Part 35 (2/2)
”Be that way, Jill. I'm emailing them to you right now. I have an office, home, and cell for her father-in-law in Seattle. His name is Frank McCann. But I don't know if he can reach Padma, because she left for Mumbai with the kids. Her mother had a heart attack.”
”Oh no.” Jill felt her heart race. ”Mumbai, India?”
”No, Mumbai, Ohio. Yes, of course, India.”
”When did she go?”
”She left from here.”
”She can't go to Mumbai with Rahul, that's a twenty-four-hour flight. His system can't take it, he's already weak.”
”Really?” Sheryl asked, suddenly hushed. ”She was worried it would hurt his ears, but she said she had to go. She said she'd give him some Tylenol.”
Jill thoughts raced. ”The problem isn't pain, it's sepsis. In that amount of time, he could go into shock. They won't be able to treat him on the plane, and he needs to be admitted. He could die.”
”Oh my G.o.d, oh my G.o.d,” Sheryl said, panicky. ”What do we do?”
Victoria looked over, her hazel eyes wide. Special Agent Cohz glanced back at Jill. Special Agent Donator slid on aviator sungla.s.ses.
”Sheryl, get a grip, and we'll both call. We have to stop Padma. She can't get on that plane. You hear me?”
”Oh my G.o.d, this is awful. What if he dies? What do I do? I don't know what to do! The nurses are all gone, they're all gone! I'm the only one here! What do I do?”
”Do what I say. Do it now. I will, too. Go and do.” Jill hung up, scrolled to email, found Sheryl's, selected the father-in-law's cell number, and pressed CALL. The cell rang and rang, then voicemail connected. ”Mr. McCann, this is Dr. Farrow, Rahul's pediatrician. Please tell Padma not to get on the plane to Mumbai. Your grandson has an infection that could prove fatal. This is a medical emergency. Please call me immediately.” Jill left her cell number and hung up, as Victoria turned to her.
”Jill, can I help?”
”Yes, you have your iPhone with you, don't you?'
”Sure, yes.” Victoria started digging in her large black bag, bulging with stuff. ”It's in here somewhere. I use the same bag for cla.s.ses, so I travel heavy.”
”Look on the Internet. See which airline has direct flights from Philly to Mumbai this afternoon. Get the flight while I try to get Rahul's grandfather.”
”Okay.” Victoria pulled out a round hairbrush, a white earphone cord, and a zipped makeup case. A stick of cream blusher rolled out like a s.h.i.+ny black log, then a hot pink tube of mascara, her EpiPen, and her iPhone. ”Here we go.” Victoria started tapping the touch screen. ”Then what do I do, when I get the airline and flight?”
”See if you can find a phone number for the airline, then give me the phone.” Jill pressed Frank McCann's work number, since that was a better bet than his home number at this hour. Outside the car, the traffic inched along, and a plane flew so low overhead that Jill almost ducked, reflexively.
Special Agent Donator leaned over to Special Agent Cohz. ”We'll never get there, this traffic keeps up,” he said, in low tones.
Special Agent Cohz shook his neat head. ”Mick, take the way I showed you, to the tunnel. The exit's up ahead.”
Jill held her phone while the call rang twice, then connected. ”Is this Granger Accountants? My name is Dr. Jill Farrow, and this is a medical emergency. I need to speak with Frank McCann.”
”Sorry, he isn't in,” a receptionist said. ”What's the nature of the emergency?”
”I treat his grandson Rahul, who I understand is flying with his daughter-in-law Padma to Mumbai, today. Rahul could go into septic shock during the flight, and I need to reach Padma as soon as possible and tell them not to get on the plane. Can Mr. McCann be reached? I tried his cell but he didn't answer.”
”Oh no,” the receptionist said, alarmed. ”He's at a conference. All I can do is try his cell, too.”
”How about the hotel? Is he staying at a hotel? Where is the conference held?”
”I can't give you that information, but I can try and get a message to him. I'll try, I swear, but I can't promise anything.”
”Please try, right away. Have him call me if he has any questions, but it's imperative that he stop Padma. It's a matter of life and death, for his grandson.” Jill left her cell number and thanked her, then hung up.
Victoria looked over at Jill, with strain showing all over her young face. ”Jill, I have the flight, but it's boarding in half an hour. It's Continental, Flight 440.”
”Oh no.” Jill felt her pulse pick up. ”Got a phone number?”
Victoria tapped away on the touch screen. ”I see phone numbers for reservations and customer service.”
”Call reservations, press 0, and give me the phone when you reach a human being.”
”Okay.” Victoria pressed a number, then held the iPhone to her ear. ”d.a.m.n it. I'm on hold, a ten-minute wait.”
”That's too long.” Jill s.h.i.+fted forward toward the front seat. She had to try something else, fast. ”Special Agent Donator, can you help me? The plane is about to board at Philadelphia airport, Continental Flight 440. Can you call TSA? Or can you call the Philadelphia police, or the airport police, and tell them not to let Padma Choudhury and her son board? Or can they hold the plane?”
”That's not procedure, Dr. Farrow.” Special Agent Donator pursed his lips, and his sungla.s.ses obscured his thoughts.
”Please, a baby's life is at stake.” Jill leaned forward, ready to beg. ”It couldn't be more important.”
”Understood.” Special Agent Donator steered off the turnpike at the exit, then turned to Special Agent Cohz. ”What do you think, Pete? It's not kosher, but we could always call Sean, at the Philly bureau.”
Special Agent Cohz nodded. ”It's a baby, for G.o.d's sake, and the Dad's in Afghanistan. Call Sean. He'll know what to do.”
Jill's heart leapt with hope. ”Yes, please. Call Sean. Do it, please!”
”All right.” Special Agent Donator reached his hand to the backseat, palm up. ”May I use your phone, Dr. Farrow?”
”Sure.” Jill handed over her phone. ”Thanks so much.”
”You're welcome.” Special Agent Donator took her BlackBerry, but instead of pressing in a phone number, he slammed it against the dashboard, where it splintered with a loud crak!
”What are you doing?” Jill asked, horrified.
But the next thing she knew, Special Agent Cohz had twisted toward her, and his fist was heading straight for her face.
Chapter Sixty.
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