Kathie DeNosky – The Millionaires' Club: David, Clint & Travis: Entangled with a Texan / Locked up with a Lawman / Remembering One Wild Night (страница 2)

Soon the paramedics had her hooked to an IV, and had an oxygen mask in place. They carefully put her on a transport board with a neck stabilizer and Clint Andover got permission to ride in the ambulance while David and Alex planned to follow in their cars. David passed the baby to a paramedic, feeling a peculiar reluctance to give up the infant even for a short time.

“Manny, we’ll get the bill later,” David called over his shoulder as he and Alex grabbed their jackets and rushed out behind Clint and the medics. Manny waved them away, following them outside and standing in his shirtsleeves, a spattered apron tied around his waist while he watched them.

Bright streetlights pushed back shadows and a sliver of moon hung in an inky sky above David’s car, which was speeding toward Royal Memorial Hospital. The ride seemed interminable, yet David knew the hospital was located within walking distance of the Royal Diner. Where had the woman come from? Who had given her the card? Questions plagued him during his dash toward the emergency entrance.

Carrying the diaper bag, Alex jogged to join him and together they rushed into the hospital just as the paramedics were wheeling the unconscious woman down the hallway through double doors. David and Alex met Clint and were told they would have to wait.

In less than three minutes, a familiar tall, brown-haired man, Justin Webb, M.D., came striding through the door and shook hands with all three men.

“Thanks for coming so quickly,” David said. “They’ve already taken the woman and baby to an examining room.”

“Who is she?” Justin asked.

David quickly filled Justin in on what had happened at the diner.

“Sounds like what started out as a peaceful night in Royal has turned out to be a big problem dumped on you guys,” Justin said quietly. He nodded at David. “Okay, I’ll see about the baby.”

“Thanks!” David exclaimed with relief. “Just let us take care of the baby until the mother can.”

Justin frowned. “If the mother can’t keep the infant for a few days, I’ll see to it that y’all can,” he stated, his solemn gaze sweeping the other three Texas Cattleman’s Club men before he turned to stride away.

“He’ll keep that promise if humanly possible,” David said, staring after the tall doctor who was one of the Southwest’s leading plastic surgeons and responsible for Royal Memorial’s Plastic Surgery/Burn Unit.

“He’s been through this with his own,” Alex added as the three men headed for chairs to sit and wait.

David knew that the others were as aware as he that Justin’s oldest child, Angel, now adopted, was left on his wife’s doorstep before Justin and Winona were married.

“Justin and Winona adore that little girl of theirs,” Clint said.

“I think Justin will do everything in his power to see to it that this baby doesn’t have to go to the Child Protective Services,” David added.

As the three men waited, Alex Kent pulled out his cell phone. “Even though we need to keep a low profile on this as much as possible, it’s only a matter of time until the police are notified. I’m surprised they’re not here now. I’ll call Wayne Vicente and talk to him because we’ve worked together before.”

“Good idea, Alex,” Clint said.

David leaned back and crossed his long legs, listening to his friend talk to the police chief. Even though they were the only people in the waiting room, Alex spoke in a low voice. David glanced at his friends. They were in jeans, Western shirts and boots just as he was—standard dress for chili night at the diner.

As soon as he finished the call, Alex put away his phone. “Vicente will be here shortly.”

“I’ve been thinking about the woman,” Clint said. “If they hold her here at the hospital—or if she’s unable to leave—with all that money and a head wound and the card, she must be in danger. When they put her in a room, I think one of us should guard her.”

“That’s good,” David said. “What about it, Clint? You’re our security guy, anyway.”

Clint shrugged. “I can arrange my schedule so I can stay. Sure. I’ll do it.”

“Okay,” Alex said, shifting the diaper bag underneath his chair. “I’ll deal with the police and put the money in a safe place unless Vicente takes it. Or until the mother can manage on her own.”

“I can help you,” David volunteered.

“David, you take care of the baby,” Clint said. “One of us has to.”

“If it comes to that,” David answered, expecting the baby to be put in the room with the mother before the night was over.

The three friends fell silent, each lost in his own thoughts until Alex stood and crossed the room to the door. A uniformed man entered the waiting room, and David watched as Alex greeted the stocky, brown-haired police chief.

Talking briefly, the two men crossed the room. David stood to greet the chief.

“You remember David Sorrenson and Clint Andover,” Alex said.

“Sure do. Talked to you, Clint, what—was it just three or four days ago?” Chief Vicente said as he extended his hand.

“Something like that,” Clint answered, shaking the police chief’s thick hand.

“Here’s the bag with the money,” Alex said, and all four sat down while Vicente unzipped a turquoise-and-pink diaper bag. The police chief whistled. “The lady must be in a heck of a lot of trouble. This is a fortune.”

“We don’t know anything about her, but we want to help her,” Clint replied solemnly. “There must have been a reason for her to come to Royal.”

Chief Vicente rubbed his forehead. “Okay, Alex. I’ll file a report and let you know if I have to do anything else. If not, go ahead and put the money in a safe place and keep me posted on what’s happening. I’ll talk to the doc now and see about the woman and baby.”

“Thanks,” Alex said.

All three men stood, offered thanks, and then sat down as the chief left and headed through the door marked for hospital staff only.

It was another half hour before a nurse appeared, crossing the room to face the men. “Dr. Webb sent me to get you. Are you the men he wants to see?”

“We are,” Clint replied as they stood and followed her down a brightly lit hall into an examining room. She closed the door behind them and they were alone with Justin and the baby. Holding her, Justin was giving the baby a bottle.

“This little girl is healthy and hungry,” he said. “I’m glad you called me. This baby can’t be more than five to ten days old, because the umbilical cord hasn’t dried up yet. The mother is in a coma so she can’t care for her baby right now.”

With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach over Justin’s gloomy news, David looked at the tiny baby, knowing he wasn’t the one to take charge of a baby. He tried to focus on Justin as the doctor continued talking.

“The doctors don’t have any identification. They don’t know how she got into town or where she came from. She wasn’t carrying a purse?” Justin looked at them questioningly.

David shook his head. “We don’t know any more than you do, Justin.”

“When they move her, I’m going to stay and guard her room tonight,” Clint said. “We think she’s in danger. And it looks like this is going to take longer than we thought. We expected her to clear up all the questions within the next few hours.”

“I don’t think so,” Justin replied. “They’ll put her in ICU, the Intensive Care Unit, but it’s still a good idea to stand guard. If someone was intent on harm, he could get to her. Her condition is listed as critical.”

“Oh, hell,” David exclaimed, remembering the desperate look in her violet eyes.

“Her doctor, Harry McDougal, thinks she suffered the blow to the head by a blunt instrument, so you’re probably right that she’s on the run, trying to get away from someone,” Justin continued.

“She called the baby Autumn,” Clint said, and all four men looked at the baby.

“Ah, little Autumn,” Justin said, smiling at the little girl in his arms. “Okay, guys. Clint’s staying at the hospital to guard our mystery woman.”

“I’m taking care of the money, and I’ll use my resources to find out what I can about her,” Alex explained.

“Okay,” Justin said. “So who gets little Autumn?”

“I guess I’m the guy, but I don’t know one thing about babies,” David admitted. “Any of you want to trade jobs?” he asked, a desperate feeling growing inside of him.

“We’ve got our assignments,” Alex answered, looking amused. “C’mon, David, it’s time you have some shaking up in that orderly life of yours.”

“Yeah, orderly,” David remarked, staring at the baby. “Last year I was getting shot at and feeling thankful just to be alive.”

“It’s quiet here in Royal,” Alex said. “You get the baby. Besides, neither one of us is a baby expert. Nope, we’ve got our assignments, and we’ll leave you with Justin now so you can get your instructions.”

“Hey! You two, wait a minute,” David exclaimed, feeling a momentary panic as his friends walked toward the door. “No kidding. I’ve never even held a baby.”

“Then it’s time you did,” Alex said. “We’ll head out to do our jobs and leave you to yours. We better plan a meeting, though.”

“Right. Tomorrow morning,” David replied darkly, staring at the bundle in Justin’s arms. All he could see was a small round head with wisps of light brown hair showing. “You guys meet me at the club at noon tomorrow.”