“Calm down,” Savvy orders.“You guys wait here for a minute.I’m going to make sure we’re still clear and will come get you.”
The moment she leaves, Bess turns to me and lifts a hand to my face.
“You good?”
I blow out a breath.“Yeah.But that could’ve gone sideways.Just so you know, I can’t stand that pompous ass of a mayor of ours.Not only is he a self-important baboon, but he’s the worst kind of misogynist as well.He didn’t even fucking acknowledge you.”
Bess snickers at my disgruntlement.
“He never has before, and I didn’t expect him to start now,” she calmly informs me.“Besides, this was one situation where I was grateful to be invisible, so don’t burst a vein on my account.”
She’s a constant surprise to me.Every time I make the mistake of thinking of Bess as small and vulnerable, she proves herself to be strong and resilient, and definitely a bigger person than I am.
I’m about to tell her so when a soft knock sounds on the door, and I hear Savvy’s voice say, “It’s me.”
When she fits herself into the modest space, she fills us in.
“It’s all clear, but we’ll forfeit the elevator and take the stairway,” she announces.“I’ll lead, Bess behind me.Hugo, you take the rear.Let’s go.”
I untucked my shirt so I have easy access to my weapon, which I shoved in my waistband when we got out of the Bronco.Moving as the last in line, I have one hand on Bess’s back, and my other resting on the butt of my gun, my eyes constantly scanning for any person or movement that seems out of place.
We get to the stairwell without incident, to find Deputy Lloyd McCormick standing guard.My guess is, someone will be keeping an eye on the elevator too, monitoring anyone going upstairs.
This has got to be hitting the department’s overtime budget in a big way.It’s been all-hands-on-deck for a while now.Getting that extended budget approval by the county commission can’t come soon enough, because we desperately need to add some bodies to the schedule.Unfortunately, that too will have to wait.
Ken’s room is the first on the right, closest to the stairwell.Probably picked for the easy access and the option to keep him somewhat isolated from any other patients.An agent I don’t recognize is posted outside the door, and one more is inside the room, along with Mancuso, who is in front of the window.The vertical blinds are partially closed, keeping the light in the room fairly dim.
I only have a vague recollection of Ken Choi from the few times I encountered him when he was a teenager, and of course I’ve seen his mug shots, but I have a hard time recognizing the gaunt man semi-reclined in the hospital bed.
He’s not looking back though, his eyes are fixed on his sister, who hesitates a few steps into the room.
“I’d like to talk to my sister alone.”
Choi’s voice is raspy, like that of an old man.
“Can’t do that,” Mancuso states.
“Come on, man.Where are we gonna fucking go?Hover outside the door for all I care, just give me a few minutes.”
“Hugo stays,” Bess speaks up, reaching a hand behind her.
I grab on and take a step closer.
Choi’s eyes slide over his sister’s shoulder and land on me.
“You her man?”
“He is,” Bess answers firmly before I can.
Clearly she’s done with men talking over her head like she’s not there.Good for her.
“Fine.He can stay, I’ve got a thing or two to say to him, but the rest of you out.”
Savvy turns to smile at Bess.
“We’ll be right outside.”
Then she moves past us into the hallway.Mancuso no more than grunts before he follows, motioning the other agent out of the room as well.
