Gee, the wind is picking up and the snow is falling harder. I ask my co driver Steve to pull in at the next bay. Charly did his business and Jeff told me he was a boy. I thought so. It took 25 minutes to attach the snow chains and a Ford F500 stopped to see we were ok. 'We're good' I said but he said there's bad weather coming in from the NNE. Artic cold. Take care he said. I gave him a hot coffee. The nervous looking guy has fallen asleep but looks pallid and pale. Checking, I find only a faint pulse. "Any Doctors or medics on board?", I call over the PA?
No that has all but been eradicated. The world is now learning to live with it as each variant is weaker than the last. No this is unknown as the doctor implied, but says he is not an epidemiologist so will send off a sample of Ignatious Sterm's blood to a collegue of his. Meanwhile he suggests we isolate him as best we can...
Fancy: He's having a heart attack! I have some aspirin in my purse. I'll get them and give him two. SS Richie, you call 911! Frank, you fetch some water to help him swallow the aspirin. Has anybody seen Charly? I think that amid all the excitement, he has managed to slip away.
I saw Jeff outside with Charly on his lease. Yup, there they are with Charly rolling in the snow. I've got a mask and blankets for Ignatious and will ask people to sit away from him. I'll also heat up a little chicken soup for him too in case he can manage it. Should we raise his legs?
Dr Jeckle, one of Dolly's entourage, was amazing. He took a tiny blood sample, gathered data on many spectrums with fancy devices and sent the data to a top specialist friend in Los Angeles. BP and pulse was a bit high. I've heard the name before? Within an hour when we were finishing fitting the snow chains, the results came back. Best guess, he's an undiagnosed diabetic who seems to be having a hypo. Give him some sugar, say 2g, and see how he goes. Report back in 20 min. Half a teaspoon , no , not tea, but that helps as an antioxidant. Yes, sweet tea! I put the kettle on. Dr Jeckle asked, 'one for me too, and Dolly?' Of course I smiled. Got some nice fried chicken thigh fillets for Charly too, no bones, I doubled checked. All fried slowly in virgin olive oil with selected Dog friendly vegey bites. I'll sneak in half a chicken stock cube too. Not too many tho. He's sitting very patiently at the kitchenette door as I cook. I throw him the odd tidbit into his dish. Fresh water twice a day too , biscuits, treats, .... Dolly's Jeff does most of that. I've let him have free run of the Kitchen to speed things up. I trust him to log certain of their expenses up, as they go. They know I've cut corners to give them great and cheap service. Management even encouraged me and took pictures. They sure had their fill of free Lobster, me and Charly too.
Ignatius seems to have recovered. The sugar did the trick. We'll keep a watch on him for the rest of our trip. We have some candy, don't we? Charly will soon be so fat, he can't escape. Let's stop at a motel soon. I don't like driving on the icy roads.
I agree Fancy, the snow is getting heavier and the wind is picking up. Also, our internet to wi fi is barely working. Last weather report looked a bit dire too. The next small town ahead is Dunsmuir only an hour ahead even at this slow speed. Keep the bus at just 20mph Fancy to be safe I reccomend. The road is icing up too, making it dangerous. Going slow with the snow chains is the safest way I reckon. Look ahead, is that a car ahead crashed into the fence and trees? Its lights are still on. Better stop and pull over Fancy. Staff Sergeant Richie Wentworth, would you come help, you too Dr Jeckyl, please? How's Charly's bladder Jeff? Everyone else, be prepared to help.
Wentworth and Dr Jekkyl raced to the car looked in and saw the male driver slumped over the steering wheel while his female passenger was conscious but dazed and bleeding. The doctor quickly opened the car door turned off the ignition and looked at the slumped driver ..Wentworth pulled out his phone and called 911 emergency and ordered an ambulance. "Frank what is this town. He returned "Maysville". "Thanks.. Maysville operator. Yes one victim is conscious one is not.. doc says he is still alive tho".........
Don't try to move the victims. You may do more damage to them. I'll get some blankets from the bus and y'all can cover them with the blankets. I think I will get one for me, too. It's cold out here! Y'all want one? We'll wait with the injured couple until the Rescue Squad gets here. Tell everyone else to stay in the bus where it's warm.
Then Jeff came running up with an empty lease. 'Charlie slipped his harness as I was watching y'all rescuing those people. Did you happen to see him? A white coat in a snow storm. I have to find him. Charly!' My younger Co Driver Steve keeps the bus's engine running and hence the heaters working well. Nice and warm. It's very cold outside tho. Very cold with a chilling wind factor. Snow even getting heavier. 'Still no internet' yelled Steve just sticking his head out a crack. 'Phone signals may be down too. I can't reach my wife.' 'I was thinking about using the winch but you're right about not moving the passengers from their car Shirley. Hence it's best not to move their car either? Where are those Ambos? Shirley, look at their car's skid marks in the snow. Do you think they were speeding? Probably not, but pictures may help their insurance claim? I'll take some pictures before they're hidden by snow... they must have only just crashed. How's the shocked but conscious bleeding lady going Doctor and Sergeant Richie? Here's the med box. What's with the unconscious guy Doc? Gotta go... Charly! Damn dog. Where is he? Shirley, any thoughts? We have lots of candy in the vending machine Shirley near the toilet. I have the key so will pull out a few bars for Ignatius. Gratis and I'll sign a chit. Dolly has a stack of chocholate too, in our big Fridge.' Does Charly like Chocholate Jeff?' Here's 3 bars from Dolly's stack. She knows what an escapee artist her Charly is. I didn't say anything to her tho...we'll find Charly Jeff. Hopefully Shirley will help. she's a real good Detective. CHARLY!' Click, click, ... SHIRLEY, HELP!
Who is this Shirley whereof you speak. ? Fancy's my name, detectin's my game. When Frank went back to the bus to check on our passengers, there was a note on the driver's seat.
No Frank not unless you want to poison Charly on top of the little critter being dognapped. $50K ransom.. wow. So Ignatious' problem is a diabetes attack. Where is his insulin.. candy may not be sufficient. If he is unsulin dependent and he does not have an injection at the prescribed time he can go into a coma.
I'm not sure Sergeant Richie and 'Fancy', oops but I overheard Dr Jeckyl saying he'd had a too 'low' a blood sugar reading which faded his pallor and caused the fainting.It happens in some diabetics he said. Most serious diabetics have high glucose levels HbA1C but there can be serious ranges, but not too common. Usually only high measures need insulin Still, no insulin or lollies on him...? Dolly gave some more of her candy bars. Try one, they're delicious. Overhearing this Dr Jeckyl came over: I gave him a chocholate Turkish delight dusted in castor sugar and other secret spices, like cinamon. "Fair point, but it's when someone's glucose levels gets too much for the pancreas to process, that's when insulin is most needed. I'll sure he'll be fine soon with the candy and a sweet mug of coffee, but I'll stay here to monitor him closely. I have a testing monitor in my cabin luggage, Sergeant Wentworth please get my case down for me and hussle up a little squad, to help.please. Thank you. Then Dolly came nodding and yelling out "He's a fine doctor my Dr Jeckyl. Now where's my Charly? Where's Jeff my manager too?" And the winds and snow keep getting worse.
I wonder if Dr. Jeckyl has an alter ego named Mr. Hyde? While Dolly was inside chatting with the guests, I (Fancy) strolled around outside looking for clues. What I found was that there were two sets of footprints leading away from the bus. I surmised that the first set belonged to the dognapper. But who does the second set belong to?
Sergeant Richie's phone rung just as I said that. He put it on the speakerphone and we heard Ignatius's voice. "Sergeant, I have trailed the dognapper to a truck just over the next hill. I am unable to capture him alone. Please send reinforcements ASAP."