“Oh, really? She’s into self-diagnosis now?”
“I don’t know, but let me tell you what she did while she was here.” The nurse quickly explained about Barry and Sandy, Witness Protection and the drug bust.
“She did all that in the time I was away? Hell, I wasn’t gone that long!”
“That lady doesn’t let grass or apparently anything else grow under her feet. I heard she kicked Barry’s butt pretty good. You know, I never liked him.”
“Isn’t hindsight wonderful,” Horatio grumbled as he walked away.
“Good night to you too, Mr. Harley-Davidson,” the nurse muttered.
Horatio thought things over. He had to make deductions about what Michelle would do now. Actually, it wasn’t that difficult. She would without a doubt want to hook up with Sean. She might be headed there right now. Legally, there was nothing Horatio could do to stop her. But he also knew that the woman was not cured. The incident that had happened at the bar could happen again, manifesting itself in a different and more deadly form.
He was debating whether to alert Sean when his phone rang.
“Speak of the devil, I was just about to call you,” Horatio said.
Sean chuckled. “I’d make that quip about great minds, but I’m actually surrounded by big brains down here, so I’ll forgo the opportunity. I’m on my way to meet with the head of Camp Peary but I wanted to ask you something.”
“Camp Peary? As in the CIA Farm?”
“The one and only. I’ve got a favor to ask you.” He explained about Viggie. “I know it’s a pain wanting you to come down because you’re busy with Michelle and the rest of your practice.”
Horatio cut in. “Actually, I’m not. My favorite patient went AWOL on me.” He brought Sean up to date on both Michelle’s adventure at the facility and her checking herself out.
“Damn, leave it to her to find trouble wherever she goes,” Sean said, but there was a touch of pride in his voice at what she’d done.
“And my best guess is she’s on the way to see you.”
“Me? I told her a little about the case, but not where it was.”
“Did you leave anything back at the apartment?”
Sean groaned. “Oh, hell, I left a file copy there because I don’t have an office.”
“Your organizational instincts are commendable, but that means she’ll
probably be there by morning if not sooner.”
“Joan will pitch a fit. They don’t really get along.”
“Astonishing. I’ll head down tomorrow. Is there a place to stay nearby?”
“I can probably get you a bunk at Babbage Town. So what do I do when Michelle shows up?”
“Act normal, she certainly will seem to be.”
“Have you made any progress on her case?”
“I had an interesting trip to Tennessee that I’ll fill you in on when I see you. I have to thank you for bringing me in on what has been a fascinating case. This Viggie sounds interesting too.”
“Horatio, this whole place is interesting. And more than a little dangerous right now, so if you want to respectfully decline I won’t hold it against you.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“Is Michelle any better?”
“We need to help her clean up her soul, Sean, so she won’t have to worry about a bomb ever going off again. And I’m not letting go until we get her to that point.”