by Cate Beauman
“Perfect. We’ll do a full panel and send it off to the lab. When the results come back, I’ll show you how to read them.”
“Aw, Doc, I’m not a big fan of needles.” He looked at her with such dismay she struggled to hold back a smile.
“It’ll just take a second. Hand Faith over to Jenny, and have a seat in the lab chair while I grab the stuff I’ll need.”
He muttered a curse as he followed her into the next room and sat down. “How the hell did I get myself roped into this one?”
“I think you should know you’re scoring major brownie points.” She gathered her supplies, bringing them over to the table.
He perked up. “What kind of brownie points?”
“The feel-good kind—that deep down tingle of satisfaction that comes from knowing you’re furthering an eager student’s education.”
He blinked at her, clearly unamused.
She grinned, winking. “This won’t hurt a bit. Peds used to call me up to their wing all the time to start IVs. They say I have the magic touch.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
“I really do appreciate this, Shane.” Jenny stood close by, rubbing Faith’s back as the baby slept in her arms.
“I think I should at least get a batch of chocolate chip cookies out of the deal. From you,” he emphasized, pointing to Jenny.
“Okay. I’ll bake you up a treat.”
“Now we’re talking.”
“All right. Down to business.” Reagan went to the sink, washing her hands. “Jenny, if Shane were a real patient, the first thing you would do is ask him his name and birthdate to make sure you’re drawing tests for the right person. Since the workup we’re doing today commonly accompanies most physicals, you’ll also want to c0nfirm that your patient has fasted for the appropriate amount of time—typically twelve hours.”
“Well, I didn’t fast, so we should probably save this lesson for another day.” Shane moved to stand.
Reagan halted his movements with a hand to the chest. “Brownie points have been awarded, Mr. Harper, but your cool points are quickly dwindling.”
He sat back, clenching his jaw, steaming out a breath through his nose.
She pulled on gloves. “We glove up and look for a vein. Shane’s pretty easy. He’s muscular and has low body fat, so they’re easy to spot.” She slid her finger along a couple of her options. “We’ll take this one here.” She grabbed the blue band. “We’ll tie the tourniquet.” She secured the elastic in place. “Shane, go ahead and pump your hand.”
He did as he was asked, accentuating his veins further.
“If our patient didn’t have veins we could easily see, we would palpate the antecubital fossa and locate the median cubital vein here.” She demonstrated, tapping the skin of his inner elbow, then grabbed an alcohol packet. “I’m going to clean the area with this alcohol pad before making my stick.” She looked at Jenny. “Why would I want to do that?”
“To keep pathogens from enterin’ his bloodstream, which can lead to infection or contaminate your sample.”
She beamed at her student. “Excellent.” She grabbed the needle. “I’m going to grasp Shane’s arm firmly and place my thumb about two inches below the puncture site and pull his skin taught. Slight poke,” she said to Shane as she pushed the evacuator tube onto the needle. Within seconds, blood filled the vial. “Go ahead and relax your hand,” she said as she pulled off the tourniquet. “We’ll take three vials for a full workup.” She filled two more. “We need to give the blood a gentle mix with this side-to-side motion.” She showed Jenny, then put the glass down as she picked up a piece of gauze. “Put this over the site and apply pressure as you remove the needle. You’ll then want to engage the safety device like this and toss your syringe in the sharps box.” When she finished, she took Shane’s hand, settling his fingers on the gauze. “We’ll have our patient continue to apply pressure, then we’ll tape the gauze in place like so.” She studied Shane as he looked at his arm. “How are you feeling?”
“Not bad. You do have a pretty gentle touch, Doc.”
She smiled. “Thanks. Make sure you leave the gauze on for a good half hour.” She directed her attention to Jenny. “So what do you think?”
Jenny nibbled her lip. “I’m gonna need lots of practice.”
“Blood draws are pretty intimidating at first, but we’ll have you practice on an orange for awhile until you’re comfortable.” She picked up the tubes. “I need to make up a couple of labels for these, then we can take them down to Mini for a rush to the lab.”
“When will we get the results? Jenny asked, adjusting Faith in her arms.
“Typically within forty-eight hours. I’ll be right back.” She walked to her office and sat down, typing up Shane’s name, birthdate, and the codes the lab would need. She hit print when the e-mail from Doctor Jacobson caught her eye. “Finally.” She clicked open the message, reading his response.
Doctor Rosner,
Thank you for your e-mail and request for a meeting, but I don’t see the need to waste each other’s time. It is my professional opinion, as Henry Dooley’s doctor and as one of the state’s leading pulmonologists, that he does indeed have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Although I appreciate your concern, it is not needed or warranted. I spoke with the Dooley family this morning, and they have informed me you are no longer their physician of record in this matter, which would make further contact not only unethical but illegal.
Thank you,
Doctor Steven Jacobson
“You bastard.” She read the condescending paragraph again and slammed her laptop closed. “You son of a bitch.” She clenched her fists as her chest heaved and her heart pounded with the surge of molten anger. She turned her head and jumped when she noticed Jenny standing in the doorway.
“You’re pissed, huh?”
“Yes, I guess you could say that.” Clearing her throat, she peeled off the stickers that had just finished printing and stuck them to the vials of blood, trying to regain her composure as her pulse pounded in her head. “Why don’t you go get Faith ready for a trip to town? I’ll be right there.”
Jenny nodded and walked out the front door with the baby.
She stood, walking to the window, gripping the sill and stared out at the endless acres of trees, trying to remember the last time she’d felt so damn mad.
“Do you want me to stick around for a while?” Shane asked from the doorway.
She shook her head.
“Two missed appointments doesn’t mean the whole day’s a wash.”
She closed her eyes, resting her head against the glass. “I think we both know no one will be stepping foot in here again anytime soon.”
“They’ll come back, Reagan. Just give them time.”
She pressed her lips firm. “Right.”
“I gave Ethan that doctor’s name.”
“I appreciate it.” She turned and grabbed the vials of blood, taking them back to the small lab area. Standing around staring out the window wasn’t going to solve anything. “You can go on home.”
“Why don’t you come with me?”
“I have stuff to do.” She cushioned the tubes of glass in bubble wrap and set them in a biohazard cooler, filling the container with ice.
“Like?”
“Going into town.” She walked toward the door and stepped out, waiting for Shane to follow, and locked up. “Jenny, Faith, and I are going to drop this off with Mini and get a couple gallons of milk.”
“I can handle that for you.”
“No,” she said too sharply. She didn’t want Shane to handle anything for her. She just needed to get away from here.
“I think I should come too.”
“I don’t need you to come.” She fell into step beside him as they made their way down the short path to the cabin.
“I’d like to anyway.”
She stopped. “Why?”
“Because things are a little different than they were the last
time you and Jenny went down. Things seem to be a little tense around here.” He gestured to the clinic. “Last time the community wasn’t real happy, the school burnt down.”
She sighed a long breath. “You talked to Jenny.”
“We had a couple of spare seconds in the lab. Her conversation with Terry might’ve come up.”
She absorbed another wave of humiliation. “So stay here and guard the office.”
“I don’t give a damn about the office.” He took her hand. “But I do care about you and the girls.”
“Fine. We’ll all hop in the SUV and have a fun family adventure.”
“Don’t get pissy with me, Doc. I’m not the bad guy here.”
And he wasn’t. “You’re right. I’m taking my frustrations out on you, and I’m sorry.”
“I don’t mind being a punching bag, but at least give me a heads up as to why. There’s more going on here than Henry.”
She stared down at the dirt path, blinking back tears. “Doctor Jacobson sent me an e-mail.”
“And?”
“He stands by his diagnosis. He made it very clear he’s the specialist and Henry’s case is no longer my business.”
“He’s an asshole.”
She smiled, then chuckled at Shane’s blunt opinion, surprised that she could laugh. “Yes.”
He smiled back. “So let’s get out of here for a while. We could pack up the ladies, throw the drugs into a duffel bag, and head to Lexington for a night.”
The idea of escaping, even for one night, was very appealing. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I’ll go transfer everything out of the safe right now.”
She wanted to go—badly. “I can’t.” She shook her head with regret. “What if someone needs help?”
He rocked back on his heels and puffed out a breath. “I’ve gotta give it to you, Doc, you’re dedicated, even when they don’t deserve it.”
“I see it as responsible.”
“And dedicated.” He captured her jaw. “Let’s get a gallon of milk. And we need to pick up chocolate chips. Jenny owes me cookies.”
She lifted his arm, examining his bandage. “You were a good sport today.”
“I really hate needles.” He winced.
“So how’d you end up with a tattoo?”
“I was incredibly drunk.”
She rolled her eyes.
“One of my roommates, Gavin, got shot in the back—an apprehension gone wrong. He almost died. When we figured out he was going to make it, Jerrod, me, and a couple of our other buddies went out, had about five too many beers, and woke up with matching tattoos on our arms.”
Grinning, she pressed his knuckles to her cheek. “You’re a good guy, putting your discomfort aside for Jenny.”
“I don’t know about that. I kinda just didn’t want to look like a weenie.”
She laughed.
He grinned. “And I get my favorite cookie out of the deal, so it’s not so bad.”
Somewhere along the way, Shane had become a vital part of her existence in this odd, desolate place. “How about we go one better and plan on an early dinner tonight, junk food, and maybe a board game?”
He sucked in a deep breath. “Sounds pretty intense.”
She laughed again. “It’s what we’ve got.”
“True.” He took her hand. “Let’s go to town.”
~~~~
Reagan steered around a sharp turn as Shane’s eclectic mix of music played through the SUV speakers. She avoided another jut in the dirt road, sending Shane closer to her side with the movement.
“I’ll fill up the tank,” he said.
“I can get the milk if you want.” Jenny leaned forward from the back seat, using the rearview mirror to slick her lips with cheap gloss.
Shane frowned, turning to look at her. “What are you getting all dressed up for?”
“We’re goin’ into town. It’s been a long time since I’ve been down to the market.”
“We went last week,” Reagan reminded her with a grin.
“Like I said—a long time.”
“We need to get you out more.” Shaking his head, Shane turned back, his eyes full of fun.
Reagan smiled, savoring the normalcy Jenny and Shane brought to her life. She needed this simple ride with the people who had become her little family. “Jenny, if you grab the milk, I’ll get the mail and drop off the blood samples.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
She pulled up to the pump for Shane and got out, waiting for Jenny to finagle Faith’s car seat from the base. “Don’t forget the chocolate chips,” she said as she open the market door for Jenny to step in before her. “Good morning, Hazel.” She smiled at the clerk behind the counter.
Hazel turned away instead of greeting her, busying herself with the packages of cigarettes.
Reagan exchanged a glance with Jenny and walked to the mail window as Jenny moved to the coolers of milk. “Good morning, Mini. I’ve got a lab drop off.” She handed over the small cooler.
“I’ll get your mail.” Mini barely met Reagan’s eyes as she spoke.
The friendly small talk she’d grown used to over the past few weeks was glaringly absent. “Thank you.”
Mini came back moments later with a bundle. “Here you go.”
“I appreciate it.” Struggling to keep her smile in place, she turned, gasping when she bumped into one of the men who typically stood out front. “Oh, excuse me.” She tried to move around him, but he stepped in her way. “Excuse me,” she said again.
“You Feds ain’t nothin’ but trouble.”
She breathed in putrid smoker’s breath as his face loomed inches above hers. “If you would please move—”
“Get out of her way, Obediah,” Jenny said, moving toward her.
“Shut up, Jenny,” he warned, pointing his finger. “I ain’t finished with what I’ve got to say to the good doctor here.”
Shane pulled open the door, taking his wallet from his pocket, pausing as he looked from Reagan to the man, Jenny, and back. “Is there a problem?”
“The problem’s you,” Obediah spat. “You Feds is liars and kidnappers.” He gestured to Jenny. “You done nothin’ but interfere and ruin our lives since you came.”
Shane set a fifty on the counter. “Hazel, I’m sure this will cover our gas and groceries.”
Hazel took the money and turned away.
“Let’s go,” he said to Reagan and Jenny.
“Bad things happen to no-good Feds,” Obediah said as they walked out.
Reagan swallowed, glancing at Shane as they made it to the SUV. She took the passenger’s seat, staring at the group of men looking their way as Shane helped Jenny settle Faith in the base.
“Let’s get out of here.” Shane turned over the ignition and took a right onto the main road. The ride was faster than usual—and silent—as the vehicle climbed farther into the hills and Reagan’s mind raced. Within minutes, Shane pulled into the drive and Reagan got out, walking up the steps to the cabin. She let herself in, hurrying down to her room.
Closing herself inside, she leaned against the door and crossed her arms at her chest as she took several deep breaths, fighting back tears. Everything was ruined, her credibility shot, but that wasn’t the worst part. Jenny and Faith had been lumped into Fed status along with her and Shane. Bad things happen to no-good Feds. What would’ve happened if Shane hadn’t insisted on coming to town with them today? She sniffled, worrying about the potential danger she’d brought to the young mother and her baby.
A knock sounded at the door. “Reagan?”
“Um.” She moved away from the door and wiped at her cheeks. “This isn’t a good time.”
He opened the door anyway. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Fine.” She walked to her desk, avoiding eye contact, fiddling with the edge of Henry’s x-ray films. “Can—can we talk later?”
“We could, but then I wouldn’t be able to tell you Ethan just called
.”
She whirled around. “He found him? He found Doctor Schlibenburg?”
“I told you he would. It’s just his number—a cellphone registered to his daughter. Ethan’s still trying to pinpoint his address.”
She took the number he handed her and closed her eyes, fighting another wave of emotion. “I don’t—I don’t know how to thank you.”
He pulled her into a hug, running his hand down her hair. “You could stop trying to be so brave all the time and just cry for a change. I bet you’ll feel better afterwards.”
She held on to him, shaking her head. “I avoid crying at all costs. It gives me a headache.”
He eased her away enough to look into her eyes. “Did that man put his hands on you?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to head that off from the beginning.”
“It’s okay. None of us knew that was going to happen.” She swallowed. “I’m going to Lexington tomorrow. I’m meeting with Doctor Jacobson.”
“Does he know you’re coming?”
She shook her head.
“What about Doctor S.?”
“I’m going to call him, but I’m going to see Doctor Jacobson too. He’s going to explain to me Henry’s diagnosis, whether Henry’s my patient or not.”
“Do you think that’s the right move?”
“It’s the only one I have left. He’s telling me one thing and my gut’s telling me another.”
“Then I guess you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.”
She touched his cheek, treasuring his support, wondering what she would do without him. She’d never had anyone in her life quite like him. No one understood her the way he did. “Thank you.” She kissed him, chastely. “You’re the best.”
“Go ahead and make your call. I’ll throw together some sort of lunch.”
“Okay.”
He closed the door behind him, and she hurried to her bedside phone, dialing Doctor Schlibenburg’s number, listening to it ring a dozen times. Pressing her lips together, she hung up, refusing to be discouraged. She would try again later, but for now she was going to help Shane make lunch. By tomorrow afternoon, she would have answers.