I must have finally fallen asleep as I jerked in my chair when a new nurse came into the room. She switched the IV bags and checked the monitor.
“What time is it?” I asked, seeing light coming through the window blinds.
“Six-forty,” the nurse replied. “Been here all night?”
I nodded my head while stretching my arms. “How is she doing?” I asked referring to Asa.
“Steady. They’ll probably let her go tomorrow morning. She slept through the night.”
“Good. Good.”
“Why don’t you go home, get some rest, and freshen up? She’ll be okay.”
I replied, “A hot shower sounds nice. I think that’s in store for me this morning.”
The nurse checked Asa’s vitals and typed the info into a tablet. Not like the old days where relatives could snoop and read the patient’s clipboard info left hanging at the end of their bed. I still didn’t know exactly what was wrong with Asa.
After the nurse left, I rinsed my mouth, washed my face, and combed my hair. I still looked a mess. The nurse was right. I needed to go home and clean up. Pulling out my phone, I searched for the Uber app to request a ride.
“Mom?”
I looked over at Asa whose eyes were fluttering. Patting her arm, I said, “I’m here, Asa. What can I get for you?”
“Where am I?”
“You’re in the hospital. The doctor says you have some sort of gunshot wound. Is that true, Asa?”
“I’m in a hospital?”
“Yes. Shaneika said you passed out last night. Want to tell me about what you and Shaneika were doing?”
Asa reached for the IV needle, pulling it from her arm. “I’ve got to get out of here.”
Alarmed, I pushed Asa down. “What are you doing? You’ve got to stay in the hospital!”
Asa slapped my hands away. “You don’t understand. I can’t stay. I can’t be implicated in any police matter. I’m on the lam myself.”
I froze. “What did you say?”
“I was hiding out in Key Largo. I thought I could sneak in and out of Kentucky without being detected. Do the police know I’m here?”
“Yes. They want to talk with you today.”
Asa swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up unsteadily. “Then my location has been compromised. If I get sucked into this affair, I’ll lose my job and my license.”
“I don’t understand, Asa. You said something about being on the lam.”
“I don’t have time to explain. I’ve got the leave this hospital. You’ve got to help me. NOW!”
“Okay. Okay. Let me think.”
“Where are my clothes?”
“Probably cut off in the ER last night.”
“Get your car and meet me at the employee’s entrance.”
“I don’t have my car. Matt drove me. I was going to take an Uber home.”
“Get me some sort of transportation. I need wheels.”
I ran out into the hallway, looking for a wheelchair. Racing back to Asa’s room with one, I called Shaneika, leaving a message to meet us at the side entrance. When I entered the room again, I found the bed empty only to discover Asa behind the door holding a bedpan over her head, ready to strike.
“For God’s Sake, Asa. You’re acting like a crazy person.”
Asa didn’t reply but sat down in the wheelchair.
I propped open the door and wheeled her out.
“Where are you going?” a practical nurse asked, running into us in the hallway.
“My daughter woke up and says she’s famished. Since dinner is not for a bit, I thought I could take her to the cafeteria.” I gave the nurse my best TV mom smile.
Asa chimed in, saying she could do with a little soup. “We won’t be long. I think I need a change of pace for a few minutes.”
The day nurse seemed suspicious but acquiesced. “Please no more than thirty minutes. Don’t let her reach for anything. It might open the stitches again.”
I said, “We’ll be careful, I promise.”
“Oh, another thing. They still need to see someone in the Admitting Office to fill out the paperwork.”
“Sure thing. I’ll get right on it,” I lied.
She looked at Asa. “Where are your IV’s?”
Asa replied, “The doctor said I didn’t need them anymore and took me off them.”
“That’s curious. He didn’t mention it to us.”
Asa shrugged.
“I’m surprised you feel well enough to get about. Remember, just soup or Jell-O now. They have a wonderful minestrone and tomato bisque today. It will be easy on your system.”
“I’ll make sure she stays on her diet,” I said to the nurse, pushing the elevator button.
The nurse heard her name called from the nurses’ desk and walked down the hallway. The elevator opened. Instead of getting on, I pushed a button for the door to close and then wheeled Asa down the hall away far away from the nurses’ desk. I went down several hallways and found an elevator not in use. I took it to the women’s section on the second floor where they did mammograms. The hospital proper and the women’s area were connected by a bridge, which contained bathrooms not usually engaged. I hid Asa in the handicapped stall and then went to guard outside on a waiting bench. I could look down into the foyer and see who was milling about on the first floor.
I saw Detective Drake and Detective Kelly come in the front door. They both looked very serious.
Uh oh!