Chapter Sixty-Five

Leah squinted at the bright light coming through the windows as Gloria opened the curtains. The greeting of “Good morning, Sunshine” from the other side of the room prompted her to groan and pull her pillow over her head.

“I need my own bed. I tossed and turned all night.”

Taking the pillow from her and touching her shoulder, signaling her to sit up, Gloria moved the pillow back behind her head and fluffed it. “You should have called the nurse on duty last night. She could have adjusted the bed to a comfortable position for you.”

“I can’t really blame the bed,” said Leah, slowly sitting up and moving her feet over the side. “My foot and arm both throbbed all night.”

Gloria smiled. “She could also have given you something for pain or to help you sleep.”

“And I’d wind up feeling just like I do now,” responded Leah, smiling back and sliding off the bed. “No thanks. I’ll be right back. Morning routine and all,” she said, pointing to the bathroom.

“Excuse me,” said a man standing in the doorway. “Is this Leah Haverty’s room?”

Gloria had moved over to Trapper’s bed and was assisting him in sitting upright. “Yes, it is. She just went to the bathroom. She’ll be out in just a minute.”

The man went to the other side of the room and set a vase of roses on her over bed table under Trapper’s close scrutiny. The man was well-dressed in a three piece suit, probably close to Trapper’s age; maybe a little older. He turned around just as Leah was coming out of the bathroom.

“Albert! What a pleasant surprise,” said Leah, rushing over and tiptoeing to give him a hug. “You look tired. Did you drive up?”

“I heard about the shooting on the news last night. I knew it was your hospital, but they didn’t mention your name, so I called and was told it was you. It was too late to get a quick flight, so yes, I drove.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m fine.” Gloria had quietly left the room, but Trapper was sitting in silence, listening in. “Albert Shaefer, I’d like you to meet Dr. John McIntyre, Chief of Surgery and bullet stopper extraordinaire. Trapper, Albert is my attorney. He was one of John’s lifelong friends.” The two men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

“Leah, I have some information for you regarding our last conversation. Is there somewhere we can go to discuss it?”

Smiling and glancing over at Trapper, she answered, “We can discuss it here. Trapper was the personal reference in our talk over the phone. He knows everything.”

“I see,” said Albert, peering over his glasses at Trapper. “Is that why the hospital has a man and woman in the same room?” He dismissed it with a wave of his hand, and looking down at the file in his hands, exhaled heavily. “I hesitate to give this to you. I know how much it will hurt.”

Leah looked warily at him as she watched him flip the pages in the folder before he closed it and held it forward. Still watching his eyes, she took the folder, and when the paper touched her fingers, she felt a foreboding chill. Inside the folder were dates, places, pictures and one name common to everything…Mark Hansen. Her color drained as she shrank into the chair.

Trapper tried to move closer, but he sucked in a quick breath, and then cursed, moving a hand over his incision. “Leah,” he said compellingly.

Rising from the chair, she dropped the folder on Trapper’s bed and walked to the window, looking out.

“What are you going to do?” asked Albert.

“I don’t know yet. Will you be in town very long?”

“I plan to be here several days, but if you need me longer, just let me know.”

She turned her head and smiled. “I will. Thank you for bringing that by, but why don’t you get some rest now. I’ll call this afternoon.”

Walking to her, Albert kissed her forehead, whispered something in her ear, gave her a reassuring smile and made his way to the door. I’m staying at the Fairmont. Dr. McIntyre, it was nice to finally meet you. Perhaps we can all get together for dinner while I’m here.”

Trapper nodded. “Mr. Shaefer.”

Waiting for the door to close, Leah opened the closet and took her clothes out, laying them on the bed before she began to undress.

“What are you doing?”

She took a deep breath and looked the other way.

“You haven’t been released. We don’t know the results of your blood tests yet.” She turned and without so much as a look, pulled the curtain around her side of the room. Flaring his nostrils, he hit his call button.

“Yes, Dr. McIntyre?”

“Get Dr. Gates in here. Now.”

Gonzo appeared in a matter of seconds and worriedly looked at Trapper. “What’s wrong?”

Jerking his thumb toward the other bed, Trapper barked, “She thinks she’s leaving.”

“Tattletale!”

Stifling a smile, Gonzo walked around the curtain. “Is he right?”

“Something’s come up that I need to take care of.”

“The only thing you need to take care of is your health,” said Gonzo as he picked her blouse up off the bed and hung it back in the closet, leaving her standing there in her slacks and bra.

She snatched up her robe, slipped it on and tied it, but as she pulled the curtain back, Gonzo caught her good arm. “Is this problem jeopardizing your work here in any way?”

Rolling her eyes, she answered tensely, “No.”

“Is it going to get worse if you wait to take care of it?”

“Probably not,” she said, twisting her mouth.

“Could a better outcome result if you gave it more thought?”

She slumped and half-heartedly jerked back toward her bed, sending Trapper into a fit of laughter that quickly turned into groans.

Plopping down on the side of the bad, she gave him a sarcastic scowl. “That’s what you get for laughing at my predicament.”

“I’m sorry,” he said out of breath. “But you’ve just been handled.”

“Anyone who can handle Leah Haverty is to be congratulated.”

All three looked toward the door where another man in a three-piece suit was standing. Leah’s lower jaw dropped, but she quickly collected herself. “What on Earth are you doing here?”

“Is that any way to greet your boss?”

Leah shook her head as she looked incredulously around the room. “I don’t believe this. Everyone is coming out of the woodwork.”

Trapper and Gonzo looked at each other, brows raised and tongues in their cheeks at the realization that this was the Doug Manning from New York, Leah’s director.

Stepping forward with his hand extended, Gonzo said, “I’m Dr. Gates, Leah’s doctor. If you’ll excuse us for just a minute, I need to get her back into bed.”

Once Gonzo had the curtain drawn, Doug and Trapper awkwardly smiled and nodded at each other. “So, you’re Leah’s boss. I spoke to you a little while ago when she resigned and left.”

“I’m sorry. You have me at a disadvantage.”

“I’m John McIntyre, the Chief of Surgery here.”

“Oh yes, you were shot. And you’re her new distraction.”

Trapper cleared his throat at that remark. “You’ve come all the way from New York. It must be something important.”

“Leah’s next assignment. The only thing left to do here is finish up loose ends, and Mark is perfectly capable of doing that.”

“May I ask what her next assignment will be?” Manning reached down to the file lying on Trapper’s bed, but Trapper quickly snatched it away. “Sorry. Patient files.”

A wide, perfect smile appeared on Doug’s face. “I understand. In the same context, I’m afraid I can’t discuss Leah’s work. If she wants to tell you, that’s her prerogative.”

Matching Doug’s smile, Trapper said, “Of course.”

Stalemate… for the moment.