Page 47 of The Smart Killer
Ryan, a seasoned EMT with a calm demeanor, and his partner Olivia, a compassionate woman, leaped out. Their eyes widened as they spotted a motionless figure sprawled near the dumpster, bathed in the harsh glare of the headlights, with a man giving CPR.
“What have we got?”
“I took over from a mother. She’s in the house on the phone calling the cops.”
Nearby, a young girl watched from a small Honda sedan. “I’ve been doing CPR. He has a pulse,” the older man continued.
“Have we got a name?” Ryan asked, his gaze never leaving the teen.
The man shook his head, his hands trembling. “I don’t know. I was returning from picking up my kid from a dance class when my headlights shone over him and a woman near the dumpster. I used to be in the reserves. I think it’s alcohol, possibly drugs.”
“All right, just step to one side.”
Ryan updated dispatch to alert the medical center for the arrival of the teen as Olivia began working on him. Olivia’s hands were already gloved and ready for action. The kid didn’t look good; he was lying on the ground, his skin pallid and pupils constricted.
“Check his airway and breathing,” Ryan instructed, his voice steady. Olivia quickly tilted the teen’s head back, ensuring his airway was clear, while Ryan placed his finger on the neck, feeling for a pulse.
“Shallow breathing, weak pulse,” Ryan said, his brow furrowing. “Possible opioid overdose. Let’s administer Naloxone, stat.”
Olivia swiftly prepared the naloxone nasal spray, then expertly delivered a dose into the teen’s nostrils. They monitored his vital signs, their trained eyes flicking between the pulse oximeter, blood pressure cuff, and cardiac monitor.
“He’s responding,” Olivia said, relief evident in her voice as the teen’s breathing gradually steadied, color returning to his cheeks.
“Good. Let’s get an IV line in,” Ryan said, pulling out the necessary supplies from their medical kit. With practiced precision, he expertly inserted the IV catheter into the arm and secured it in place. Olivia connected the IV tubing, allowing fluids and medications to flow into his veins.
A frantic woman approached them just as they finished securing the IV line. Her eyes were wide with fear, her voice trembling. “Ma’am, stay back.”
“I was the one that found him.”
“Was there anyone with him?”
“No.” The woman shook her head, her hands trembling. “I saw some car pull away quickly, but it was too dark. I think they dropped him here.”
“They?”
“Whoever was in that vehicle.”
Ryan nodded, his focus on the task at hand. “You did the right thing calling for help. We’ll take it from here.” Olivia smiled reassuringly at the woman, silently acknowledging her bravery in reporting the emergency. Just as they were preparing to move the teen into the ambulance, a police cruiser pulled up.
Ryan recognized the officer.
“I heard over the wire. Who found him?”
“The woman over there. She’ll fill you in,” Ryan said.
As they passed by Ray, he reached out. “Ethan?” His voice caught in his throat as he recognized the victim.
“You know him?” Olivia asked, her eyes filled with empathy as she noticed the concern on his face.
“He’s my brother’s kid,” Ray replied, reaching out to grasp Ethan’s cold fingers. “I need to call my brother.”
“We’ll take care of Ethan. You go ahead and make that call,” Ryan said, confidence in his voice. With gentle yet swift movement, they carefully wheeled him into the ambulance. Inside the ambulance, Ryan and Olivia continued to monitor Ethan closely. As the wheels rolled out, Ryan administered another dose of Naloxone to ensure he remained responsive. Olivia adjusted the IV flow rate, her eyes never leaving the monitors displaying his vital signs.
Ray squeezedthe bridge of his nose as he made the call. In the distance, the siren wailed, piercing the stillness of the night as the ambulance raced toward Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.
“You’re not goingto arrest me?” Alejandro said as Noah opened the back door of his Bronco and told him he was free to go. He saw the curtains pinched in the window as Alejandro’s mother looked out.
“I know where you are.”
