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Coda gave him a quick “Hey” and a nod before narrowing his focus onto the boat’s controls. Expertly, he maneuvered the vessel away from the shore and into the current. Snow was dumping so hard the river couldn’t swallow it fast enough. It looked like the surface had been frosted and then dusted with powdered sugar. In this weather, Tag knew that navigating the waterway would be accomplished as much by habit as sight.
Ally remained huddled by the patient, monitoring his condition and holding his hand. Tag was already feeling she’d made the right decision. The trip was much smoother than it would have been by road, and within the hour Coda was informing them that they were nearing the marina in Clifton. Even faster than Ally had predicted.
The snow had let up a bit, and Tag could see that an SUV waited nearby. As they approached, two men emerged from the vehicle and Tag recognized Abe Mowak, Ally’s grandfather, from the newspaper photo. He looked at least a decade younger than he was and Tag wondered how often people assumed that he was Ally’s dad.
The other man was younger, short but wiry, with a cheerful smile and longish blond hair visible under a red knit cap. He introduced himself as Dave and helped Tag load Zeke into the vehicle. Ally gave Coda a quick hug and a thank-you. Tag shook his hand and added his appreciation. Abe climbed behind the wheel of the SUV. Tag joined Ally in the back and Dave climbed into the passenger seat.
Abe drove while Ally recited the details of Zeke’s condition. Tag listened, silently agreeing, until she said, “I’m worried about his liver. I’m afraid he might have a small laceration.”
Tag swung his head to look at her. She stared straight ahead, and Tag felt the dismissal like a punch to the gut. The expression reminded him of the Ally he’d first met, the closed-off, distrustful Ally. But how could he blame her for that now? He’d given her every reason to behave this way.
“Hmm. Blood work and the scan will let us know,” Abe said. “Got our work cut out for us. Good thinking, calling Coda with the boat.”
The next leg of the trip went as smoothly as the last, and soon the patient was housed inside Abe’s clinic.
Ally had disappeared, so Tag took a seat in the waiting room. Bright watercolor paintings adorned the pale gray walls, and sturdy handcrafted furniture sat before a stone fireplace. A fire crackled on the hearth. The far corner of the room featured a kid-sized table and chairs. Neatly arranged books filled a bookcase, and a wooden toy chest overflowed. It felt more like a home than a medical clinic, although Tag had learned it wasn’t far from that. The facility was right next door to Abe’s residence, the two buildings linked by an enclosed breezeway.
Ally stepped through the doorway and exhaled a sharp breath. “Liver has a small laceration. They’re doing surgery now. Do you want to come with me? I’ll show you around so you can get settled in for the night.”
Tag stood and followed her through a door and into the hall leading to the house. At the end of the passage, she opened a door and motioned him into an entryway. A few more steps and they were inside a cozy living room sporting floors of knotty pine. Oversize comfortable-looking furniture in neutral tones sat atop braided rugs in muted colors. Antiques and rustic decor filled the space, and as they headed past the stone fireplace, Tag noted an array of framed photos on the mantel. A smiling Ally featured prominently in most of the images, and Tag’s chest went tight. It felt like days since he’d seen her smile.
Continuing through to another hallway, she pointed out the bathroom, passed a closed door that she identified as her room and then walked through the next doorway. Tag joined her inside.
“We keep this guest room ready, so sheets are clean. There’s a spare toothbrush on the sink in the bathroom. I put some clothes on the chair there, in case. If you need anything else just let me know.”
Tag lowered his pack to the floor and gestured at it. “Thanks, but I have an emergency bundle in here—toothbrush, T-shirt, socks, underwear.”
Giving him a curt nod, she walked out the door and pointed down the hall. “The kitchen is that way. I left a sandwich on the table for you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were worried about Zeke’s liver?”
