“No, damn it. You made the news. You really earned your nickname, Acrobat.” He sighed heavily. “How’s Harper?”
“She lost consciousness when we hit the ground. Casey said he’d call me when she wakes up. I’m not entitled to hear her medical condition. Kyle went to get Chantal.”
“After Katrina, the Crescent City Connection, under state police control, added some cameras. I tapped into their CCTV system.” Rich pressed and rubbed his fist to the center of his chest. “It wasn’t an accident.”
Kip walked out of his bathroom rubbing his hair with a towel, almost tearing it in two. “What do you mean?”
Rich held out his hands. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean she tried to hurt herself. No, traffic was moving, and a blue car came down, weaving from the shoulder back into traffic. It came up behind her and rammed her on the rear tire. With that weather, the blue car’s driver knew where to hit her to send her airborne. Three feet sooner and she would’ve gone over. Harper hit the gas to escape. That was sheer luck she’d react that way. Most people would—”
“Brake.” He swiped his face with his hands and sat heavily on the edge of his desk.
“You okay?” Rich crossed his arms over his chest.
“No. I hoped it was a scary accident—that was horrible enough. And now, it wasn’t an accident. She was scared. Damn it, I was scared. The thread I’m holding on to is getting finer. All I can think of is her.” He took a deep breath. “See what you can find out. I’m already two hours late. I need to walk through our temporary nursing home, check in on the women’s center and then hit the hospital.”
“There’s nothing you can do while she’s out. Casey said he’d call you. I’ll do the walkthrough with you,” Rich said.
“You can’t go in there unannounced!” Elin yelled outside the door.
“Asshat, what were you thinking?” Bruce yelled at Kip and crunched his brows. “Damn, you’re making my head hurt.”
“Elin, thanks.” Kip shook his head. “Bean, you do realize Elin will put a bullet in your ass if you push past her like this. Now what are you screaming about?”
“I seem to be the only one who answers his phone. Mike got out of a video meeting in time for the 1600 news broadcast to show the acrobatic Kip Brennan, Executive in Charge of Chase Security International-New Orleans and the CEO of Chase Care, risking his life to save a young woman on the CCC. An unnamed source identified the woman as New Orleans society girl Harper Rousselle. You can imagine what the rest of the broadcast went on to speculate.”
“Rich, instead of the walkthrough, I want to know that source. Hell, speculation comes with the territory for all of us. How many love children has Ian supposedly fathered? But Harper—and by extension, Chantal—neither deserves this.” He pressed his lips together. “Elin.”
“Yeah, Boss,” she said.
“If the press calls, the answer is ‘no comment.’ Notify communications of that as well. Then, I need to put out a memo.” Kip opened his phone and called Casey in the health center.
“Hey. I know it’s too soon after my last call, and you don’t have news on Harper, but I have news for you.” He explained the situation. “And, Casey, Chantal Rousselle, Harper’s sister, is on her way in with Kyle. She’s thirty-one weeks along and, according to Harper, has been less than candid about her health. She’s having high blood pressure issues.” Kip laughed at Casey’s reaction. “No, none of the executives create these health situations as a test.”
He turned his attention back to Bruce. “How do you feel?”
“I’ve got a headache, and I’m pissed. My Tahoe was packed with expensive equipment, and all whoever hit me took was those samples. What did Kodi say?”
Kip’s head dropped to his chest. “He hasn’t been able to say anything.” He explained what happened.
“Sons of bitches. Do we have any intel on who lit the Manor up and/or why?”
“Tag’s initial report, your visual, Harper’s friend Opal all said the north wing on four exploded first. White phosphorus is meant to obliterate its target. Kodi reported the Manor management was moving sick patients with dementia to the fourth floor, north wing. And someone hit you to steal those samples. We need to know what was significant about those patients. We also know Harper was a target. Is this separate or part of the fire? Tag’s team is running the investigation.”
“I’ll walk the floors with you. We can drop the storm window guards as we hit each floor. It will give us time to correct any issues with them.” Bruce chewed his lip. “We will make it through this.”
“One way or the other.” Kip shrugged.
Bruce and Kip stepped onto the ninth floor and looked around at the quiet, organized area. Men and women dressed in light blue scrubs for doctors, black for PAs, light green for nurse practitioners, cranberry for nurses, dark blue for nursing assistants and patterned for administrative personnel. The lab, radiology, environmental and other ancillary services had their own colors. Chase supervisors had gold bands on the sleeves of their black uniforms.
Thom Wagner was sitting at what was now a nurse’s station. “Afternoon,” he said. “We’ve had a few minor glitches, but considering the chaos of earlier, things are okay. The former Sommerstone personnel are working hard.”
A nurse walked over. “Dr. Wagner, could you look at the patient in 9-19? He’s very drowsy. He isn’t usually like this.”
“Sure, and you are? And the patient’s name?” Thom asked.
“I’m Ruby. My patient is Bertrum Mayer,” she said.
“Ruby, this is Mr. Brennan and Mr. Steele.”
