Margaret stood up and opened the door. “Thank you, Delaney.”
Chapter 30
“Dr. Mackenzie, thank you for joining me.” Kevin McConnell shook his hand, indicating a seat in a tiny conference room on the first floor early Wednesday afternoon. “I know this was short notice. I appreciate you making time in your schedule.”
Josh looked around at the empty room as he sat down, suspicion crowding out the anger he’d been carrying since his conversation with Delaney last night.
“With all due respect, it didn’t sound like this was an optional meeting.”
Kevin sat down at the head of the table, shuffling some papers before he clasped his hands and looked at Josh.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, we’ve been doing some very careful budget analysis over the past few weeks, and your department was examined at length. Unfortunately, we’ve had to make some hard decisions.”
Josh’s gut squeezed. Oh, hell.
Kevin’s face was set in a sympathetic—yet businesslike—pose, and Josh wondered how hard he’d had to practice it in order to feel like it was working for him.
It wasn’t.
“What kinds of decisions are we talking about?”
Kevin pulled out a sheet of paper and looked down at it for a long moment, then sighed. “The board met this morning to look at proposals, and they’ve voted in some immediate changes. We’ve had to make some … rather substantial revisions to a number of line items. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, and believe me, I wish we weren’t in a position of having to adjust things quite so substantially.” He handed the paper to Josh. “I’ll give you a minute to look them over, and then we can go through them line by line if it’s helpful.”
Josh took the sheet, trying to regulate his breathing, trying not to think about what role Delaney might—or might not—have had in pushing through this proposal, whatever it was. He took a deep breath and started slowly scanning the list, letting his eyes take in each item in turn. As he read, a whole different kind of emotion took over.
He’d seen this list before. Delaney had handed him this list. But then she’d spent two weeks on his floor, and the last time he’d checked, she’d claimed to have shredded it. She’d said it was premature, not fully researched, not—safe. So why the hell was he seeing it again?
“May I ask who was responsible for coming up with this list?” He fought to keep his voice even.
“It was a group effort, of course, but I have to give my colleague, Delaney Blair, credit for most of the heavy lifting here. I’m sure you’ve seen her around the floor for the past couple of weeks, doing some observations.”
Josh nodded slowly. Oh, he’d seen her, all right. On the pediatric floor, on the dock, in his bed …
“This”—Kevin pointed to the paper in Josh’s hand—“is the culmination of her efforts. She turned in her recommendations on Friday.”
No. This had been the start of her efforts, which she’d then discarded.
Hadn’t she?
“I’m sorry.” Josh leaned forward, placing the sheet on the table. “I’m really confused here. Surely you’ve determined the impact these cuts would have on our programs. Delaney wouldn’t have recommended these cuts. There’s no way.”
Kevin nodded gravely. “I’m sorry. Nothing was easy about this. For any of us. She warned us that these findings would be … upsetting.”
“Upsetting? Upsetting? You’re kidding, right?” Josh felt like the top of his head was about to blow off. The cuts on this list weren’t just taking nice-to-have items away in a budget crisis. These were people—people he needed on that floor in order to keep his patients safe and well cared for. These were not optional. They were vital.
“Now, let’s take this step by step.” Kevin put up a placating hand, and Josh fought the urge to shove it down his throat. For Christ’s sake, maybe the guy hadn’t even had anything to do with the damn recommendations. “Let’s run through the list so we can leave the room with a plan for implementing these changes.”
“You know, calling them changes or revisions doesn’t fool me into thinking you’re doing anything but slicing my programming to shreds. Could we at least cut the bullshit here?”
Kevin sat back, taking a deep breath. I’m just the messenger, his posture said.
“Fine.” Josh shook his head. “We’ll go down the list, but I have one question—why isn’t Delaney here herself to present this?”
Kevin took another breath, rocking his head back and forth like a football player with an old neck injury.
“Delaney doesn’t tend to get involved at this level.”
“This level? What does that mean?”
“She’s the lead investigator on these sorts of things. She likes to really dig in and get down in the mud—so to speak—but when it’s time to deliver the recommendations that come out of that research, she prefers to let others handle that piece.”
Josh shook his head, swallowing hard. None of this made sense. He couldn’t believe the woman he’d just spent the weekend with had anything to do with this. Then again, that woman was nothing at all like the one who’d sat upstairs last night and poured a bucket of cold water over his memories of a hot, sweet weekend.
Maybe he didn’t really know her at all.
Did she know Kevin was in here right now, delivering this news? Was she here in the building? Had she known last night that this was the plan for the morning? Had she cut Josh loose before the board got wind of their possible relationship, knowing he was just about to get sliced off at the budgetary knees, as well?
He’d certainly give her points for keeping things neat and tidy at the end.
Kevin shifted his stack of papers. “I’m sorry. This is just how she does things.”
“She’s done this before?” Josh felt his eyes widen.
“Yes.” Kevin nodded slowly, like he was dealing with a seventh grader who was late to the punch. “This is what Delaney does.” Then he cocked his head again. “We build the budgets, and she … trims them.”
“But I’ve seen this list already. She showed it to me. She also said that it risked destroying the entire department if implemented.” Josh shook his head, running his eyes back down the list. “So you’ll forgive me if this makes no sense at all right now. I’m having a hard time believing Delaney really supported these recommendations.”
“I know.” Kevin used his placating voice again. “It’s difficult for everyone. She wasn’t happy about presenting them, if it makes you feel any better. But her hands were tied.”
Josh put his hands up, completely confused. “Have you seen all of the news this week? Our pediatric department has been flooded with good publicity. If we make these cuts, the next news story we get is going to be one we really don’t want to picture.”
He shook his head. He needed to hear this from Delaney. “Can we get her in here? I need to hear this from her own mouth.”
“She’s not available. I’m sorry.”
“Is that part of her strategy, too?”
Kevin shrugged apologetically. “I’m sorry to be the one to deliver this news to you. I really am. How about if I give you some time to digest the recommendations, and we can meet tomorrow instead? Would that work for you?”
Joshua shook his head, staring at the proposal blindly.
Kevin sighed, then stood up, looking at his watch. “I’m really sorry. Give me a call tomorrow, and we’ll schedule a time to meet, all right? We have a little time before these changes need to occur.”
Five minutes later, Josh still sat at the table, a cold cup of coffee in front of him … and a cold lump of ice in his gut.
He picked up the list, scowling as he scanned the items once again. This time he noticed a column he hadn’t seen the first two times. His eyes widened in fury as he realized this wasn’t just a proposal anymore. This time, every item on the list had an implementation date.
Apparently he had three months before his department imploded.
* * *
“Have you seen Joshua? Dr. Mackenzie, I mean?” Delaney fought to keep her voice level as she leaned over the nurses’ station counter to get Therese’s attention Wednesday afternoon. She’d spent two hours stewing at her desk after the board meeting, but when Kevin had walked by her office ten minutes ago with a triumphant expression on his face, she’d panicked.
When he’d stopped short and come back in to tell her the news of the board vote, she’d held her stomach, feeling sick. Then, with an I-won-this-round gleam in his eye, he’d told her that he’d saved her the trouble of delivering the news to Dr. Mackenzie.
She’d whipped off her heels and taken the stairs down from the sixth floor, not wanting to wait for the elevator. When she’d reached the third floor, she’d paused, putting on her shoes and trying to catch her breath before she pushed through the doors. She’d already done the crazy-chick act once today. No need to look like she was about to launch it again.
She had to get to Joshua—had to explain what had happened. Had to tell him this wasn’t her doing, even though she was dead sure Kevin had spun it that way.
Therese looked up, frowning, and Delaney saw her set her jaw carefully. “I don’t know where he is,” she answered, turning immediately back to her computer screen.
“Is he on the floor?”
Therese didn’t look up. “Check with Millie. She’s with Annabeth.”
“Thank you.” Delaney tapped on the counter, then spun to head toward Annabeth’s room. When she got there, she knocked and ducked her head in.
Millie looked up, but she didn’t bother to wipe the frown from her face. Or the frost from her voice. This didn’t bode well at all.
“Yes?”
“I’m just looking for Joshua. Have you seen him?”
“No.”
“Any idea where he might be?”
Millie’s eyebrows went up in challenge. “No.” She stood and walked toward Delaney, seemingly sizing her up. She must have seen the desperation in Delaney’s expression, because finally, she pointed toward the playroom.
“Last I saw, he was in there with Kaya and her mom.”
“Thank you.” Delaney quick-stepped down the hall, halting when she heard Kaya’s little voice.
“Tomorrow? I get to go home tomorrow?” Kaya was squeaky and elated.
“You betcha,” Joshua answered, and Delaney could imagine him squeezing Kaya’s little cheek. “But I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too. Maybe I can come visit just for visiting. Not for staying.”
He laughed, but Delaney heard a note of sadness in it. “Just for visiting.”
A few seconds later, Kaya and her mother came down the hallway, each with one hand on Kaya’s IV pole. Delaney worked up a smile as they ambled by, and then she headed for the playroom, hoping she could catch Joshua before he got tied up with another patient.
When she got to the glass door, her throat felt like she’d tried to swallow a grapefruit. He was sitting in one of the kid chairs, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. He looked positively exhausted—and devastated.
She knocked tentatively, then pushed open the door. He looked up, pasting a smile on his face, then letting it drop as he realized who she was.
“Why are you here?” His voice was clipped, angry.
“I’m here—to talk to you.”
“I’m not sure we really have anything to say to each other right now, Delaney.” He stood up. “Please. Don’t insult me.”
She felt a tiny ice ball growing spikes in her stomach. “Kevin was lying.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “About which part? Your tendency to lie about what you’re planning to present to the board? Or your penchant for letting other people deliver your bad news?”
“Wha—”
A loud popping sound silenced her, and Joshua immediately turned back toward Delaney, grabbing her around the waist and pushing her to the floor.
“Get down!” he hissed, pointing. “Go! Over by the bookcase.”
“Was that—” Delaney felt her eyes go wide as she scrambled backward.
He nodded, fumbling his phone out of his pocket and dialing 911 as they heard another pop. In a low voice, he gave his name, then said, “Mercy Hospital, third floor pediatrics. Shots fired.”
Delaney heard a scream, then a deep voice yelling, “I want the doc. You tell me where the doc is and nobody else gets hurt.”
Nobody else? Her mind raced through all of the patients and staff members on the floor. Who had he shot, for God’s sake? Who was he?
She saw Joshua’s face go white. They were in a room with glass walls and a glass door. The bookcase was flimsy protection.
The hospital-wide intercom beeped to life, emitting the lockdown code they’d all drilled on, but had prayed they’d never have to use.
“Oh, doc-tor!” the man called out in a singsong voice.
“Any idea who it is?” Delaney whispered.
He shook his head, then grabbed her hand. “Come on. We need to make a run for the storeroom before he gets any closer.”
They ran on tiptoes across the hallway to a tiny room that housed a couple of wheeled carts with equipment on them. Joshua closed the metal door silently, flipping off the lights as he turned the lock.
Delaney’s phone beeped with an incoming text from Megan, and she scrambled to shut off the sound before she looked at the message.
Where are you? Please not peds!
She tapped out a message back, then pocketed her phone. She tried to calm her ragged breathing as they heard the guy get closer to their end of the hallway, but the closer he got, the more she was afraid he could hear every breath she was taking. The seconds stretched out like minutes, and every terrified cell in her body wanted to bury itself against Joshua right now, but she couldn’t.
Where was security, anyway? How long could it take to get up here?
She closed her eyes in the darkness. It had probably only been fifteen seconds since he’d fired the first shot. Even the express elevator couldn’t move that fast.
Another shot made her wince. Oh, God! She held her breath as she looked at the bottom of the door and saw a shadow of feet walking slowly by the storage room. Then the feet stopped, like he knew exactly where they were. Delaney was sure he could hear her heart trying to thud itself right through her ribs.
“Next one’s gonna be a kid, doc.” The man’s voice was frighteningly calm. “Payback for taking mine away.”
Joshua reached for the door handle, motioning for her to move away from the door and stay hidden.
She shook her head rapidly. If he was going, so was she.
He leaned down, mouth at her ear. “Stay here. Security’s not going to get here before he hurts more people.”
“I’m coming—”
They heard a shuffle, then a screech from Annabeth’s room, and they both reached for the door.
“Don’t!” Joshua rushed out, Delaney on his heels.
Then they both stopped cold.
The guy was holding Annabeth in front of him like a shield, and the teenager’s eyes were wide with terror as he pointed a gun toward her head.
Chapter 31
“You Dr. Mackenzie?”
Joshua put both hands in the air, taking a small step toward him. “Yes. Please let her go.”
The man’s grip tightened, making Annabeth squeak in fear. “Don’t think I will. You and me have some talking to do first.”
Delaney froze in place, trying not to startle the guy by moving. Her eyes sought to meet Annabeth’s, to somehow try to reassure her she was going to be all right, but she was dead afraid that the girl would see the fear in her own eyes.
She had no idea if they were going to be all right.
As she tried to listen for security personnel, she was struck by how completely silent the floor had gone. Instead of the usual bustle and chaos, there was utt
er, dreadful silence.
“What would you like to talk about?” Joshua’s voice was low, calm.
“Not here.” He pointed the gun at a patient room across the hall. “Everybody in there.”
Delaney caught Joshua’s eye as they backed toward the room with their hands in the air. Dammit—she knew the room had two patients in it.
Joshua slowed, but the man waved the gun at Joshua. “Hurry up. Unlock the door.”
Joshua kept one hand in the air while he pulled his badge free to wave it against the security pad, and the door clicked. Delaney heard gasps from inside as it opened, and was horrified to see that not only were there two patients in the room—there were four other adults and a nurse as well.
“Well, isn’t this just perfect?” The man looked around, taking in the scene. Then he waved the gun again. Annabeth stumbled, and Delaney saw tears running down her cheeks, but the teenager stayed silent.
“Everybody over there by the beds where I can see you. Hands in front of you at all times. Don’t even think about trying anything, or you’ll have the same fate as the other three.”
Delaney swallowed hard. Three. Oh, God.
“Okay,” Joshua’s voice was open, steady. Delaney had no idea how he was staying so calm. “Let’s talk. I know you don’t really want to hurt anyone. Let’s talk this through.”
The man raised his eyebrows. “I’m not stupid, you know. Not crazy either, so don’t talk to me like I am.”
“Okay.” Joshua nodded.
“I want my son back. That’s why I’m here, and I’m not leaving till I get him.”
Delaney felt her eyebrows furrow. Wanted his son back? Had he—died? Had this man gone over the ledge out of grief?
“Who’s your son, sir?”
The man tipped his head like Joshua was crazy now. “Ian. The one you stole. You and Delaney, whoever that is.” He spat out her name like it tasted of gasoline.
Joshua closed his eyes and let his head fall back a millimeter. Oh, she could practically hear him saying inside.
The guy waved his gun again, and as one, the people trapped in the room ducked. “I know he’s here somewhere. And if I have to start bumping off people in order to get him, then that’s what I’ll do.”
Heart Like Mine Page 26