“ Does she need to be debrided in the OR? K.T. OBannon asked curtly.
“ Probably. Baker lowered her voice. “If its the vulnificus variety, it can be fatal if you dont cut out the involved tissue right away.
Torys head pounded, not with dizziness, but with mind-numbing fear. She walked away from them and went to Reeses side. “Hiya, Sheriff, she said when she saw that Reeses eyes were open, and thankfully, clearer again.
“ Hey, Reese said hoarsely, holding up the hand with the IV taped to it. “How you doin?
“ Im okay, Tory said, her throat tight with tears she would not shed.
“ Whats going on? I dont remember much of how we got here.
“ Youve got a bad infection in your arm. How do you feel?
“ Head hurts." Reese frowned. "My insides feel like I swallowed nails. Cant say as I feel much in my arm. She saw Tory pale. “Tor? You better tell me now, because Im getting a little foggy again.
“ You may need surgery, honey. To remove the infected tissue.
“ Surgery? Reese tried to sit up, but failed.
The sight of her normally strong, commanding lover so weak and ill scared Tory to death. Her eyes flooded with tears, and she looked away.
“ Tory, Reese said urgently, summoning all of her strength. “This is my weapon arm. You cant let them cut pieces out of it.
“ Youre more important than any job. Torys voice was rough, her eyes dark pools of anguish.
“ Dont croh, fuckIm gonna throw
Tory grabbed a basin just in time as Reese vomited again. She slipped her arm beneath Reeses shoulder and held her as close as the hospital bed would allow.
“ Please, Reese muttered when she could catch her breath. “Dont let them operate. Then she leaned back, closed her eyes, and slipped into darkness.
Chapter Fourteen
Bri looked at the clock beside her bed for the fourth time in less than ten minutes. Its too early to call. Carre never gets up this early.
Naked, she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. It was hard getting used to waking up without Carre beside her. Hell, it was hard doing everything without her. It had been weird riding the Harley with a woman pressed against her, arms around her waist, a cheek resting lightly against her shoulder, who hadnt been Carre. She'd dropped Allie off at her apartment after they left the tavern around 1:00 a.m. Allie had said she could walk home or grab a ride with someone else, but Bri had insisted on taking her.
It was funny, but watching Allie walk away had left her with an empty feeling. And that didn't make any sense, because she didn't even know her. When she got home, even though it was late, she called Carre. And no one had answered.
You wanted to do this. You knew it would be hard. There's no point in complaining now. Just suck it up, Parker.
Signing, she rolled onto her side, buried her face in her pillow, and tried to sleep. Fuck.
She got up, pulled on sweats and a T-shirt, and padded barefoot out into the living from where the only phone in the apartment was located. She slumped onto the end of the lumpy couch and reached for the phone. After seven rings, she was about to hang up when she heard Carres sleepy voice.
"Hello?"
"Babe? Sorry, did I wake you?"
"Bri? Hi, yeah. That's okay." Caroline laughed. "I'm awake now. What's going on?"
"Nothing," Bri said quietly. "I justwanted to talk to you. I tried calling last night"
"Oh." There was a moment of silence, then Caroline said softly, "I was out with some of the kids from school. II got the scholarship."
Bri closed her eyes. Took a deep breath. "That's great, babe. I'm really proud of you."
"I tried to call you, but I guess I missed you."
"Yeah. I was with Reese." Bri straightened her shoulders. "So listen, we should do something to celebrate. How about I'd come down next weekend, and well go out."
"That would be great. I miss you. "
"Me, too." Bri heard a muffled voice in the background. "Is somebody there?"
"Oh. That's James. It was really late when the party broke up last night, and he walked me home."
"And stayed over?"
"Uh-huh."
Bri had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. You could spit from one side of that apartment to the other. Everything was turned upside down, and all she could feel was the dark ache of loss. The words were out before she even had time to think. "Where did he sleep?"
"What? Bri!
"Well, Jesus, Carrewhat am I supposed to think?
"Youre supposed to think I love you . And in case youve forgotten, I like girls. Carolines voice rose, tight with anger. “It's pretty clear you've forgotten that the only girl I ever wanted was you. No wonder it was so easy for you to leave."
"Easy?" Bri whispered, so quietly her voice did not carry over the line.
"I'm going to go now, Bri, because I don't want to fight. I'll talk to you later."
Bri closed her eyes as a soft click broke the connection.
Stupid. Jesus, what's wrong with you.
She got up and headed for the shower, determined to ride back to New York City as soon as her weapons class was over and apologize. As she stood under the hot spray, trying to purge the misery from her mind and heart, a pounding on the bathroom door penetrated her awareness. She stuck her head outside the shower curtain. "What?"
The door opened a crack and a male voice called, "Parker, your old man's on the phone."
"Tell them I'll call him back," Bri yelled, surprised.
"He says it's an emergency."
Heart pounding, Bri stepped from the shower and grabbed for a towel.
*****
Tory glanced at the clock on the opposite side of the brightly lit emergency room. She couldn't believe it was only ten o'clock in the morning. She felt like the day had been endless. She jumped, startled by the voice beside her.
"Tory, I need someone to sign an operative consent," K.T. said quietly. "I don't think she's competent. Do you know how we can reach her next of kin?"
"I have medical power of attorney," Tory said quietly. She leaned against the aluminum guardrail that stood between her and Reese like the bars of a jail cell, her left hand curled tightly over the top rung, her right softly stroking Reese's forehead. She didn't look at the surgeon standing next her.
" You do?"
"Yes. She's my lover."
There was a moments silence, then K.T. said flatly, "Fine. I'll get the papers."
"No. Not yet." Tory turned and met K.T.'s eyes. "Her vital signs are stable. She just got the loading doses of chloramphenicol an hour ago. I want to wait until Jill has had a chance to look at the gram stain.
“ Why? the surgeon asked impatiently.
“ Because this might be a limited infection, and another dose of antibiotics might bring it under control without surgery."
"And if we wait, and it isn't a mild form of the organism, she could lose her arm. She could die."
"She's a sheriff and a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. She needs the use of that arm to be who she is," Tory said as a wave of agony passed through her. "I have to be sure."
"I'll be as conservative with the resection as I can," K.T. insisted.
"Can you promise me that you won't resect the extensor muscles in her forearm?" Tory said sharply. "Because if you do, she'll never hold a gun again."
"You know I can't promise that. It depends on what it looks like."
"Yes, and you can't always tell if the tissue is healthy or not just by looking at it. And surgical teaching says when in doubt, cut it out . I lived with you through your surgical residency, remember?"
"God damn it, you're letting your emotions affect your judgment." K.T. took Tory's elbow and moved her several feet away from Reese's bedside. "You're not thinking like a doctor. You shouldn't be making this decision."
"I am a doctor," Tory said sharply. " And I'm her lover. I'll let you know after I've talked to Jill."
"Jesus," K.
T. cursed. "You're just as stubborn as ever."
"And you're"
"Tory!" Bri called as she hurried across the room.
Tory looked over at the handsome youth in leather motorcycle pants, black jacket, and white tee shirt. An inexplicable wave of relief washed through her. Maybe it was simply the fact that Bri had always reminded her of Reese in her single-mindedness and her uncommon sense of valor. She held out her hand, which Bri took. To her surprise, Bri leaned close and kissed her on the cheek. Oh, Bri. Youve grown up, havent you?
"Thanks for coming, Bri."
"I left as soon as my dad called me. He said hed be here soon."
"This is Doctor OBannon, one of Reese's doctor's."
Bri nodded briefly in the direction of the woman by Torys side. "How is she?"
"She's in and out. She's sleeping right now." Tory squeezed her hand. "I called Jean and Kate, but they must be away because I only got their answering machine."
"I'll call my dad in a few minutes. He can probably track them down." Bri glanced at the stretcher. The sight of Reese in the hospital bed sent a jolt of terror straight through her. Carefully, she kept her expression blank. "Can Iis it okay if I"
"Go talk to her for a minute," Tory said gently. "She won't answer, but she'll hear your voice. I need to hunt down one of the other doctors."
Bri studied Tory's drawn face, her eyes darkening with concern. "Have you had anything to eat this morning?"
"What?" Tory asked in confusion.
"You haven't, have you?" Bri put her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket and hunched her shoulders slightly. "Look, I'll bring you something from the cafeteria. Toast or something. Is coffee okay?"
The sight of Bri, so very much like Reese, searching desperately for a way to take care of her brought a sudden flood of tears to Tory's eyes. With a shaking hand, she brushed away the few that escaped before she could contain them. She cleared her throat and smiled. "I guess I should skip the coffee. But some juice and toast would be great. Thanks, sweetie."
Bri blushed and ducked her head. "I'll be right back."
K.T. watched Bri walk away. "Shes hot."
"She's a child," Tory said acerbically.
"I don't think so." She gave Tory a speculative glance. "Still living in Provincetown?"
"Yes. Bri's father is the sheriff there and Reese's boss."
"Why did the kid ask if coffee was okay? Is somethingwrong? Are you ill?"
"No." Tory hesitated. "I'm pregnant."
K.T.'s gasp of surprise was audible. "Jesus Christ, Tory. Stop fooling around then. Let me operate and make sure your partners around to see the baby."
Tory's face lost the last remnants of color, but she refused to give in to the sudden wave of dizziness. "You never could see the shades of gray, could you? I'm going to find Jill Baker and see what she thinks. I'll give you my decision after that."
Than she walked to the bed, leaned over, kissed Reese on the lips, and strode away without looking back at the astonished surgeon.
Chapter Fifteen
Tory found Jill Baker in the pathology laboratory, bent over a microscope, a frown of intense concentration wrinkling her smooth forehead.
"What have you found?"
Without looking up, the infectious disease specialist answered, "It's a gram negative, just like we expected. At least we know the antibiotics are correct."
"Is there any way to tell if it's the virulent form or the self-limited variety?" Tory tried to keep her voice even and hoped that her rising panic wasn't evident. As each second passed, and the clock ticked down on the chance of keeping Reese out of the operating room, her anxiety escalated.
"No, I'm sorry. Not from this. We need to wait for the culture and sensitivity results to come back." Her eyes were sympathetic, but her tone held the matter-of-fact delivery of every physician who knew that only the truth would suffice.
"How long?" Tory asked, although in her heart, she knew.
"Twelve hours at best, more likely twenty-four." Baker shrugged. "Bacteria grow at their own pace."
"If it's Vibrio vulnificus , she doesn't have twelve hours, does she?" Tory put one hand on the counter, determined not to let anyone see her falter.
"If that's what it is, she doesn't even have six." Baker's gaze slid from Tory's tormented green eyes to the scrolled gold band encircling her left ring finger, the exact match to the one on the sheriff's hand. "What would you say if you didn't know anything about her except the medical facts?"
Tory looked away, attempting the impossible task of keeping Reese's face from her mind. But she was a doctor, and after a moment, she succeeded in assessing, categorizing, calculating the timetable, and reviewing the sequence of symptoms. She took a deep breath. "I'd say that everything points to the rapid onset of cellulitis which was most likely produced by an ocean-borne pathogen. In all likelihood, there was systemic spread almost immediately, which accounts for her toxic presentation and gastrointestinal symptoms. I can precisely pinpoint the time of infection, and considering that it's been almost twelve hours, the progression is not escalating particularly rapidly."
"Very good," Baker said with a small grin. "And your conclusion?"
"It's more likely to be the nonfulminant variety, because if it were anything else, by now her condition should have deteriorated to the point of shock and system failure." For just a second, her voice shook. "There's no evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation on her last blood panel, and the local spread of the infection seems to have stabilized."
"Want a job? We could use another ID attending around here."
"No thanks," Tory said with a weak laugh. "What if we wait on the surgery, and I'm wrong?"
"Being cautious is the sign of a good physician. Second-guessing yourself, though, is dangerous." Jill Baker's expression was solemn. "Let's try a little old-fashioned medicine. Let's look at the wound. If the cellulitis hasn't progressed, and she still looks stable, I say we sit on it for another couple of hours."
"OBannons going to go crazy."
Joe lifted one elegant shoulder. "Let her. Her ego can take it."
Tory took a deep breath. "Okay."
Chapter Sixteen
K.T. was gone when Tory and Jill returned, having been called away by an emergency in the trauma unit. Bri was sitting by Reeses bedside, perched on a tall stool, a tray bearing English muffins and cardboard cartons of juice balanced on her knee.
“ Look whos here, Bri said happily as Tory approached, inclining her head toward the bed.
Tory leaned over the stretcher and gazed into the bluest eyes shed ever seen. “Hello, sweetheart, she murmured, her heart aching at the shadows of pain that lingered in Reeses face.
“ Hi, love. Sorry I keepfading. Reese turned her head slightly. “Bri says she has breakfast.
“ Yes, Tory said with a smile. “But not for you just yet. Are you hungry?
“ Not really. Reese grimaced. “Im just happy not to be heaving. You should eat.
Tory petted her hair, stroked her face, unable to bear not to be touching her. “In a minute. She glanced to the side as Jill joined her at the bedside. “Honey, this is Jill Baker. Shes an infectious disease specialist. She needs to look at your arm.
“ Okay, Reese said weakly. “Just looking, right, Doc?
“ No sharp instruments, Sheriff, Jill replied with a smile.
Reese kept her eyes on Torys face as the other doctor unwrapped her arm. She would be able to read the answer in her lovers eyes. When Jill gently probed with a gloved hand, Reese winced and immediately saw Torys eyes darken. “Im okay, Tor. It doesnt hurt too much.
“ I know, sweetheart. Torys fingers trembled in Reeses hair. “What do you think, Jill?
“ Its no worse.
Tory closed her eyes. When she opened them, Reeses questioning gaze was fixed on hers. “Thats good, honey.
“ No surgery then?
“ Maybe I should decide that, K.T. announced dryly as she moved in next to Jill a
nd reached for Reeses arm. Her dark eyes steady on Reeses blue ones, she said, “Im Dr. OBannon. Im a surgeon.
“ Doctor, Reese said with a hint of her old authority in her voice. "I'm hoping I won't need your services."
K.T. didn't respond as she lifted and turned Reese's arm, then probed upward towards her shoulder. "Hurt up here?"
"No.
“ Make a fist.
Reese tried, but couldnt quite close her fingers.
“ That bother you anywhere? K.T. questioned.
“ Just feels stiff. Reese frowned. “Mostly I just feel really beat. I can't seem to stay awake."
"That's the effect of the dehydration and the bacterial toxins," K.T. murmured without taking her eyes from the wound. After a moment, she gently placed Reese's arm back on the bed. Then she grasped the guardrail in both hands and leaned over slightly so that her face was all that Reese could see. "I don't see very much change in the physical appearance of your arm in the last four hours. That may be a good thing, or it might not. The safest thing would be to take you to the operating room, remove the sutures, irrigate the wound, and excise any dead tissue."
"How would that affect the function of my arm?" Reese said, trying hard to concentrate. The headache was slowly returning, and with it, an overwhelming desire to close her eyes.
"Maybe not at all."
"Maybe?"
The surgeon blew out a slightly exasperated breath. "I can't tell you for sure until I see what the tissue looks like."
"Worst-casescenario?"
"Sensory loss, primarily in the upper aspect of your hand, weakness of wrist extension, decreased grip strength."
Reese's eyes flicked to Tory. "Can we wait?"
"Honey--"
"Sheriff Conlon," K.T. interrupted. "If we go now, we minimize the risk--"
"K.T., let me talk to her alone for a minute," Tory said quietly.
Reese stiffened slightly and shifted her gaze back to the surgeon. The tone of familiarity in Torys voice was too much to be coincidence. So you're the idiot who let her go.
Radclyffe - Safe Harbor 02 - Beyond The Breakwater Page 6
