WHITEOUT: Above And Beyond (Beauty 0f Life Book 10)

by Laura Acton

  However, something struck her as odd, though she couldn’t put her finger on it. Jiminy Cricket, I’m getting as bad as Uncle Torsten. He’s always suspicious of strangers. Then it hit her. I haven’t met him before. “You’re missing your name tag. What should we call you, Officer?”

  In a moment of distraction, as Jonas moaned in pain, Noah slipped up when he responded, “Barton.” He caught his mistake and fake coughed. “Sorry, something caught in my throat. Bartonella, Officer Noah Bartonella.”

  The name Barton caused Minna a moment’s reflection, but a burst of frigid air and snow coming in with Ron, Landry, Maisie, and Loki swept her thoughts away. A sense of relief replaced wariness upon setting eyes on Doc Landry.

  Minna’s gaze landed on Loki and Ron. “Gentlemen, we could use your help. Vanessa can take Doc Landry and Maisie to little Ethan.”

  “One step ahead of you, Minna.” Ron grinned and pivoted.

  Loki nodded as Ron went to grab a wheelchair. “Sure, happy to assist.” His gaze returned to the officer wearing a baggy uniform who held the victim’s hand. His gut insisted something was amiss. The nebulous notion continued to nag at him, and he disliked he couldn’t come up with a solid reason why he distrusted the man. Though his impression remained foggy, Loki learned over the years to listen to his instincts and decided to keep a watchful eye.

  Returning, pushing a chair, Ron suggested, “I should go with the docs in case they need any heavy lifting since Jeremy is upstairs helping Yasmin and Vera with the other patients.” With a flourish of his hand and bow at the waist, he grinned at Landry. “Your chariot awaits, Sire.”

  Landry chuckled. “Ron, my boy, you’re something else.” He lowered himself in the chair. “Normally, I’d kick up a fuss, but Ethan needs me, and this will get me there faster.”

  Turning his focus to the resident, Landry said, “That is, if he is the priority? My assessment of Jonas is he’s stable enough to wait a few hours. He can be started with a transfusion, which will be better before surgery anyway. Ron said Dan presents with a high fever, delusions, and his leg is infected. Dr. Chardin, in your opinion, should I examine him before going to Ethan?”

  Vanessa smiled at the hospital’s founder. With his vast experience, she appreciated him requesting her opinion. “Dr. Craig, please call me Vanessa, and I do believe Ethan must be first. He is in the surgery room, waiting with his parents. Dan is the next priority. I started him on MRSA protocols. I only wish the lab tech had not quit, so we could test to determine the type of bacteria we are dealing with.”

  Landry grinned. “If it is Vanessa for you, then it’s Landry for me. I agree on the priorities. Years ago, before we hired a lab technician, I did the labs myself. Once I’m done with Ethan, I’ll take samples from Sam to culture.”

  Focusing on Minna, Landry stated, “I suspect you have things handled down here for the moment, my girl.”

  Minna beamed. “Yep. I can draw a sample for type and crossmatch, but with no tech, I’m afraid we’ll have to go with emergency release and O negative blood. After I start the transfusion, I’ll prep the GSW patient for surgery. Anything, in particular, I can do for Dan in the meantime?”

  “Sound plan. Monitor his fever. If his temperature spikes higher than one hundred and four, use the cooling pads and inform me if those don’t bring the numbers down.” Landry winked at Minna. “You were always the brightest spot here. Too bad I’m already married.”

  Maisie set Landry’s medical bag in his lap, and with a light teasing tone, she admonished, “Quit your flirtin’, old coot. Minna’s young enough to be your granddaughter.” Turning to Minna, Maisie smiled. “How is Scott faring?”

  Minna giggled. Doc Landry loved to tease her. He began the first day they met when she started volunteering as shy and anxious fifteen-year-old. His laid-back character put her more at ease around the prominent doctor from that day forward. Maisie became a dear, sweet grandmother to her too. Landry’s surgical skills saved her mom after the accident, and they helped her parents by paying half of her nursing school tuition when Mom couldn’t work for a while.

  “Scott is exhausted but resting comfortably after receiving medication to ease his pain. I doubt Scott will even notice the scar on his thigh. I swear, Doc still does beautiful stitching … he could’ve been a plastic surgeon.”

  “Shall we go?” Vanessa urged.

  Landry peered up at Ron. “You heard the doc, my boy. Get a move on.”

  Ron nodded and pushed Landry as he and Maisie followed Vanessa down the hall to the only operating room. He halted after five steps. “Hang on one moment.” He rushed back to Loki as he dug in his pocket. “Hey, found this on the front passenger seat. Yours?”

  “Yes! Thanks.” Loki reached for his cell phone, a broad grin lighting his face. As Ron returned to the others, Loki showed the phone to Minna. “Now, I can access the Proper Care and Feeding of Dantastic manual.”

  “Excellent. Doc Landry and Vanessa will find that extremely useful in treating him.”

  “What did you need my help with?” Loki asked, still stoked Ron found his phone, and he didn’t lose it outside the cabin.

  “Might need to use the cooling pads, and with Dan’s injured shoulder, I could use a second pair of hands to prevent further damage. Follow me.”

  Noah said, “I’m coming too.”

  “No, I’m sorry, but one of our patients may have MRSA, and we should limit exposure. There’s coffee in the staff lounge. Please, help yourself to a cup and take a break.”

  “Why is he going?” Noah scanned the black-haired man, sizing him up.

  Loki answered, “Been with him for three days.”

  Her eye roved over the bloody uniform. “Officer Barton, I mean, Bartonella, there is also a locker room next to the small breakroom. Please feel free to make use of the shower if you care to wash up. There are clean scrubs in various sizes in the cabinet. I’m sure you’ll find a pair which will fit. If you put your uniform in the blue hamper, Jeremy will launder it tonight. We’re all likely to be here for a few days, and I can’t imagine you want to remain in that for much longer. Two days is surely long enough.”

  Noah acceded. “Thank you. I think I will.” He moved off in the direction the nurse pointed as she rolled his brother to the emergency room.

  Loki glanced behind him as the officer who strolled toward the staff lounge. He couldn’t shake the odd vibe the man put out.

  Bright Ideas Gone Wrong

  33

  November 24

  TRF HQ – Conference Room Two – 5:45 p.m.

  Commander Walter Gambrill strode into the room prepared for the monthly sergeant’s meeting. Typically, he held them in the morning, but his schedule didn’t allow for it today, so he postponed the meeting. He scanned his men, noting only one missing. “Anyone spot Pastore yet?”

  Glen Turpin, Delta Team’s sergeant, answered, “Nick called. He’s running a tad late. Said the line at Timmy’s is longer than normal.”

  Walter took a seat and smiled as he set his folders on the table. “That’s an acceptable excuse. None of us want an un-caffeinated Pastore in the house. Not even on his day off. We can wait a few minutes before starting.”

  The assembled men chuckled since they all tended to run on coffee. Twelve-hour shifts, which often ran into overtime, were the norm for TRF teams. The combined purchases of all TRF officers plus all the dispatchers and support staff undoubtedly accounted for most of the revenue for the Timmy’s a block away from headquarters.

  As Colton Bradley, Camden Harmon, and Crispin Winter restarted their conversation about which snowblower Colton wanted to buy, Glen finished paperwork from his team’s last call. Walter enjoyed these meetings usually. He had a competent set of sergeants. They worked well together and shifted things around to accommodate each teams’ needs as necessary.

  He loved commanding TRF. One of the primary reasons he got to work with Nick, who possessed a fountain of knowledge when it came to gaining insight on people. T
he best part, Nick loved to share his craft with anyone wanting to learn. Pastore made his job easier.

  Nick strode in wearing a smile, carrying beverages, and three dozen timbits. “Anyone care for coffee and a pre-dinner snack?”

  Colton rose to help Nick, who balanced two trays while also holding a timbits bag. “Smart move to come bearing gifts when you’re late.”

  Chuckling, Nick quipped, “Helps to know your subjects.”

  As Nick passed around each man’s favorite beverage, the guys good-naturedly groused about being referred to as subjects.

  Blowing on his caramel latte supreme with extra caramel, Camden marveled at Nick’s accomplishment. “How the heck do you always order every drink correctly? A feat none of us ever manage to achieve.”

  Nick only smiled, keeping his little secret. Well, his, Loki’s, and the manager of Timmy’s. All he had to do was order Sergeants or Alpha Team, and they pulled up a complete list of drinks to make, right down to the double caramel added to Camden’s latte.

  Gambrill called the meeting to order, briefed them on upcoming warrants, current operations being conducted by other divisions, public relation events, and the latest intel on potential threats or criminal activities in the city. Next, they discussed the holiday schedule and annual winter party, rotating which teams would celebrate together this year, personnel training needs, and upcoming scheduled leaves, which required coverage.

  Once the discussion concluded, Nick said, “As you are aware, Dan and Loki took time off to go skiing and are due back on Thursday. Alas, they chose to hit the slopes at Blue Mountain and are caught in the storm. They rented a remote cabin, and I fear they may be snowed in and might not return in time for shift. I would appreciate it if you can check with your teams and ask if anyone is interested in picking up a few extra shifts.”

  “I think Trevor and Sean would be willing to take on additional shifts. It would work for Thursday and Friday, at least, since we are off,” Crispin said.

  Glen considered who on his team might be interested. Most had families and would rather spend time with them. “I’ll ask Frank and Bill. Frank’s single, and well, Bill just bought a new house, so overtime pay might entice him to give up time with his wife and kids.”

  “Thanks.” Nick nodded.

  Colton smirked. “They sure picked the right destination and timed their trip right. A bright idea with a built-in excuse to extend their time off.”

  As everyone chuckled, a knock sounded on the door. Susan, Gambrill’s administrative assistant, entered carrying a folder. “Sir, I was about to leave, but an alert from RCMP came over the wire, and I figured you might want to review the details during this meeting.” She handed him the file.

  “Thanks, Susan. Drive safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Walter scanned the contents and blew out a breath before lifting his head and addressing his men. “The RCMP task force tracking the Bartons may have a lead on their whereabouts, and it isn’t good news.”

  Nick’s stomach rolled at the mention of the murderous bank robbers. If things had gone differently two and a half years ago, the Barton brothers would be sitting in prison for the diamond heist at Central Bank instead of traversing Canada and leaving a wake of dead bodies. “Where? What happened?”

  Walter peered at Nick, understanding how the inability to capture these two men ate at him and the rest of Alpha Team. “Appears they’re back in Ontario. An RCMP officer on his way home came across a man on the twenty-second near Horseshoe Lake. The man lay in the middle of the road, shot twice in the chest. The victim almost didn’t survive.

  “When found, Mr. Salvatore only said he had been carjacked before falling unconscious. His wife provided the vehicle’s details, and they put out an APB on it. Salvatore woke earlier this afternoon, and the description he provided of his attackers fits Noah and Jonas Barton. He also said his car was packed full of provisions to last the winter, and he was on his way to a cabin.

  “But there is more. RCMP Captain Lundgren reported one of his men stopped to assist a stranded motorist on the twenty-third on a remote stretch of road near the Blue Mountains. They may or may not be connected, but all attempts to raise Constable Bruno Ramsey on the radio have failed. With the blizzard conditions, Lundgren is unable to send out men to investigate Ramsey’s last known position until the snowcat he requested arrives.”

  They all nodded, a missing officer struck close to home, and they all knew without a doubt the Bartons would have no qualms about killing Ramsey if they were the ones in the stranded car.

  Walter sighed. “We can’t know for sure if the Bartons are involved in Ramsey’s disappearance. Alert your teams to be extra vigilant while on patrol. If the opportunity arises to capture them, I want you all to use extreme caution, and lethal force is authorized … time for their reign of terror to stop. Any questions?” When he received shakes of their heads, Walter said, “Dismissed. Nick, can you hold back a moment?”

  Once the room cleared, Walter posed his query. “Do you have a way to contact Dan and Loki to give them a heads up?”

  “Lexa tried Loki’s cell phone, but it goes straight to voicemail, so I don’t believe they have reception at the cabin. If they got stuck at the lodge, I’m certain they would’ve contacted me before the phone lines went down.”

  Walter nodded. “Sure would like for them to be aware those killers may still be in their area. I fear if they run into the dastardly Bartons, they might remember Dan from the foiled bank robbery and shoot him on sight. If either of them contacts you, please warn them to take appropriate precautions.”

  “Will do, and I trust both Loki and Dan to handle themselves well if in the unlikely event they do run across the Bartons.”

  Scott’s & Lily’s Home – 6:05 p.m.

  Lily swayed, holding Anna to her shoulder, rubbing delicate circles on her fussy daughter’s back, trying to ease her to sleep. For once, Jerrell was the quieter of the two, snuggled close to Scott’s shirt and snoozing. It amazed her how swiftly a piece of Scott’s clothing settled them down.

  Ann Broderick smiled as she reentered Lily’s family room. She ambled towards Lily and reached out her hands. “Lily, you are exhausted. Why don’t you let me take a turn with her?”

  A small sigh escaped Lily as she gratefully handed off Anna. She sat and leaned her head back on the chair and almost laughed with relief when Anna quieted in her grandmother’s arms. “Thanks. I’m not sure why I’m so tired today. I did get a nap this afternoon.”

  “You’re nursing two … it takes a lot out of you. I remember when Kim had Tiffany and Pamela. She was tuckered out for a year. And same with Vicky after Courtney and Caleb were born. Twins are double the work—”

  “And twice the pleasure,” Yvonne interjected as she came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with three plates. “Dinner’s ready.” After setting the tray on a side table, she transferred the plates, silverware, and napkins to TV trays waiting beside the chairs and moved one in front of Lily. “I’ll be back momentarily with our tea.”

  Placing the napkin in her lap, Lily smiled as she sniffed the delectable aroma wafting up from the dinner plate. She scooped up a bit of the mashed potatoes, savoring the buttery perfection. As Yvonne returned, Lily peered up at the identical smiles and emerald eyes. “You two are so good to me. Thank you. This is delicious.”

  After settling a now sleeping Anna into the bassinet next to Jerrell, Ann took her seat along with Yvonne and reached for her teacup. “This is all Yvonne’s doing. I didn’t lift a finger today.”

  Yvonne unfurled her napkin. “My pleasure. Ann has been invaluable in helping me through the years. And I’m well aware of what it is like to be so fatigued that eating a spoonful of peanut butter seems like too much effort, let alone fixing a nutritious meal. Those beautiful babies need you to fuel your body properly.”

  “Well, this meal certainly counts. So yummy, without a doubt, I could devour two helpings.” Lily sliced off a piece of ham, dipped it into the potatoes, and le
t an, “Mmmm,” escape as she slowly chewed. Lily counted herself lucky to have married into the Broderick family. Without her mother around, she would’ve been a complete wreck. Scott’s mom, aunt, and sisters were godsends, and she appreciated them bringing her dinner tonight.

  As she tucked into her meal, Ann inquired, “Did Scott call yet?”

  Lily finished her mouthful and swallowed. “No. I expected a call yesterday. They must be snowed in at the cabin. I wish I insisted they take a satellite phone. But I trust they can take care of themselves.”

  Yvonne sighed. “True, but Scott did go skiing with Dan. My poor boy has the worst luck.”

  “There is that I grant you. Darn. I should’ve insisted. Those two together are trouble magnets.” Lily chuckled.

  Ann nodded. “So true. I remember how they spent an entire weekend cleaning the red dye off your porch, Yvonne. Oh, and how many times did those two get into outrageous trouble in that treehouse? I was never sure which one of them was the instigator.”

  “I think it was equally split between Dan, Scott, Adam, and Jeff. Although when they decided to build the ramp, that was all Scott and Dan. Each boy required a few stitches when their slide came apart, and they all learned how much weight a thin, metal sheet can hold … not four boys.”

  Ann laughed. “Speaking of metal, you remember the time Scott wanted to take Dan sledding, but the plastic sleds were all broken? Dan was three, and Scott was eleven.”

  “Yes, I do. Still surprised they survived and didn’t receive concussions.”

  “I haven’t heard that one before.” Lily took a sip of tea.

  Ann set her utensils down as her eyes twinkled with a memory which, with time, turned humorous and no longer scared the bejeebers out of her. “Imagine this … a metal oil drip pan … one of those extra-large flat rectangular ones. Now, add two holes punched into two corners, and a rope threaded through. Got that image?”

  “A resourceful solution for a sled. Scott’s idea?” Lily asked.