Part 39 (1/2)
”Sorry about that. I was right in the middle of something. How bad is it getting?”
”They're doing water rescues in River Plantation.”
That caught her attention.
”Seriously? That close to us? The Harpeth is up that far?”
”Yeah, it is. We're getting water in the bas.e.m.e.nt already. I don't want to be an alarmist, but I think I should get out of here.”
”And leave the house?”
”Sam, there's three inches of water in the bas.e.m.e.nt. I don't have sandbags or anything to keep it at bay. And if the river gets any higher-you should see this. It's unreal. Wait, I'm going to send you a picture.”
She grabbed her cell from her back pocket. A few seconds later it vibrated.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing. They lived on a tributary of the Harpeth, but up on a hill. There had never been any concern about flooding. But the water was in their front yard.
”That's got to be, what, thirty feet above flood stage?”
”Thirty-four right now. But we just lost electricity. I can't stay here with the twins like this. What if it gets higher? Sam, I'm getting Maddy and Matthew out of here, right now.”
”Where are you going to go? The base of the driveway is underwater.”
”Which is why I have to go now, while I can still get out. Jesus, the furniture, all the stuff.”
She heard real fear in his voice, and that in turn scared her.
”Don't worry about any of that. Chances are it won't be that bad. Just grab my laptop, but that's it, Simon. Go on. Get out of there.”
”Okay. Listen, I'll call you when I get to high ground. I'll go to Taylor and Baldwin's place. There's no chance of the water getting that high, their neighborhood is up on that huge ridge. You stay there, you're completely out of harm's way. Love you, Sammy.”
”Love you, too, honey. Be careful, and call me the second you stop. You want me to call Taylor and let her know you're coming?”
”I'm sure she's mobilized, Metro called everyone in. Activated the emergency plan. I have the key, anyway. They won't care if a few drowned rats show up on their doorstep. They're only ten minutes from here. I'm gone, sweetie.”
”All right. Call me as soon as you get there.”
”Will do.”
Simon hung up. Sam turned to Stuart, who'd caught enough of the conversation to look incredibly alarmed. He'd gone white.
”My mother lives in River Plantation. I just tried calling her, I can't reach her.”
”Go turn on the television in my office. It's going to be okay.”
Sam felt the oddest sense of dislocation. Suddenly the aortic rupture on the table didn't seem terribly important. But she couldn't leave him open.
She regloved and started working swiftly. She had cause of death, the rest was perfunctory at this point.
Stuart came back. ”Sam, it's awful. They've got bodies. We're going to be getting fatalities coming in.”
She adopted her calmest voice, though she was suddenly feeling panicked. ”Okay, Stu. It's all right. Get Taylor on the phone for me. We'll have her check on your mom.”
It took Stuart five long minutes to get Taylor Jackson, just enough time for Sam to finish up with her guest and get things put back together. She'd have to notate the disruption in protocol, but the man was ninety-four, she hardly thought the family would be searching for more answers. She wasn't one for cutting corners, but she felt something in the air, a strange sense that this needn't be her priority at the moment.
”I've got her,” Stuart shouted, and Sam repeated the earlier movements, taking off her gloves and going to the morgue phone. She left it on speaker. Homicide Lieutenant Taylor Jackson's voice came strong through the air.
”Sam. What's up? I'm slammed. The whole city is going to be underwater by evening. The businesses along the c.u.mberland are already taking on water and you should see it out here in Bellevue.”
”G.o.d. Sorry, but Simon called, and we're getting water in our house, too. He's taking the twins to your place. I've been here at the morgue all morning, but he just told me about the water rescues in Bellevue. How bad is it?”
”It's bad, Sam. I've never seen anything like this. Call Simon back and tell him to stay put. The Harpeth's rising too quick, he'll never make it. He's better off going to the second story of the house and waiting it out. I'll make sure the rescue units know that the water's already up to your area. They'll send someone to the house.”
Sam felt a horrid sense of foreboding come over her. ”Taylor. He left more than five minutes ago.”
”Oh, s.h.i.+t. Okay, call him. Call him right now.”
Sam already had her cell out and was dialing. Simon's phone rang and rang, then went to voice mail. She tried again. Same result.
”He's not answering, Taylor.” Her voice had gone up an octave. She could hear Taylor barking commands in the background.
”Okay, honey. Relax. Cell service is spotty at best. The power lines are down in Bellevue, and so are the phones. The cell towers might be affected, as well. We'll send someone his way. He's probably already at my house.”
”But you said...”
”I'm sure I was wrong.”
Taylor wasn't wrong. Fire and Rescue found Simon's waterlogged car two hours later, wedged up against the concrete abutment by the Publix. The windows were down.
The car was empty.
Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Samantha Owens.
Current day.