Chapter Thirty-One
Eleanor watched the ambulance pull away. Tuck had made arrangements for Jeff to be admitted to a psychiatric facility for evaluation and treatment. She retreated to her office to write her note.
Gwen sat on the couch. “You alright?”
“I’m good. Exhausted. I need to change. I’m a double mess—sitting in the cold dirt and my time of the month.”
“Ready whenever you are,” Gwen said.
Eleanor finished her note, locked it in her file and stood. The room spun for a moment, and her legs gave out. She grabbed the desk. “God, my balance is screwed up…damn sinuses.” She blamed her dizziness on that.
Supporting her, Gwen tapped her comm. “Marigold is down. Her office.”
Eleanor was oblivious to two men and another woman running to help her. Gwen helped her to the couch.
Tango Team’s medic, Kodi Bush, leaned over her. “Ellie, look at me please.”
“Who are you?” She tried to sit up.
Gwen called to her, telling her to lie back down. “Ellie, this is Kodi; he’s my team’s medic. He wants to check you out. You got wobbly.”
Kodi examined her. “Witch, I think the patient overdid and could benefit from some food, hydration and sleep.” He gave her a toothy smile. “I’ll send a report to the medical unit.”
“Thanks, Kodi.” Gwen accepted a bottle of Gatorade to give to Eleanor.
“Mmm.” Ellie drank it quickly. “Gwen, I need to talk to the group. I can’t abandon them.”
“Drink, and we will head to your place to change. You will talk to the group, and then you will turn in for the night.”
As Eleanor changed in the bathroom, she asked Gwen, “You called me Marigold?”
“That’s your code name. If someone is listening to the radios, your identity is protected.” “How do you get a job doing what you do?”
“Being a woman or in general?” Gwen sat on Elizabeth’s loveseat.
“Both, I guess.”
“I come from a military family. It became an easy choice. My dad is a lieutenant general at Fort Irwin. My brother and I both won Naval Academy appointments. I went Marines, and he went Navy. In 2014, I applied for a job at Chase Security. In 2017, I became the number two in Tango Team.”
“What do you do about the nightmares?” Eleanor asked, not to pry, but to try to find a solution for herself.
“Who said I’m having nightmares?” Gwen snapped.
“No one…I’m sorry…” Her lip wobbled.
“You asked for you, didn’t you?” Gwen softened.
“I need to tuck that away for now; we need to get going.”
She knew she needed to address what happened with the other clients. Before she left her apartment, she called Aaron to bring the group to the meeting room.
When Eleanor walked inside, she felt every eye on her. “How’s everyone doing?”
* * *
Resa Knolls rocked the newborn in her arms, pacing the small motel room. The baby continued to cry with no relief. “Dixon, what should we do? Nothing is working, and he has a fever. Babies aren’t supposed to get fevers.”
Dixon took the baby from her. The newborn boy had no tears left. Still ruddy from birth, he was bright red, including his eyes. “Resa, you stay with our two. I’ll deal with the baby.”
