Dazed from his head hitting the curb, Kip whispered, “Harper.”
“Easy 1 to Medical, Alpha 1 is down. Building main entrance,” Josh said. “Boss, look at me. It’s not Harper. Stay still. Medical is coming.”
Zayne Wentworth and four members of Crescent 1 made it out the doors first. “Control the scene. Cover the woman,” Zayne ordered his team as he crouched down at Kip’s side. Josh was holding Kip’s head stable. “Boss, talk to us,” Zayne said.
“How’s Adelaide?” Kip asked.
Bruce crouched beside him. “She’s gone. There’s brain matter everywhere.”
“Seal the scene.” Kip struggled to get up.
“Boss, medical is coming. You need to stay still,” Josh warned.
Tobey O’Mara and Chad Thorn came out the door next. “Titan to Crescent 1, continue scene management. Bravo Team Bravo Squad, report to building main entrance forthwith and initiate identification of cameras and witness canvas. PD is en route. Where the hell is medical?”
The doors opened, and Hunt walked out grim-faced. He knelt beside Kip, his skilled hands palpating his neck. “Look at my ear.” Hunt checked his pupils, sensory and motor function. He also asked about his situational awareness. “Sit up—slowly.”
Kip inhaled and shook off the brief dizziness. His muscles ached, and he wanted to throw up. Closing his eyes, he attempted to put together a memory of the accident.
Logan Shepard and Kevin Harper rolled a backboard and collar on a stretcher out the door. Logan leaned over Kip. “How are you doing?”
“That’s a stupid question. How do you think I am?” He glowered, dropping his head in his hands. “What happened?” He reached up to wipe what he thought was sweat out of his eyes. “Shit.” He rubbed his bloody fingers together.
“We will figure that out inside. Logan ran gloved hands down the length of his body. “What hurts?”
“I’m fine. Help me up.” Kip frowned and shoved Logan away.
Kip walked back into the women’s center, where Josh, Hunt and Logan ushered him into an examination room. “Let us get a look at you and stop the bleeding, then you can tell the staff. Bruce is running the scene,” Hunt said.
Kip jerked his head away from the disinfectant sting, grabbing the table from the spin moving provoked.
“Do you remember everything?” Hunt asked.
“More or less. She’d told me she was picking up food for the staff. I saw her coming toward me with shopping bags, so I went to meet her to help carry the food, and I had some more questions for her about Harper. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash, and the next thing, Josh was telling me to hold still.”
Logan helped Kip slip out of his jacket and then took his vital signs. “All good.” He cleaned and placed a small bandage over his eye.
Hunt put him through a repeat neuro exam. “You look okay.”
“Looks are deceiving.” Kip pursed his lips and pushed off the table.
“Listen to me: if you have nausea, vomiting, more of the vertigo you’re trying to hide or worsening headache, you report to the med center,” Hunt ordered.
“Yeah, okay.” After washing his hands and face, Kip stepped out into the corridor and walked to the reception desk. “I need access to your in-house intercom please.” The receptionist handed it to him. “All staff, please report to the conference room on one.”
Hunt and Kip stood at the head of the room. “Folks, there’s no easy way to say this. There’s been an accident. Your colleague and friend, Adelaide Matin, was killed by a hit and run driver. I am sorry for your loss.” Kip swallowed hard.
“Harper and now Addy,” the nurse’s assistant said.
“Folks, if your patient does not need immediate care, please send them home with our apologies. We will reschedule them. If they insist on being seen, Mr. Shepard or Mr. Reynolds will see them. I did not know Adelaide, but I can appreciate your loss, and for that, I am sorry. Crisis management will be made available to all for as long as you need,” Hunt said.
“The police are in the process of closing off the front of the building. We will aid with walking your patients and you out the rear and side doors,” Kip added.
A nurse raised her hand. “Mr. Brennan, who is going to tell her husband?”
“I will check in with the police. If they have no objections, Dr. Montgomery and I will. If any of you were close to Adelaide, I’m sure her husband would appreciate a familiar face,” Kip answered.
Chapter 19
