“Dakota,” I whispered. “Get Dad. Hurry!”
He took off around to the side of the house. My parents’ bedroom was on the first level and Dakota knew exactly which window to go to. He would alert my father. He wouldn’t let me down.
Dizziness suddenly struck me and the world started spinning around me. Or was I spinning? I couldn’t tell. My eyelids fell and every ounce of strength I had used to keep them open all night vanished. No, you’re not going to fall now, I thought. You can do this. Just a few more steps and you’re there. You’re home. You did it! But I couldn’t move another step. My feet felt as though bricks had been tied to them. In a split second, the world turned pitch black and I collapsed into the grass with Ryder still in my arms.
Chapter 3
Beep, beep, beep...
I heard the continuous monitor and I knew I wasn’t tucked safely in the comfort of my own bed. My eyes fluttered open to see the sterile white walls of a hospital room. It was dimly lit and smelled of toxic ammonia cleaner. A needle had been taped into place in my arm for the IV and I wore a hospital gown. My empty stomach rumbled, but I was too weak to really care. All I wanted was to see a familiar face. My mom, my dad, Ethan. And I wanted to know that Ryder was okay.
“You’re awake,” my father said from the doorway, holding a Styrofoam cup of steaming coffee. He looked tired, but relieved, as he entered the room. When he reached my bedside, he stroked my hair. “How are you feeling?”
“Just tired. How is Ryder?”
My father smiled brightly. “He’s going to be fine, thanks to you. You’re a hero, you know.”
“No, I’m not. Anyone in my shoes would have done what I did.”
“And what exactly is that? How did you find him?”
I shrugged as I looked away from his questioning eyes. “I followed Dakota. He’s the real hero.” I paused, desperately wanting to change the subject. I couldn’t tell my father that I had been communicating with wild animals for years and they helped us find Ryder. “What am I doing here?”
“I found you unconscious in the backyard. I wasn’t leaving anything to chance.”
“I was just so tired, I couldn’t make it to the house. But I’m fine,” I insisted. “And I want to go home.”
“I’m sure you’ll get out of here soon. The doctor said you probably had a little low blood sugar, but that your labs looked fine once they got some fluids into you. Are you sore?”
I shifted in the bed and tried to sit up. Yes, I was definitely sore. And I could feel the bruise along the side of my face where I had hit the rock. I reached up to touch the wound and felt a gauze bandage taped in place. “Oh, no. I didn’t have to get stitches, did I?”
“No. They just cleaned it up so it wouldn’t get infected. It was quite a scrape.”
“That’s good. Where’s Mom?”
“She stayed behind to get some of your things after the ambulance left the house. She should be here soon. But back to Dakota. How did he find Ryder?”
“Dad, I don’t know. He just did and I don’t think it matters how he did it. Let’s just be thankful that things turned out okay.”
My father ran his hands through his disheveled graying hair. “We’re going to have to come up with a cover story. People will want to know how you found Ryder all on your own. They’re already asking me about it. We can’t exactly tell them that a wolf led you to him.”
“So we tell them it was a stray dog I’ve been feeding for a few months. When they ask to meet him, we just tell them he’s shy and doesn’t like strangers.”
“You already have this figured out, don’t you?” my father asked, shaking his head. “I guess that’s all we can do.”
I could tell my father didn’t like the idea of lying, but what else could we do? Dakota might be a hero, but he was still a wolf. We couldn’t jeopardize his well-being or my father’s position as the town sheriff.
“Knock, knock,” came a soft, unfamiliar female voice at the door to the room.
My father and I simultaneously turned our attention to see a pretty blonde nurse holding a vase of pink, purple, and white flowers.
“These are for Ms. Sumner,” she explained.
My father stood and took the flowers from the nurse. “Thank you,” he said. “Can you tell me if they will be bringing anything for her to eat soon?”
The nurse nodded. “Yes. Lunch should be coming around in the next hour.” With that, she turned and disappeared out the door.
My father placed the flowers on the table next to my bed and handed me the card.
As I took it from him, I asked, “Lunch? What time is it?”
“Almost noon.”
I shot up from the pillows I had been leaning against. “Oh, no! I was supposed to work the lunch shift today.”
There were still a few weeks of summer before school started and I didn’t want to lose my job for not showing up.
“Don’t worry. Your mother called Mike to let him know you couldn’t make it in today. He was very understanding.” He looked down at my hand. “Open the card.”
“What does that mean? Did Mom tell him what happened?” I asked as I opened the small envelope.
“She didn’t have to. You were brought to the hospital at four this morning. By eight, most everyone in town knew you’d found Ryder in the middle of the night all by yourself.”
“Great,” I muttered sarcastically. I hadn’t considered the aftermath of my actions from last night. As uneasy as I felt knowing that I would probably be the center of attention for a while, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. “Dad, I don’t want anyone making a big deal out of this. Please.”
“I knew you wouldn’t, but it is a big deal. You’re seventeen and you found a lost child in the middle of the night all by yourself,” he repeated. “The media is going to have a field day with this.”
“Media?” Alarm rang out in my voice. The town’s attention was bad enough, but the news media was a whole different story. I pulled the small card out of the envelope, but it got stuck in my hands, forgotten. “As in the local newspaper?”
“As in the major networks. Laken, honey, this is big. It’s gone to the national news.” My father took the card out of my hands while I processed what he had just told me.
I sat frozen as I imagined being stalked by reporters and losing every semblance of privacy.
“Don’t worry. This will blow over soon. Some other big story will come along and you’ll be forgotten. Besides, I won’t let them get near you if that’s what you want,” my father assured me.
“Dakota wouldn’t let that happen, either.”
“Except that now we have to be extra careful to make sure no one sees him.”
“I know.” I fell silent as I continued to realize all that had happened. I suddenly longed for the familiar surroundings of home.
My father shifted his gaze down to the card in his hands. “‘Our many thanks. You are truly a hero in every sense.’ The flowers are from Ryder’s parents.” He slid the card back into the plastic stake pointing out of the flower arrangement and smiled at me. “The Thompson’s are very grateful for what you did. They want to stop by the house later tonight after Ryder’s released to personally thank you.”
I managed to smile. While I didn’t want anyone to make a big deal out of this, I had no choice but to accept some of the attention. “I guess that will be okay.”
Another soft knock sounded on the door. A gray-haired doctor in a white lab coat, a stethoscope looped around his neck and a clipboard in his hand, stepped into the room. He approached my bedside as he flipped through his papers. “Hello. I’m glad to see you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
“Tired, sore, hungry. But otherwise, I feel fine.”
“Well, that was an amazing thing you did, finding that little boy. We’re all just relieved that both of you are fine,” he said.
I had a feeling that I would be hearing this from a lot of people for several days, if not longer. I woul
d have to get used to changing the subject. “So can I go home today?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m actually here to do a final check-up and fill out your discharge papers.” The doctor set his clipboard down next to the flower arrangement on the bedside table and pulled a penlight out of his pocket. He shined the light in my eyes, one at a time, and checked the monitor next to the bed. After a few minutes, he said, “Everything looks good. I don’t see any reason to keep you here any longer. I’ll have the nurse paged to remove your IV and get you ready to go.” He turned to my father. “I just need you to sign here, Mr. Sumner.”
My father took the pen and quickly scribbled his signature on the form. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“My pleasure, Mr. Sumner.” With one last parting smile, the doctor left the room.
My father turned to me. “That’s it. I guess we’re free to go soon.”
“But I’m hungry. Looks like I’ll miss lunch. Do you think I can grab something from the cafeteria before we leave?”
“I’m sure we can arrange something.”
My mother suddenly appeared in the doorway. My overnight bag hung from her shoulder and she carried a small white paper bag. She greeted me with a warm smile. “How’s my baby?” She held out the bag. “Guess what I brought.”
“Mom!” I felt a huge smile break out across my face as I recognized the white bag from my favorite deli in town. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yep. Egg salad on whole wheat, a bag of Cheetos, and a pickle.” She handed the bag to me. “And--” She reached into her purse. “--a cold raspberry tea.”
I took the bottle from her. “You’re the best.” I put it on the table and reached into the bag for the sandwich. As I bit into it, she dropped the overnight bag onto the corner chair.
“You just missed the doctor,” my father told her. “Laken’s been given a clean bill of health and she’s being discharged. We’re waiting for the nurse to remove her IV.”
“Then I’m just in time. I brought you some clean clothes and your toothbrush.” She scanned the room, her gaze stopping when she noticed the flowers. “Those are nice.”
“They’re from the Thompsons,” my father explained. “Speaking of which, now that you’re here, I should probably check in on Ryder one last time before getting back to the station. Pete’s been on his own all day with the new recruit.”
“Okay, but try not to stay too long. You’ve been up since four this morning,” my mother said with concern. “And after last night, you’ll need some rest today.”
“My thoughts exactly. I’ll be home as soon as I check in and make sure everything’s under control.” He kissed her and blew me a kiss. “I’ll see you both at home in a few hours.”
He left the room, and I found myself alone with my mother while I devoured the sandwich and Cheetos. My conversation with her was pretty much a repeat of what I had discussed with my father. She asked how I felt and how I had found Ryder. Then she reiterated what my father had explained about the media. I had a sinking feeling that I wouldn’t escape them for several days, at least.
A nurse arrived as I polished off the last Cheeto and sip of tea. After she removed the IV, I changed out of the hospital gown into the jeans and gray sweatshirt my mother had brought. While I brushed my teeth, my mother gathered my clothes from last night that had been stored on the shelf under the hospital bed. When I finished in the bathroom, I stuffed my toiletries into my overnight bag, hoisted the strap over my shoulder, and then grabbed the vase of flowers. Eager to escape the hospital, I followed my mother out the door.
Before we got very far, the nurse returned with a wheelchair. She gestured for me to sit. When I made a face, she explained, “Hospital protocol. Get in. I’ll take you down the employee elevator to the back door. I called the front desk and there are reporters swarming in the lobby and outside the entrance.”
“Lovely,” I muttered as I handed my bag to my mother with one hand while balancing the flowers in my arms. Sitting down, I asked, “Are you sure they haven’t found the back door yet?”
“I only know what the front desk told me,” the nurse replied.
She wheeled me down a sterile, white-walled hallway to a big silver elevator door. Once inside, we rode down in silence, except for the tone that sounded when we reached the ground floor. Each second seemed to last forever. I couldn’t wait to get to the car.
When the door opened, the nurse picked up the pace. We passed through the maze of nondescript hallways for what seemed like forever until I saw a red exit sign next to a heavy door. My mother held it open as the nurse wheeled me outside. The bright sunlight nearly blinded me as I scanned the parking lot beyond the tree-lined sidewalk. “Can I please walk from here? I’m fine.”
“I’m supposed to put you into your car from the wheelchair,” the nurse said. “But I’ll let you up here. Just be careful, okay?”
“I will,” I promised as I stood up and followed my mother across the parking lot.
We almost made it to our black SUV when a reporter in a suit ambushed us from between two cars. He was tailed by a cameraman who easily kept up, even as he carried a towering TV camera.
The reporter flashed a bright, movie-star smile. “Ms. Sumner, can I get a statement? I’m with the local news and we’d like to get your story. You’re quite a hero.”
I quickened my pace. “No comment. Please leave me alone,” I whispered loudly as I reached the SUV and climbed in while my mother tossed my overnight bag in the back and slid into the driver’s seat. I held the flowers in my lap as she sped away. Turning, I saw a swarm of reporters rushing away from the red-brick hospital into the parking lot. But the scene disappeared from sight when we merged onto the street.
I looked over at my mother as she focused intently on the road ahead. “Thanks, Mom. Good driving. What would Dad think if he knew you could drive like that?”
She chuckled and relaxed, easing off the accelerator to settle into the right lane at the speed of traffic. “I just did what I had to do. That was close, but we probably haven’t seen the last of them. They may show up at home.”
“Can Dad issue a restraining order?” I asked.
“I’m sure he can if he really needs to. It might be better if you give them a statement. If they get what they’re after, then maybe they’ll leave us alone.”
“I’ll think about it,” I muttered with a deep sigh, not at all happy about the prospect of being on the evening news.
How would I answer their questions about last night? The only option would be to lie. The less the world knew about the truth and Dakota, the faster my life could return to normal.
I really hoped this would blow over soon. Closing my eyes, I rested my head against the seat and pushed my thoughts of the media out of my mind for the rest of the way home.
***
My afternoon was a whirlwind of activity. As expected, the reporters showed up on our doorstep soon after we arrived home. My mother convinced me to give them a short statement. Hoping they would leave if I gave them what they came for, I slipped outside and faced the cameras. Questions were fired at me and microphones were shoved under my nose. I spoke in a shy, quiet voice, mesmerized by the crowd in the front yard and scared that I would say the wrong thing. But I calmly relayed my stray dog story before my mother told the reporters they’d had enough time with me and shooed them away.
I also spoke to Ethan, but only for a minute between his shifts. He rarely worked a double shift, but when someone wanted to give one up, he never turned down the opportunity to add few more hours to his timecard. I was relieved that he didn’t have time to give me the third degree. Brooke called a few times, and I felt badly letting her calls dump into my voicemail. After dealing with the reporters, I didn’t have the energy to talk about last night again.
That evening, I stepped out of my bedroom freshly showered wearing skinny jeans and a purple sweater. My hair fell out of a loose ponytail at the base of my neck, a stray blonde lock tickling the sid
e of my face. A dry bandage covered the scrape along my hairline.
Before I reached the stairwell at the end of the hall, my mouth watered from the smell of lasagna. After a long day and hot shower, I was definitely hungry. When I turned at the bottom of the stairs, I saw my mother cutting a tomato for the salad. “Shall I set the table?” I offered.
“That would be wonderful.”
As I pulled three dinner plates out of the cabinet, our doorbell rang. My mother and I looked at each other and then stared at the kitchen entrance that led to the front door.
“Oh, no, not more reporters,” I groaned. “Where’s Dad?”
My father’s police car and badge had been enough to discourage the straggling reporters that had shown up after the first group I had spoken to.
“He’s working on something in the garage. I’ll handle this.”
My mother wiped her hands on a dish towel before heading toward the front door with a look of determination on her face.
“Thanks, Mom.” I resumed setting the table, first with the plates and then the silverware. When my mother didn’t return immediately, I crept along the wall to the corner beside the entrance to the kitchen. Listening carefully, I heard a familiar soft voice.
“I’m sorry to just drop by, but we only got home with Ryder about an hour ago. I wanted to personally thank Laken for what she did.”
“It’s not a problem. I’m sure she’d love to see you. Laken!” my mother called softly.
I immediately stepped around the corner and stopped when I saw Mrs. Thompson in the doorway. Her long, ash-blonde curls reminded me of Ryder’s almost white halo of hair. Her belly swollen with her unborn child, she wore maternity jeans and a white blouse rimmed with lace around the neckline and sleeves.
Shadows at Sunset: Sunset Trilogy ~ Book 1 Page 4