Page 10 of Code Trauma (Extreme Measures #1.5)

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H olly sighed. Her head was aching, and she wanted to have a good cry. But that would just aggravate her headache. She walked to the elevator with Raina and Penny on either side of her. The three rode the elevator down to the ER floor and walked the hallway toward the ER. “I feel like I have my own personal protection unit.”

“You do,” Penny said. “For now.”

“Until this guy is caught,” Raina said with a nod.

“... really think I wouldn’t find out?” The screech came from the direction of the ER and Holly paused, then hurried toward the commotion.

Dr. Mann stood in the hallway, hand outstretched toward his wife. “Come on, Vicki, you know you’re the one I love. I just flirt. It’s harmless.”

“Pictures, Garrett. Many, many pictures.”

“I didn’t take those!”

“Then how did they get on your phone? Hidden away in a little album labeled Holly Cooper? Huh? You think I’m too stupid to figure out technology?”

“No, of course not, but I’m telling you, I didn’t put those there.”

“Well, someone knew they were there, because someone left me a note under my windshield wiper telling me to go take a look.”

Holly’s gaze bounced between the husband and wife while everyone else stood staring in shock.

“What’s going on here?” Dr. Nick Israel appeared and walked toward the dueling couple. “Garrett?”

“A personal issue, Nick. I’m sorry. We were just getting ready to leave and take this to a more private area.”

“Good idea. Why don’t you do that?” He clapped his hands, then waved them in a shooing motion. “All right, children, the show is over. Back to work.”

“No need to take this somewhere more private,” Victoria said, her voice icy enough to send a cold front through the Mojave Desert in the dead of summer. “We’re done.” She tugged at the collar of her coat. “And I do mean done in every way imaginable.”

Rachel stepped up beside Holly. “What in the world?”

Holly shook her head, her heart aching for the shattered wife and the apparent end to a marriage. “So sad,” she whispered. She placed a hand on Rachel’s bicep. “Stay away from Dr. Mann. He’s nothing but heartbreak waiting to happen.”

Rachel shot her a dark look but nodded her head. “Unbelievable,” she muttered.

Victoria Mann swept out of the ER area with a toss of her head and a glare at them all. Garrett Mann looked up, saw everyone watching, and scowled. His gaze landed on Holly and his expression morphed into a smirk. “Well, my marriage is over. Guess you could go out with me now?”

Rachel gasped. “Seriously?”

Holly could see the deep pain in his eyes in spite of his poor attempt at a joke. “I’m sorry, Garrett,” she said, “very, very sorry for you and Victoria.”

“Yeah.” The man sighed, lifted his iPad and headed for the nearest patient room.

Rachel followed him, and Holly checked the time. Andy and the sheriff would be there soon. Andy, to take her to the motel, and the sheriff to take Garrett back into custody.

The doctor didn’t know it, but his day was getting ready to go from bad to worse.

* * *

Andy pulled to a stop in one of the reserved law enforcement spaces in front of the ER entrance. The sheriff parked behind him and climbed out to join him on the sidewalk. “I’ll go after Mann. You get Holly to the motel.”

“You really think he’s our guy?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to press a little harder this time to find out. I think he’s connected in some way, for sure, since it was his car that was supposedly stolen.”

“Right.”

Andy rushed inside to find Holly in a huddle with Raina and Penny just outside the double doors of the emergency room entrance. She looked up, and his gaze collided with hers while his heart thudded with regret at the choices he made and prayers that she would offer him another chance.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“It’s been an exciting couple of hours,” Holly said. “I’ll explain on the way to the motel.”

He frowned and nodded.

“Holly?”

Holly turned, and Andy thought he recognized the woman approaching. Rachel?

“Are you leaving?” Rachel asked.

“I am.”

“But ... why? Aren’t you still on shift?”

“I’ve been suspended,” Holly said, her eyes flashing. “But I’ll be back once the investigation is over.”

“Oh no! What happened?”

“It’s a long story. Ask Garrett if you’re still speaking to him.”

Surprise flickered across Rachel’s face and Holly sighed. “I’m sorry. That was petty.” She paused. “Did you know he was married?”

“No.” Rachel’s features tightened, and a fist curled at her side. “I can’t believe I was such an idiot.”

“Oh, honey, you weren’t an idiot. Just deceived by a very good deceiver.”

Rachel shook her head. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

She hurried away, and Holly nodded to Andy. “I’m ready, I guess.”

Andy escorted her to his car while the sheriff went in search of Dr. Mann.

The trip to the motel took all of three minutes, and soon he was standing inside her door while she set her bag on the bed. The fact that she insisted on getting it herself, refusing to let him carry it for her, spoke volumes. “Holly, can we please talk?”

“I’m still processing, Andy.”

He sighed and dropped his chin to his chest. “All right.” He turned to go.

When his hand landed on the knob, she covered it with hers. “Wait.”

“What?”

“I’m not being fair to you. If you want to talk, then we should talk.”

His burden shifted. “I would really appreciate it.”

She gestured to the small table in the corner. “Have a seat.”

He did, and she lowered herself into the chair opposite him. “Andy, I love you. If I didn’t, I would have just walked away from you. But I don’t do that with people I love.”

“Like I did?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

He nodded. “I know. But thank you for sticking with me.”

“I’m going to be honest. I’m having trust issues.”

“I know. And all I can do is promise to never do that to you again.” He cleared his throat. “My therapist is helping me understand that my childhood has had a big impact on who I am as an adult. And ... I have trust issues of my own.”

“Of course you do. Who wouldn’t?”

“But that’s just it. I thought I’d gotten past all that. I met you—as an adult—and it was everything I’d dreamed of for years. Being with you, loving you, ... it changed me. In a good way.”

She bit her lip, and tears flooded her eyes. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“And then Chris was killed, and it nearly killed me . All my life, I’ve handled my problems on my own because I had to. My counselor pointed out that I simply don’t know how to lean on someone else for emotional support.” He frowned. “And I guess I have to admit that’s true. But,” he took her hands, “I want to learn. And I want that person to be you.”

She sniffed and nodded. “I do too, Andy.”

“Then we can try again? Will you give me a second chance?”

She smiled. “I want to.”

“I want you to.”

“We just have to be able to talk through the bad times. And the good, of course, but most especially, the bad. And ... this is a really good start.”

Thank you, Lord.

He stood and pulled her up with him. “Can I kiss you?”

She laughed. “Yes.”

Just as his lips settled over hers, his phone buzzed. He ignored it and let it go to voice mail while he relished the feel of Holly in his arms once more.

When it buzzed again, he groaned and lifted his head. “I guess I should see who it is.”

“Probably.”

He pulled the phone from his pocket. “It’s the sheriff.” He swiped the screen. “Hello?”

“Hey, are you with Holly?”

“I am.”

“Is she safe?”

“She’s in a motel room. Why?”

“I really think we got our guy. You should see the stuff on his computer. Obsessed doesn’t even come close to describing his interest in her. And the pictures on his phone are only a few of the thousands he has of her. I don’t know where his wife thought he was when he wasn’t at the hospital because he sure wasn’t at home. He was too busy stalking Holly.”

“You have him in custody?”

“We do. His wife—soon to be ‘ex’ according to her—came by and gave us more incriminating evidence against him. Said she found more pictures in his desk at his house.”

“Is she still there?”

“Yes, I think so. Why?”

Something didn’t sit right with Andy. “Do you mind if I come by and have a chat with her? And maybe Garrett as well?”

The sheriff paused. “Why? You think I’m wrong?”

“No, not at all. I just think there’s more going on here than we’re seeing, and I’ve got a few questions I’d like to run by them both.”

“Then come on over. I’ll have her waiting for you.” The sheriff gave him a description of the woman and Andy hung up. He turned back to Holly. “You heard my side and put two and two together?”

“Yes.”

“Will you be all right while I go talk to the Manns again?”

“What do you think we missed?”

He rubbed a hand over his chin and shook his head. “I don’t know, but I have questions, so don’t go home just yet, okay?”

“Yeah. Okay, sure. I guess while you do that, I’m going to take a nap and then start preparing my statement for the board.”

Still, he hesitated. “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

“Raina and Penny are coming by in a couple of hours. I’ll be fine. Go.”

He kissed her again, then stroked a hand over her cheek, marveling at the softness. And at the love in her eyes. “Okay, I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll be here.”

Andy shut the door and heard the deadbolt engage. He took a deep breath then reassured himself that he was only going to be three minutes away. The police station was just around the corner from the hospital. He could be back fast if he had to be. But if he thought he would need to do that, should he leave her?

The door opened. “Go, Andy, I’ll be fine. Mann is in custody, and I’m going to sleep a bit, then work.”

He sighed and nodded. “Okay, see you in a little while.”

He hurried to the sheriff’s office and walked inside to find a woman matching the sheriff’s description sitting in the lobby. It could only be Victoria Mann. “Mrs. Mann?”

She stood. “You’re the man the sheriff said wanted to talk to me?”

“If you don’t mind. I just had a few questions that were nagging at me—about Garrett.”

“Okay, if it helps me make sure I get my fair share in the divorce, then I’m happy to answer.”

“Right.” He cleared his throat. “So, the pictures that you found on Garrett’s phone. You said you got a tip that they were there.”

“Yes, someone left a note under my windshield wiper and said they hated to be the bearer of bad news, but that I needed to find a time to check his phone, that he had a girlfriend.” She spread her hands, then clasped them at her waist. “And the person was right. Obviously.”

“And the pictures in his desk?”

“Some of the same.” She swallowed hard. “I’m very angry with Garrett because of this whole stalking thing, but I honestly don’t see him as someone who’d do the other stuff that they’re accusing him of.”

“What other stuff?”

“They’re saying he switched the drugs in the chopper. Drugs that killed a woman. The sheriff asked me if I’d noticed anything at home—drug vials and whatnot. So before you ask, the answer is no. Why would he bring that stuff home when he was at the hospital?”

“So, drugs were switched?”

“Yes, while I was talking to Garrett, the sheriff came in and said the report had come back that epinephrine was found in a Decadron bottle. They suspect that someone switched them out, and as a result, the nurse, Holly, had inadvertently given the patient a lethal dose of the epinephrine.” She frowned. “I think I remembered all that correctly.”

“Oh no.”

“That’s not all. There were other medications that had been tampered with as well. According to the sheriff, someone was going to die in that chopper—and soon. If it hadn’t been the Decadron and epinephrine tragedy, it would have been something else.”

Then this was a premeditated murder, not just a crime of opportunity.

“But,” she went on, “like I said, I just can’t see Garrett having any part of that. He loves being a doctor.” She clicked her tongue. “Much more than he loves being a husband, obviously. As much as I don’t want to defend the two-timing jerk, I have to admit he’d never do anything to jeopardize his career.”

Andy processed the words. “When did you find out about Holly? That he was obsessed with her?”

She frowned. “This morning when I found the note.”

“Do you still have the note?”

“No, I threw it away.”

“Okay, then?—”

The sheriff stepped out of the interrogation room. “Andy, a word?”

“Of course.”

Andy stepped over to the sheriff, out of earshot of Mrs. Mann. “Dr. Mann decided to talk a little more,” the sheriff said. “I’ll fill you in on that in just a minute, but I also just got word that one of the forensics guys said while the photos were real, they were all uploaded at the same time to the cloud from the hospital coffee shop. Of course, I wanted to know who did the uploading, and hospital security checked the date and time and sent me three pictures of the people in there using a laptop. And two using their phones.” He turned his iPad around and showed Andy the pictures.

Andy lifted his gaze. “You’re kidding me. Her?”

“I called and she clocked out about two minutes ago.”

“She’s going after Holly. She was in the ER lobby when we left. What if she followed us to the motel?”

Together, they raced for Sheriff Lewis’s cruiser, and Andy slung himself into the passenger seat even while he dialed Holly’s cell phone number.

When it went to voice mail, his heart thundered in his ears. “Hurry.”

The sheriff turned on the lights and siren, and they screamed down the road toward the motel where he’d left Holly.

Alone.

Unprotected.

He tried her number again. Voice mail.

Please God, take care of her.

“She could be in the shower,” the sheriff said. “Or sleeping.”

“True.” But he didn’t believe it.