A man and woman wearing identical scrubs and lab coats materialized in front of Tiel. The woman reached for Katherine, but Tiel didn't relinq
uish her just yet.
"Who are you?"
"Dr. Emily Garrett." She introduced herself as chief of the neonatal unit at a Midland hospital. "This is Dr.
Landry Giles, chief of obstetrics."
Tiel acknowledged the introductions, then said, "Regardless of anything you've heard to the contrary, the parents do not wish to put the child up for adoption."
Dr. Garrett's expression was as steadfast and guileless as Tiel could have hoped for. "I understand completely.
We'll be waiting for the mother's arrival."
Tiel kissed the top of Katherine's head. She had a bond with this baby that she probably would never have with another human being-she had witnessed her birth, her first breath, had heard her first cry. Even so, the depth of her emotion surprised her. "Take good care of her."
"You have my word."
Dr. Garrett took the baby and ran with her toward the waiting chopper, the blades of which were already whirling and kicking up a fierce wind. Dr. Giles had to shout to make himself heard above the racket.
"How's the mother?"
"Not good." Tiel gave him a condensed version of the labor and birth, then described Sabra's present condition.
"Doc's most worried about loss of blood and infection.
Sabra's becoming increasingly weak. Her blood pressure is dropping, he said. Based on what I've told you, is there anything you can advise him to do?"
"Get her to the hospital."
"We're working on it," she said grimly.
The man approaching with a long and purposeful stride could only be Galloway. He was tall and slender, but even in shirtsleeves he exuded an air of authority. "Bill Galloway," he said, confirming his identity as soon as he joined her and Dr. Giles. They shook hands.
Gully hobbled up to her in his bandy-legged run.
'Jesus, kid, if I don't die of a heart attack after tonight, I'll live forever."
She hugged him. "You'll outlive us all."
On the fringes of the growing group she noticed a stout man dressed in a white cowboy shirt with pearl buttons.
He held a cowboy hat similar to Doc's in his hands. Before she could introduce herself to him, he was rudely elbowed aside.
"Ms. McCoy, I want to talk to you."
She recognized Russell Dendy immediately.
"How's my daughter?"
"She's dying." While the statement seemed unnecessarily harsh, Tiel was fresh out of compassion for the millionaire.
Besides, if she were to make a dent in this stalemate, she must hit them hard.
Kip was standing in the background, capturing this suspenseful conference on videotape. The camera-mounted spotlight was blinding. For the first time in her career, Tiel felt an aversion for that light and the invasion of privacy it represented.
Her blunt response to Dendy's question took him aback momentarily, which enabled Galloway to draw the other man forward for an introduction. "Cole Davison, Tiel McCoy." The resemblance between Ronnie and his father was unmistakable. "How is he?" he asked anxiously.