Episode 11: Closer Than He Thinks

Episode 11
CLOSER THAN HE THINKS

Patrick Donovan ran into Room 204.

"What's wrong, Michael? The nurses said you were adamant that you needed me, and well, you never usually need me. So, what's up?"

Patrick hadn't yet seen the woman lying on the bed. He could see his brother and a beautiful blonde standing in front of the bed blocking the patient from his view.

They parted revealing the woman lying on the bed. He stood in stone cold shock. He had sworn he had left Angela back at Rand's ranch. So, how was it possible that she was now lying on a bed in the hospital? "That's... That's impossible. She can't be here."

Michael's brow furrowed. "What's wrong with you? It's a damn miracle she's alive."

"What's so impossible about it is that not more than an hour ago, I left Angela back at Rand's house." The younger Donovan stumbled backward. "Did she have a relapse or soemthing? I know she was acting really strange earlier, like she didn't know me. What the heck happened?"

Michael looked to Carrie Hawkins. Her eyes held a warmth he found comforting but neither of them had an answer for his brother.

When the on-duty nurse stepped in the room to take some routine vitals, Michael realize she might hold the answers to Patrick's question.

"Bonnie, has this patient left the hospital since she was admitted?"

The nurse looked to the chief-of-staff in confusion. "No, sir. She's been in a coma since they airlifted her from the trainwreck. Is there a problem?

Bonnie's answer proved even more confusing for Patrick who stood in dumbfounded shock.

"No, Bonnie. There's not a problem. NOt a problem at all." Michael Donovan said sincerely. "Thank you."

"No, problem, Dr. Donovan."

Patrick stuttered as air whooshed from his lungs in mock disbelief. "That's just not possible. She couldn't have been here the entire time. She stayed the night at the ranch with me and rand. And there can't be two of her walking around. That's crazy."

Carrie Hawkins felt the need to chime in with information she had gained during her investigation with Nick Boyd. 'The woman's purse is in the desk drawer. I put it there myself. Her identification states that she is Alexandra Maxwell. It's the name we gave to the press.

Michael turned to the comatose woman. There had to be some way to prove that she was Angela. Something only her family would know about. Then it hit him. He studied her arms and forehead carefully.

"If she's Alex Maxwell, then why does she have the same scars as my sister? See this?" Michael indicated a mark on the comatose woman's arm. "She got it from a tin can while trying to open it with mom's new-fangled can opener when she was fifteen. The mark in her hairline was there after she fell off the jungle gym when she was nine. She was quite a klutz when she was a kid."

Michael was certain of her identity.

"This woman is not Alex Maxwell. She's Angela Seraph. That I can guarantee."

***

Carrie knew of a way to prove that this woman was one or the other. She grabbed a glass from the counter top next to where Patrick was standing.

"Sorry about my brother. Sometimes he just falls into this king of the world act and forgets that some of us are actually his equals." Patrick noticed Carrie place Angela's hand on the drinking glass, then slyly slip it into her purse.

"What are you doing?"

Carrie was momentarily startled but recovered quickly. "Proving beyond a shadow of a doubt who she really is -- Alex or Angela."

She secured the ziplock bag she had placed the glass into and positioned the item deeper into her bag. She would see that Nick received the fingerprints, ones he could match to finger prints taken from Alex or Angela's apartment. That would put everyone's mind at ease.

"I would love to meet this woman who looks exactly like your sister," Carrie said curiously.

"I have rounds for another two hours. Why don't you just drive out to Rand's ranch. I'll give you directions, then you can see for yourself." Patrick grabbed a pen from a passing nurse and began to write.

"Sounds like a plan."

***

Nick stood at the end of the hallway and watched Carrie exit the building. He was tired of her evading him and going on the defensive evertime he wanted to talk to her. He followed her down the hallway and out of the building. He nearly collided with a doctor in the parking lot, but he couldn't let Carrie out of his sight. There was something going on with her and he was going to find out what that something was.

From behind he could hear someone yelling Carrie's name. It was the doctor she had been with in the corridor. The man rushed up to Carrie's side as if he belonged there. It so upset Nick that he snapped the pencil he had been holding.

"Hey, Carrie!" Patrick Donovan said mid-dash, jogging up to meet her. "Mike gave me some extra time at lunch so I can take you out to the ranch myself and introduce you to my pal, Rand."

"Cool. Tell your brother I really appreciate this."

***

Michael Donovan watched his brother jog off with the beautiful blonde. It was just like Patrick to snag some one-on-one time with a beautiful woman -- especially a beautiful blonde. It made him wonder, once again, why he had married Carly. She was definitely not his type at all. And she obviously wasn't the type of woman who drew his brother's attention.

He shook his head. He had to stop thinking about his brother and his screwed up life. It only made him cranky.

He turned away and headed back down the hall to another patient's room when his cell phone chirped.

Michael answered cordially as possible considering the weight of worry that had occupied his mind for the last hour.

"Michael? It's Rand. I have to talk to you and it has to be right now!"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to discuss this on the phone. Can you meet me somewhere?"

"Why don't I meet you at your ranch, Patrick's already on his way out there," Michael said.

"NO! I'm not ready to deal with him yet concerning this issue. Just you."

Michael was beginning to get this impression this conversation would be a whopper.

"I could take a break right now. How about I meet you at the Java Hut."

"Ten minutes," Rand said quickly. "And I'm going to bring someone with me."

Michael answered slowly. "O-kay." He was curious about what could be so important. "I'll be there."

"Don't be late. You're going to want to hear this."