The Journal: Fault Line (The Journal Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page B

isn’t any help getting around the blocked roads. May I ask why
you’re in such a rough neighborhood?”
    “You tell her, Henry,” Sadie said with a
touch of defiance to her strong voice.
    “My wife would rather we retired to Florida,”
Henry said. “I’m a veterinarian by profession, and when I got
pushed out of my own practice by partners I reluctantly hired, I
decided to open a new office, one that would be more satisfying.”
He glanced back at his wife. “I offer my services to the poor for
nominal or no fees. Their pets need care too.”
    “That’s a generous and noble thing to do,
Mister.. um, Dr. Palazzola,” Christine said.
    “I’m just Henry now.”
    Christine turned the GPS back on when the
streets were clear and as it guided them back to the hotel, she
could almost hear the disgust in the mechanical voice as they
pulled into the parking lot.
     
    ***
     
    “What’s the matter, white girl, you get
lost?” Joey smirked when Christine pushed open the large glass door
of the damaged hotel. The sky was getting dirty from the billowing
oily smoke from all the fires.
    “As a matter of fact, Joey, I did,” she
admitted. “In a way it was a good thing. I found three more
survivors. This is Henry and Sadie Palazzola, and their grandson,
Michael.” The trio had followed Christine into the building,
trailing a few minutes behind so she could prepare the others for
the intrusion.
    “Hey, Doc!” Jake said with a big smile,
recognizing the veterinarian.
    Holly got up from her post next to the
sleeping Katie and made a beeline for the old man, her tail wagging
furiously. She gave a quiet woof as she nuzzled the extended
hand.
    “Well, Holly, if I had known you were here I
would have come sooner,” the vet chuckled, kneeling down to pet the
dog and accept the offered dog-kisses. Young Michael joined his
grandfather in the petting and hugs.
    Christine smiled at the reunion.
    “We’ve got a few more additions, too. Right
after you left, these nice folks came looking for shelter from the
rain,” Jake told her. “Our little community here is quickly
growing.” Christine looked in the direction Jake pointed and was
surprised to see a dozen people huddled in the gloom.
    “Where’s Katie?” Henry finally asked. The
young men stepped aside to expose the sleeping girl on the floor.
Henry’s face fell as he took in her paleness and the more obvious
injuries. “How long has she been out?” he asked in concern, lifting
one of her eyelids.
    “She comes and goes, Doc. I know she needs
medical care, but I don’t know where to take her, or if there is
anything left.” Joey explained how they found her, then asked, “Is
there anything you can do?”
    The old man looked at the concern etched on
Joey’s face. He was well acquainted with the lives of these young
people. Orphaned by the violent death of their mother when Katie
turned eighteen, Joey reluctantly stayed in school at his sister’s
insistence, and she went to work to keep them together. Holly had
only been a pup then, and the old doc treated her for free.
    “I don’t know, Joey,” he said honestly. He
pulled a stethoscope from his bag and listened to her breathe. Then
he gently ran his gnarled old hands down her ribcage. “I think she
has a couple of cracked or broken ribs and likely a concussion. I
doubt it’s life threatening, though she really should see a
doctor.”
    Christine looked out the glass wall at the
rapidly fading light. “Will she be okay until the morning? She
might be worse off if we try to get out of here right now without
being able to see where we’re going.”
    “I agree with Christine. Let’s wait until
daylight.”
    “Anna, we need more light, blankets, and
food. Can you guide us around here?” Jake asked the young
housekeeper. She grabbed the now empty cart and headed back into
the bowels of the hotel, Jake leading the way with the flashlight
and Sadie and Christine following.
     
    ***
     
    “I think more light