Stranger's Gift (24 page)

Inside she sent John upstairs to walk through the stacks and see if there were any likely candidates while she did the same on the first floor. She even checked out the children's library with its popular arched aquarium entrance as well as the used bookstore operated by the Friends of the Library.

“Bathrooms,” she said when John came down the stairs, shaking his head. She led the way to the corridor where the public restrooms were located. Again nothing.

She was considering where else they might go to look when she spotted the library's security person. “Excuse me,” she said.

She watched as the security guard took in her plain garb and John's traditional straw hat before smiling politely. “Yes, ma'am?”

“The men and women who are…
regulars
here,” she said, and the guard's eyes narrowed.

“The homeless people?”

“Yes. Do you have any idea where they are?”

“Try Rainbow House,” he said and prepared to turn away.

“It's closed down,” Hester continued, fighting to maintain her patience. “The county never reopened it after the hurricane. Someone I know in the county government tells me it's unlikely it will ever reopen.”

“Well, they aren't here,” the man replied curtly.

“We can see that,” John said, his terse tone forcing the guard to meet the intensity of his stare. “And since this is where they are normally, what happened?”

The guard sighed and looked at something beyond their heads. “Look. You didn't hear it from me, but there were complaints from our, you know, other patrons. Some of those people were coming in here and stinking up the place and throwing up in the restrooms and just in general making it—”

“
Those people
are ill,” Hester said. “Some of them may be dangerously ill, and if we don't find them, one or more of them could die. At the very least they could spread a parasite that might infect a great many others. Including your other patrons. Now where did they go?”

“I really don't know. We called the cops, and they moved them away from here. That's all I know about it.”

Hester dismissed the man with a look and turned her attention to John. “Any ideas?”

“We could try the bay front, near the public restrooms there.”

Hester nodded, and she did not miss the fact that as she and John headed out the door, the security guard was already squirting disinfectant from the dispenser near the front doors onto his palms and rubbing them vigorously together.

W
hat made you think of the bay front?” Hester asked as she pulled into the parking lot near a popular tiki-style restaurant and found one of several open spaces.

“It's where Zeke lives, so I figured maybe …”

He was not about to admit to her that Zeke had taken him to these same restrooms one day and suggested he wash up.

“You stink, man,” Zeke had told him in that ‘no worries' tone he used to address every topic. “And until they get the water back on out your way, this may be your best bet.”

“Do you think maybe that's where he got the infected food or water?” Hester asked.

“Could be. From what I've observed, Zeke is pretty resourceful and tends to take what he needs wherever it's available.”

John recalled the day he and Zeke had first met. The way Zeke had drunk the bottled water and then refilled the plastic container with the runoff from the awning at the abandoned warehouse.

“They need a safe haven,” Hester muttered as she headed for the women's restroom.

“Can I ask a question?” John said, stopping her before she could enter the open door.

“Okay.”

“What are we going to do if we find half a dozen or more sick people in these restrooms?”

“Get them some help,” she said and handed him a pair of latex gloves she'd pulled from her bag. “Wear these.” She pulled on a pair of her own. “And this,” she added, handing him a mask.

“And after you get them help, then what?” John wondered aloud as he took a deep breath and went in to check the men's room.

Moments later, he emerged supporting a rail-thin man who stumbled along beside him. Hester was sitting with two women—one who had to be in her sixties and the other a decade or so younger. They seemed to be in far better shape than either Zeke or the man John was supporting.

“Best diet I was ever on,” the older woman crowed. “Look at this.” She stood up and pulled out the waistband of her trousers to show how big they were on her. “Need a belt just to hold them up.”

“Dangerous diet,” Hester corrected her. “We need to get your friend there to the hospital. Will you two wait here until I can get back with some medicine?”

“Got nothing but time,” the younger woman grumbled, fanning herself with an old magazine.

“You get Danny there the help he needs,” the older woman urged. “He's been sicker than a dog for days now.”

“Have you got any cash with you?” Hester asked John.

“Some.”

“Could you get these ladies each a bottle of water from the stand there?”

“Sure.” John headed off.

“Could we make that a nice cup of coffee?” the older woman shouted.

“Water,” Hester said firmly. The woman grinned a wide, toothless grin and shrugged. “Anybody else sick?” she asked the women as she waited for John to return with the water. The one thing she knew was that the homeless community was almost as tight as her own Mennonite community was. They all knew each other, knew who was a newcomer and who had been on the streets long enough to know their way around. And as was true of any group, not everyone got along. There were petty jealousies, turf wars, and cliques. But if there was a threat from outside forces, these people would stand together. The two women exchanged a look but remained silent. “Okay. If anyone starts to show signs of running a fever or especially diarrhea or throwing up, make sure they drink lots of water,
clean
water. You have to boil it if you don't get it from a reliable source, okay?”

“Drink boiling water? In this heat?” The younger woman shuddered as John returned with two bottles of water and handed one to each woman.

“You let it cool down first,” the older woman said. “Right, Doc?”

“She's a missionary, dope.”

“Who you calling—?”

“I'm a nurse,” Hester interrupted. “Yes, let the water cool to room temperature before drinking it, and stay away from anything with caffeine like soda or tea or coffee. That will just cause the dehydration to worsen.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Got it. Any medicine to clear this thing up?”

“There are some over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medicines that I can bring you.” She sighed in frustration. “Look, it just has to run its course. If anyone is really suffering, take them to one of the walk-in clinics or to the emergency room.”

“Yeah, that'll work,” the younger woman said sarcastically.

“Try it,” Hester said, “and please spread the word.” She took her place to one side of Danny while John supported him from the other and they led him toward the car. “I'll stop back later,” she called, but both women were already gone.

With her help, John got the semi-conscious Danny into the backseat and they headed back to the hospital.

“After we pick Zeke up, I want you, Zeke, and Danny there—if he's not admitted—to come back to our house and take a long, hot shower. You've been exposed to this thing now, and you need to take precautions.”

But when they reached the emergency room, Jeannie was there. “I was visiting a neighbor,” she explained. “And on my way out, I saw an aide wheeling Zeke out from the ER. He looks terrible. Don't you think he should be admitted?”

“I'm okay, Jeannie,” Zeke said weakly.

“Well, at the very least you're coming home with me and having yourself a nice hot shower and changing out of those clothes. You stink to high heaven.”

Zeke managed a grin and put up no resistance as Jeannie led him across the driveway to her car, chattering all the way. Hester saw her open the trunk and remove an old quilt that she placed on the front seat before letting Zeke get in. Meanwhile, the aide had helped Danny into the wheelchair vacated by Zeke and taken him inside.

“Jeannie, wait,” Hester called. “John needs a ride back to the marina.”

Jeannie nodded. “Tell him to come on,” she said.

Back inside, Hester saw John conferring with the doctor.

“Danny passed out while the admissions person was taking his information,” John explained.

“Are you the family?” the doctor asked.

“Close enough,” John said before Hester could go into an explanation of the situation.

The doctor studied the chart the desk clerk had handed him. “Looks like he's been here several times before in the last couple of months. Whether or not this is an outbreak of crypto, he is dangerously dehydrated, and we're going to have to admit him at least overnight.”

“Surely he has family we could contact,” John said.

“I'll stay with him,” Hester said.

The doctor was clearly relieved. “Okay, then. We'll get him stabilized and then contact social services here in the hospital.”

After he'd left, Hester turned to John. “You go on to our house and take that shower and change into clean clothes. Jeannie's waiting for you, and I'll call Rosalyn at the center and have her bring you some things so you don't have to take time to go home first. There are clean towels in the—”

“I'll find them,” John told her. “I need to call Margery. I'm sure she knows somebody who can get the boat back or at least get the okay for it to stay there until I can come back for it.”

“Good thinking.”

He started for the exit and she walked with him. “You'll be all right?” he added.

“Yes. I just want to go and wash up, and then I'll stay with Danny—make sure he's settled.”

“You don't even know this guy,” John reminded her.

“I know that he's a child of God, as are you and everyone else on this planet. He's alone and probably a little scared. If I can ease that some, then I will.”

She waited for more argument, but John just nodded. “I'll be back after I get cleaned up.”

“That's okay. Go on back to the marina and take care of the boat. I can …”

“I'll be back,” he repeated firmly. This time she saw from the look he gave her that arguing would be useless.

“Fine.”

John asked Jeannie to drop him off at Arlen's shop instead of the Detlef house. He wanted to let Arlen know he would be there in case he came in and heard the shower running.

“You saved me a trip,” Arlen replied jovially as he held up a stack of clothing. “Rosalyn just came by to leave these for you.”

“Thanks.” John accepted the clothing. “Must be a relief to be back in your house.”

Arlen beamed. “Yes. We've been back in residence for a few days now. Others, like my mother's place, were a bit of a challenge, but with God's blessing everyone is back home safe and sound.”

“That's good,” John said.

“And you? Samuel tells me progress is slow.”

John shrugged. “I do what I can.” He nodded toward the cast on his wrist. “The ankle's much better, which helps a lot.”

Arlen frowned. “It is not only your physical injuries that hinder your progress, my friend. I think you know that.” He lightly tapped his own chest over his heart. “But this, the hurt that is here …”

John looked away. “I'd better get going,” he said. “I told Hester I'd meet her back at the hospital.”

“No need,” Arlen told him. “Samuel and Rosalyn have gone to sit with her and bring her home. You go and get that shower and some rest. And don't forget to drink plenty of fluids,” he added as John headed for the door.

The Detlef house smelled of fresh paint mingled with the faint odor of bleach and other cleaning substances. Everything was as pristine and organized as it had been on his first visit.

The first thing he did was call Margery, but there was no answer, and he decided not to leave a message. Knowing that Samuel and Rosalyn were going to the hospital to be with Hester, he decided he could handle things at the marina.

John took the clothes Arlen had handed him down the hall to the small bathroom and set them on the counter. He undressed and then let the shower run over him for several long minutes, relishing the coolness of the water after he had soaped and scrubbed himself with hot water. As he dried himself and dressed, it occurred to him that he felt physically lighter, as if pounds of dirt compacted by sweat over the last several days had flowed down the drain with the soapy water.

Once dressed, he made sure to leave the bathroom as clean as it had been when he entered it. He dropped the towel into the hamper and then bundled his soiled clothing. On his way out, he walked down the front path that had once guided visitors through the garden—Hester's garden. Her therapy while her mother moved daily closer to dying.