The Nobody Girls (Kendra Dillon Cold Case Thriller Book 3), Rebecca Rane [best book club books of all time txt] 📗

there’d be an article about this trip. Which if Kendra was a more attentive daughter, maybe she’d already have known about it. It was just hard to keep up with her mother sometimes.

Kendra reminded herself that it was because Stephanie was in Bilbao that Pam had called Big Don’s daughters, not his absentee wife.

Now, Kendra and Gillian couldn’t do much but wait.

“He was about to climb the attic stairs,” Kendra explained as they sat there.

“Great trick on one foot. Pam needs to be awarded a metal,” Gillian replied.

A doctor came out of the exam room and found the Dillon sisters.

“Your dad is stable now, resting. We had to put a few stitches in above his eye. He may want a plastic surgery consult.”

“I’m sure mom has one on speed dial,” Gillian quipped.

“So, he was disoriented and totally altered. It was scary,” Kendra said to the doctor.

“Your dad’s blood sugar was in the 400 range. That likely caused confusion and agitation. Any higher, and I’m worried about a diabetic coma.”

Kendra inhaled in shock at that pronouncement.

“Can we alter his medication? Make sure this doesn’t happen again?” Gillian asked.

“The thing is, I don’t think he’s been taking it consistently,” Kendra admitted.

“And his weight is up. He doesn’t appear to be adhering to any of the dietary guidelines a man in his condition should,” the doctor informed them.

“No kidding, he thinks cutting back from three meals at Franzy’s a week to two is a diet,” Kendra said. They’d both tried to harp on their dad about diet, but clearly, that wasn’t working.

“Since he can’t seem to manage his diet and medication and he has the eye injury, I’m suggesting we do a few days at River Park Rehabilitation to get him stable.”

“Oh, he’s not going to like that,” Gillian replied.

Kendra could hear him now, demanding to be let out and insisting he needed to go home.

“How long?” Kendra asked.

“Let’s see if we can get his blood sugar in a better range, improve some mobility. I think he could be more agile if we did some PT. Maybe strengthen his good leg?”

“He’s going to want to go right home, now,” said Gillian.

“I’m against that. But technically, since he’s not in any immediate danger, I can’t hold him here.”

“Fine, get the River Park Rehab paperwork for Dad started. I’m going in.”

Kendra was going to make her dad see that he had no choice but some rehab time. He had to know how serious his situation was.

“Good luck,” Gillian said.

Kendra walked to Big Don’s hospital room.

“Kendy! Good, you need to tell them I’m all set.” Her dad fiddled with the I.V. in his arm.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Overreaction, you shouldn’t have called 911.”

“Dad, you accused Pam of stealing, and you crashed through the table. You threatened to fire everyone in the known universe. Also, your eye.”

“I’m fine. And Pam should be fired for calling you. That’s an escalation that did not need to happen.”

“Dad, you’re not fine. Your blood sugar is in the four-hundred range, and you’re up fifteen pounds. You’re supposed to be eating a low sodium diet. And we haven’t even talked about blood pressure.”

Her dad made a noise that wasn’t quite a word but conveyed utter disgust at Kendra’s mention of diets and low sodium.

“Here’s the deal. They’re going to put you in an assisted living facility. It’s really nice. You’ll have your own room.”

“NO WAY IN HELL I’M—”

“Shh, Dad, this is a hospital.” Kendra hoped she had her dad right where she wanted him.

Big Don gritted his teeth and gave Kendra a steely-eyed gaze that had cowered automotive executives for decades. Kendra wasn’t going to be cowed.

“I am not going in an assisted living whatever, a home.”

“It’s not a home, and you can’t stay in your house. Not after this.”

“I am not.”

Kendra paced back and forth; she made a large drama of appearing to rack her brains for other options. She scratched her chin and darted her eyes around as though she’d improvised a possible solution.

“Well, there might be one alternative.”

“What?”

“What if you promise the doctor you’re taking your health seriously, like this was your wake-up call. Maybe we can convince him to send you to that rehab place, River Park.”

“How long?”

“Well, I think a few weeks. I mean, if you prove you can manage your blood sugar and you don’t have any more incidents. Maybe then we take that assisted living option off the table completely?” Kendra explained, acting like this option wasn’t the suggestion they’d all just discussed out in the hall.

“Fine, River Park, fine. I’ll do it. But I am not going to some old man home.”

“Okay, I’ll go beg Dr. Mankiewicz to have them order rehab. He’s pushing the assisted living option.” She wanted Big Don to think his daughter was in league with him against the doctor.

“Be firm. I’m going to River Park!”

“Got it, Dad.”

Kendra came out to the hall to find Dr. Mankiewicz, and her sister leaned toward her Dad’s hospital room. Gillian stood up and crossed her hands over her chest. She cocked her head to the side.

“You just straight up lied to Dad.”

“He’s going to River Park, isn’t he? He promised to work on his weight and blood sugar, didn’t he?”

“You just threw me under the bus, I think, too,” Dr. Mankiewicz said.

“I didn’t lie or throw anyone under a bus. I negotiated,” Kendra countered.

“Yeah, I think you take more after Big Don than I realized,” Gillian smirked.

“We met in the middle. No one’s happy. That’s the point, isn’t it?”

“Right, that’s what Dad always said.”

“Doc, let’s get Big Don rolling.”

Kendra had presented her dad with an option she knew he would hate, to get him to move over to the one that they hoped would help him get well.

Sure, she’d lied a little, but she didn’t feel bad about it. Not one bit.

Chapter 9

By the time Kendra returned to work the next day, the plan for Big Don was in place.

He was safe, though likely terrorizing the staff at River Park.

Kendra and Shoop