Connor Caine was walking out of Royce Mills' room when Elizabeth stepped into the ICU. Residents and nurses crowded her to give her hugs of support. Disengaging herself, she pulled Connor to the desk. "How is he?"
"I think we’re running out of options. His temp is 105 while on the cooling blanket. His liver and kidneys are struggling against the stress from the antibiotics. Dr. Reed, I don’t know what to do."
"I'll do the fever work-up. Call me when the results come in. As long as his heart is beating, we have options." She walked toward the room with a bucket of supplies. "Sergeant McAllister, I didn't expect to see you here."
"The guard assigned had a family emergency. I'll be here until midnight. I didn't realize you’re Mills' doctor."
Elizabeth shuddered from his predatory look. "Thank you for coming to Daddy's wake. I need to see my patient." She pulled the door closed behind her. Sam Robison was the aide with Troy. Elizabeth recognized him as a Chase Security employee from the hotel but said nothing. "I’ll be here with him. Go take your break."
Troy's soulful brown eyes were open and empty. "Hi, I'm Dr. Reed. You’re in Horizon Hospital. Can you try to move a finger for me?" His eyes followed her. "May I examine you?" She put one finger to her lips. His eyes closed.
She opened the door wearing a coquettish smile. "Alden, could you remove the shackle from Royce's foot please?"
"Dr. Reed, he's a prisoner."
"Please, you’re at the door. He's unconscious. If he were awake, he’d be too ill to move. I need to position him to examine him. Please."
"For you." He tapped a finger on her nose, and Elizabeth smiled through her disgust.
The second Alden McAllister walked into the room, Troy's heart rate soared. "Behave yourself, prisoner. Your cute doctor asked me to do this. Don't make me regret it."
Troy's eyes stayed closed, but he shuddered when Alden grew closer. This unexpected response was not from his fever.
"Royce, listen to me. He's going to unlock the cuff and leave." Elizabeth placed a soft hand on each of his bruised cheeks.
"He's all yours." Alden's laugh was sinister.
"He's gone." Troy's eyes opened. "Can you move a finger?" This time, he did.
"Way to go." Elizabeth sat in a chair next to him and performed a neurological exam. He was able to follow simple commands with a thumb up or down.
"You're an exceptional guy. I don't show this to all my patients." Elizabeth removed her scrub cap, then took his hand and placed it against the dip in the back of her head. "The jumbles, they’ll get better. Give it time."
He blinked and pointed at her.
"I fell." She washed her hands, gloved, and placed a fresh, cool compress across his brow. "You sustained severe injuries and your fever is very high—I’m hunting for a reason." His eyes faded and closed. "First, your chest and belly." When the monitor turned red, Elizabeth stopped. His body processed any motion as a sprint, threatening to kill him. "Troy, we’re together in this. No surprises. I promise."
The epidural and paralysis made the exam painless, yet any memory of what happened, any idea of touch could add to the stress. "Troy, it’s Dr. Reed. We’re in the hospital room together." She felt his upper body tense and remembered her conversation about the kidnapped little boy. She hummed that song, the one with meaning to Martin and to her. His body relaxed. "I'm all done, Troy. Are you hanging in there?"
Thumb up. Troy's fingers formed four letters:SONG.
"You sign. Wow, that's terrific. The song—my fiancé sang it to me when I was scared. I think you know him. Martin Bailey.” His heart rate conveyed his recognition. "I want to help you, Troy." Elizabeth's thoughts turned in her head as her patient closed his eyes.
"Troy, you went to jail to find out why a little girl was found near death in a ditch and Martin's brother Austin was shot. You aren't a criminal."
Troy's heart rate notched higher.LET ME BE.
"Not happening. A lot of people, including me, are worried about you."
TO JAIL DIE.
"Troy, look at me," her tone was forceful. "You’re never going back." Troy's eyes turned dull. She ached for him. It was her mission that he understood he was safe before he died.What would Marty tell him?
"Marty Bailey...Farmer…and I went to high school together. We had English class together. One of the books we studied wasMoby Dick. Chapter thirty-one was called ‘Queen Mab.’ She was a fairy who brought sexual dreams inRomeo and Juliet. It was our joke. Marty's middle name is Aaron. Marty was my fairy, so I called him Queen Mab."
Troy grabbed for her hand.COVER BLOWN.
Elizabeth held his hand between hers. "Troy, the mountain is getting smaller." A tear fell from her eye.
