Chapter 12 #2
“You can pick that up in our pharmacy here, but not until seven,” Harper said. “But that’s only forty-five minutes from now.”
Trevor hadn’t realized how long they’d been there. “Perfect. We’ll eat breakfast, then grab your meds before we head home.”
“Another good reason to eat here.” Bailey reached for her coat. He hurried forward to hold it for her. “Thanks.” Her voice sounded breathless as she looped her purse over her shoulder.
“Anytime.” He glanced at the nurse. “Does she need a wheelchair?”
“I’ll grab it for you.”
“Oh, really?” Bailey looked disappointed.
“You’re not on strict bed rest,” Harper said. “You can be up for meals and to use the bathroom. But it can’t hurt to use the wheelchair since you’re on a new medication. I wouldn’t want you to get dizzy and fall.”
“We’ll wait for the chair,” he said firmly.
Bailey sighed and sat back on the edge of the gurney.
Harper brought the wheelchair. He helped Bailey sit down. “Thanks,” he told Harper. Then he added, “Come, Archie.”
He pushed Bailey’s wheelchair through the doorway.
Archie trotted ahead as if he owned the place.
Rather than returning to the waiting area, Trevor steered Bailey down a hallway.
He knew where the cafeteria was located since he’d worked as an EMT for a few years.
Also, he and his siblings had spent some time there a year ago after Kendra had suffered her bad fall.
“I can smell bacon and eggs,” Bailey murmured as they went through the hospital corridor.
“Me too.” They reached the cafeteria a few minutes later. “Let’s find a table. I need to grab food and dishes for Archie out of the SUV.”
“Sure.”
He scanned the room. It was early enough that most tables were empty. Yet there were several hospital staff members heading toward the food line. She gestured to a table in the back. “That should work. I can wait there for you.”
He pushed her to the table. Then he locked the wheels into place. “Stay, Archie.” He gave his K9 the command to sit. Archie lowered his haunches beside Bailey. “Guard.”
The K9’s tail thumped against the floor.
Trevor retraced his steps through the long corridor back to the emergency department entrance. The snow had stopped, which was nice. But his rental was covered in snow. He quickly brushed it off, then opened the rear hatch. He pulled out his backpack, then stepped back to close the door.
There were more cars in the parking lot, none of them a black pickup truck with a temporary license plate. He figured the hospital would get busier now that dawn was breaking over the horizon.
He paused, second-guessing his decision to stay. Then he pushed the doubt aside. Bailey needed her blood pressure medication for her newly diagnosed preeclampsia. That meant they didn’t have an option but to wait here for at least forty-five minutes. Might as well eat during that time.
He strode quickly back into the cafeteria. Bailey was still seated in her wheelchair, stroking Archie’s fur. “I don’t know what it is about Archie,” she said as he approached. “His calm demeanor makes me feel better.”
He dropped into the chair across from her.
“When we were training our K9s, Maya and Chase expressed some concern over Archie’s easygoing nature.
They thought maybe he was too nice of a dog to be successful in search and rescue missions.
Maya suggested I use him as a therapy dog instead.
” He opened the backpack to remove the collapsible bowls.
“Archie proved them wrong about his tracking ability. He has an excellent nose and has successfully found many lost people. But I have noticed he’s good with victims too. ”
“He’s amazing,” she agreed.
“Give me a minute to fill this with water from the sink.” He rose and crossed to the handwashing sink.
He offered Archie the water, then filled the second bowl with food.
Archie’s dark eyes watched with interest as he set the bowl on the floor.
Archie sat perfectly still, waiting for the command. “Go get it, boy.”
Archie quickly bent to eat, his tail wagging with excitement.
When Archie was finished, he tucked the bowls away, then stood. “I’ll get our food, just tell me what you’d like.”
“Bacon and eggs, over easy, with toast and orange juice.” She opened her purse and pulled out the bottle of vitamins he’d gotten for her.
“Got it. Stay, Archie.” His K9 stretched out under the table, satiated after having his own breakfast.
It didn’t take long for him to get their respective meals, including a large coffee for himself. He was running low on cash but figured the blood pressure medication wouldn’t cost too much.
Thankfully, he had more than enough fuel in the rental SUV to get them to the ranch.
It felt good to have a safe destination for Bailey. He smiled at her, setting the tray on the table. Then he took his seat and reached for her hand. “I’d like to say grace.”
“Okay.” She glanced around the cafeteria as if self-conscious about praying in public. Hard to blame her since he knew she didn’t normally say grace before meals.
“Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You for this food we are about to eat. We ask You to continue keeping Bailey and her daughter safe in Your care. Amen.”
“And Trevor too. Amen,” she murmured.
He smiled at the way she included him in their prayer. He hoped that once her memory returned, she’d continue on her faith journey. He really wanted her to continue to know God and to accept Jesus as her savior.
For now, he’d settle for keeping her safe. He dug into his meal with enthusiasm. The coffee was great and helped battle against his fatigue. Two nights in a row without getting much sleep was catching up to him.
But that would change once they reached the ranch. Not only would Bailey be able to enjoy her bed rest, but he could catch a quick nap too.
“This is good,” she said between bites.
He nodded. “When Kendra was here as a patient last year, we ate here a lot. The food isn’t half bad. Although it’s difficult to mess up breakfast.”
“I didn’t realize Kendra was a patient here.” She eyed him over her glass of orange juice. “She’s okay now?”
“Oh yeah. She’s fine. Broke her pelvis, though, in a bad fall.” He shook his head. “It was rough for a while, and my older siblings tend to treat her with kid gloves.”
“I can imagine you’re all protective of her.” Bailey downed her prenatal vitamin, then drained her juice. “Thanks for the OJ. Those vitamins have a bad aftertaste,” she said wryly.
“I can only imagine.” He glanced under the table at Archie, then continued eating. By his watch, the pharmacy would open in ten minutes. Perfect timing. They could be on the road heading south well before most of the city awoke.
“Tell me about the ranch,” Bailey said. “I assume you have a large ranch house?”
“The property used to be a dude ranch. There’s one main ranch house, with a huge dining area where we gather for family meals.
Then there are ten individual cabins that each of us uses as our own place.
Chase recently moved into the main ranch house, so his cabin is currently the guest house.
Maya and her husband, Doug, have added on to their cabin, expanding their master bedroom and creating a home office space. ”
“It sounds like you basically live alone.”
“Not really, there’s always activity going on.
” He finished his coffee. “We’ve added an air strip and a hangar for Logan; he’s a charter pilot married to my sister Jessica.
He owns three planes, if you can believe it.
Oh, and then there’s the barn and corral.
We have four horses that we sometimes use for our search missions.
” He glanced under the table at Archie. “Not to mention ten dogs roaming around. When they’re off duty, they know it’s playtime and run around the ranch like crazy. ”
“Ten dogs?” She frowned. “You have an extra K9? That seems strange.”
“No, I forgot to mention Doug’s sister, Emily, and her husband, Owen, live on the ranch now too.
Emily is the nurse you had your first night here, remember?
They have a chocolate lab named Bear who is training to be a SAR dog.
He’s coming along nicely and will be ready to head out on his own by next spring.
And I should add there’s a new black lab puppy named King.
Eleven dogs now.” He shook his head ruefully. “No wonder it’s chaotic.”
“Wow. That sounds like your ranch is a busy place.” She finished her toast and pushed her plate aside. “Thanks, that was great.”
“Do you want anything else?” He was pleased she’d eaten everything. Important fuel for her growing baby. “We have a few minutes before the pharmacy opens.”
“No, thanks. I’m stuffed.” She eyed his empty coffee cup. “I miss coffee.”
He felt guilty for enjoying his coffee when she couldn’t. “Sorry, next time I won’t get any.”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t begrudge you coffee.” She sighed. “I just miss it. But it’s worth avoiding caffeine for baby Naomi.”
“Naomi?” He hadn’t known she’d chosen a name. Then it hit him. “You remember her name?”
Her eyes widened. “Yes. Naomi is my mother’s name. I—I remember writing that down in a baby book.” Then her shoulders drooped. “I’m sure the baby book was destroyed during the break-in.”
“We’ll find it.” He hoped the baby book was salvageable. If nothing else, it may spur more memories. “I’m thrilled your memory is starting to return.”
“Me too.” She sighed. “Although remembering key information about Clark and his work at the pub would be far more helpful.” She frowned, and added, “If that’s what’s going on here.”
He figured that had to be the reason she was in danger. “Your memory will return soon.” He rose and lifted their tray of dirty dishes. “I’ll carry this to the tray line. Then we’ll head to the pharmacy.”
Archie slept beneath the table until he returned. Releasing the brakes on Bailey’s wheelchair, he rolled her away from the table. Archie crawled out, stretched, then followed.
“We should have asked where it’s located.” Bailey glanced back at him as they crossed the room.
“Pretty sure it’s in the corner of the lobby.
” He pushed her wheelchair out of the cafeteria and turned to the left.
The lobby wasn’t far, and again, he was surprised to see several employees in scrubs milling about.
He remembered Emily saying she worked twelve-hour shifts from seven in the morning until seven thirty at night.
This must be the early crew reporting to work.
The pharmacy wasn’t open yet. He pushed Bailey off to the side so they wouldn’t be in anyone’s way and considered heading out to bring the SUV around to the front.
Not that it was a problem to push her through the hospital back to the emergency department.
He glanced at his watch again. Hearing a click, he glanced over to see a woman with long blond hair unlocking the glass door to the pharmacy.
“It’s open. Sit tight, I’ll be back soon.” Without giving Bailey a chance to say anything, he crossed the lobby to enter the pharmacy. Archie trailed along beside him, sniffing the floor with interest.
“May I help you?” The blond-haired woman glanced up from her computer.
“I’m here to pick up a prescription for Bailey Adams.” He gestured to where she sat in the wheelchair. “She’s been discharged from the emergency department.”
“One moment please.” She worked the keyboard for a moment. “Okay, I see it. Give me a minute or two to get this filled for you.”
“Of course.” He bent to scratch Archie behind the ears. “We’re heading home, boy.”
Archie thumped his tail on the floor.
He straightened, watching the pharmacist as she plucked a bottle off the shelf and carried it to a counter. Preparing the prescription didn’t take too long. She returned to the cash register and pushed the bag toward him. “That will nineteen dollars and fifty-two cents.”
Archie growled as he pulled cash from his pocket. With a frown, he glanced at his K9, then looked back through the glass door.
A man wearing scrubs was wheeling Bailey through the lobby toward the front door.
“No, stop!” He tossed the twenty-dollar bill down and grabbed the blood pressure medication. “Get him, Archie!”
His K9 wheeled away and ran through the lobby. Trevor was hot on the dog’s heels. He dodged a staff member who was walking while looking at her phone, barely missing her.
“Stop him! Stop!” he shouted as he burst through the open door. Archie had already snaked through when the woman on the phone had walked in. Archie was barking loudly, doing a good imitation of an attack dog.
“Trevor!” Bailey’s voice was terrified. “Help!”
The man in scrubs wore a coat along with a paper hospital mask concealing his face. He glanced over his shoulder, then gave Bailey’s wheelchair a hard shove, sending her skating across the driveway straight toward a snowbank.
Trevor put on a burst of speed, but it was too late. The guy in scrubs darted to the left, jumped into the front seat of a black pickup truck, and roared away.