Read Online C.J. Urban - Julie Townsend 01 - Hidden Intent by C.J. Urban - Free Book Online
Authors: C.J. Urban
Tags: Mystery-Thriller
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stating the hospital’s mission, values and commitment to quality patient care.
She followed Skye up to the front desk and listened as he conversed with the nurse sitting behind it.
“You brought a friend with you this time?” The nurse asked, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.
“Yep. She asked to meet my father, and I thought it would be good for him to visit with someone new.”
The nurse looked down at her computer screen a moment, clicked her mouse a few times and then looked back up at Skye. “Here you go,” she said as she tore two visitor passes from a large label maker nearby.
“Thank you,” Skye said.
They walked down the hall away from the front desk toward a large door with a sign on it reading, “Male Unit.” There was a telephone next to the door, with another sign that read, “Pick up phone for assistance.”
Skye picked up the phone and after waiting a moment said, “Yes, we’re here to see a patient named Frank Hanson.”
He set the phone back into its cradle, and turned to Julie while they waited. “Look, we’re going to have to find Jacob Leigh’s room. We don’t have permission to see him.”
“How are we going to do that?” Julie whispered, even though there was no one around to hear.
“I know the nurses in there. I’ll talk with them while you try to find it.”
“But…”
“The rooms have the patient’s names on them,” he explained. “We won’t have much time, though. Can you do it?”
“I can try,” Julie said, then caught herself. If she were going to be a PI someday, she’d have to have guts. She took a breath. “Yes, I can do it.”
“Good,” Skye said, rising from his seat.
Julie heard a soft click and Skye pulled the door open. She took a deep breath, and walked with him into the unit.
Julie was immediately struck by how sterile the place felt compared to the hallway just behind them. It was unlike any place she had ever seen.
There was a large nurses’ station at the center of the great room, and lining the walls were several doors that she assumed led to the patients’ rooms. Her nose caught the sharp scent of antiseptic solution. Julie was surprised that the hospital staff didn’t make an effort to provide the patients with more natural surroundings, given the fact that the place was located in such a lovely place up in the mountains.
Suddenly and without warning, Julie heard a horrible scream ring out, from where, she couldn’t tell. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a patient hurdled toward her, screeching and howling as if in pain.
“Don’t let them take me!” He pleaded. “They’re going to kill me.” The man ran full speed into a nearby wall and tried to climb it, hollering profanities. Two nurses sped after him, one poised with a syringe, and the other grabbing the man and pinning him to the ground.
“No!” The man screamed over and over, flailing his arms wildly. But the nurse shot the contents of the syringe into his arm, and in seconds he stopped flailing, and lay limp on the floor.
Julie eased her grip on Skye’s forearm, barely remembering having grabbed it. “Sorry,” she said faintly.
Skye was apparently more accustomed to such happenings. “That’s alright,” he told her, “I’m glad to know you’ll cling to me for safety.”
Julie gave him a playful shove, trying to show brevity, and they made their way to the nurse’s station.
Skye put forth a confident demeanor. “Hi Helen,” he said casually. “How’s my dad today?”
“He’s having a good day,” Nurse Helen answered, smiling at Skye. “You brought a friend with you, I see.”
Skye nodded. “This is Julie. Julie, this is Helen. She takes great care of my father.”
Julie marveled at the smoothness of his lie. The more she heard him speak, the more she enjoyed Skye’s naturally suave mannerisms.
“Nice to meet you,” She said, trying to appear as confident as Skye.
I believe he’s in his room,” Helen continued. “I’ll tell him
She followed Skye up to the front desk and listened as he conversed with the nurse sitting behind it.
“You brought a friend with you this time?” The nurse asked, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.
“Yep. She asked to meet my father, and I thought it would be good for him to visit with someone new.”
The nurse looked down at her computer screen a moment, clicked her mouse a few times and then looked back up at Skye. “Here you go,” she said as she tore two visitor passes from a large label maker nearby.
“Thank you,” Skye said.
They walked down the hall away from the front desk toward a large door with a sign on it reading, “Male Unit.” There was a telephone next to the door, with another sign that read, “Pick up phone for assistance.”
Skye picked up the phone and after waiting a moment said, “Yes, we’re here to see a patient named Frank Hanson.”
He set the phone back into its cradle, and turned to Julie while they waited. “Look, we’re going to have to find Jacob Leigh’s room. We don’t have permission to see him.”
“How are we going to do that?” Julie whispered, even though there was no one around to hear.
“I know the nurses in there. I’ll talk with them while you try to find it.”
“But…”
“The rooms have the patient’s names on them,” he explained. “We won’t have much time, though. Can you do it?”
“I can try,” Julie said, then caught herself. If she were going to be a PI someday, she’d have to have guts. She took a breath. “Yes, I can do it.”
“Good,” Skye said, rising from his seat.
Julie heard a soft click and Skye pulled the door open. She took a deep breath, and walked with him into the unit.
Julie was immediately struck by how sterile the place felt compared to the hallway just behind them. It was unlike any place she had ever seen.
There was a large nurses’ station at the center of the great room, and lining the walls were several doors that she assumed led to the patients’ rooms. Her nose caught the sharp scent of antiseptic solution. Julie was surprised that the hospital staff didn’t make an effort to provide the patients with more natural surroundings, given the fact that the place was located in such a lovely place up in the mountains.
Suddenly and without warning, Julie heard a horrible scream ring out, from where, she couldn’t tell. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a patient hurdled toward her, screeching and howling as if in pain.
“Don’t let them take me!” He pleaded. “They’re going to kill me.” The man ran full speed into a nearby wall and tried to climb it, hollering profanities. Two nurses sped after him, one poised with a syringe, and the other grabbing the man and pinning him to the ground.
“No!” The man screamed over and over, flailing his arms wildly. But the nurse shot the contents of the syringe into his arm, and in seconds he stopped flailing, and lay limp on the floor.
Julie eased her grip on Skye’s forearm, barely remembering having grabbed it. “Sorry,” she said faintly.
Skye was apparently more accustomed to such happenings. “That’s alright,” he told her, “I’m glad to know you’ll cling to me for safety.”
Julie gave him a playful shove, trying to show brevity, and they made their way to the nurse’s station.
Skye put forth a confident demeanor. “Hi Helen,” he said casually. “How’s my dad today?”
“He’s having a good day,” Nurse Helen answered, smiling at Skye. “You brought a friend with you, I see.”
Skye nodded. “This is Julie. Julie, this is Helen. She takes great care of my father.”
Julie marveled at the smoothness of his lie. The more she heard him speak, the more she enjoyed Skye’s naturally suave mannerisms.
“Nice to meet you,” She said, trying to appear as confident as Skye.
I believe he’s in his room,” Helen continued. “I’ll tell him
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