“Why? Is something seriously wrong with her?”
Xavier hesitated. “You know I can’t go into details . . . “
Ed let out a blast of breath. “Xavier! Just tell me something.”
“She’s not great. Looks like she was running for a long time, and I don’t think she should have been running in the first place. We’ve taken blood and we’re monitoring her heartbeat. And I’m telling you all this as the sheriff. All right?”
“Shit. Fuck.” He ran his hand over his face.
“Do you know who her next-of-kin would be?”
“Next of kin? What the fuck are you saying?” He actually felt himself growing dizzy.
“Whoa, fuck, man. I thought you said you weren’t involved with her?”
“I’m not. I just . . . is she dying?”
“No. But I am worried about her and I’m not happy with disch
arging her until I know she has someone to take care of her. Do you think you can track down her family?”
“Ahh, yeah, sure. I can. What kind of care?” For her heart?
“Look, I’m not going to say more without her permission. Just find some family, okay?”
“Can I see her?”
Xavier gave him an assessing look. “I don’t want her upset if she wakes up.”
“Jesus, man, what do you take me for? Look, Georgina and I worked on a case a while ago. I do know her. I’m not sure about her family situation, but I don’t want her to wake up alone.”
“Right,” Xavier said doubtfully.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You just sound like a man who is emotionally invested in a woman. That’s all.”
“Just show me where she is.”
“Oh no.” Xavier shook his head. “You don’t get to see her until you clear the waiting room.”
“They’re just concerned about Georgie.”
“And I am sure she will appreciate that support. In the morning. At a decent hour. You know that if Mary-Lee learns they’re all here that there will be hell to pay.”
Ed grimaced. Mary-Lee was the head nurse. Xavier was right. She wouldn’t appreciate a bunch of non-family members camping out in the waiting room all night.
“Fine. I’ll get rid of them. Then show me where she is.”
10
What was that noise?
It sounded like there was a train going past. But that wasn’t right. Her apartment wasn’t near train tracks.
“Stupid train, hush. I’m trying to sleep.”
It must have been the longest train ever. It just kept going. And sometimes it grew louder. Then quieter.