Long Road Home(6)

Knowing she had to be convincing, she settled back with a yawn and closed her eyes. The temptation to give in to sleep was strong. She was tired, more tired than she’d ever been in her life. She focused on the faces of her parents, anything to give her a sense of purpose. Then her thoughts drifted to Manny. She couldn’t lose him too. Even if it meant remaining as far away from him as possible.

After what seemed an interminable amount of time, she cracked open one eye and peeked over at Manny. He was yawning broadly and was slouched in his chair. He looked at the coffee in disgust, as if wondering why it wasn’t keeping him awake, then impatiently drained the last sip.

A twinge of guilt nipped at her. She was betraying him in the worst way. He would be hurt and not understand why she’d left. But she could take his censure if it meant he would stay alive.

She continued to watch him from the corner of her eye. He shifted restlessly and rubbed his eyes then checked his watch. Once he glanced over at her, and she held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t figure out she wasn’t asleep. When she was about to scream in frustration, his eyes fluttered closed, and his head sank to his shoulder.

She lay there another twenty minutes, wanting to give him a chance to slip into deep sleep. Then she quickly pulled out the IV, careful to leave it dripping so the alarm didn’t go off and alert the nurse.

Now more than ever, she wished Manny had gone out to get her clothing. Being seen running around in a hospital gown was the quickest way to draw unwanted attention.

Noiselessly, she slipped from the bed, her bare feet hitting the cold floor. She closed her eyes for a moment and braced herself against the pain. After several ragged breaths, the discomfort abated, and she straightened cautiously.

There was only one way out. Through the guards posted at her door. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. She needed to conserve as much energy as possible, and right now she felt as weak as a kitten.

With a sigh, she walked over to the door and cracked it open. To her relief, she only saw one man outside her door. Maybe the other was on a coffee break. Which meant she needed to hurry before he returned. She gestured frantically to the guard. “Quick, come here!”

He shot toward the door, and she opened it wider for him. When he was completely within the room, she struck with incredible speed. Planting her elbow sharply in his diaphragm, she left him gasping for breath. Before he could react, she brought her clasped fists down on the back of his neck. He crumpled soundlessly to the floor.

Pain and dizziness assaulted her, but she couldn’t give in to them. Not wasting any more time, she stuck her head out the door, looking both ways. To her relief the hall was empty. She slipped out of her room and ran to the stairwell at the end of the hall.

Her breath coming in rapid spurts, she hurried down the stairs to the first level. Her head spun crazily, the pain nearly overwhelming her. She couldn’t stop.

If she could find some hospital scrubs, they would make her less conspicuous than the thin gown she wore. On the first level, she peered out of the doorway to the stairwell, trying to decide which way to go. She chose right and followed the signs toward surgery. She held her breath every time she passed another person, but they were all in a hurry, paying no attention to her.

Finally she came to the surgery ward and began trying doors. She found linen closets, personnel offices, but no scrubs. Finally, at the end of the hall she hit pay dirt. Stacks of neatly folded scrubs lay on shelves. She tore off her gown and pulled on pants and a top. She then yanked a cap over her short hair, tucking strands up under the elastic. Lastly, she pulled on shoe covers. They wouldn’t offer much in the way of warmth, but they’d at least keep her feet dry for a little while.

Anyone would be hard-pressed to identify her as the ragged girl who had lain in a third-floor bed. She set out for the nearest exit, needing to put as much distance between her and the hospital as possible before her disappearance was discovered.

When she stepped outside, the brisk air washed over her, giving her a much-needed boost. She lengthened her stride and soon disappeared from the parking lot into the wooded area behind the hospital.

She had no money, none of her supplies, and she desperately needed rest. When Manny woke, he’d be pissed. And he’d come looking for her. If he called the cops in, they’d canvass the area and quickly spread out in the directions leading from town. They’d likely assume she’d get the hell out of Dodge.

But they’d be wrong. If she could lie low, they’d eventually fan out beyond her, and she could move in relative obscurity behind their footsteps. Then she could plot her next move.

First she had to find a hiding place, though.

She trudged through the mud from a fresh rain, winding through the trees toward distant lights. Dampness seeped into the thin material over her feet, rendering the covering ineffective. Night was rapidly falling, a fact she was grateful for. She could move easier in the shadows.

Below her, an upscale subdivision spread out over several blocks. Shedding the shoe covers, she squatted down beside a tree and surveyed each residence, looking for one where nobody was at home. It wasn’t a lack of lights she looked for. Most people tended to leave lights on even when they weren’t at home—an effort to deter burglars. What she looked for was movement. She was patient. Perched close to the ground, she focused on the few houses she couldn’t immediately rule out and waited.

Deciding on one at the end of a cul-de-sac, she crept forward, careful to remain in the shadows. When she reached the back edge of the property, she pulled herself up and over the wooden privacy fence and dropped to the ground on the other side. She couldn’t go on much farther. She felt lightheaded, woozy, and the pain was becoming harder to ignore.