Page 68 of Deception and New Direction

“So,” he said, starting the engine. “Areyou two going to make it, or amIgoing to have to carry you both inside?”

“I just need a nap,”Elliesaid.

“Oooooh, a nap sounds amazing,”Iconfirmed. “IthinkI’mgoing to take one on the bench by your pond.”

Jack chuckled. “Alright.We’lldropEllieoff first and then go home to the bench.”

I felt like he also mumbledGodhelp me, but that could have been a dream.

25

RUTHIE

“Born toBeWild” played from my cell phone, indicating my granddad was calling.

“HeyGranddad,”Ianswered.

“HeyRuthie, it’sRonald.Idon’t want you to be alarmed, butIcame over to giveHanksome good news about the trust money and found him lying on the floor.”

OhGod!

“He says he’s fine, butIthink he should go see a doctor,”Ronaldinsisted. “I’mhoping you can talk some sense into him about letting me take him to the hospital.”

“Ugh, sure.Letme talk to him,”Ireplied, realizingImust get my stubborn genes from this side of the family.

Ronald mumbled a few things into the phone then sighed. “Hesays he’s not going and we need to stop treating him like a baby—even though that’s exactly what he’s acting like.”

“I’m coming over,”Ireplied, frustrated that my granddad was being like this. “Ifhe gets worse, please just call an ambulance.I’llbe there soon.”

I hung up and started to hobble my way over to the back room whereCatworked from.Thisboot was definitely easier than the cast, butIstill wasn’t exactly fast.

“Hey,Cat,”Isaid asIstepped into the doorway. “Ronaldjust called and said my granddad fell.Apparentlyhe’s doing better now, butI’mgoing to go over and help convince him to go to the doctor.I’mgoing to text the guys to let them know, but would you man the phone until one of them can come down here?”

“Yeah, no problem.Ihope he’s okay…Wait…how are you going to get there?”

Shoot.Shewas right.Jackhad driven us to work today and he had theSUVwith him.Icould take a company vehicle, butIwas pretty sureArcherwould kill me after the lastincidentwith a company vehicle.

“I’m going to call anUber.”

“Okay.Sorry,Iwould drive you, butVinceandIwalked today, soIdon’t have my car.”

“It’s okay.Idon’t know how longI’llbe anyway.”

“Will you text me when you get there to let me know if he’s okay?” she asked.

“I will.Promise,”Itold her asIwent back to my desk and quickly pulled up the app to order a car.

It said a driver would here in four minutes, soIgrabbed my purse and made my way to the door, relievedIhadn’t broughtDashwith me today, or that would have complicated things even more.

I pulled up the group text thread ofDeliaand all the men who worked atRangerShieldand myself—mostly used for me reminding them to do their paperwork—and shot off a quick text to let them know thatIwas headed over to my granddad’s to check on him.

I let them knowCatwas manning the phones for now, but couldn’t do it all day, so one of them needed to come downASAP.Diegoresponded he was upstairs and would come down in a minute, andWadealso texted back, letting me know he was over at the pub and would pop by.

My ride pulled up, andIgot in.Ididn’t know who my granddad’s primary doctor was, butIrealized since it was just after lunch, they may not be able to get him in this afternoon anyway.Ibegan looking up the closest urgent care and hospital to his house soIhad options in case he was bad but still refusing an ambulance.

When we arrived at the house,Inoticed two extra vehicles.Onewas the same gray sedanRonalddrove, butIdidn’t recognize the other one.

I hopped out of the car and thanked myUberdriver, who had been kind enough to pull up as close to the house as possible sinceIhad on my boot.AsIwalked up to the house,Icould hearGranddad’sdogs barking in the backyard somewhere.Theymust have seen some kind of critter close by, because they were yapping like crazy.

---