CHAPTERTEN
The way Sandra just stood and stared at the door, her face feverish, put Eb into motion.
“Come sit in my place while we check with Walt about the key.”
Still towing her suitcase, he gently guided her to his door and opened it. As they entered, she stumbled a little. He let go of the luggage and swept her up in his arms. She was burning up. He gently placed her on his sofa.
“Sandra, I need to use your phone to call Walt.”
But she’d already closed her eyes. When Eb shook her shoulder, she groaned and rolled over, turning her back to him. Her phone bulged in her hip pocket. If it were password protected, he wouldn’t be able to access her boss’s personal number, but if it only had a fingerprint to get through, he could do this.
He extended his hand but then pulled back. Talk about awkward. Eb didn’t want to be accused of taking advantage of an incapacitated woman. Maybe he could get it to slide out of her pocket without him having to put his hand in the pocket. At least it wasn’t as deep as the ones in his jeans. Taking a deep breath, he put pressure on the bottom of the bulge in her pocket.
“What going on?” Walt’s voice cried from behind. “Is something wrong with Sandra?”
Eb spun around and found the man and his wife frowning. “Thank heavens you’re here. She said she doesn’t have a key to your new condo, and I was trying to get her phone to call you. She practically collapsed.” He stepped back as Linda hurried over. “Feel how hot she is.”
“Sandra?” She nudged her shoulder.
Once again, Sandra groaned but this time she put up her hand to wave them off. “Leave me alone.”
“She needs to see a doctor.” Linda turned to face Walt.
“The only place open is the urgent care across town,” Eb said, trying to decide if they should take her to the emergency room.
“Hang on. I know someone,” Walt said, already pulling out his phone.
“She didn’t have her key,” Eb said again to Linda. “She was really out of it and then she collapsed. I don’t have your number, and I knew you were going out to dinner with your daughter’s family.”
“They’re downstairs. We only came to drop off Walt’s luggage. We picked up the key and brought it over.” Linda shot her husband a worried glance. “I hope he won’t come down with whatever she has.”
Walt ended his call and turned to face them. “Jay’s home and will come over right away.” He said to Eb, “He’s one of our neighbors and is an ER doctor.”
“Should we move Sandra to her condo?” Eb asked.
Linda shook her head. “Everything will be in boxes.”
“She was going to spend her weekend unpacking.” Walt sent his assistant a worried glance.
“I’ll call the kids to tell them to go on without us.” Linda opened her purse and pulled out her phone.
At a knock on the door, Walt hurried to open it. “Thank you so much for doing this, Jay.” He then went into a quick explanation.
Eb stepped back further, watching as they worked to rouse Sandra enough for an examination.
“Swollen glands,” the doctor said. “Does it hurt to swallow?”
“Like when I have strep,” Sandra croaked. “It’s only ever hurt like this with it.”
“Open your mouth wide.” When she did, Dr. Jay said, “Oh, yes. I’ll do a swab to be sure, but I’ll write you a prescription for an antibiotic. Are there any you’re allergic to?”
“Just penicillin and its cousins,” she croaked.
He swabbed her throat and slid it into a tube before marking something on it. Dr. Jay stood and faced Walt.
“We should probably culture you, since you’ve been around each other for several days, just as a precaution.”
“It hit her really fast,” Linda said, sounding worried. “Could it be something else?”
