The King's Ransom by Betsey Kulakowski

Author:Betsey Kulakowski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: supernatural, adventure, investigator, paranormal, fantasy, gods, apocalyptic
Publisher: Babylon Books
Published: 2024-08-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

San Diego, CA

May 18th

Lauren paused to catch her breath as she sat on the edge of the bed, debating how to reach her shoes. They were in a locker across what had to be the largest birthing suite she had ever seen. She hadn’t expected to have such grand accommodations, considering she’d given birth at home, but she wasn’t about to complain.

Sarah slept in the plastic bassinet beside her, freshly washed, wrapped in a tiny pink outfit that was one of Kate’s, with a bow tied into her shock of thick black hair. Lauren had changed her and fed her before she began efforts to clean herself up, get dressed and get ready to go home.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” Bahati’s voice startled her.

“Home, if I can get my shoes,” Lauren said.

“Home? Does your doctor know about this? It’s only been four days since you had major surgery. Surely you’re not ready to go home.”

“He signed my discharge papers,” Lauren said, holding up the release.

Bahati snatched it out of her hand. “This better not say against medical advice,” she snapped.

“Would I leave a hospital AMA? Really?” Lauren said.

“You’ve tried it before,” Bahati said. “Don’t pretend you don’t remember. The point is, I do, and I won’t let you get away with it this time.” She looked over the paperwork, then looked up with cautious reservation, handing it back.

“You didn’t let me get away with it last time, either.”

Bahati considered her for a moment. “Any word from Agent Miller?”

“No,” Lauren said. “Not yet.”

“Did you talk to Kitty?”

“I did,” Lauren said. “But I still haven’t heard from Henry, or my mother, my father . . . or my brother.”

“Jean-René was released from hospital in Cairo,” Bahati said. “He’s staying at the request of the Egyptian authorities, to facilitate the investigation.”

“You should go to him,” Lauren said.

“Are you kidding?” Bahati gasped. “I’m not leaving you. You’ve just had a baby and surgery. Without your mother or Rowan here to help, however will you manage?”

“I have John Carter and Jamie to help,” Lauren said.

“But they’re still just boys,” Bahati protested.

“I’m old enough,” John Carter came in on the conversation. “I got the car seat installed, just like you taught me.”

“Where are the rest of my children?” Lauren asked.

“With Evelyn McIntosh,” Bahati said.

“Our vet’s wife?”

“Dr. McIntosh is taking care of Shadow. The kids wanted to see her, but Mac wanted to monitor her another day or two.”

“Shadow? What happened to Shadow?”

“He thinks she had some kind of a seizure or got into some unknown toxin, but all his tests came back inconclusive. She’s stable now.”

“Uber for Mrs. Pierce.” The nurse arrived with a wheel chair. “Ready to go home?”

“It’s Dr. Pierce,” Bahati corrected before Lauren could. Lately she’d cared less and less about the title, now that she had two.

“Of course, forgive me for making you basic, Dr. Pierce. What’s your specialty?”

“Great apes,” Lauren said. She didn’t offer more. Not many people could comprehend that real scientists might study unidentified species of great apes like Bigfoot, Yowie, or Yeti.

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