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She nods. “Sounds like a six-car pileup on the other side of the city, and the roads are getting ice-covered. They sent in the jaws of life and helicopter. They’ll be bringing the victims to Central Hospital as soon as they can get them out of the wreckage, so I need to be there when they arrive. The department is already short-staffed and running with temp nurses, and Friday night traffic on a good weather day can take forever.”
“They’ll need you there fast.” I turn to Trent. “I’ll take the SUV and take Allie to the hospital, and Liam can take my ride.”
“We can get vehicles switched later.”
“Come on; Liam should be pulling up any minute.” I take Allie’s hand, and her eyes don’t even register surprise. It’s clear she doesn’t have anything but those people on her mind right now and doesn’t even question the plan.
The wind carries the sleet sideways across the street and onto the sidewalks forming large icy patches as they freeze to the surface. I hold onto Allie’s arm as we make our way to the curb where Liam has been lucky enough to find a spot long enough for us to load. “Trent called and said you’re taking Allie to the hospital. You want backup?” he asks, getting out of the vehicle and coming around to where we’re standing on the curb.
“No, you guys take a little break. Enjoy visiting with all the others. How often is it that everyone is able to get together? I’ll give you a call from the hospital. My guess is we’re going to be there for quite some time, though,” I answer, closing the door for Allie. “Here, take the keys to my Range Rover.” I pull them from my ring. “I’m parked one floor from the top, far right corner next to the stairwell.”
“Got it. You guys drive careful. The roads are getting snow-covered and slippery,” Liam replies as I get into the SUV and close the door before pulling onto the congested street amid the Friday night traffic.
We’re barely through the first set of lights, and Allie’s already on her cell asking someone if they can come into the ED for the night. She grimaces as she gets off the phone but immediately dials someone else, and then starts the same conversation all over again before making three more identical calls without any success.
Allie tosses her cell into her open purse on the floorboard. “Every single one of the nurses is either sick or doesn’t have childcare. We have backup nurses, but they were called in late this afternoon. The team at the hospital is going to be completely fried by the time this night is through. We seriously need to do something different with our staffing model.”
The weather causes the already usually congested traffic to slow to a crawl. I can feel Allie’s tension and frustration level mounting from here. At the rate the traffic is moving, it’ll take at least another hour to get to the hospital, and by that time it could be too late.
I select Chase’s name from the menu on the dash, and the overhead system begins to ring. “Chase always tells us that the equipment he owns is at our disposal, but I’d still like to get his okay to use his helicopter.”
I can see Allie turn to face me from my periphery as the line is answered. “Chase Prestian here.”
“This is Nick. There’s been a bad accident, and I’m taking Allie to the hospital. The roads are backed up for miles, but the winds are starting to die down. We’re nearing the exit to the airport. I’m wondering about the possibility of using the Augusta to get Allie across the city.”
“Of course. You never need to ask for something like that, but take the new Augusta. It’ll handle better in these conditions, and it’ll give you a chance to try it out anyway.”
“I appreciate that. There’s at least a six-car pileup heading for Central Hospital. I need to get her there as quickly as possible. They’re already short on nurses, and they’re going to need all hands on deck.”
“Not a problem. I’ll call ahead and have it ready for takeoff as soon as you arrive,” Chase assures before disconnecting.
Allie’s eyes warm my skin. “That’stheChase Prestian? Lexie told me all about him and his wife, Katarina. She actually hugged me at the restaurant earlier before you got there. Lexie spent a lot of time with her in Italy the last month when the guys were working. I’m beginning to see why she thinks so highly of them both. That’s incredibly nice of him to let us use his helicopter. Wait—you can fly, right?”
I laugh. “Pretty sure I’ve got that covered. You’re not scared, are you?”
“Well, it’s not every day I get to ride in a helicopter. Okay, well, never is more like it. I’ve never been in a helicopter, and it doesn’t sound like you’ve flown this one before.”
I try to hide my amusement. “You’re in good hands, Allie. I used to fly helicopters through heavy combat zones for the military.”
“Seriously? That sounds like an intense job. I already feel safer.”
I veer off the highway, taking the lane circling the airport that will bring us to the private strip on the backside of the tarmac where the Prestian and Larussio families keep their private jets and helicopters.
The ground crew is already doing a final inspection on the silver Augusta when we arrive. It’s picture perfect, fresh off the assembly line. The familiar black emblem of Prestian Corp is lit up on its side, and two other helicopters sporting the same logo sit next to it.
“How many helicopters does one man need?” Allie asks.
“Chase and Katarina use one when they’re in the city. It will take them back to Prestian Towers for the night once they’re done at Victoria's. The other is most often used by Katarina’s father, Carlos Larussio.”
Her inhalation of breath is telling without even taking my eyes off the road. “That guy is like the top dog in the New York City crime family, isn’t he?”
“Is he?”
She doesn’t say anything for a few minutes. I’m used to the questions by now, comfortable with people’s varying reactions and have no need to fill the silence. “Lexie told me there were some things that she and Sheldon couldn’t talk about. Probably things just like that. I’m sorry it put you in a bad position by asking the question. It just kinda popped out.”
“You didn’t, and it’s not a problem.” I pull up as close as permitted to the helicopter at the same time the line inspector and registrar come out to greet us. He takes my license, fills out the necessary paperwork, and has me sign.
“I guess everything happens a little differently when you own your helicopters.”
