Page 29 of Every Last One
There might be some hope then…“So if we could get a hold of the transplant coordinator at the donor hospital, tell them what’s going on here, we might be able to postpone this.”
“It’s possible. Though it’s also possible the heart would fall to the next eligible recipient. It depends on timing, and there’s the family to consider on that end.”
Sandra put herself in their minds. They were preparing to say goodbye to their loved one. Prolonging that would only extend their agony. She didn’t want to play God, but she would do all she could to get that heart to Phoebe as it was arranged. She suspected other organ recipients were lined up too and wouldn’t be eager to postpone life-saving surgeries. “Could we call them?”
Luis nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.” His phone rang, and he took the call at the table.
“It’s infuriating sitting out here while people are dying inside,” Neal said.
“Rather a pointless comment when it’s a hospital and people die here every day,” Kreiger pointed out. “But this guy on the fourth discharged his weapon, and we have a witness swearing that he hit a person. That changes things.”
Sandra agreed, but sure hoped he wasn’t going to suggest they blow past protocol and swoop in early.
“This woman is dealing with a lot. She thinks someone was hit,” Brice inserted. “She didn’t see it.”
“No, but she heard it. The yelling, then the crying, and the silence. You’re telling me that doesn’t sound like someone was seriously hurt?” Kreiger pressed his lips and popped his eyes as if that reasoning was indisputable.
Sandra straightened her posture. “We can’t know the extent of this person’s injuries. As Special Agent Sutton just said, this witness never saw anything. Sounds can be misinterpreted.”
“Sure. Let’s play. Name one hypothetical.” Kreiger gestured toward her.
It took her a few seconds. “He fired the weapon, but didn’t hit anyone.”
“And the crying?” Kreiger volleyed back.
“A natural fear response.”
“Huh.”
“Do you dispute that?” Brice said, stepping in.
“We don’t know. I suppose that’s the bottom line. But being in the dark isn’t the place I want to be. You like being a mushroom and fed shit, all the power to you.” Kreiger flailed his arms, coming close to brushing the roof of the vehicle with his fingertips.
“It’s frustrating not knowing everything, sure,” Sandra said, feeling like she needed to de-escalate things inside the vehicle. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“Everything? I’d settle forsomething.” Kreiger rubbed his chin. “We don’t have any eyes or ears inside and have no wayof fixing that with the barricaded doors. The perps aren’t talking to us through the radios, or even to each other. And now we have a four-year-old girl who will die if we fail.” By the time Kreiger finished his recap, he was breathing heavily. And it was no wonder after that emotion-infused summary.
Sandra could argue that nothing had changed. Phoebe was in that condition all along. They just hadn’t known. And there were likely many other similar cases inside at this moment. “We’re best not to get ahead of ourselves.”
“She’s right, Rick,” Neal said. “It’s not over until it’s over. We think we’re going to fail, we will.”
Kreiger waved a hand through the air. “New-age nonsense? From you? That surprises me.”
“How do you think we reach any goal in life?” Sandra asked.
“What?” Kreiger’s face bunched in confusion.
“Attaining a goal always comes from putting our minds on what we want. And that’s what we’re going to do today. What I do every time there’s an incident like this,” she said.
“Me too,” Monica said, backing her up.
Soon after, Brice, Gibson, and Neal added their voices to the chorus.
“Fine. But I sure hope something changes and soon, or I might not have a choice but to suggest that ERT move in.” Kreiger went to the alcove and made himself a coffee.
Luis raised a finger in the air, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’ve got good news.”
“It’s about bloody time someone had some,” Kreiger mumbled.
