thank you,’ Darcy said. ‘I don’t suppose your friend happened to let slip anything about the guy’s condition? If he was
still unconscious or . . .?’ She inhaled deeply, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.
‘Sadly, my legendary powers of persuasion aren’t
that
good,’ he intoned. ‘Patient confidentiality and all that.’
‘I see.’ Joshua went on to give her a detailed and sobering run-down on the ins and outs of patient privacy rules before assuring Darcy again that she shouldn’t worry about
things at the store and that he was very capably holding the fort.
‘Thank you, I owe you one,’ she said, hanging up, but the phone call had given her little comfort other than confirmation of her ‘victim’s’ current location. Darcy
shuddered and tried to look on the bright side. The hospital wasn’t too far away, at least – a plus, seeing as she would have to walk there, though in truth she wasn’t sure she
could face getting back on the bike just yet in any case. The warmth of the café had dried off the worst of the dampness on her trouser legs, and the sugar hit had helped stave off the worst
of the shock, so she guessed she should be good to go.
Bailey’s lead in hand, and wheeling her bike at her side, Darcy slowly made her way along the snow-filled streets to Roosevelt ER.
She thought again about the privacy issues Joshua had just outlined. Given that she wasn’t a family member, it was a long shot that she would find out anything about Aidan Harris’s
condition, she thought, locking up her bike outside the hospital. But surely if she explained the situation – that she too had been involved in the accident, they would at least let her know
if he was or wasn’t seriously injured, wouldn’t they? Darcy certainly hoped so, but first things first.
She rubbed Bailey behind the ears. ‘Time to let your master know where you are, buddy.’
Taking a deep breath, she approached the double doors of the Emergency Room, only to be immediately blocked by a security guard. ‘Excuse me, miss. You can’t take that dog
inside.’
Damn.
‘I understand, but he’s not my dog – he belongs to a patient here.’ Darcy launched into a full account of the accident and how she needed to reunite Bailey with his
owner.
‘I’m sorry but I can’t allow it – no matter the circumstances. Dogs are not allowed in the hospital.’
Darcy exhaled deeply. She guessed she should have expected this, but she had been so focused on bringing Bailey back to Aidan Harris that she hadn’t really thought much more beyond that.
‘But what am I supposed to do?’
‘You can tie him up over there beside the bikes, if you like. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him for you.’
Darcy had actually been referring to more longterm issues, but this option would have to suffice for the moment. At the very least, she would be able to get the hospital to pass on the
information to Mr Harris that his dog was safe. She just hoped he was in a fit enough state to receive the message, she thought, biting her lip to stem a fresh flow of tears.
‘OK, thank you.’ She duly walked Bailey towards the nearby bike-stand and looped his lead through the metal. ‘Sorry, boy,’ she said, ruffling him behind the ears, but the
Husky seemed to understand and simply sat down alongside Darcy’s bike, as if he’d been doing the same for years. ‘I’m just going to see if I can get you back to your owner,
OK?’
The dog just stared back and settled in for a wait. He was so well behaved, she noted, recalling how easy it had been to negotiate the streets with him and her bike. Clearly well-trained, he
wasn’t in the least bit skittish and Darcy instinctively knew this one was no brainless mutt.
Going through the double sliding doors, she headed straight for ER Reception, all the while noticing little seasonal touches inside, like the small tree blinking in the corner, and a white tree
skirt covered with gaily
still unconscious or . . .?’ She inhaled deeply, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.
‘Sadly, my legendary powers of persuasion aren’t
that
good,’ he intoned. ‘Patient confidentiality and all that.’
‘I see.’ Joshua went on to give her a detailed and sobering run-down on the ins and outs of patient privacy rules before assuring Darcy again that she shouldn’t worry about
things at the store and that he was very capably holding the fort.
‘Thank you, I owe you one,’ she said, hanging up, but the phone call had given her little comfort other than confirmation of her ‘victim’s’ current location. Darcy
shuddered and tried to look on the bright side. The hospital wasn’t too far away, at least – a plus, seeing as she would have to walk there, though in truth she wasn’t sure she
could face getting back on the bike just yet in any case. The warmth of the café had dried off the worst of the dampness on her trouser legs, and the sugar hit had helped stave off the worst
of the shock, so she guessed she should be good to go.
Bailey’s lead in hand, and wheeling her bike at her side, Darcy slowly made her way along the snow-filled streets to Roosevelt ER.
She thought again about the privacy issues Joshua had just outlined. Given that she wasn’t a family member, it was a long shot that she would find out anything about Aidan Harris’s
condition, she thought, locking up her bike outside the hospital. But surely if she explained the situation – that she too had been involved in the accident, they would at least let her know
if he was or wasn’t seriously injured, wouldn’t they? Darcy certainly hoped so, but first things first.
She rubbed Bailey behind the ears. ‘Time to let your master know where you are, buddy.’
Taking a deep breath, she approached the double doors of the Emergency Room, only to be immediately blocked by a security guard. ‘Excuse me, miss. You can’t take that dog
inside.’
Damn.
‘I understand, but he’s not my dog – he belongs to a patient here.’ Darcy launched into a full account of the accident and how she needed to reunite Bailey with his
owner.
‘I’m sorry but I can’t allow it – no matter the circumstances. Dogs are not allowed in the hospital.’
Darcy exhaled deeply. She guessed she should have expected this, but she had been so focused on bringing Bailey back to Aidan Harris that she hadn’t really thought much more beyond that.
‘But what am I supposed to do?’
‘You can tie him up over there beside the bikes, if you like. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him for you.’
Darcy had actually been referring to more longterm issues, but this option would have to suffice for the moment. At the very least, she would be able to get the hospital to pass on the
information to Mr Harris that his dog was safe. She just hoped he was in a fit enough state to receive the message, she thought, biting her lip to stem a fresh flow of tears.
‘OK, thank you.’ She duly walked Bailey towards the nearby bike-stand and looped his lead through the metal. ‘Sorry, boy,’ she said, ruffling him behind the ears, but the
Husky seemed to understand and simply sat down alongside Darcy’s bike, as if he’d been doing the same for years. ‘I’m just going to see if I can get you back to your owner,
OK?’
The dog just stared back and settled in for a wait. He was so well behaved, she noted, recalling how easy it had been to negotiate the streets with him and her bike. Clearly well-trained, he
wasn’t in the least bit skittish and Darcy instinctively knew this one was no brainless mutt.
Going through the double sliding doors, she headed straight for ER Reception, all the while noticing little seasonal touches inside, like the small tree blinking in the corner, and a white tree
skirt covered with gaily
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