Page 42 of A Colby Christmas Rescue

She sagged against the glass wall as if she could no longer hold her weight. “It was all just a mistake.”

Since they were at a hospital—the surgery area of the hospital—a mistake wasn’t necessarily something for which to be thankful.

“My husband had surgery this morning.” Her face furrowed into a frown. “A brain tumor. We were so incredibly thankful when the surgery was a success. But then tonight the nurse insisted on calling the doctor back. She said my husband was having a possible bleed—a brain bleed.”

Jamie made a horrified face. “Oh, that sounds terrifying.”

“It was. The strangest thing was that he seemed fine. But after she told us this and gave him something in preparation for a second surgery, he had a seizure.” She clasped her hands together against her chest as if in prayer. “I was certain I was losing him.” Her lips trembled.

“But he’s all right now?”

“It’s the craziest thing. Dr. Case’s assistant—” she made a face “—not assistant but resident or whatever he is. A doctor,” she said, frustrated at herself, “who works with Dr. Case said that everything was fine. It was some sort of error.”

So this was why Dr. Case had been called back to the hospital. A mistake. Jamie wondered how often something like that happened. “Do you recall the nurse’s name?”

The other woman made a face and shook her head. “The resident or doctor asked me that as well. I believe it was Johnson. Brenda or Beverly Johnson.” She flattened her hands to her chest. “My Lord, I have to call our daughter and my husband’s sister. They’re all waiting to hear. Fearing the worst, I’m sure.”

“I’m certainly glad all is well, Mrs...? I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

“Teresa Mason. My husband is Johnny.” She smiled, her lips trembling. “And he’s going to be fine. The doctor said so.”

“That’s wonderful. My name is Jamie, by the way. Can I walk you back to his room?” She mentally crossed her fingers. If this woman’s husband was Dr. Case’s patient, then Jamie was sticking close to her for as long as she could.

“That would be so kind of you. They said he would be back in the room very shortly. I want to be there when he arrives.”

Jamie walked alongside the lady who rambled on and on about the two of them, she and her husband, having recently shared their fortieth anniversary.

“How did you hear about Dr. Case?” Jamie asked. “I understand it’s tough to get on his schedule.”

“Oh my, yes, it is. We were so very lucky in that he was on call when Johnny lost consciousness. We had no idea anything was wrong. Dr. Case is the only reason he survived that brain tumor. We had no idea it was even there.”

Jamie was surprised that surgeons like Case were ever “on call.” Then again, she wasn’t that familiar with the way physicians’ schedules worked and certainly she had no idea how much of their time was owed to or pledged to a particular hospital.

“The other doctor said Dr. Case would pop into the room once Johnny was settled.”

Jamie would try her best to hang around until Case arrived. No reason to believe he would recognize her. Once they were in the room she should shoot a text to Abi. He might not be aware of the ruse that brought Case to the hospital.

In Jamie’s opinion the whole thing screamed of a setup for when the doctor left the hospital. He would have only a few security guards with him. Far less backup than he had at his home.

She and Mrs. Mason had just entered the room when Mr. Mason was rolled through the door on a gurney that looked more like a bed. Since there wasn’t a bed in the room, Jamie assumed it was not just a gurney.

“He’ll be groggy for a while,” a nurse explained as she and a colleague moved his bed in place. “And he may sleep off and on. But don’t worry. We’ll be watching him closely.”

Mrs. Mason parked herself next to his bed and took her husband’s hand in hers. “Thank you so much,” she told the nurses. “I appreciate all you do.”

Jamie wondered how many people bothered to express their gratitude in this way.

The nurses made their way out and another figure entered.

Dr. Case.

Jamie stayed put in the corner by the visitor’s chair. She avoided direct eye contact. She felt confident he wouldn’t recognize her, but why take the chance.

“Mrs. Mason, thankfully we did not have to go back in. As my associate told you, we determined that all was well. We’ll take another CT scan in a couple of hours just to be sure. Once that’s completed, I’ll let you know those results as soon as we have them. But I’m confident you have nothing to worry about.”

“Thank you so much, Dr. Case.”

He gave her a nod, then looked to Jamie. “May I speak with you in the corridor?”

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