Chapter Six - Bryce

I walk into Tanya’s room to find it empty. “Tanya,” I call out as I search her room. I make my way to her bathroom to check. I knock on the closed door, but there is no answer. I push the door open to find the room empty as well. Panic fills me, so I rush over to her bed and press the nurse’s button on the side of the bed.

“Hello.”

“Hello, this is Dr. Clark, and I need the nurse that’s tending to this room to come here. ASAP.”

“Yes, sir.”

A few seconds later, Maybell comes running in. “How may I help you, Dr. Clark?”

“Look around and tell me what is missing.”

She looks around. “I don’t understand.”

“You don’t understand, so how about I spell it out for you. The patient who was in this room isn’t here.”

“She was just here a little while ago.”

“Has anyone taken her out for any tests?”

“No, sir.

“So, you mean to tell me that a woman with amnesia was able to walk out of her room and pass the nurses’ station without anyone noticing. What the hell were you guys doing? Gossiping again about people’s lives when you should be paying attention to your patients.”

As I finish that sentence, Dr. Ward and Dr. Richmond enter the room. “What the hell is going on here? We can hear you outside.” Dr. Ward tells me.

“It would seem that your nurses were too busy to keep an eye on their patients.”

“That’s not fair Dr. Clark. I gave her the clothes you told me to. I left her to get ready for discharge. I didn’t know I was supposed to stay here and watch her wash her body.”

“No, but if you were watching the nurses’ station, then she wouldn’t have been able to slip past you.”

“That’s enough.” Dr. Richmond yells. “Maybell, you can leave.” Maybell walks out the door. “I know you’re upset about what happened, but that’s no reason to be rude to our nurses.”

“You are too close to this case.” Dr. Ward states.

“Maybe ya’ll aren’t close enough. This is a person who doesn’t remember who she is or what happened to her, and she is walking around with no help.”

“I understand that, but this isn’t just a case to you.”

I’m about to reply when my cell begins to vibrate in my pocket. I pull it out to see it’s my brother, so I answer it. “Hey Mikey, I need to call you back.”

“Did you lose something?”

“How did you know?”

“She’s here.”

“Does she remember anything?”

“No. I think she came here by chance. She came here for help.”

“Is she ok?”

“A little cold but alright.”

I walk out of the room and the hospital as I talk to my brother. “So, she still doesn’t remember who she is?”

“Nope.”

“Okay. I’m on my way.”

“Are you sure she’s going to go home with you?”

“I’ll make sure she does. I don’t want her wandering the streets with no knowledge of who she is, so I will make it work.”

“If you say so.”

“Just keep her there until I get there.”

“No problem.”

I leave the hospital without telling anyone that I found out where Tanya is. I drive like a madman to get to the police station. When I get there, Mikey meets me at the door. “Hey, bro.” He says to me as he pulls me into a hug. I hug him back.

“Where is she?”

“She’s inside. Calm down.”

“Calm down. Do you know how scared I was when I couldn’t find her?”

“I can’t imagine.”

“Did she tell you why she ran off?”

“No, she hasn’t said a word. She came in saying that she didn’t know who she was and needed help.”

“That doesn’t make sense. A couple of days ago, she agreed to come home with me while I help her remember things.”

“Why haven’t you told her what you know?”

“Because the doctors believe that the trauma of knowing certain things might do more harm than good. They want to give her a chance to remember things on her own.”

“You think that’s a good idea? What happens when she remembers?”

“I don’t know, but I have to cross that bridge when I get to it. Anything new on the case?”

“Nothing. We’re still at a stalemate. We haven’t been able to track the car or the tire make.”

“Ok, well, I need to get in there and talk to her.”

Mikey holds out his arm to stop me in my tracks as I try to enter the building. “Why don’t you let me talk to her first and I’ll let her know that I called you.”

“Why?”

“Because she ran away for a reason, and maybe she will tell me. She doesn’t know that I’m your brother yet.”

“Fine.”