by Laura Scott
“I know. The paramedics told us you wouldn’t get treatment without your dog,” one of the nurses said. He blinked and tried to read her name tag. Merry, that was right. He remembered Merry now from the other night.
“He’s well trained,” Reese repeated. “And thanks for hooking him up to the oxygen too.”
The medical staff gave Duke a wide berth but didn’t seem overly concerned with having a dog nearby. He listened as they talked about him in the third person, as if he weren’t right there, awake and conscious.
He turned his head to look over at Katy at the exact moment she glanced at him. He smiled at her from behind the oxygen mask and lifted a hand in acknowledgement.
He didn’t want to think about the fact that this might be the last time he would see her for a while.
But he couldn’t stay, no matter how much the doctors and nurses wanted him to. Even if getting Duke to the vet wasn’t an option, he still needed to talk to his boss about the wildfire and his suspicions about the blond dude.
Reese tried to be patient, but it wasn’t easy. They cleaned up the wound on his arm and placed fresh dressings over it. When they decided he needed a chest x-ray, he shook his head.
“Listen, Doc, I need to get out of here,” he said, glaring at the ER physician on duty. He squinted to make out his name tag. Dr. Allen.
“Your pulse ox readings are getting better, but I highly recommend you stay on oxygen at least overnight, maybe even a few days,” Dr. Allen said. “Not to mention, you could use at least three doses of IV antibiotics for your arm, just to make sure it doesn’t get infected, but your lungs are the bigger concern right now. You’re fortunate that you don’t need hyperbaric treatments.”
He had no idea what that meant, but it didn’t matter. “Can’t I get oxygen and antibiotics to go?” he asked. “I really need to take care of my dog and check in with my boss.”
Dr. Allen narrowed his gaze. “Your dog is already getting some care. I’ll make you a deal. You agree to a chest x-ray and IV antibiotics and I’ll treat your dog, too. I can give him IV fluids in the scruff of his neck and keep the oxygen on for a while. How does that sound?”
Reese gave in. His dog was the most important issue right now. But he also needed to call his boss. “All right, Dr. Allen, you have a deal.”
The doc waved a hand. “Call me Gabe. Now let’s get that x-ray, so we can care for your dog.”
The few minutes he was without oxygen didn’t seem too bad, as they transferred him from the gurney to a wheelchair. But when they replaced the mask over his face, he couldn’t deny that his breathing felt much better. He glanced at Duke, still wearing the face tent thingy around his neck. He was glad the dog didn’t look too bad off. Maybe once he got some IV fluids in him, he’d be okay.
He didn’t even want to think about what effect this injury might have on his career. Surely his breathing would get better, right? He wouldn’t need oxygen forever, would he? Trekking through the woods with an oxygen tank wasn’t exactly a viable option.
Pushing aside that pathetic image wasn’t easy, but he told himself to concentrate on one issue at a time. Duke came first, and then he could worry about the rest. Besides, he should be glad they’d gotten safely out of the fire.
Praying with Katy had given him the determination to push on. He couldn’t deny the power of faith.
The chest x-ray didn’t take long, and as he was wheeled back to the trauma bay, he realized he could still lean on the power of prayer for healing, too.
His gut clenched when he saw the two sheriff’s deputies waiting for him in the trauma bay. Deputy Armbruster and Deputy Kramer looked ill at ease, maybe because of the way Duke sat as still as a statue, as if waiting for the signal to attack.
He sighed and gave Duke the hand signal to lie down. The dog looked disappointed but stretched out on the floor.
“Deputies,” he greeted them in his raspy voice. “What brings you here?”
“We need to ask you about the fire,” Deputy Kramer said in a snide tone.
“Then why not talk to both of us?” Katy asked. Reese glanced over in surprise to find her in a wheelchair beside him. She must have come back from radiology, too.
The two deputies exchanged a look, and Reese could tell they weren’t too happy with her idea.
Did they think she was going to lie to protect him?
“I’m afraid protocol dictates we’ll need to talk to you separately,” Deputy Armbruster said in a firm tone. “But we can split up if that makes you feel better.”
It didn’t, but Reese wanted to get this done and over with. “Fine. Where do you want to talk? I would think you’d want some privacy so we don’t try to fix our stories.”
“Gabe, are there two empty rooms for us to use?” Katy asked. “I’m sure you’d like to get the trauma bay cleaned up, anyway.”
“Sure, take rooms eleven and twelve,” Gabe said.
Katy wheeled herself toward a hallway that led farther into the ER. He waited until Merry disconnected Duke from the oxygen regulator in the wall before he gave Duke the hand signal to come. The dog trotted along beside him.
Merry followed them into room eleven, connecting both his oxygen and Duke’s back to the wall. She took a few extra minutes to hang his IV antibiotic before leaving. Reese was a little surprised that Deputy Armbruster took a seat across from him, leaving Katy to talk to Deputy Kramer. He relaxed a bit, trusting Armbruster would be more impartial.
Was it really just twelve hours ago that Kramer had accused him of breaking in to Katy’s house? He could barely wrap his mind around it.
“Why don’t you start at the beginning?” The way Armbruster sat back in his chair gave Reese the impression he actually intended to listen.
Reese had to think back to what had taken him out to the hiking trail in the first place. He reached over to sink his fingers into Duke’s fur.
“Duke wanted to go out, and he headed straight for the hiking trail,” Reese began. “I figured something was up, that maybe he’d caught the scent of the blond dude, so I let him take the lead.”
“Just so I’m clear, the blond guy is the one you think was poaching with Boyle, correct?”
“Yes.” Reese knew Kramer didn’t believe him, but it was possible Armbruster was willing to keep an open mind. “I saw him several times when I was tracking Boyle, but I kept losing him.”
“Go on,” Deputy Armbruster encouraged.
“When I smelled the smoke, I thought Duke was tracking some careless campers, which was concerning since we’ve had such a dry spring.”
“When did you run into Dr. Katy?”
“Duke found her.” He stroked the dog’s head. “I was going to head back up the trail in case there were people trapped up there, but then I saw the fire engulfed far too many trees, and I decided to get down to safety.”
“And then what?”
“The fire surrounded us,” Reese said in a grim tone. “We followed Duke to safety. He led us to water, and in the end, he brought the firefighters out to where we were.”
There was a moment of silence before Deputy Armbruster cleared his throat. “That dog of yours is quite the hero.”
“Yes. He is.” Reese lifted his gaze. “I didn’t see anyone, but I know that fire was started on purpose. A fire started by a campfire couldn’t have surrounded us so quickly.”
Armbruster nodded. “Yeah, that’s what we think, too.”
“Am I a suspect?” Reese asked.
“No.” A ghost of a smile flashed over Armbruster’s face. “I don’t think you’d risk your dog.”
Reese chuckled and then started coughing again. “No, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t risk Katy, either.”
“I know.”
Reese felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He wasn’t a suspect anymore, at least not in Deputy Armbruster’s eyes.
“Well, if that’s all, I’d like to get Duke some treatments while we’re here, although it would be better to g
et him in to see the vet as soon as possible.”
“I hate to tell you, but the veterinary clinic isn’t open,” Deputy Armbruster said slowly.
“Because of the fire?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s not just the vet that’s closed. The entire town of Crystal Lake has been evacuated as a result of the fire,” Armbruster said. “The roads have been closed off except for emergency vehicles.”
Reese stared at him in shock. “Where did everyone go?”
“The Red Cross has set up tents a few miles outside of town. No one’s going back home until we get the fire under control.”
Chapter Twelve
Katy stared at Deputy Kramer, trying to understand where he was coming from. “Reese didn’t start the fire,” she said firmly. “And I don’t understand why you keep accusing him of doing all this stuff instead of trying to find the real culprit.”
“You mentioned being surprised to see him on the trail,” he persisted. “Why would you think that’s a coincidence?”
“Why do you think he’d risk his own life?” she countered, getting angry. “Don’t you understand? We almost died back there!”
Kramer’s face flushed, and he stared down at his small notebook for several long seconds. “Is there anything else you can remember?” he finally asked.
“No.” Katy didn’t understand what Ian’s problem with Reese was, but she was surprised at how eager he was to believe the worst. Which was strange because she’d worked with Ian before, and he’d always been great.
Now she couldn’t wait for him to leave.
“All right, please call me if you remember anything more.”
Yeah, right. “Sure,” she agreed, which wasn’t an outright lie. She’d call some other deputy if necessary, but not Ian Kramer.
After he left, she took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. Maybe it was Ian’s job to believe the worst in people, but she didn’t like the fact that he didn’t seem to consider other possibilities.
Like the blond-haired man Reese had seen.
She was in the process of disconnecting her oxygen when Gabe walked into her room. “What are you doing?”
She winced, since there was no denying she’d been caught in the act. “Going over to make sure Reese is okay. Why? Are you here to discharge us?”
“Not exactly. I’m going to admit you both upstairs.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?” she asked with a frown. “I’m sure you’ll need those beds for real patients.”
Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose as if she’d given him a headache. “Katy, you are a real patient, and so is Reese. Besides, you’ll both be better off if you stay here since the town has been evacuated.”
Her eyes widened at the news, and she wondered why she hadn’t considered that earlier. “I’m not sure Reese will stay. He’s worried about Duke.”
“I’ve given the dog some fluids. I think he’ll be fine.”
“I didn’t know that you were a practicing vet,” she teased, feeling relieved to know Duke had gotten some care.
“I’m not, but thankfully, some of the basics are the same.” Gabe took out his stethoscope to listen to her lungs. “Better, but not great.”
“I know.” She could feel the irritation in her nose and throat, and truthfully, staying on oxygen overnight was probably the right thing to do. “All right, I’ll convince Reese we should stay.”
“Good plan,” Gabe agreed. “I’ll get the orders placed, and then we’ll get you both transported upstairs.”
“Could we get scrubs? We’re both in desperate need of a shower and a change of clothes.”
“No problem.” Gabe left the room, no doubt to find Reese. She finished disconnecting herself from the oxygen in the wall, transferring to the tank on the back of her wheelchair, and then wheeled herself over to join Reese. She could have walked but didn’t have the portable oxygen tank on a wheeled carrier to use.
Deep down, she was glad they’d both have to stay the night at the hospital. Pathetic, really, that she was looking forward to spending more time with Reese before they went their separate ways.
“I need to call my boss,” Reese was saying when she entered his room. “He needs all the help he can get right now.”
“I don’t think that’s in your best interest, or Duke’s, either,” Gabe said in a stern tone. “You need oxygen, steroids, antibiotics, rest and fluids, in that order.”
Reese scowled and then glanced down at Duke. She noticed the dog had a huge hump on his neck and wondered what had happened. “Is Duke hurt?” she asked.
“No, that’s the fluid I injected,” Gabe assured her. “It actually works very well. The fluid absorbs subcutaneously into their vascular system. I’ll get him some medication, too. Maybe we can give it in some peanut butter or something.”
She wasn’t sure how Gabe knew how to take care of animals, but she was grateful he did.
“Reese, please stay, for Duke’s sake.”
He let out a heavy sigh and nodded. “All right, I’ll stay. But only if Duke stays with me, and I’ll need something to feed him. I doubt you stock pet supplies here.”
“I can have Zack head out to get some dog food,” Merry volunteered, walking into the room. “He keeps some in his car.”
“Dishes, too,” Reese added.
“Those I can find in the kitchen.” Merry turned to Gabe. “Admission orders have been placed, and there are two inpatient beds available on three west, right next to each other.”
Katy could feel her cheeks burn beneath the grime, and she wondered what Reese thought of the arrangements. She hadn’t asked to have their rooms next to each other.
But she was secretly glad.
“Good. Call one of the techs to transport them up,” Gabe directed. “I’ll find clean scrubs for you both.”
“Thanks, again, for everything,” Reese said in a low voice. “I’m grateful for all the care you provided to Duke.”
Gabe smiled. “It wasn’t a problem. Easy enough since the dog didn’t fight me. Did you train him yourself?”
“Yeah.” Reese’s smile was strained, and Katy found herself wondering if he’d gotten Duke right after his divorce. She could easily imagine Reese spending all his free time training Duke.
“I wouldn’t mind getting a dog if you’d be willing to train him,” Gabe continued. “Think about how much you’d charge and let me know.”
Reese looked surprised at the offer. “Ah, okay. But you should know that most police-trained dogs go for several grand, so it’s not cheap.”
“I’d pay that much for a well-trained dog,” Gabe mused. “My wife and I have two small children, so I wouldn’t even consider a dog unless it was trained by someone who knew what he was doing. Like you.”
Reese glanced at her, as if asking if he was for real. She smiled and nodded. Apparently training dogs for other people hadn’t occurred to Reese before. And now he’d been handed the chance to make a little extra money.
She hoped he’d take it. Not for her sake but for his own. Because while she could care less about his debt, she knew it weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Reese was too proud to allow anyone else to pay off what he owed. And she figured Reese wouldn’t even try to move forward with having a personal life until he’d gotten his financial situation under control.
Truthfully, she didn’t mind waiting, if that’s what it took. But would he give them a chance? She fully intended to find out.
Because at the moment, she couldn’t imagine a future that didn’t include Reese and Duke.
Reese turned the idea of training a dog for Gabe over and over in his mind as the young tech pushed him in his wheelchair up to his room. He’d never considered there to be a huge market for this type of thing, but obviously he was wrong.
But now that he thought about it, if he trained two dogs a year and kept up with his current frugal spending, he’d be out of debt sooner than he’d anticipated. Maybe even less than a ye
ar.
“Here’s an admission kit with shampoo, toothbrush and shaving stuff in it,” the tech said, pulling out a tub full of personal supplies. “Do you need me to hook up your dog to oxygen again?” The tech glanced at Duke in a way that made him think she might be afraid of the animal.
“I’ll take care of it, thanks.”
The tech shrugged and walked out of the room. He rose to his feet and took care of Duke before he took the tub of personal items and headed into the bathroom.
The face in the mirror looked far worse than he’d expected. The smoky smell seemed to be imbedded in his airway, and he hoped that taking a shower and changing his clothes would help.
A knock at the door startled him. “Mr. Webster? My name is Amy, and I’ll be your nurse. I have clean scrubs here for you to wear.”
“Thanks.” He opened the door and gratefully took the scrubs.
She frowned. “Did you disconnect your own IV?”
“Yeah. Can’t you wait until I finish showering before you hook it back up?”
“I guess, but I also need to put a waterproof dressing over your arm.”
“Okay.”
Amy quickly wrapped his arm. “Call me when you’re finished,” she said.
“I will,” he promised before closing the bathroom door.
When he emerged a good forty-five minutes later, he felt a lot better. The smoke smell still lingered but not nearly as powerful as it was before. He’d used the cheap razor they’d provided without nicking himself too badly, and he was happy to be wearing clean clothes.
He debated giving Duke a bath, since the dog’s fur still smelled like smoke, but decided against trying that feat in the shower. It was difficult enough in a bathtub.
He pressed the call button, and soon Amy returned. “Wow, you look great!”
“Thanks.” Actually, he felt like a fraud staying here in the hospital when all he needed were antibiotics, steroids and oxygen. But when he stretched out on the bed, he realized just how tired he was.
Strange to be so exhausted when he was used to hiking for hours in the woods.
