Chapter Six

Dr. Sam Innis read over the patient’s chart and blood results. No doubt about it. She had ingested a massive dose of Rohypnol, enough to knock her out for at least eight hours, and to wake up with absolutely no memory at all. Sam shuddered to think what may have happened to this young woman if the bartender hadn’t stepped in.

“OK, keep giving her fluids,” he told the nurse. “I’ll be back to check her in an hour. Are the police here yet?”

She glanced up at him. “No, Doctor. I’ll tell you when they arrive.”

“Thanks. I’ll go talk to the guy in the waiting room.”

The nurse nodded, and wished that she could be the one to update the guy who was waiting for news about this woman. He was the best-looking, sexiest thing that she’d ever seen in the E.R. He was tall and wide and his eyes were like steel. Come to think of it, so were his biceps and pecs; even his forearms were pure muscle. This was one powerful guy, the kind to just sweep you off your feet with a growl, and throw you to the bed without any apologies or cares at all.

Sam went down the crowded hallway, looked around the waiting room and spotted Nick.

“Are you with the woman from the club?” he asked.

“Yeah. I'm Nick. Is she OK?”

“Still unconscious. We’re pumping her with fluids now, trying to flush the drugs out of her system. I hope she’ll wake up in an hour or two.”

“Jesus. He really dosed her, huh?”

“Yes.”

“So when she wakes up, how’s she going to feel?”

“Like hell. She’ll probably be dizzy and confused, and I imagine she’ll be chilled, and have the shakes as a reaction to the drugs. She may also have trouble moving properly.”

“What?" Nick was horrified. "She won’t be able to walk?”

“No, I mean she’ll be uncoordinated. Many people who have been dosed with Rohypnol are clumsy and sluggish and unbalanced when they come to.” Sam took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes and sighed. “She’ll need to lie down for several hours, preferably in her own bed. Any luck finding her purse?”

Nick shook his head. “Not yet.”

“I hope it turns up… she needs to get home.”

Nick was surprised at the next words that came out of his mouth: “Can I see her?”

“Of course. This way.”

Nick followed Dr. Innis down the hall packed with gurneys on both sides. It was noisy and crowded and many people were just reeling around aimlessly. A male nurse was trying to get one guy to lie down, a doctor was trying to calm down a hysterical mother, a couple were arguing passionately about whose fault the car crash was.

Sam saw Nick’s shocked and stunned expression. “It's Friday night, Nick. We have more than our fair share of injuries.”

“And drunks,” Nick said watching a group of teenagers energetically puking into paper bags.

“Yep. Totally normal. Some might say business as usual in the E.R.” Sam opened a door at the end of the hall. “In here.”

Nick stood in the doorway, looking at the woman in the bed. She was attached to an IV and something clear was dripping into her arm. He walked closer, saw the stitches along her hairline. A nurse was just putting a bandage on them.

“How’s her head?” he said, his voice lower than usual.

“Bad cut, pretty deep." Sam shook his dark head. "It looks like he punched her in the face, and she rebounded off a brick wall. Maybe the ground.”

Nick stared at her, so small and helpless, and felt real anger swelling in his chest. She had done nothing at all to deserve anything that was happening to her.

Fuck. Maybe I should have hit him just a little bit harder.

“Can I sit with her for a few minutes?” he said. "Is that OK?"

“Sure it is. And if you can stay for a while, I’d really appreciate that. I’d like someone to be here when she wakes up – she’s going to be very disoriented.”

“But she doesn’t know me." Nick stuck his hands in his jeans pockets. "I mean, I don’t even know her name.”

Sam Innis shrugged. “You’re literally the only person in this whole E.R. who had any contact with her when she was conscious. Compared to the rest of us, you do know her, Nick. You’re the best person for her to wake up to, at least right now.”