Christmas on 4th Street (Fool's Gold #12.5)(61)

There was more conversation, but he didn’t listen. Not while he had patients. He examined the older woman who was next in line. She was awake and alert.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, testing her pupils, then reaching for his stethoscope.

“Foolish. I could see the snow coming down the mountain, but couldn’t ski out of the way fast enough. I got caught on the edge. I’m a little shaken, but nothing is broken.”

He confirmed her self-diagnosis, then sent her over to the group who were probably okay but needed observation. He turned to go to the next patient only to see they had a temporary lull. Just then Carter came walking into the ballroom with his dad. There was a teenaged boy between them who was limping. Gabriel hurried over.

“Have you seen Felicia?” he asked.

Carter grinned. “She about squeezed all the air out of us. She was really worried.” He sounded pleased by the information. “This is my friend Reese. We weren’t in the avalanche. Reese slipped on some ice.”

“I’m fine,” his friend protested. “My ankle hurts. It’s no big deal.”

“I’ll check him out,” Gabriel told his brother. “How’s it going out there?”

“A couple of people are missing. Teams are heading out to find them. Considering how bad it could have been, we got lucky.”

* * *

Noelle found talking on the phone while keeping an eye on Pia Moreno was harder than it sounded. Felicia had been calling from the hotel and updating the head count. Families found themselves needing to stay in town unexpectedly. Hotel rooms had to be located and reserved.

Brew-haha had been converted into a command center. Laptops and notepads covered the tables. There was a cell-phone charging station by the front counter and dry erase boards on wheels were constantly updated with injury counts, available hotel rooms and emergency information.

Pia, the person previously in charge of festivals, had waddled in, insisting she could help. As she knew everyone and everything about the town, that was probably true. But she was also days or possibly hours away from giving birth.

Noelle finished her call, then turned to Pia. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look really uncomfortable.”

Pia rested her hand on her belly. “Trust me, this is nothing. Last time I was pregnant with twins. Now that was huge. By comparison, this is easy. Don’t worry. I’m keeping my feet up and staying hydrated. Raoul is checking on me every fifteen minutes, and I’m not exaggerating about that. I’m fine.”

She looked down at her notes. “I have information on a vacation rental for Mr. and Mrs. Boylan. They’re staying with Gideon. Is it available?”

“Gabriel’s been using it, but I can clear out his stuff for a couple of nights.”

Pia raised her eyebrows. “So it’s like that, is it?”

“For the moment.”

“I’ll put his place on the list and let you know if we need it.”

Noelle briefly wondered if she should say anything to Gabriel, then decided it didn’t matter. He would be fine with what she’d done. And if he wasn’t, she would remind him it was only for a couple of nights.

Love as empowerment, she thought with a smile.

Madeline, Isabel’s assistant, put down her phone. “The last missing person has been found,” she announced. “We have serious injuries, but so far no deaths.”

Pia sighed. “Thank goodness.” She raised her voice. “All right, people, we need more beds for tonight. Get back to those calls.”

* * *

The hospital emergency room was more controlled chaos than the hotel ballroom had been, Gabriel thought as he walked inside. With the last of the missing skiers recovered, the search-and-rescue volunteers had been recalled and their vehicles had been put to use as patient transport.

As Gabriel walked through the busy waiting area, he heard a couple of people talking about the new hospital that was being built and how the town needed it. Families clustered together, looking relieved or worried, depending on the condition of their loved one.

He went to the front desk and identified himself, telling the nurse he would be available if extra help was needed. She looked harried and nodded as he spoke.

“We might be calling you,” she said. “Are you going to stick around for a while?”

“Until the crisis is past.”

She took down his cell number, then turned to the next person waiting. Gabriel glanced at the signage on the walls, thinking he would go find some coffee. Before he could, a dark-haired man walked up to him.

“Justice Garrett,” the man said. “From CDS.”

Gabriel shook his hand. “The bodyguard school.”

Justice sighed. “We’re never going to get them to stop calling it that, are we?”

Gabriel grinned. “Not in this town. How can I help you?”

“Just wanted to introduce myself. My fiancée, Patience, is friends with Noelle.” He gave a casual shrug. “Obviously, they talk.”

Gabriel was very clear on how much women talked. What he didn’t know was what had been said.

Justice pointed to the two men in similar cargo pants and black long-sleeved T-shirts who joined them. “My business partners. Angel Whittaker and Ford Hendrix. Of more importance to you, these are the two who rescued your brother from the Taliban.” He looked at his friends. “Gabriel is Gideon’s brother.”