Andrea Kane - The Line Between Here and Now

The hope faded from Amanda’s eyes, tears once again dampening her lashes. “An investigation like that could take weeks, maybe more. Justin doesn’t have enough time.”

“Which is why I’m here.” Casey used the opportunity to address what she came here for. “The FI team has a close contact at the FBI. Would you object if I were to share the entirety of your story with him and ask for his help? If Paul is in the federal system-for whatever reason-our contact could try to find that out.”

“You really think Paul was involved in a crime,” Amanda said sadly. “And now you’re thinking even bigger-a federal crime. Who was this man I thought I knew?”

“Don’t go there, Amanda,” Casey replied. “Yes, we’re pretty sure Paul found himself in the middle of some sort of crime. That’s no surprise, given the violence of his disappearance. But, as I told you before, it’s possible he was a victim, not an offender. We just don’t know. And we won’t have answers unless we dig deep. I’m asking for your permission to do just that-with the help of a federal agent.”

Amanda nodded. “Of course. Get whatever help you need. My life is an open book at this point.” She glanced past Casey, her anxious gaze seeking out Patrick, ensuring he was there. “Do you have any leads on the person who called me?”

“Ryan’s checking out phone records, but I doubt we’ll find anything.” Casey didn’t try to sugarcoat the facts. “On the other hand, we know that whoever’s following us, and now calling you, is hell-bent on keeping us away from Paul. If we understand the ‘why,’ we’ll find the path that leads us to Paul.” A compassionate pause. “And stop worrying. Patrick’s not going anywhere. He’s here for you and for Justin. So concentrate on your son and on staying strong so you can be there for him.”

Before Amanda could answer, a monitor from inside the PICU began sounding loudly. The staff all mobilized at once, rushing inside to attend to the emergency.

Dr. Braeburn appeared from another section of the hospital, hurrying into the PICU.

“Justin,” Amanda whispered. Sheer terror filled her eyes, and she began running back down the corridor.

The curtains outside Justin’s section of the unit had been drawn shut. A nurse was exiting the glass doors to get some medical equipment. She saw Amanda and stopped her in her tracks. “You can’t go in there right now.”

“Is it Justin?” she demanded. “What’s happening?”

“Dr. Braeburn will be out to talk to you as soon as he can. I’ve got to go back in now to assist him.”

“Just tell me what that alarm means.”

The nurse was already in motion, heading back toward the room. “It’s the ventilator alarm,” she supplied. “I’m not sure why it went off. Please, Ms. Gleason, let us do our job.”

She disappeared back inside.

“Oh, God.” Amanda was trembling from head to toe. “He can’t breathe. Justin can’t breathe.”

Casey and Patrick both hurried to her side.

“Don’t anticipate the worst,” Casey cautioned, taking Amanda’s hands in hers. “These things go off for all kinds of reasons. Not all of those are serious. Let’s just wait to hear what the doctor says.”

“Casey’s right,” Patrick concurred. “I’ve even seen monitors malfunction. So don’t let your mind go crazy.” He gently patted her shoulder. “I’m sure the doctor will come out as soon as he can.”

“It’s not a malfunction,” Amanda said. “They’ve been in there too long. Why? What’s happening to my baby?”

The door swung open and Dr. Braeburn strode out.

“I can only stay a minute,” he told Amanda. “Justin’s being prepped for a procedure.”

“A procedure.” Amanda was as white as a sheet. “What kind of procedure?”

“Justin developed a pneumothorax-a collapsed lung,” he explained in simpler terms. “The ventilator can’t compensate for that. We have to insert a chest tube to suck the air leakage out of the chest cavity. Once the lung heals, we can remove the tube.”

“What if it doesn’t…” Amanda began.

“Don’t speculate. A pneumothorax isn’t uncommon in newborns on ventilators. We caught it right away. And we’re doing the procedure immediately.” Dr. Braeburn turned to go back inside. “Wait here with your friends. I’ll give you an update as soon as the procedure is over. It should take about fifteen minutes.”

“Can’t I be with him?” Amanda pleaded.

The doctor paused. “Unfortunately, no. This is a sterile medical procedure.”

A hard swallow. “Will he be in pain?”

“No. We’ll be administering pain medication. Now I really have to get back in there.” This time, Dr. Braeburn didn’t look back. He walked straight into the PICU.

The door shut behind him.

“Oh, God,” Amanda whispered again. She turned away, her hands pressed to her cheeks, her head bowed in unspeakable pain. “My poor baby.” She was talking more to herself than to Casey and Patrick. “He’s so tiny. So tiny. How can he live through this? More tubes. More procedures. More apparatuses. He’s doesn’t even weigh ten pounds. How is it possible for him to win this fight?”

Casey didn’t care that the questions weren’t aimed at her. She answered them anyway.

“He will win this fight, Amanda,” she said, walking around so she could face her client. “The tube will work with the ventilator. Between the two, he’ll be breathing normally. The lung will heal. The tube will come out. And once the antibiotics do their job, he won’t need the ventilator anymore.”

Casey’s own lashes were damp, but she refused to show anything but calmness and certainty. Because that was what Amanda needed at that moment.

“Amanda, you’re so strong,” she continued. “So is Justin. He’s his mother’s son. He wants to live. The doctors are going to make sure that he does.”

“As are we,” Patrick inserted with a fervor that startled Casey. “We’ll find Paul Everett. We won’t give up until we do. All you have to do is hold on. I’m a newer member of Forensic Instincts. But I’ve seen what this team can do. I’ve helped them do it. Don’t lose faith.”

Amanda lowered her arms and pivoted slowly to gaze at Patrick. “You have children,” she stated with certainty.

“Three. Two daughters and a son. And I’d give my life for any one of them. I understand what you’re feeling. Helplessness is one of the hardest emotions to deal with as a parent. But you will deal with it. Because all that matters is Justin and the fact that he needs you.”

“You’re right. I know you’re right.” Amanda was trying to bolster herself with Patrick’s words. “Thank you. I’ll pull myself together. I have to.”

“I can stay here and wait with you,” Casey offered.

“No.” Amanda shook her head. “You go talk to your FBI friend. Find Paul. That’s the best thing you can do for me, and for Justin.”

“Go ahead, Casey,” Patrick said. “I’m here. And I think Amanda mentioned that her friend Melissa was coming by.”

“Yes, she is,” Amanda confirmed. “She’s stopping by right after she puts her kids on the bus. So she should be here soon. Between her and Patrick, I’ll have all the support I need.”

“Okay.” Casey squeezed her hands again. “I’m just a phone call away. And Patrick’s right. We’re going to find Paul.”

Behind the closed doors of his office, Lyle Fenton grabbed his cell phone as soon as he got word about the fire at Morano’s place. He didn’t have to wait for an investigation to know it was arson.

“Are you fucking crazy?” he demanded the instant his call was answered. “Don’t we have enough of a spotlight shining on us with the reopening of Paul Everett’s disappearance? Now you’re torching his successor’s office? Do you think the cops are idiots? They’re bound to tie the two together. Why the hell did you do this?”