"Yes, ma'am. I'm Tighe Cummings. I fell asleep. I'm sorry, I should have caught this."
"No, THEY should have caught this." Elizabeth's voice scalded the room.
"Don't mind Dr. Blunt here. Even in medical school, she always knew how to win friends and influence people." Joyce shook her head. "Yes, Dr. Know-It-All, you are right."
"What're her numbers?"
"They're getting better. I ordered methylene blue." Joyce placed Lola into Elizabeth’s arms, breathing support tubes and all.
Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears. The resemblance to Grace was uncanny. "Your new daddy picked a beautiful girl. He's giving us both second chances, Lola." Elizabeth stimulated Lola’s breaths with gentle taps to her back. It was only when another nurse arrived with a tiny IV bag filled with blue fluid that Elizabeth's vision cleared. She followed the medical care with an exacting eye.
Pete suggested to his fatiguing patient, "Elizabeth, you need to go back to the ICU."
"Tighe, come here." Elizabeth’s head tipped back to take in his height. "Lola, this is Uncle Tighe. Mommy is tired, and when Daddy says bye-bye, Uncle Tighe is going to hold you until you are less blue and you stop these icky grunts." Elizabeth waited as he bent to take Lola from her. "Don't be afraid. The tubes are all secure. See that monitor? The third number is Lola's temperature. If that number stays between 36.6 and 37.2, she's fine in your arms."
Lola fit in his palm. "Yes, ma'am."
Pete wheeled her into the hallway. Martin crouched in front of her despite the pull of his stitches. "I want you to rest. I won't leave her until she improves. I love you so."
"Is it real?" her voice filled with fear.
"Today and always."
As Pete wheeled her to the elevator, Elizabeth noted the familiar Chase Security uniform on a man outside a door. "Stop. Pete, is that the little girl I operated on?"
"Yes, her name is Lissa. You saved her too. Tighe has been spending a lot of time with her. Joyce can tell you more."
Elizabeth nodded. At the elevator, she reached behind her to stop him. "Pete, Tuck, can you ask them to save Lola's trash? Test her old tubing for nitrates."
They shared a worried glance. "We will, darlin'."
Later that evening, Steven Keys hugged Elizabeth. "You scared me, Beth."
"Marty told me Pietra, Hailey, and Krystal poisoned me. What did I do to them?"
"My guess is jealousy. You’re a better doctor than all three combined," Steven said.
"How are you holding up? You’re carrying my load too."
"Hedges stepped in to help, and Hillinger is interviewing. Besides, you'll be working again soon enough. I'll be back to visit tomorrow." As he walked down the hall, Steven took a bracing breath.
Chapter Twenty-Four
During his incarceration, Troy continued muling drugs through the jail, but evidence of the films and ritualistic beatings remained lacking. With his cooperation, his punishments became infrequent. When he was finally allowed to meet with his attorney, it was his first opportunity to pass detailed information since his second trip to the hole.
"Mr. Mills, I wish I had better news, but your girlfriend is holding to the story that you assaulted her. That, on top of the car theft charges her mother is pressing, does not bode well for us at trial. I think we need to speak with the ADA and ask for a deal." Sutton knew as she spoke that the promised attorney/client privacy was non-existent.
"Damn it, Ms. Turner. I didn't do this. That bitch's mother gave me the car keys, and Tracy likes it rough," Troy said. As he spoke, he wrote on her pad.
Securing my cooperation through threats to my family. Alden McAllister, Tim Lampton, Vernon Gafford, Keene Jensen, Lonnie Cowan, and Boyd Thomas are part of the drug distribution. Silverton PD personnel are involved, unloaded the second van, no names yet. Re-encountered deep-voiced female. By proximity, six feet tall. No visual. Thomas, Gafford, Lampton, and Jensen are quick with a fist and flashlight.
"Mr. Mills, I will continue trying to find a witness on your behalf. I need you to start accepting you may be here for a while," Sutton said. "How are you doing otherwise? Your mother is keeping your commissary account filled."
“I'm fine.”Tell them not to pull me, Troy wrote. "If they offer a deal, I can think about it, right?" Stress lines creased his eyes.
"Yes, Mr. Mills, I will follow your instructions. Guard, Mr. Mills may return to his cell." Sutton chewed her lip as the guards took him away.
Monday, July 31st
