“Great. I get to pervert sit,” Carson muttered.
“I’m certainly not leaving your sister alone with him,” Hill remarked. “Watch for any signs of infected people down here and remember what the doctor said.”
“Yeah, don’t get bit or it’s curtains baby,” Carson said with a sigh.
Carson left the group and returned to the morgue just down the hall. He entered the morgue and suddenly hesitated. The door to freezer six was open, but the empty slab remained in the drawer. Nathan was conspicuously missing. Carson uncertainly looked around then became tense. He slowly approached the office with a concerned look.
“Dr. Oswald?” he said timidly while closely watching the office doorway.
Nathan appeared in the doorway, causing Carson to jump with surprise. Nathan took a sip of coffee from the mug he held and made a face.
“My coffee sucks,” the coroner remarked lowly.
Nathan casually walked past Carson and shut the freezer door. As he turned, it again popped open. He groaned and slammed it shut. This time it remained shut.
“I wish maintenance would fix that,” he remarked then glanced at Carson. “I ran tox screens on the corpses to see if I could determine what Dr. Sharp injected into their bodies.” He casually leaned against the exam table. “There was an unknown drug in each of their systems but not the same unknown drug.” He raised his brow with conviction. “I can’t be positive, but I think our chief surgeon was experimenting on critical patients.”
Carson appeared stunned. “Is that why Dr. Sharp thinks Tracy was infected with the same viral outbreak that turned the entire first floor into a blood bath?”
It was Nathan’s turn to look surprised. He suddenly straightened. “There’s a viral outbreak upstairs? What are their symptoms? Is that why the CDC is outside?”
“You didn’t know?” Carson gasped while staring at him with surprise. “The infected people are eating the non-infected people. Dr. Sharp thinks it’s transferred by blood and saliva. One bite and you’re infected.”
Nathan remained puzzled, set his coffee cup down on the exam table, and waved his hand. “Whoa, slow down. How does he know Dr. Kirby was infected?”
“Because she came back to life and tried to eat us,” Carson interjected. “Who do you think was in that casket?”
“She came back to life?”
“Go look for yourself.”
“She was at your funeral home,” Nathan boldly announced. “How did he know her condition? Did you contact him with the information?”
“No, he sent Warren for Tracy’s body,” Carson announced. “He suspected she was infected--”
Nathan suddenly appeared deep in thought, causing Carson to immediately silence. Nathan stared at the floor a long moment then looked at Carson with his eyes wide as if suddenly putting everything together.
“He suspected she was infected, because he had prior knowledge,” Nathan boldly announced. “If she saw something she shouldn’t have, it could explain a lot.”
“Are you suggesting Dr. Sharp threw Tracy down the stairs?” Carson suddenly gasped. His look turned hateful and moderately unpredictable. “That son-of-a-bitch!”
Nathan assumed a soothing tone in an attempt to calm his growing rage. “This is no time to go John Wayne, Carson. We’re trapped in a pressure cooker with no way out.”
Carson began to pace with a venomous look. There was no doubt he was entertaining different ways to end Gunther’s life. He suddenly tensed, looked at Nathan, and appeared curious.
“Can it be spread through sexual contact?”
“During the incubation period?” Nathan questioned and uncertainly shook his head. “It would be like playing Russian roulette, but don’t worry, Carson, she wasn’t infected before the fall. When you and she would have--”
“I wasn’t thinking about me,” Carson suddenly snapped with a hostile glare at the coroner. He could barely control his anger toward Nathan any longer.
Gunther appeared puzzled while studying him. “There’s something you’re not saying.” His look suddenly turned concerned as his eyes widened. “My God, is it Lexx?” he gasped. “Was she exposed while embalming Dr. Kirby and then had unprotected sex with someone?”
Carson stared at the coroner a long moment with his mouth hanging open. His anger quickly turned to shock. “My God, it wasn’t you--”
“I’m sure it’d be worth risking infection,” he announced simply, “but, I assure you, nothing happened between Lexx and I.” He entertained a wayward thought and grinned. “Although I appreciate the vote of confidence.” His look immediately turned serious. “Do you think she’s been exposed? Is she showing any symptoms? Possibly flu like.”
Carson couldn’t tear his eyes away from Nathan. He finally broke the silence and spoke a little too quickly. “Uh, no. She’s fine.”
“Now you’re not making any sense,” Gunther remarked and impatiently folded his arms across his chest. His look was demanding. “Who had sexual contact with an infected person? It’s important. They could be infected.”
Carson fidgeted and subconsciously ran his fingers through his hair while fumbling with his words. “Someone violated Tracy’s corpse.”
There was an unbearable silence. Nathan suddenly cried out with horror, “Good God! That’s--disturbing!” He suddenly fell silent and stared at Carson. The horror and disbelief showed on his face. “And you thought--?”
He suddenly fidgeted. “You were the last person with access to her body.”
Nathan appeared almost too shocked to respond. When he finally did, he nearly exploded. “She was dead two hours before I got her,” he announced firmly. “Her family wanted to pay their respects. She was only here ten minutes before Rolan came for her. I hadn’t even popped her in the freezer yet.” His look turned serious. “Whoever did that is at high risk of infection--localized infection.”
Carson stared at him a moment as if not understanding. His eyes suddenly widened. “You mean--?”
Nathan nodded. “Yes, localized there.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
The massive, cluttered maintenance shop was filled with broken beds, wheelchairs, stretchers, machinery, and various other objects in need of repairs. Rolan sharpened an old ax he’d found. On the table next to him, there was a spade shovel transformed into a large headed spear, a hacksaw blade welded onto the end of what used to be a rake, something homemade that now resembled a sling blade, and a wet saw blade welded onto an ice spade. Lexx brought a box to Hill, who sat at the counter and fiddled with what was once a leather tool belt. Lexx set the box on the counter near him and couldn’t help grinning.
“Here are the tools you asked for, MacGyver,” she announced teasingly.
Hill set down the belt and routed through the box of tools she’d brought. He seemed so serious in his work; it made her wonder if there was cause for alarm. She wished she knew what was going through his head.
“I hope you’re doing all of this for nothing and not because you’re anticipating a battle,” Lexx said, suddenly realizing she had spoken aloud.
He briefly cast a glance at her and continued searching through the tools. “I’m doing this because I saw a very dead woman leap out of a casket intent on eating me,” he remarked sternly. “I’m not exactly thrilled about being a Man-wich.” He shook his head and muttered softly, “She’s hated me since high school.” Hill removed the leather tool belt, turned toward her, and appeared serious. “Hold your arms up.”
Lexx gave him a bewildered look. She wanted to question the comment about Dr. Kirby, but decided against it and did as he asked. He placed the belt around her waist, measured visually, and then returned to the counter. He was a curious man.
“Should I ask?”
He either didn’t hear her question or was simply ignoring her, which seemed more likely. “I saw a backpack near the office. Would you grab that?”
Lexx frowned and headed for the office. If he was going to order her about, he could
at least let her in on his thought process. She grabbed the backpack with mild disgust and returned to him at the counter. He cast a quick look at the bag and returned to his work.
“Dump it out.”
Lexx dumped the contents onto the counter and tossed the bag aside.
Hill looked at her and appeared bewildered. “I actually wanted the bag.”
Lexx really wondered what he was up to now. She picked up the discarded bag and placed it on the counter before him. He turned back to her, placed the tool belt around her waist, and buckled it. She eyed the belt that now looked more like a holster. Without warning, he reached through her legs and adjusted a strap around her thigh. Lexx was startled by his initial actions then relaxed as she watched him attach the strap firmly around her thigh. Rolan approached with an armful of sharpened tools on sticks. He eyed Lexx as Hill placed various sharpened tools, including a hammer and screwdriver, within assigned slots inside the holster.
“Looking hot, Lexx,” Rolan said with a grin.
As Rolan set down the tools, Hill tossed him a leather shoulder holster. Rolan eyed it, attempted to figure it out, and then slipped into it. Hill placed one of the long-handled tools resembling a sling blade through a slot in the back of his shoulder holster.
“Practice removing and replacing that until it feels comfortable,” Hill instructed.
Rolan attempted to remove the makeshift sling blade from his back holster and nearly struck Hill in the head with the blade. Hill jumped with surprise and stared at Rolan with shock. He pointed across the room.
“Over there!”
Rolan smiled with embarrassment and hurried away. Hill shook his head and attempted to relax. Lexx watched as he cut the straps from the backpack and began working on a shoulder holster for himself. She couldn’t deny his warrior mentality was a bit of a turn-on.
“You’re scary prepared, Sheriff,” she remarked while folding her arms across her chest. She stared at him longer than she should have. “And you call me creepy.”
He continued to work without looking at her, remaining engrossed in creating his holster. “You know how kids make forts and play war?”
Lexx suddenly fidgeted. “Carson and I didn’t really play those games.”
They played other games as kids, but she couldn’t tell him that she and Carson would pretend the caskets were racecars. Probably even worse was the time they played vampires in the casket room. Their games sometimes involved other children in the neighborhood, but usually only once. Oddly, the other children didn’t like their games.
“Monica would set booby traps around her fort,” he informed her. “She’d trapped me and three other boys in a pit for nearly two hours before my parents found us.” He finally looked at her and frowned. “Growing up with ‘little Miss Rambo’ as your sister, you’d better learn to improvise. I’m sometimes surprised I survived my childhood.”
Lexx hid her smile.
Hill caught her smile, didn’t appear amused, and returned to his work. “It’s not funny.”
“It is, actually,” she said and held back her giggle. “I can’t imagine someone like you being bullied by a girl.”
Hill stopped working, set his tools down, and looked at her. “Someone like me?”
“Yeah, you know; the big, tough manly sheriff type.”
He stared at her a moment and appeared curious. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that was a compliment.”
“You don’t think I’m capable of compliments?”
“Not toward us regular people.”
“Regular people?” she scoffed and felt the color rush to her cheeks. Her irritation surfaced, and she again found him insufferable. “You certainly come up with new and ingenious ways to insult me, don’t you?”
“How is that an insult?” he suddenly remarked. “I’m the hick, country cop who threw up in your prep room. I doubt you think much of us average guys.”
Lexx stared at him a moment with a look of surprise. It then dawned on her. Could it be true?
“You think I’m above you?” she suddenly asked.
“It’s pretty obvious you are.” He then muttered, “You studied to be a doctor, for Christ’s sake.”
Lexx sat on the table near him and offered a humored smile. Her insecurities toward him were quickly fading away. “That’s kind of ironic; because I was pretty sure you were the one looking down on me.”
“Why? Because I think you’re creepy?”
“That might have something to do with it,” she replied and shifted slightly. “Your squeamish nature toward my profession doesn’t mean I think any less of you.” She stared at the handsome sheriff possibly longer than she should have. “Professionally, I think you’re both intimidating and impressive, and I’m sorry if I made you think I don’t respect you.”
Hill studied her a moment where she sat on the counter near him, leaned back in his chair, and suddenly grinned. “Are you hitting on me?”
Lexx felt her cheeks immediately redden to his comment. She didn’t even know how to respond. He’d caught her completely off guard. She quickly stood and avoided looking at him, hoping he didn’t see her reddened cheeks.
“What? No,” she announced in a high-pitched squeal. She immediately cursed herself for the pitch of her voice and shifted with discomfort. “I hardly think this is the proper time and place for that sort of thing.”
Hill stood directly in front of her and prevented her from moving away from the counter. She was forced to meet his gaze and oddly serious look.
“I disagree,” he replied. “I’m not exactly thrilled with our situation and even less happy to speculate about what’s going on upstairs.”
There was an odd silence. She couldn’t look away from his ice blue eyes.
“I haven’t been on a date in months and celibate longer than I’m willing to admit,” he remarked and moved closer to her, now leaving less than an inch between their bodies. “I wouldn’t mind an attractive woman hitting on me just once before I do something stupid and get myself killed.”
Lexx stared at him with a strange look as many thoughts shot through her head. With everything he admitted and the sexual desire rushing through her, there was only one thing she could think to say in response.
“You’re not thinking about going upstairs, are you?” she suddenly demanded.
He frowned and took a step away from her. It was hard to tell if he was disappointed that she didn’t take the bait or lost enthusiasm after her sobering comment.
“I’m the sheriff,” he informed her. “I’m supposed to look after the people of this town. We don’t know what’s going on up there. We don’t know that it’s a total loss. They may need my help.” His look turned serious and almost fearful. “Monica was working tonight,” he said gently. “The ambulance was parked outside when we pulled up. What if she’s up there?”
She knew how he felt. She’d feel the same way if Carson’s fate was uncertain, although, Carson was less able to take care of himself. Monica could certainly handle herself.
“I know you’re worried about her, but you can’t go up there,” she insisted. “You heard what Dr. Sharp said. It’s a battlefield up there.”
“I know what he said, but I need to see for myself,” he announced. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”
Lexx drew a deep breath and stared at him. That’s why he wanted to make weapons. He wanted to go upstairs. He had every intention of going up there. Hill stared back with a lost look in his blue eyes. She knew she shouldn’t say it, but she couldn’t help herself.
“I’ve been running around this hospital since I was a little girl,” she informed him. “If I tell you how to get upstairs unseen and unnoticed, do you promise to only make a quick observation and not do anything stupid?”
Hill appeared surprised and studied her. He seemed ready to jump out of his skin. “You know a way upstairs that won’t be blocked?”
“I’m relatively confident it hasn’t been sealed.”
/> “If you show me a way upstairs, I’ll promise anything you want.”
She didn’t trust him. He was going to do something stupid, and she never should have told him she knew a way upstairs. Lexx had to think of a way to make him keep that promise.
“Then you won’t have a problem with me going along,” she announced.
He stared at her and seemed to stop breathing. “I’d rather you didn’t. It’s too dangerous.”
“It shouldn’t be, not if you’re just making a quick observation,” she replied with a cocky tilt of her head. “I’ll remind you that you’re also responsible for my safety. That should keep you from doing something stupid.”
He stared at her a long moment then frowned. “Remind me not to play poker with you.”
Chapter Twenty-nine
Rolan and Hill followed Lexx across the massive laundry room filled with racks of linens, folding presses, tables, and large bins of dirty laundry. They headed toward the small dumbwaiter beyond large, industrial sized washing machines and dryers. Rolan casually leaned against a rack containing scrub uniforms. Hill looked at the small metal door with surprise then looked back at Lexx and shook his head.
“I don’t think I’ll fit in there.”
“The dumbwaiter hasn’t worked in years,” she informed him then opened the small door. There was an opening to the shaft with rungs up the back wall. “The rungs go all the way to the sixth floor with access to the linen closets on each floor.”
Hill stared up the shaft then looked back at Lexx. The look of concern on his face showed. “It’s too narrow,” he announced. “I can’t let you come along.”
She glared her disapproval. “Oh, no, you don’t.”
“If I have to climb down in a hurry, you’ll be in my way,” he informed her.
Lexx folded her arms across her chest and glared at him with an annoyed look. “Fine, then I’ll just continue up to ICU on the fourth floor and check on Brandon.”
He was becoming quickly annoyed with her attitude. “You’re not going up that shaft.”
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