Page 17 of The Library on Plum Island
She found the remote and closed the drapes.
“Thanks, Harry.” Alex sighed, sliding down under the covers.
“I’ll check on you later,” Harriet said.
She pulled the covers up around him. As Alex closed his eyes, Harriet’s cool hand touched his forehead.
“You feel a bit warm,” she said.
“Nah!” Alex muttered as he started to drift off. “It’s just a headache. I’ll be fine after a bit more sleep.”
As he let his dreams take him, he could hear Daniella’s soft voice calling to him. Alex turned to find her, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“Alex,” Daniella called to him again. “Alex?”
He could feel her soft touch on his face, but he couldn’t see her. “Daniella?” Alex called to her.
“Alex!” Her voice got louder, and she shook him.
Alex’s eyes flew open, and Dawn was staring down at him. “Oh, there you are.”
“Dawn?” Alex looked at her, confused. “Where’s Daniella?”
“She left about three hours ago,” Dawn told him, frowning. “Do you remember her being here? Because you were pretty out of it when she came to check on you.”
“Why was Daniella here?” Alex’s mouth was dry, but his headache had dulled, and his hand was on fire. “Is there water?”
“Here.” Dawn picked up a bottle from beside his bed and helped him up. “Sip it, don’t glug.”
“Thanks.” Alex cleared his throat, lay back, and looked at the clock beside his bed. How could Daniella have left two hours ago when it’s only eleven?” He looked at Dawn in confusion. “I went back to sleep at about eight-thirty.”
“Alex, it’s eleven in the evening!” Dawn’s words startled him, and he looked at her bewildered. “Daniella has been here twice today already, and we’ve had to check in with her every hour about your condition.”
“What are you talking about?” Alex tried to sit up, but Dawn stopped him.
“Don’t!” Dawn said, picking up an infrared thermometer. “I have to take your temperature and pulse.”
“Why?” Alex rubbed his eyes, glancing at his injured hand. His eyes widened when he saw that a bandaged splint had replaced his cast. “What the heck?” He glanced at Dawn questioningly. “Have I woken up in a different dimension or something?”
“You had a fever,” Dawn explained. “When I got here, Harriet was on the phone with Daniella, who came out right away. Your hand was so swollen it looked like a blister.”
“What?” Alex shook his head, wondering if he was still dreaming. That’s when he noticed his bed covers had been changed. “What the…” He looked beneath the blankets. “Did someone change my clothes?”
“Harley!” Dawn told him. “You were drenched in sweat, and Daniella insisted you were sponged down. Your clothes changed twice today.” She grinned at him. “Don’t worry. Wally and Harley were the only people in the room.”
“Why don’t I remember that?” Alex pinched the bridge of his nose and then narrowed his eyes at Dawn. “Are you joking with me?”
“Nope!” Dawn shook her head. “You can speak to Harley and Wally if you don’t believe me.”
“Why did I have a fever?” Alex asked.
“Because you had a small cut just below your index finger on your injured hand that became infected. Probably from when you got your hand wet in the pool of seawater last night,” Daniella’s voice came from the door, and his heart jolted when he saw her walk toward him. “I see you’re lucid.”
“And wishing I wasn’t,” Alex admitted, feeling foolish. He was Alex Blackwell, and he didn’t get fevers. “I’m sorry to have caused so much trouble.”
“How is being sick causing trouble?” Daniella asked him, looking at Dawn’s temperature. “That’s come down nicely. Thank you, Dawn.”
“Of course.” Dawn looked at Alex. “Are you hungry?”
