assault. They have a warrant out for her arrest.” Rowan didn’t know how they were going to handle that. How had Ingram gotten her blood?
Miss Tibbie nodded. “His aunt said the rumor is that Ingram blames Nellie because she’s the one who ‘stole’ his wife and children.
Sue Ellen would never ‘be so bold’ on her own.
He’s playing the victim card saying Nellie has a vendetta against him because he chose Sue Ellen over her.
” Miss Tibbie rolled her eyes and it was so funny to see from a woman of her stature that Rowan almost laughed.
“Don’t worry. Granger won’t arrest your girlfriend.
She’s safe in Shadows Landing. Now, I have a sheriff to go take care of. ”
Rowan pretended to leave the lobby, but he hid in the stairwell and watched Miss Tibbie head outside to take her elderly Yorkie for that last walk of the night.
Sheriff Faust approached her and Miss Tibbie pepper sprayed him.
Then her hands were fluttering as if she were apologizing.
Rowan struggled not to laugh loud enough to be heard.
Then her hands went to her hips and it looked as if she were lecturing the man. There was no puffing up on his part now. He said something and Miss Tibbie replied. After a short chat, Miss Tibbie moved to walk her dog and Josiah left in his cruiser.
Rowan waited for Miss Tibbie to return and when she did, she was smiling. “You’re safe to go home.”
“You pepper sprayed him!” Rowan was stunned.
“I told him that’s what he gets for hiding in the dark like a criminal and sneaking up on an old lady.
” Rowan high-fived her. She was an icon.
“Then he asked about you and about whether you’ve had any guests here and how often you stayed here.
I told him you were here many nights since you spent so much time at the hospital and I’d never seen you here with any guests or visitors. Which is the truth.”
Rowan leaned over and hugged Miss Tibbie. “You’re a gem. Thank you, Miss Tibbie.”
“Now, get back to your girl. This thing is coming to a head. As soon as I know something, I’ll call.”
“Thank you. Have a good night, Miss Tibbie.”
Rowan sent a message to Damon, updating him before he glanced out the windows and doors to make sure Sheriff Faust was really gone.
Rowan hated to wait, but he couldn’t risk a stakeout.
Once the hour had passed and no strange cars were parked on the street, he walked outside and searched the area more thoroughly.
Satisfied Sheriff Faust wasn’t there, Rowan finally got in his car to head home to Nell.