by Mary Eason
His only answer was the emergence of that wicked little smile that threatened to shatter her fragile self-control.
“Any news yet?” Jordan asked to cover her embarrassment.
“No, nothing yet, which has me concerned. I don’t like it. If I don’t hear something soon, we may have to take matters into our own hands.”
Jordan expected to be bombarded with a dozen different questions from Momma Lizbeth when she and Riley walked in but the look of concern in the head nurse’s eyes had nothing to do with Jordan being late.
“Oh thank goodness.” Mamma Lizbeth was standing at the nurse’s station, watching the door. It was obvious she’d been waiting for Jordan.
“I’m sorry. I overslept.” Jordan stammered over the obvious. Her face had to be turning a dozen different shades of red.
Momma Lizbeth seemed distracted this morning. “I need you to come with me.” Her troubled eyes barely spared Riley a glance.
“What is it?” Jordan shot Riley a questioning look. She could almost read every single one of his concern.
Momma Lizbeth started to say something more then thought better of it. “A little boy. His mamma brought him in with a fever ten minutes ago. Since that time, his fever’s spiked. We gave him something to bring it down. It seems to be working for the moment.” Momma Lizbeth wagged her head and Jordan felt the uneasiness that begun with Riley’s appearance skyrocket. “But I have a bad feeling about this one, Doctor Jayne. I don’t mind telling you.”
Jordan frowned as she grabbed her coat. She glanced Riley’s way once more, saw him nod and motion toward the waiting area.
She headed for the room with the older woman in tow. The warmth of the island was a blessing when it came to colds and flu. There were very few extreme cases reported.
The minute Jordan opened the door and saw the boy’s condition had worsened, she agreed with Momma Lizbeth. She had a bad feeling as well. The boy’s temp had begun to rapidly spike once more.
The nurse sitting with the mother and child seemed harried as she gave Jordan the run down. “I’ve been giving him ice chips to bring the temperature down, but so far it’s not working. And now there’s this.”
The boy’s face appeared to be covered with a red rash. The nurse lifted the boy’s shirt to expose the bright red bumps filled with fluids spreading across the child’s chest. The child’s symptoms screamed, “Small Pox”.
God, please no.
The last known outbreak of the deadly disease had been years ago.
After a quick glance at the boy’s medical history, Jordan noticed he wasn’t current on all shots. The mother couldn’t remember if he’d had his Small Pox vaccination. As far as she knew, he wasn’t allergic to anything, and hadn’t been exposed to anything unusual in recent days.
Please let her be wrong this time.
“Give him plenty of fluids.” Both the nurse and Momma Lizbeth shot her a look. They both knew this was the standard treatment for Small Pox. There was no cure for the deadly virus. “Stay with him.” Jordan told the nurse then glanced Momma Lizbeth’s way. The woman followed her outside.
“Are there any more cases?”
“Not that I’ve heard of. This is the first. You don’t think…”
“Dear God, I hope not, but the symptoms are classic. Call everyone on the staff and alert them. If it is Small Pox this won’t be an isolated case.”
“Should we alert the CDC?”
If this was Small Pox, Jordan knew time was of the essence, but once news spread of a possible outbreak, every news agency around the world would descend on the island bringing exposure Jordan couldn’t afford right now. Small Pox was a rapidly spreading disease and so far no other patients displaying the symptoms had been admitted, which was a good sign. This could be something totally unrelated mimicking the Small Pox symptoms.
God help her if she was making the wrong decision right now because it could end up costing hundreds of lives.
“Let’s wait a few hours. See if this is an isolated case. It could be anything. No need to scare anyone unnecessarily.”
While Momma Lizbeth nodded she wasn’t convinced. Her troubled gazed slipped to the hustle and bustle of activity along the marketplace.
“You see that moon last night, Doctor Jayne?” The woman’s body shook with the weight of her shudder. The fear in her dark eyes had Jordan’s full attention. “My grandmamma used to call it a blood moon. It’s a bad sign, Doctor Jayne. Never fails. Blood moon means death is on its way.”
With nothing to offer in way of comfort, Jordan forced herself to walk away from Momma Lizbeth. She needed to find Riley.
The minute he spotted Jordan heading his way, he got to his feet and rushed toward her.
“What is it?” His gaze scrutinized her expression. “Has someone showed up—“
“No. This has nothing to do with Caesar.” She noticed several people milling around the waiting area watching their exchange curiously. “Let’s talk over here.”
She led him to a quiet corner away from anyone listening in. “One of the local women brought a little boy in this morning before we arrived.” She took a breath.
“Is it bad?”
She nodded. “It could be. “ She took a deep breath. “It could be real bad. Riley, it looks like Small Pox. If it is, it’s highly contagious.”
He closed his eyes. “Dammit. How soon before you can confirm?”
“Soon. A few hours. But Riley, if this is Small Pox, I’ll have no choice but to notify the authorities, which means--”
“Anyone searching for you won’t have far to look.” He supplied for her. “We’ll have to leave before it comes to that. You know that don’t you?”
“Riley…”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I know. Let’s hope it doesn’t.”
“Let’s hope.” He reached for her hand and held it. The warmth in his eyes helped to focus her.
“Doctor Jayne!” Momma Lizbeth headed toward Jordan and Riley at an unusually fast pace. The expression on her face made Jordan forget all of her concerns for her own safety. “Come quick!”
“What is it?” Jordan knew it was bad.
“There’s two more children come in. Same symptoms.”
“Oh God.” She turned to Riley. “I have to go.”
His eyes still held onto hers. “Go. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Jordan was ready to refuse when Momma Lizbeth interrupted. Reaching for his arm, she tugged him along with her. “There sure is, boy. You can help me get this waiting area set up for patients. I have a feeling we’re going to need all the space we can get pretty soon.”
He turned back to Jordan who nodded. “She’s right. We can use your help.”
“You’ve got it. Go. I’ll be okay.” Jordan hurried away realizing that she had no idea what Riley found out about her case.
***
Four hours later, the waiting room looked like a triage unit.
Dozens of children were streaming in with the reported symptoms mimicking that of Small Pox.
The first adult case arrived mid-morning.
Riley’d barely spoken more than a handful of words to Jordan during that time, but he knew she would have reported the outbreak to the proper authorities which meant their window of escape was shrinking with every passing minute.
He needed somewhere quiet and away from the drama unfolding in the hospital to warn David Enfield of this new development.
Riley settled for a deserted space along the hallway and discovered there were three voicemail messages on his phone. The noise coming from the waiting room had made it almost impossible to hear.
Before he could place the call, the phone in his hand vibrated to life. ”Hello.”
“Riley Donovan?” He’d only spoken to David Enfield a handful of times in the past, but he recognized the man’s voice. The caller ID troubled him though. It had been deliberately blocked.
“Yes.” Why did it suddenly feel
as if a noose was closing in around him and Jordan?
“Good. Riley, this is David Enfield -- your father’s friend. Sorry for all the cloak and dagger, but you can’t be too careful.” The warmth in the man’s tone helped to dispel some of Riley’s misgivings.
“Yes, I remember you, David.” After a moment of silence, Riley got straight to the point. “My father thinks you can help us.”
“I can. But I’m going to need a little more time.”
Riley glanced around at the growing number of patients filling the hospital. “That could be difficult. Time isn’t really something we have a lot of right now.”
The older man drug out a sigh. “I understand. But I need you to stay put until you hear from me.”
“David, I’m not sure you do understand. Staying put is going to be impossible. We have a situation here that’s threatening.”
“You’re in danger?”
“No. Not in so many words.” Riley wondered how to even begin explaining this new development.
“Then what’s the problem?” He could hear the growing impatience in Enfield’s tone.
“There’s been an outbreak here on the island. Highly contagious. Small Pox.” Riley had been careful not to tell his father too much. Now he’d just given away a huge clue concerning their whereabouts.
“Good God. Are you—“
“We’re okay. We’re not worried about contracting the fever. But we are in danger. We’re about to be surrounded by medical authorities from all over the world. Not to mention the press.”
“Man, this is so not what I need to hear right now.” David paused for a moment. “Okay, let me find out what the word is here in the states. I’ll see if I can keep a lid on the CDC. As soon as I can figure out how to get the two of you out of there without alerting anyone’s suspicions I’ll be in touch.”
Riley closed the phone. Not exactly what he’d hoped to hear, but at least it was something.
He found Jordan treating the parent of one of the children brought in earlier. He managed to catch her eye and motioned to her. She finished examining the woman, gave the nurse treatment instructions then grabbed a syringe and walked out of the room still wearing the mask.
“Roll up your sleeve. I need to give you a booster.”
He did as she asked. “What about you? Ouch! Dammit that hurt!” Riley winced as the tiny pronged fork scraped the skin numerous times.
“Don’t be a baby. I gave myself the same shot when we confirmed the diagnosis. Where’ve you been? You should have had this hours ago. I hope—“
“I’ll be fine. I’m as strong as a horse.” He watched her place the bandage over the mark as she’d done a dozen times today. “I spoke to David Enfield.”
She removed her latex gloves with an angry “smack” followed by the mask. She didn’t like the news.
Jordan glanced around the room. “Let’s get some air, okay? It’s starting to feel as if the walls are closing in.”
“Alright.” He followed her outside without saying a word. She looked exhausted.
When they were some distance away from the hospital, she turned to him, shielding her eyes against the afternoon glare. “What did he say?”
“He wants to bring us both in. This situation with the outbreak makes that more difficult, of course.” He studied her expression. She didn’t look as if she could take much more. “He wants us to sit tight.”
“How long?” Her gaze held his.
“He didn’t say. My guess is a few days at least.”
She focused on the hospital once more shaking her head. “The CDC is dispatching an emergency team already. Someone is apt to leak news of this magnitude to the press.”
“Yes. Let’s just hope David figures something out soon, otherwise I’m afraid we’ll be on our own. The way I see it, we’ve got maybe another day if we’re lucky before all the major news media picks the story up. Once that happens, the place will be locked down tight. No one will be getting on or off the island. Will be sitting ducks.”
Chapter Fifteen
The steady onslaught of new patients made it virtually impossible for Jordan and the rest of the staff to monitor those exposed to the fever the longest.
She didn’t talk to Riley again for most of the afternoon, but just knowing he was close helped to keep her from going out of her mind with fear.
She kept a close eye on the events taking place outside the hospital. The ETA for help was still some hours out. Without any airstrip on the island, the CDC team would have to land on one of the neighboring islands of size and ferry to Longboat.
By the time the sun began to sink lower on the horizon, the number of infected totaled well over a hundred and growing.
Momma Lizbeth had called in every member of the medical staff including those retired and anyone with any knowledge of medicine, but it wasn’t enough.
Supplies were quickly running out. They’d begun treating patients with less effective antibiotics until the CDC arrived to replenish their supplies.
So far, the death toll was zero. But there were many victims clinging to life.
“You need to take a break, Doctor Jayne. You look exhausted.” Momma Lizbeth held a cup of coffee out to her.
“I’m okay--”
“No, you’re not. You’re practically dead on your feet. Go take a few minutes. There’s been no new cases in the last half hour. Take a break. You’ll need it later on.”
“I need to check on the elderly couple--”
“They’re fine. I just came from there. Go. Take advantage of the time while you can.”
With nothing left to do, Jordan stepped out into the sultry twilight. The smell of the ocean helped to clear her head. The peacefulness of the island settled in around her.
For any unsuspecting soul recently arriving on Longboat Key, it would appear to be just another day in paradise. But as Jordan watched the sun dip farther on the horizon she wondered how many victims would die before relief finally arrived.
And how much longer before the showdown with Caesar she’d known was coming since she’d left New York arrived. Today. Tonight. Possible tomorrow. But for certain it would come. The only thing left to chance was whether or not she’d walk away from it.
***
In the middle of setting up additional beds in the doctor’s lounge, Riley’s cell phone rang. He excused himself and stepped outside to take the call from David.
“Tell me you have good news.”
“I wish that I could say that I do, but I’m afraid I don’t. There’s no place to land a helicopter much less a plane on Longboat Key. And with everything that’s going on there right now, we can’t risk the agents lives we’d be sending in. We’re getting the vaccine necessary to inoculate our people, but it’s taking a bit of bargaining with CDC. In the meantime, I’m working on an alternate plan. There’s another small island not far from Longboat Key with an airstrip big enough to land on. I should know something more in a couple of hours.”
Riley released a frustrated sigh in answer to the words he’d expected but didn’t need to hear.
“I know, I know. It’s not good. Hang in there, Riley. I promised your old man I’d keep Anyone suspicious-looking showed up on the island yet?”
“Not as far as I know, but then…”
“Yeah, I know. The devil couldn’t fool as many people as he does by looking like the devil. What about the good doctor? She holding up okay?”
“As best as can be expected, I guess. She’s been too busy keeping other people alive to worry about her own life.”
“Okay, well, keep an eye on her and try to get some sleep. You sound bushed.”
Riley didn’t bother responding. Sleep. Yeah, that was going to happen.
He closed the phone and tried to think clearly. He was exhausted down to his soul which made rational thought that much harder. Unfortunately, his cop instinct was telling him they’d be on their own when the time came.
He considered their options. They were fe
w. As much as he hated dragging his father their dangerous situation once again, he didn’t believe they’d have the luxury of a waiting for David.
“It’s me. Can you talk?” Riley hoped to forewarn his father against saying anything that might identify him.
“Are you okay?” his old man wanted to know.
“Yes. But I think we need an alternate plan.”
“What do you need?”
“Go to New Jersey.” His father would recognize the nickname he’d given Burbeck years ago when he’d still been his old man’s partner.
“I understand. I know what to do.”
“Thanks.” It was hard letting his father go. Riley snapped the phone closed, but didn’t return to the hospital right away. The village appeared deserted tonight. The street outside the hospital had finally slowed to just a few hospital employees smoking cigarettes. He’d given up smoking a few years back after his high school friend developed lung cancer. Now. After today. Riley would give almost anything to feel the soothing effects of nicotine in his body once more.
Instead, he focused on the scene around him. A good sign he hoped. Maybe the worst was behind them.
He wondered how hard it was going to be getting Jordan away from her patients with the seriousness of the situation. When the moment came, she wouldn’t have a choice. They’d have to act quickly. He hoped after today she was up to it.
Before he’d made it inside again, the phone he’d jammed back in his pant’s pocket shrilled once more.
“This is Jersey. I hear you’ve gotten yourself into quite a jackpot down there.” Riley had to smile in spite of the circumstances. The raspy sound of Frank Burbeck’s voice had never sounded more welcome.
“You could say that. Is the line secure?”
“Whatta you bubba? My first day on the job?”
Riley breathed a sigh of relief. “Got anyone in mind to help?”
He heard the familiar snort that served as Burbeck’s laugh. “I might just at that. If this is about what I think it’s about then you’re in big trouble just by being there, bubba.”
“Hey, I’m on vacation.”