Nothing Ordinary by M J Marlow (best ereader for academics txt) 📕

time of illegal activities in that Clinic of theirs. Weber was just about to give us the information he’d been gathering when something happened to change his mind. How is he?” “Dying,” Ryan said bluntly. The agents had the good sense to look sorry. “The bullet was too near his heart. He won’t live much longer.” “The girl is his granddaughter?” the other agent, Nicholas Clark asked. When Ryan nodded, he looked even more worried. “We’re going to have to talk to her.” “I doubt he’d tell her anything,” Ryan said. “She just came over here after her parents died.” Again worry flooded into his mind. What was this girl going to do now? “I don’t think your launching into her now is smart. Let her grieve.” “We wish we had that luxury, Captain,” Taylor replied. “She knows me as an FBI agent already, so Nicholas is going to play a representative of his union; here to offer his services to her while she makes the funeral arrangements.” He saw Ryan’s look of disbelief. “What? Even union reps have been known to put on suits from time to time.” Inside the Recovery Room, Annie held on to her grandfather’s hand and waited for him to wake up. He looked so diminished hooked up to the monitors and far too pale. She could still not believe that someone had gotten into this room and shot him deliberately. She remembered the regret in the shooter’s eyes as he had entered the stairwell. It was not an action he had wanted to take. What was in those files that would make murder the only option? “Sie können nicht sterben, Großvater,” she sobbed as she knew he was leaving her. “Bitte sterben sie nicht. Sie sind aller, den ich gelassen habe.” “Baxter has what you need to stay safe now, Anneke,” Barney said weakly. He raised his hand to her cheek and looked so sad, fresh tears sprang to her eyes. “I wish I did not have to leave you, too, but your father-in-law, General Owens is a good man; he will care for you. I love you, Anneke.” “Don’t leave me then,” Annie replied. “Please…” But he closed his eyes, sighed once, and slipped away from her. “Großvater!” Annie sobbed as a nurse took her aside while the doctor tried to revive him. “Bitte lassen sie mich nicht! Bitte…” She lost consciousness then, unable to deal with the loss of yet another family member. When she woke up she was lying in a bed in a private hospital room. Ryan was seated nearby. He came over as he noted that she was awake and held her as she burst into tears. She was alone now and he was the only familiar person she knew. “I’m so sorry, Annie,” Ryan said softly as he held her tight. “Your grandfather was a good and honest man. I considered him a friend.” He looked up as Clark came to the door. “This is Nicholas Clark,” he introduced the man. “He is a representative of the union that your grandfather belonged to. He is going to help you now.” “Please find out why my Grandfather died, Captain Ryan,” Anneke said softly. Ryan nodded and left her with Clark. “Mr. Clark,” she looked at the tall lean man with the rugged face and deep blue eyes. The compassion in his eyes was like a blow to her heart. He should not have to be here. This should not be happening! “How are you going to help me? Can you make this all go away?” “Of course not, Mrs. Owens,” Clark said calmly. “But I can help you deal with the things you need to deal with now.” He nodded to the chair. “May I sit?” Annie nodded and he took a seat and put his briefcase on his lap. He opened it and pretended to check the information he was already well aware of. “The most immediate things would have been to cancel his credit cards and close his accounts, but he put all of his accounts in joint tenancy so that they would go to you at his death.” He quieted a moment so she could take this in. “You just need to sign the forms and they will be put in your name alone.” “I don’t want his money,” Annie said softly even as she signed the papers he handed to her. “I want my Grandfather!” “I understand,” Clark said to her. She looked at him and realized that he was sincere. “I lost my parents when I was about your age.” He took the documents back. “Since you are not an employee at the Clinic you will need a new place to stay.” “She will stay with me,” Bayer said from the doorway. Annie looked up and frowned. He had stayed out of her life for eighteen years and now he wanted to play uncle. “She is my niece, after all.” “Since when?” Annie snapped at him and saw his cool manner slip for just a brief instant. “I am sorry, Uncle, but I have no desire to spend time with a man who couldn’t even be bothered to come to my parents’ funeral!” Bayer looked about to argue, but he thought better of it. He simply nodded his head at her decision and left the room without another word. Annie had an uneasy feeling that this was not over, but she did not want to deal with it just now. She had too many other, more important, things to think about. “My aunt Molly has an apartment in her boarding house empty,” Clark told her. “She has agreed to let you stay with her until you decide what to do.” “Why would she do that?” Annie asked him. “She doesn’t know me.” “She knew your grandfather,” Clark told her honestly. “She feels she is honoring his memory by helping you out.” He saw the girl tearing up. “My aunt has a very generous spirit.” He took a set of keys out of his pocket and slid them inside her purse in the nightstand. “When Doctor Ryan says you’re ready, I’ll take you to the boarding house.” “You’re doing a lot for me, Mr. Clark,” Annie said softly. “Is that usual for a union rep?” “When I am the union rep,” Clark replied firmly, “it is.” He saw her relax. “Your grandfather did not leave any instructions as to his funeral. Did he ever discuss that with you?” “He always said,” Annie remembered, “that it should be however his heirs wanted it to be since a funeral was for the survivors.” She thought it over. “Something simple,” she decided. “A service in the local Lutheran church and something at the grave side. He liked Bach, so that should be the music.” She saw the door open. “Hi, Doctor Ryan.” She nodded to Clark. “Do you know Mr. Clark?” “We met downstairs,” Doc Ryan nodded. He took the chart off the bed and read the nurse’s report. “Your blood pressure was very high earlier, Annie. That’s why we decided to keep you here. Let’s see how your baby and you are doing after some rest.” He put the clip on her finger and saw the numbers. “Still too high, young lady.” He looked at her seriously. “I am going to write a prescription for you; something to help lower that blood pressure.” “I don’t like drugs, Doctor Ryan,” Annie argued. “Do you need to give them to me?” “We have to do something to get that blood pressure down, Annie,” he told her gently. “It’s not good for the baby or for you to have it so high.” He wrote the note on the chart and called the nurse to tell her to bring the shot. “When you are released, I want you to monitor your blood pressure. I’ll have a unit sent home with you. If it stays normal in a consistent fashion, I will take you off the medication.” He saw her relief and patted her hand. “I know, child. I don’t like drugs either.” The door opened and the nurse came back with the medication. Annie winced as the needle bit into her vein. She leaned back against the pillows and tried to calm herself down. She took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes and did not realize that she had drifted off again. “Mr. Clark,” Doc said as he turned to leave. “Let me have a word with you outside.” The younger man followed him out into the hall and was not surprised when the elder Ryan looked at him harshly. “That child has been through hell the past two months. Don’t make this any harder for her.” “I assure you, Doc…” “Just don’t,” Doc broke in, looking very angry. “By all means help her deal with the details of her Grandfather’s death, but do not tell her the real reason you are helping her. Is that clear?” Clark nodded and watched the man move off. He had thought Captain Ryan was a hard nose, but the father was even worse. He could agree with them, however that letting Annie know her grandfather died because he was spying on his employers was not wise. He went back into the room and took his briefcase to the coffee table near the couch to go over what they had done. “Nein!” Annie moaned in what he realized quickly was a nightmare. “Mutter! Vater! Lassen sie mich nicht! Nehmen Sie mich auch!” “Mrs. Owens…” “Nehmen Sie mich, auch!” Annie sobbed and shook her head back and forth. She sat up suddenly and was reaching out for her parents. “Ich möchte nicht allein sein!” “Mrs. Owens,” Clark touched her arm and she screamed and slapped him. He put his hands on her arms and she broke down. “It’s just a nightmare, Annie,” he said gently as he looked at him in confusion. “You’re safe here. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” “Why did they leave me?” Annie sobbed and leaned against him. “They were supposed to live, too. But they didn’t get out and they left me alone!” “I’m sure they did everything they could to get back to you,” Clark said as he held her close, stroking her back as her sobs quieted gradually. “They would never have left you on purpose. You know that.” She nodded and he made her lie down again. “Do you want me to call the doctor?” “I’m here,” Doc said from where he stood in the doorway. “I’m impressed, Mr. Clark. Not many men know how to handle a hysterical child.” He looked over at Annie. “I wasn’t aware she was having nightmares about her parents’ accident.” He made a notation on the chart and called the nurse. “Mrs. Owens will be staying with us for awhile. Call Doctor Garvey and have her schedule an ultrasound and a fetal checkup.” “No, Doctor Ryan,” Annie’s eyes shot open and she looked at him in alarm. “I don’t want to stay in the hospital.” She tried to get up and Clark made her stay down. “Please let me go,” she begged him. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, Mrs. Owens,” Clark assured her and watched her relax slightly. “You know Doc Ryan,” he continued gently. “He would never let anything happen to you, would he?” “No,” Annie said hesitantly. She was crying now as she realized how ridiculous she was being. “I’m sorry, Doc. I didn’t mean it.” “You have every right to be frightened, Annie,” Doc said to her gently. “You’ve gone through a great deal of trauma in the past several months. But I am here to help you, not harm you.” Annie nodded. “So please trust me to know how to help you.” “All right,” Annie nodded, although he could see she was still frightened. “I have someone here who might be able to help you,” Ryan said as he came into the room