Prologue
“His blood pressures dropping, Doctor.”
The responsibility for the patient was fully in Kate’s hands. New anxiety welled up in her. She didn’t need this. She’d had more that she could handle already tonight.
“Get the crash cart in here!” Kate yelled, and motioned for a syringe to administer the medication straight to the heart. Her own heart was in her throat. Panic made her hands shake. For the second time that night, she was presiding over a dying patient.
“What’s the deal here?” Dr. John Lincoln asked, frustrated.
“I…I wa….” Kate stammered, but was cut off short by Dr. Lincolns furious glare.
“Did you administer the clot buster?” He demanded, waiting impatiently for a reply.
“I didn’t think it was necessary. His vitals showed no signs of…..” She tried to explain, only to be cut off by his curt exclamation.
“Enough! You’ve wasted enough time already. Now get out of my way so I can save this mans life!” He spat, giving her a brief look of disgust.
She stood there gaping at him. Who does he think he is? Ordering me around like I’m a dog….Why I outta…..
“You can’t just order me around like that!” She stated angrily.
“I said enough Kate! We’ll be lucky if he survives, after all the time you’ve wasted.” He replied before proceeding to administer the medication to the patients IV.
“Your gonna kill him John! You know that that medication is only used when dealing with a heart attack!” She grumbled, recalling a case like this years ago. Just the thought of it sent shivers down her spine. She could still remember what happened, and by God, it wasn’t going to happen again.
Not if there’s something I have to say about it.
“Kate! Enough is enough!” He yelled, making her jump.
Their argument was interrupted by the sudden change in the patients heart beat. His vital signs seem to jump up and down before stopping all together. Suddenly the patient stated shaking uncontrollably then lay still. The life line went flat.
“Oh God! John. Look what you’ve done! You killed him.”
“I..It….But….”John stuttered, raked his shaking hands through his hair, and started pacing.
“Look Goddamn it! You just killed a patient.” She cried, grabbing him by the shoulders and giving him a shake.
“Kate, I swear if you don’t get your damn hands off me, I’m going to…..” He started to say but she cut him off short.
“You’re going to what John? Strangle me? Knock me in the head? Kill me? What John. What are you going to do?” She asked, giving him a sardonic smile.
“I don’t know. What are we going to do?” He asked, the color draining form his face.
“We? There is no we to it John.” She stated blandly, shaking her head and backing up away from him.
“What are you talking about Kate? You are just as much involved in this accident as I am.” He replied, slowly following her.
She felt something solid behind her and knew she had backed herself up against the wall. Swallowing the lump that was growing in her throat, she poked him in the chest.
“That’s where you’re wrong John. I told you not to give him the clot buster didn’t I? But no, you had to be all macho and give him the damn medicine. I swear your nothing but a no good, self-centered, over confident…..What are you doing?” She asked, getting scared, but showing no emotion of it. He had her pinned between the wall and his body. His hands were planted to the wall on each side of her head, leaving her no room to move.
“Kate! Will you shut the hell up and listen for a goddamn minute?” He asked, pressing his body into hers. Kate Ferguison sure did know how to have a man turn upside down in frustration.
“What the hell do you want John? She asked, trying to wiggle out from between the wall and him, only succeeding in making him press against her even more.
“Where ya going Kate? I ain’t gonna hurt ya. We just need to figure out how the hell we’re going to get through this. I don’t care how but you ain’t leaving my sight till this whole damn mess is dealt with.” He said putting emphasis on the word we’re.
“I ain’t going nowhere with you John. You’d have to tie my hands behind my back and gag me before I’d go anywhere with you.” She spat out, emphasizing the word anywhere.
He just glared down at her for a moment. “That can be arranged.” He said before grabbing her wrists and holding them to her side. “Now you be a nice girl and you might not get hurt.” He drawled as he slipped a rope around her wrists.
“NO! John stop! Ok. I’ll go with you. Just please don’t hurt me.” She cried, tears forming in her eyes.
“Good girl.” He said as he patted the top of her head like a dog.
“Will you please release my hands?” She asked.
“I don’t think so. You might try to fight.” He said and motioned for her to walk. Obediently she walked, mentally cursing him.
You just wait John. You’ll get what’s coming to you.
Kate wasn’t heard from for a year.
