He heard a soft groan. "Emily, can you open your eyes for me? Don't move anything, just open up your eyes."
She slowly opened her eyes just a little bit, then cried out in pain.
"Don't move. You fell down the stairs."
Emily moved her uninjured arm up and rubbed the back of her head, then looked over at her badly broken arm.
"Oh my God," she said in a soft, weak voice.
"An ambulance should be here soon. We have to get you to the hospital."
Parker heard the siren and ran to the front door. He left it open, then hurried back to Emily. "They're here now, okay? We're going to make sure you get all the care you need. Don't worry about anything."
Emily furrowed her brow. "That's easy for you to say." She whispered the words, but Parker heard them loud and clear.
"I said anything, Emily, and I meant it." There was a brief moment of silent communication between them before the stretcher arrived. She moaned loudly with each movement.
"Be careful with her!" Parker quickly got protective.
"Sir, she's going to feel some pain but we're going to give her medicine in the ambulance. We'll take care of her. Are you riding with us?"
"No, I'll follow you in my car."
Parker gave the paramedics as much information as he could and then followed behind the ambulance closely.
***
He paced the floor in the waiting room. Parker continued to beat himself up over the next two hours. Finally the surgeon stepped in the doorway.
"Is the family of Emily Carson here?"
"Yes," replied Parker. He hurriedly approached the physician. "How is she?"
"Her arm has been cleaned up and set. I put some pins in place to hold the bones together. The surgery went well. We'll know if there's been any permanent nerve damage when she wakes up and the swelling subsides some."
"To her hand?" Parker was mortified. "She has to have full use of her hands. She's a veterinarian."
"All we can do is wait and see. We saw some evidence of the healing process. Do you know how long she waited before getting medical attention?"
"I really don't know. I couldn't get her to answer the door. When I finally went inside, I found her lying at the bottom of the stairs. She was unconscious." She couldn't see because I had the electricity shut off...
"She'll be in recovery for a bit, but hopefully we can have her in a room soon. She has a heck of a concussion. She'll be neurologically evaluated further. Do you know her medical history?"
"No, I'm afraid I don't."
"Do you know how to contact another family member?"
"To my knowledge she doesn't have anyone else." Parker rubbed his hands through his hair and sighed.
After the doctor left, he went outside and called Russell.
"How's Colorado and the crazy woman?"
"I need you to send me the original property deed, the signed papers, anything you have on the fifty thousand acres."
"It's all legal, Parker, I already told you." Russ began to feel offended.
"I'm not doubting the legalities. I'm going to give the property back to her. I'll explain later. Have Rhonda notify the investors that the deal's off."
"Are you kidding me? This was the ultimate deal!"
"Just do it, Russ. I'll talk to you more later." Parker didn't want to argue with his brother. He realized how hard Russ had worked to find the prime property, but Parker worked even harder to squash Emily Carson. I could have killed her.
He spotted some medical staff pushing a gurney down the hallway. Emily was lying on it, her right arm elevated in a big cast that went all the way up underneath the sleeve of her hospital gown. Her face was showing even more bruises. Parker quickly followed the staff to the third floor.
There was a clerk sitting at the front desk who smiled as he spoke. "Can I help you?"
"Yes, I'm family of Emily Carson. May I see her?"
"Give the staff a little time to get her in the bed and admitted. You can check with her nurse afterwards and see if she can have visitors."
Parker walked over to the lobby and sat down. An hour later an older nurse approached him.
"Hello, are you here with Emily?"
"Yes, may I see her?"
"She's admitted now, so you can go in there, but Emily's still sleeping from the anesthesia. She might not talk very much."
Parker thanked the nurse and then slowly entered Emily's room. Just the sight of her was making him feel more guilt than he'd ever experienced in his life. He stood next to her bed and placed his hand gently on top of her good arm. Emily slowly opened her eyes a little and looked at Parker with concern.
"Hi, Emily. You just got out of surgery and you're in your room now."
"Yeah I know. The nurse told me." Emily's voice was soft and raspy.
"Do you remember the fall?"
"I couldn't see. The hallway was dark. I remember the fall, but I don't remember landing."
"Do you remember me being with you?"
"Kind of..."
"Do you want me to call anyone for you?"
"Oh God, my job. Can you call Mick Lander at Baldwin Veterinary Clinic?"
"Yes, I'll call there right away," said Parker as he turned to go out of the room.
"And I can't move out right now if this is why you're here..." Her voice trailed off.
"You don't have to move, Emily. I'm going to give you back the land." Parker gently squeezed her arm, but Emily was fast asleep.
He sat down at the foot of the bed for a while, hoping she'd wake back up, but he'd have to call the clinic for her as promised. Parker walked out to the nurse's station, got the phone book, and quickly found Baldwin Veterinary Clinic.
"I'd like to speak to Mick Lander, please."
"Could I tell him who's calling?"
"Parker." He listened to the music while on hold.
"This is Doctor Lander, can I help you?"
"You have an employee there named Emily Carson?"
"Yes, she's my partner."
"I'm sorry, but I have some bad news. Emily fell down the stairs and broke her arm. She also has a concussion and is in Springfield Memorial Hospital, on the third floor. She asked me to notify you."
"I'm on my way."
Parker listened to the dial tone.
The coffee in the lobby was old, but he poured himself a cup anyway. He wanted to go back inside and sit with Emily but didn't want to miss seeing Mick.
Finally the elevator dinged and Parker watched as a man approached the clerk asking for Emily Carson's room. He knew it had to be the doctor he'd spoken with.