Page 47 of The Naughty One
Warren laughed. “I have no doubt. Well, I said what I wanted to,so…”
“Thanks, Warren. I do appreciateit.”
After the orderly had gone, Romy felt strange, like somehow her friends and colleagues were looking at her as if she were a victim. God, that was the last thing she needed. Her stomach roiled and she pushed away from the table and got up, determined to stop feeling sorry forherself.
The hospital was quiet now as the day ended and Romy checked the surgical schedule, seeing that Blue was still operating on an elderly woman with appendicitis. She checked on all of their post-surgical patients and set out about updating the medicalrecords.
She’d just glanced at the clock and seen it was nearly two a.m., when she heard the first shot. Freezing, for a moment she wondered if it was a car backfiring in the lot, then when she heard the screams starting Romy began to run towards the sound of the shooting, joined quickly by other staff and the hospital’s securityteam.
More gunfire and security stopped the medical staff. “Shooting’s coming from the ORfloor.”
Romy’s heart nearly failed and she darted forward only to be stopped by one of the security guards. “Sorry, Doc, we can’t let you go downthere.”
“But Blue is there,” Rom said, her voice rising as the panic setin.
Mac grabbed her upper arm. “Romy, come on. We need to take care of our patients. Let the security team do theirjob.”
“Hospital is on lockdown,” the security chief was telling them all, “go back to where you were and secure your patients as best youcan.”
Mac dragged Romy back to the post-surgical patients. Some of them were awake now, wondering what was going on. Romy tried to reassure them but when the gunfire came closer, there was a palpable sense ofpanic.
“Let’s get the patients who can’t walk and can’t hide into secure rooms,” Mac said and Romy nodded, her stomach roiling with panic. She grabbed her cell phone and textedBlue.
Are yousafe?
There was no answer. When she saw the head of security again, she grabbed him. “What’s goingon?”
“Shooter.” He looked at her as if she was stupid and Romy rolled hereyes.
“I know that … where is he or she? Is anyonehurt?”
“I don’t know, Doc. It’s a developingsituation.”
He moved away before she had a chance to ask any more questions and she hissed in frustration. She tried to call Blue, but knowing he switched off his cell phone when he was in surgery, prayed that was the reason he wasn’tanswering.
Please, please, beokay.
God, how much more horror would they have to put up with? Romy did her job, helped patients, made sure the floor was secure, but she couldn’t help wondering how the hell a man with a gun got into the hospital. Was it because Beau had reduced the security at herrequest?
Don’t be stupid—this has nothing to do withyou.
But her instincts were telling her otherwise. Romy felt her composure slip, and she darted into an empty room and dragged some deep breaths into her lungs.He’s fine, he’sokay.
There was a soft knock on the door. “Yes?”
Warren opened the door and gave her a hesitant smile. “You okay,Doc?”
She shook her head. “No. There’s a shooter down on the OR floor and Blue is there. No, I’m not okay, Warren. They won’t let me go tohim.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then said, “I can get you downthere.”
Romy’s eyes widened. “Youcan?”
Warren nodded, his eyes watchful as he gazed at her. “I can. Come withme.”
Romy didn’t even think twice, such was her need to get to Blue. She followed Warren into the far end of the floor, raising her eyebrows as he opened the fireescape.
“Noalarm.”
