Disaster Status Read Online Free Page A

steadied the teetering charge nurse, he addressed the crowd, making certain his tone left no room for argument. “Everyone needs to get behind this barricade. Right. Now. Or be prepared to strip down and shower in that tent.”
    “Shower?” The blonde reporter hugged her pink linen jacket protectively around herself and retreated behind the barricade. The others followed.
    Good. He was tired, and his already-thin tolerance for the media was shot.
    “That’s better,” he told them, nodding. “These rules are made for safety. And now, if you’ll be patient, I’m sure the hospital spokesperson will provide an update very soon.” He waited as they walked to the vans before glancing at Erin, more aware than he wanted to be of the warmth of her arm under his fingers. He let go. “You’re okay?”
    “Yes, of course,” she answered. “Nice tactic, by the way, teasing them about having to shower in the decon tent.”
    “Not teasing. True. They could have to shower. That’s policy. If they violate the barricade, there’s a risk of contamination. It’s a matter of public safety.” Scott stopped himself from offering her a copy of the Monterey County hazardous material protocols. He was sure she’d have a problem with that. “Anyway, I’ve given the same warning to everyone all day.”
    “Including my grandmother?” Erin pointed back toward the parking lot. “She was here a few minutes ago, looking for me. Late seventies, fairly tall, wearing—”
    “Blue. I remember her.” How could he forget?
    “And you told her she’d have to strip down?” She crossed her arms, color rising on her cheeks.
    Scott shook his head slowly, barely resisting a smile. He had no doubt she’d slug him if he smirked. “No. I told your grandmother I was here to protect her safety. That she should call you instead. I even offered her my phone. But I got the distinct impression she wasn’t satisfied with that. What’s that old saying about apples not falling far from the tree?”
    She narrowed her eyes. “Meaning?”
    “Only that I would’ve known you two were related even if she hadn’t told me. Twice.”
    “Oh.” Erin reached up to tug at her ponytail. “The red hair. Dead giveaway, I guess.”
    “Hair? Oh, sure. But I was thinking more in terms of your—” he hesitated before choosing the words this time—“self-assurance.”
    “Self—?” The short siren yelp from an incoming ambulance cut her off. “Haven’t we received the last of the patients from the ranch?”
    Scott lifted his radio. “Yes. But this could be the ambulance the OB patient called. It was supposed to be canceled. At any rate, I can’t have it at the back doors right now.”
    “OB patient? You mean it was true? I thought the reporters were making that up.”
    He asked a couple of questions, gave a quick order, and then lowered his radio. “It’s okay,” he said to Erin. “This ambulance is here for a routine transfer. They’ll move to the front entrance. But that reporter was right. Plenty of your in-house patients saw the news coverage. Which, as you can imagine, is painting a grim picture. It doesn’t help that the Safe Sky group is stirring things up again. Their spokesperson has been on every TV channel since the news broke.” He frowned, knowing this incident was far from over.
    He glanced at the ER doors. “That’s where your public information officer is now—helping administration calm things down. Assuring folks the entire hospital isn’t contaminated.” He lifted his gaze toward the upper stories of the hospital, his thoughts on Cody. “I need to get up there myself.”
    “Up there? But aren’t you stationed out here?”
    Scott gritted his teeth, deciding not to remind this charge nurse that as incident commander he made the assignments. She clearly had issues with territory. “I’m doing my job,” he told her, his tone more defensive than he’d intended. “No need to worry about that.” He nodded toward the