Despite the inhalant causing Slick to act out, he slowed, settled back and remained still-but only for a few seconds.
Suddenly he was up and swinging again. Chloe was bobbing and weaving (looking very used to having to do that) and before I knew it, Buzz had tackled Slick to the ground.
I’m not sure what shocked me more: Slick being out of control, or Buzz Lightyear’s strength! The quiet, accident-prone EMT slammed a fist into Slick’s shoulder, which made him scream out in pain. It worked, as Buzz was able to restrain him long enough for me to call the police on Dano’s radio.
Before they got there, Slick calmed down enough for Buzz’s weight to hold him still.
“Stick an IV in his arm,” I ordered Buzz while I bent down to ER Dano’s shoulder and called dispatch on his radio.
Since Slick looked more annoyed than about to kick the bucket, I turned my full attention to ER Dano, who had barely stirred. First I checked my ABCs and when I tilted his forehead back, I found his airway patent (open). Then I held my hand over his nose to feel the warm breaths, to make sure he was breathing all right, and last, I noted his color-a bit pale but not cyanotic, and he wasn’t coughing.
I grabbed the ambulance bag and took out sterile gauze, which I applied to the gash on the back of his head. Despite the numerous stains on the rug, I knew the bright red spot behind Dano’s head was from him. I reminded myself how head wounds bled a lot and sometimes looked worse than they were.
The cops arrived, and not any too soon, since Slick once again became combative as Buzz tried to start the IV. Since he had no luck, and I wasn’t surprised, I had to do it for him. When I looked at the silver face of Slick and then at Dano, I wanted to shove the needle…but I didn’t. With the IV running, I told Buzz to stay near the jerk and sat by Dano’s side.
He still didn’t open his eyes so I stuck an IV in his arm too. He’d kill me if he woke up then.
It seemed like hours before we had backup help-although it had to be only a few minutes. Every ambulance at TLC would rush to the aid of the craggy, negative ER Dano-I just knew it.
Jennifer, one of the EMTs, and Jagger, thank goodness, appeared at the door with a stretcher.
Dano had started to stir. His eyes opened and he looked at me. “What the hell did you do to me?”
“I…you…nothing! Huffer Slick slugged you and you hit your head.”
He tried to turn, but groaned at the movement.
“Stay still,” I said. “They’ve got Slick down in the ambulance. You’re next.”
“Like hell.” He tried to get up, but I firmly pushed him down. He looked at the tubing coming out of his arm. “What the…this had to be your idea, Nightingale.” He tried to get up again.
“Like hell you are getting up,” I said. “And, by the way, I enjoyed every minute of sticking you with the IV needle. I was going to use the largest bore needle, the size of a freaking garden hose, but Buzz wouldn’t let me.”
He growled at me and tried to get up once more, but I was relentless in my effort, and ER Dano didn’t stand a chance. “You think you are fine?” I asked.
He glared at me-a not-too-pleasant glare in fact. “Absolutely.”
“Then how is it that a girl like me can hold you down?”
“Shit,” he muttered, just as Jagger and Buzz came into the room with another stretcher.
Chloe had stayed by Slick’s side after numerous apologies to us all for what Silver Streak had done to ER Dano.
I had to shake my head and say a little prayer for the two sad young people, whose lives were obviously owned by inhalants, pot and probably alcohol. What a waste.
Dano continued to sputter and curse until the guys had him on the stairway-with a few close calls of him nearly sliding feet to head with Jagger. When they got to the lowest landing and had to make a narrow turn, I heard a smack.
Buzz Lightyear lay sprawled out on the landing.
“Oh, Lord!” I yelled, but before I could get to him, Buzz was up again and grabbing the stretcher, while Dano muttered some curses.
I shook my head at the thought that these things always happened to the poor kid. He shook his head a few times as if that would help take away any pain.
“You all right, hon?” I asked.
“Yes, Ms. Pauline. I’m fine.”
Dano looked up. “You look like shit. You should be on this ironing board instead of me.” He shut his eyes and said, “Get me the hell out of here before one of us gets killed.”
Once he was safely out and tucked into the second ambulance, Dano ordered, “Go get in Four five six with your patient, Nightingale.”
I took his hand and held it, all the while sneaking a feel of his pulse. “There’s been a change of assignments. Jennifer’s crew took Slick so we can transport you.”
Dano looked at me questioningly.
I nodded. “Yep, Buzz too. He didn’t want to leave you. Isn’t that sweet?” As soon as the words came out I knew I should have chosen more wisely.
“Ef’n sweet,” he said. “All I need is a good stiff drink to get rid of this headache.”
“And about seven stitches,” I added as we pulled up to the ER at Saint Gregory’s Hospital.
Suddenly I felt something on my hand. ER Dano was holding it!
He winked, despite the pain it must have caused as evidenced by the wince that followed. “Then I’m glad you’ll be with me, Nightingale.”
And my heart fluttered.
Wow.
Seventeen
“Well, they didn’t get to fix the giant hole in your head, but they did a decent job with the small gash,” I said to ER Dano as we walked out of the emergency room.
He grunted.
Buzz was behind the wheel of #456, and I know ER Dano would not want any other transportation back to TLC. How fitting.
We climbed into the back and sat on the bench. Buzz turned around, gave ER a thumbs-up and then pulled slowly out of the driveway.
I felt Dano’s knees bump against mine as the ambulance took several turns. Yum. I shouldn’t be ogling an injured guy like this, but damn, I felt something. ER Dano had made a darn lousy first impression-and I am sure an impression that he thrived upon-but in the end, a different guy came through-and I liked him!
I had a sobering thought. Hopefully, he wasn’t involved in the fraud or…the stabbings, and damn, but I had a gut feeling that the two crimes were related.
In my heart I didn’t believe it was true about Dano, so I had to trust my instincts yet again. And this one was the clincher: Jagger wasn’t keeping me away from him. If anyone suspected ER Dano of anything nefarious, Jagger would know, and I sure wouldn’t be sitting here!
The ambulance stopped and before I could say a word, the back door was flung open and Buzz stood there as if he’d just stepped out of a brand-new toy box I could swear he was made out of plastic, the way he held his shoulders straight in that crisp uniform, legs apart as if at attention. And such a serious look on his face.
“Need any help?” he asked Dano, who looked at him and groaned. “Okay, sir. I’ll be here if you need me.”
I had to smile to myself as Dano stepped to the side, then turned and hurried to open the door. I leaned toward Dano and said, “He was only trying to help. Cut him some slack.”
“Cutting a kid like that slack is not going to get him skilled in this profession, Nightingale. He has to toughen up. One time he was about to zap a patient with the cardiac defibrillator, and I had to point out to him that she was still holding onto his leg. Does the term ‘clear’ mean anything to you?”
I wanted to say, “But he’s such a sweetie,” but realized Dano was correct. Buzz obviously had to toughen up. I remembered the look on his face when he’d seen Pansy.