Another Pink Book!

Chapter 7

Friday, 12:59 pm

As Katie Lee drove us to the hospital, I showed her all the landmarks from the morning and explained more of my story. She asked questions and offered several scathing comments about Deputy Bristol, Ben and the other men that had assembled. She speculated about Toby's strength and the way he fit into his jeans. She wondered, for the thousandth time, why I had chosen Ben over Toby. I wondered a bit myself.

We arrived at the hospital and I had an examination. I got some x-rays and was lectured about venturing into the woods without insect repellant. I left with some fresh dressings over my scrapes and scratches and a clean bill of health.

While I was with the doctor, Katie Lee gossiped with one of the nurses she knew. The nurse told us of a patient that had been brought in by ambulance due to an animal attack. Katie Lee told me all about it.

"It wasn't too far from my house, Lou. And guess what? The man claims it was a bear!"

"What?! There aren't any bears around here."

"That's what he says. His hunting dogs were going crazy over something and he went out to check on them. He whistled at them and when he did this creature crashed through the woods. It was big and dark brown. It ran and jumped on him, knocking him down. He bumped his head and it knocked him unconscious. When he came to, the gate to the dog's kennel was ripped open and all the dogs were gone!"

"Do they think the bear got them?"

"Maybe—or else, maybe they tore through the gate to protect their master. Either way, the dogs are gone. Animal control is out there, searching right now. And there have been two more reports of dogs acting strangely and then going missing!"

"Sam! He could be in danger!"

"Won't do Toby and Ben any good either, to run into a bear!"

"Oh my gosh! We have to warn them!"

"I'll go call them while you check out."

I signed the release papers and hurried outside to meet Katie Lee. We rushed toward the car but on the way, we bumped into Deputy Bristol.

He limped toward us: "Well, Mrs. Spivey, Mrs. Craig. What brings you to the ER?"

Katie Lee stiffly corrected him: "My name is Doctor Katherine Lee O'Brien Spivey Rose, thank-you-very-much." She was very proud of her honorary doctorate. She sneered as she continued: "But YOU can call me Doctor O'Brien Spivey Rose!" Katie Lee had retained her maiden name, the name of her recently divorced husband, and she had added the surname of the Aunt who had raised us. It could be a little confusing at times, especially as she insisted upon using all three surnames.

"Oh! Er..." Deputy Bristol was clearly flummoxed.

"What about you, Deputy Bristol? What brings you here?" I asked.

His confusion vanished. He stood a bit straighter and tried to look serious and official.

"Well, Mrs. Craig, I need to talk to you about that. It seems that your little, er...escapade of jumping out of your husband's truck caused some...that is to say, when you landed on me...well, you know you knocked me down and...I kind of sat down—abruptly, you know. I sat down mighty abruptly."

"What's wrong?" Katie Lee pondered. "Did Lou break your butt?"

His flustered appearance was a dead giveaway. Katie Lee burst into laughter: "No, don't tell me: Lou broke your butt! That is the funniest thing I've ever heard!"

"Now Mrs. O'Spivey Brien..."

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! She broke your..."AHHAHAHA

"I don't find your laughter appropriate! A fractured coccyx can be serious..."