Eric slowed as well, giving her a what-are-you-doing look.
Jennie leaned toward him and whispered, “Makes me wonder if anyone told the authorities I was here.”
“Of course they did.” Eric seemed indignant. “Donovan wouldn’t lie. Neither would Stan.”
“How can you be sure? And how do you explain the fact that no one has tried to contact me?”
“It’s only been two days. You didn’t even know exactly where they were, and Bend is a pretty good-sized town.”
“I know, but—”
“Trust God, Jennie. I’ve already given up my family to Him. I don’t know where they are, but He does. Whatever is going on, I know God will take care of them—and me. Think about it, Jennie. He brought you and your grandmother safely to us.”
Jennie sighed. “It’s not that I don’t believe in God and what He can do. I do. But God gave me a brain and instincts—we have to act on those sometimes. Faith is more than sitting around when there’s a problem. It’s also having the faith to do something about it.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“Something isn’t right about all this. You said so yourself at your parents’ farm. Don’t you want to find out what happened to them?”
“Yes, but my job isn’t to question God’s will.”
Jennie gritted her teeth. “Eric.” Wanting to distance herself from Stan even more, she pulled back on the reins, bringing the horse to a stop.
Eric pulled up as well. “What are you doing?”
She nodded at Stan. “I didn’t want him to overhear.”
“Why?” Eric glanced at Stan, looking like a disobedient child. The man kept riding, head high, shoulders straight, reminding Jennie of a police officer on horse patrol. An officer. He carried himself like an authority. Could Stan be a government agent?
Eric grabbed her arm. “Jennie … why don’t you want Stan to hear us?”
She tucked the random thoughts about Stan away for the time being and focused back on Eric. “I’m not sure I trust him.”
“He’s one of us.” Eric shook his head, clearly annoyed at her suggestions.
“That doesn’t make him a good person.”
As if knowing they were talking about him, Stan stopped and twisted around in his saddle and shouted, “Everything okay back there?”
“Fine,” Jennie yelled back. “We … we were just talking.”
Jennie urged Faith forward. Stan turned back around and resumed his previous pace, staying well ahead of them.
“Anyway, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about,” Jennie said, going back to her earlier concerns. “It’s your parents. You keep talking about God’s will. Well, what if this isn’t God’s will that they’re gone? What if it’s someone else’s?”
Deep furrows etched Eric’s forehead. “What’s your point?”
“You said there were outsiders around here who hated the Colony and that they’d killed two of your members.”
“Right. So what does that have to do with my family?”
“I’m not sure, but if the killers murdered the two men just because they were members of the Colony, maybe they also hate the families of people at the Colony. Think of Hitler and how he exterminated the Jews.”
“You’re saying they might have killed my parents and brother because I joined the Colony?”
“Maybe not entirely. But what if your family refused to be a part of their vigilante group or tried to fight them? Maybe they knew something or had evidence.”
“I don’t know, Jennie. That seems pretty farfetched.”
“I’m sure your parents didn’t stop loving you when you joined the Colony. They were probably hurt and angry, but—”
“Dad disowned me. He said he would if I joined, and he did. My brother wouldn’t even talk to me. When I left, he wouldn’t even say good-bye.”
“They were hurt. Maybe your dad thought that threatening you would make you change your mind. People say and do things they don’t mean when they’re hurt.”
“Doesn’t matter. They’ve moved and didn’t tell me, which proves they don’t care. God is my Father. The people at the Colony are my brothers and sisters.”
“Okay, but aren’t you curious as to what really happened?”
“Yeah, but what can I do about it?”
Jennie shrugged. “I thought maybe you and I could go back to your parents’ ranch tomorrow and have another look around.”
“What good would that do?”
Before Jennie could respond, Eric urged Sable forward. “Stan, wait up.”
Jennie dug her heels into Faith’s side a little harder than she needed to. She waited in anticipation for Eric to tell Stan about her crazy theories, but he didn’t. Apparently he didn’t feel they were worth mentioning. Fine. If Eric didn’t want to go, maybe she’d go by herself. She couldn’t let it go. It just wasn’t in her nature.
It took forty minutes to ride from the ranch to the compound. The last twenty were painfully silent. Stan and Eric both looked like they carried heavy loads. Once they arrived, Stan turned to Eric. “I’ll take care of the horses for you. I imagine you’d like to take Jennie in to see her grandmother.”
“Sure.” Eric didn’t seem all that enthused.
“I can go in alone,” she said.
“I’d like to see her too.” Eric’s gaze slid to meet hers, offering what Jennie saw as a private apology.
Jennie nodded and they set off. Marilee and Lois greeted them as they came through the main gate a couple minutes later.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Marilee clasped her hands and did a little dance. “The Lord has answered our prayers. He brought her nearly to our doorstep. One of the men found her in the stable. Didn’t I tell you everything would work out?”
Jennie smiled. Part of her felt like dancing too, but something in the older woman’s demeanor held her back.
“Jennie.” Lois fell into step with the others. “Before you see your grandmother, there’s something you should know.”
“What’s wrong? Stan said she was alive.”
“She is.” Lois hesitated. “But she’s very ill. She’s suffered a head injury, as you know. She also has a broken arm. She looks—”
“But she’ll be okay, right? Stan said she’d be okay.”
“The doctor seems to think so.” She smiled and patted Jennie’s hand. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. I just didn’t want you to be alarmed.”
Marilee kept talking to Eric and Lois about the miracle. They in turn raved about God’s perfect timing. Jennie tuned them out. Her head and her heart hurt with the anticipation of seeing Gram, especially after Lois’s warning.
Her heart quickened as they reached their destination. The building was much like the others, Jennie noted as they reached it. A cross graced the entry, and a sign posted to the right of the door read Hospital. They walked into an open area that seemed to serve several purposes. There were chairs making up a waiting area to the right. Two small, round tables sat next to a cupboard holding drink containers and what looked like snacks.
To the left was a small chapel with two small stained-glass windows. One showed Christ carrying the cross. The other was of Christ risen, arms outstretched. From burden to hope. Jennie felt the burden deeply now. Gram will be okay, she reminded herself. She forced herself to look at the resurrection. Please, God, let her be all right.
“She’s in here.” Lois led them into a large ward behind the double doors. The smell of industrial-strength room deodorizer tried to hide the distinct smell of incontinency.
“It smells like a nursing home,” Jennie murmured.
“In a way, it is,” Lois said. “This is where our elderly and frail come when they’re sick or dying.”
Four of the beds were occupied by patients who fit Lois’s description of elderly. All
had white hair that blended in with the room itself. Jennie let her gaze wander over the clean white walls and ceiling. Six beds with white sheets and spreads lined each side of the room, dormitory style. Each bed sat in front of a window with white shades and curtains. Those on the south side were drawn to keep out the late-afternoon sun. A woman in a long blue dress and white apron walked toward them. Most modern nurses wore scrubs and uniforms in all different colors. Though Jennie had seen pictures of nurses in hats, she’d never actually met one.
“Hello,” the nurse said as she approached. “I’m Kimberly. You must be Jennie.”
Jennie nodded. “Where’s Gram?”
Kimberly’s gaze flickered over Eric, Lois, and Marilee in a warm greeting before settling back on Jennie. “Behind those curtains “ She pointed to the last bed on the right. “We felt she needed the privacy.” Her smile faded. “You can see her, but only for a few minutes. She needs to rest as much as possible.” Looking at the others, she said, “I’d like you to wait out here. The doctor said we needed to limit visitors.”
Jennie followed Kimberly back to the last bed on the left. The curtains opened, and Jennie slipped inside. Her heart dropped to her feet. Stan had warned her. So had Lois. Jennie sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Nothing could have prepared her for this.
12
A baseball-sized lump clogged Jennie’s throat. She swallowed hard and moved forward until she reached the side rail. There’s been a mistake. This isn’t Gram. It can’t be. The still, pale woman lying against the stark white bedding bore little resemblance to Helen Bradley. Gram was vibrant and active—a spy, a writer, and a strong, independent woman. Gram was young—at least she seemed so to Jennie. She wasn’t at all like Grandma Calhoun, who’d been old forever. Not that being old was a bad thing. She’d loved Grandie too.
The woman in the bed looked older than Gram by at least ten years. Her short salt-and-pepper hair stuck out at all angles. Gram’s face was pretty—deep blue eyes like Jennie’s, and fair skin. Now multicolored bruises covered half her face. A bandage covered the place on her forehead that had been bleeding. Even as the denials came and went, Jennie knew the truth. This was Gram. No mistake.
An anguished cry escaped Jennie’s lips. It didn’t seem possible, but she looked worse than when Jennie had left her at the crash site. An IV dripped fluid into a vein on her left hand. A cast covered Gram’s right arm from the knuckles to about four inches above the elbow. Her breathing seemed labored and shallow.
Glazed and unfocused, Gram’s eyes opened for a moment, then closed again.
“Gram, I’m here.”
Jennie grasped the fingers of Gram’s left hand. Gram moaned. Her face contorted in pain.
Jennie let go and grabbed the rail. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“I don’t think you hurt her.” Though the voice sounded tender and filled with compassion, it startled Jennie.
She spun around, nearly knocking over a pitcher of water on the bedside table. “You scared me. What—where did you come from?”
Donovan smiled. “I’ve been here since they brought her in. Praying. You were so intent on your grandmother you must not have noticed.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“As I was saying, I don’t believe you hurt her. She’s in a great deal of pain.”
“Why don’t they give her something?”
“They have, my dear. The nurse medicated her just before you arrived.”
“Oh.”
“Why don’t you sit here beside me. You look a little unsteady.”
Jennie felt unsteady. “Thanks,” she managed. “I’m okay.” She didn’t want to leave Gram’s side, but after a few minutes she caved in and eased into the straight-backed wooden chair.
After several more long and silent minutes, she got up again. Donovan made her nervous. Not him exactly. His silence. Since offering her the chair, he’d been so quiet she wondered from time to time if he was even breathing. He just sat there, praying or meditating. At least that’s what she assumed he was doing. With bowed head he had a reverent, priestly look about him. Jennie didn’t want silence. She wanted answers.
Disturbing him didn’t seem right. Still … She cleared her throat. “Donovan.”
He looked up, his gaze forgiving. “Yes?”
“I … I need to know what happened. How did you find her, and …” Jennie hesitated, almost afraid to ask. “Why is she here? Shouldn’t she be in a real hospital?”
“This is a real hospital and the best place for her right now. We have a qualified staff seeing to her needs.” Donovan held up his hand to quiet Jennie’s protest. “She came to us. Apparently walked in during the night or this morning. Stan found her in the stables.”
Jennie rubbed her forehead. “Where? Eric and I were there—we didn’t see her.”
“Stan found her shortly after you left. She had apparently tucked herself into a corner of the stall away from the door to keep warm.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t see her. I should have known she was there.”
“Nonsense. How could you?” He placed a hand on her forearm. “There is no reason to feel guilty. Just be happy she was found. Praise be to God for the miracle of her life. I don’t know how she managed—angels, most likely. Considering her condition, the odds were against it. We were all surprised.” He placed both hands on his knees and stood. “I suppose we shouldn’t be. God does work in mysterious ways.”
“Yes, but …” Jennie wished she could simply thank God, but it didn’t seem that simple. She couldn’t get over the feeling that things weren’t as they seemed. Jennie had no idea what was out of place. She only knew that something wasn’t right.
“Would you like to meet Dr. Paul? Perhaps he can put your mind at ease.”
Jennie nodded and followed Donovan through the ward. At the center, he turned at the nurses’ station and stopped at a closed door. After tapping lightly and receiving a “come in” from inside, he opened the door and stepped into the room. It was an office, actually, with a desk and file cabinet.
“Paul,” Donovan greeted the balding man with glasses perched on his nose and feet resting on the desk. He wore a white lab coat over khaki pants and a white shirt.
“Donovan. Come in.” He placed the book he’d been reading on the desk and swung his feet down.
Donovan introduced Jennie. “I’ll leave you two to talk. Jennie has some questions about her grandmother’s condition.”
“Fine. I’ll be happy to talk with her.”
Donovan eased out and closed the door behind him.
“Please, have a seat.” Dr. Paul gestured toward the chair behind her. Jennie dropped onto it and questions spilled out. “Why is she here? What are you doing for her? How badly is she hurt?”
While she talked, the doctor reached behind him for a cup, filled it with juice, and handed it to her.
Jennie took it and set it on the desk. “Please. Just answer my questions.”
He did. Calmly and gently, as Donovan had, the doctor explained Gram’s condition. It was nothing the others hadn’t already told her or that she hadn’t seen for herself, but hearing him talk in a professional way calmed her. “Her vitals are good … blood pressure, heart. Her condition is guarded but certainly not life-threatening. She’s exhausted, and it will take several days for her to regain her strength.”
As he continued to explain, Jennie drank the juice, and when he finished, she asked for another glass. “I’m really thirsty.”
“Let me get you some water, then.” He smiled back at her over his shoulder while he filled her glass.
Jennie greedily downed the water. “So, doc …” Jennie set the glass back on the desk and leaned lazily back in her chair. She felt comfortable now with Dr. Paul and Gram’s care. Maybe he could help with another matter. “What if she gets worse and nee
ds emergency care? Could you life-flight her into Bend or Portland?”
“We’d get her the best medical care possible. However, she’s not in danger, Jennie.”
“I know. I believe you. I’m just thinking that if you had an emergency, you could call for help. You could fly her out.”
“Yes, I suppose we could.”
“Then why can’t you pull some strings and find a way to call my parents?”
“Pardon me?” His forehead knitted in a frown.
“I need to talk to them, let them know I’m here so they can come get me.”
“I’m sure the authorities have been notified.”
“Then why haven’t I heard from them? Why haven’t they come?”
“I’m afraid I can’t answer that. If the authorities have been contacted, I’m sure they’re doing their best to locate your family.”
“They’re not that hard to find. They’d be looking for me too. I don’t understand.”
“I’m sorry this is distressing you. Perhaps the Lord has a reason for delaying your departure from us. One obvious reason is your grandmother.”
“What do you mean?”
“She needs you. She may not even know you’re here at the moment, but her recovery will be much faster if she has family with her.”
“We’d take her with us.”
“Moving her now would be very hard on her.”
Jennie tucked her hair behind her ear. “I want to go home.”
“Of course you do,” Dr. Paul soothed. “That’s understandable. You miss your family. I’ll talk to Donovan. Perhaps he’s had some news. Meanwhile, why don’t you get some rest. You look like you’re ready to collapse yourself.”
“No, I don’t—”
“Tell you what.” Dr. Paul stood. “You can sleep here, right next to your grandmother. How would that be?”
Jennie could think of no reason whatsoever to disagree.
She did need a nap, and being close to Gram … yes.
Dr. Paul led her out to the main area, where he signaled the nurse.
Stranded Page 7
