“Uh…” Kaylin read the words again. “Yeah.”
The card had printed handwriting, so Kaylin couldn’t exactly match it to the scribbled writing on the note in her pocket, but there was no ignoring the signature or the message:RIGHT UNIT, LOVE—XOXO.
“Hey, Mike.” Kaylin leaned over the counter and handed the card to the security guard monitoring the surveillance cameras in patient rooms.
“Just a moment,” he said as he radioed another guard on duty. “Guy in room 11 trying to get out through the emergency exit.”
“On it,” the other guard replied.
Mike turned back to Kaylin. “What’s this?” He took the card and read it. “Secret admirer, huh? Good for you.”
Kaylin shook her head. “I don’t have one of those.”
“Looks like you do.” He handed the card back.
“No,” Kaylin had trouble speaking as her voice had begun to tremble.
“You alright, doc?” Mike asked. “You don’t look so good.”
“It’s this,” Kaylin said, waving the note. “When I got home last night, there was a note on my door. It just said ‘soon,’ with the x’s and o’s. I thought it was for my neighbor, so I ignored it. Then this morning…” she dug the crumpled paper out of her pocket and handed it to Mike. “I thought it was another mistake, so I shouted, ‘wrong unit.’”
“To whom?”
“No one,” Kaylin said. “I just . . . yelled it out. And then this.” She waved the card again, her hands feeling weak. “It’s like someone was listening. Is that . . . normal?”
Mike took the two notes and read them again. “No,” he said.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” Kaylin rubbed her temples. “I’m really creeped out.”
“You could try the police. Anyone been bothering you recently?”
Kaylin shook her head.
“Not much to go off of here,” Mike said. “This could be anyone. Some harmless stalker. Or not.”
“What’s ‘or not’?” Kaylin asked.
“Look, I’m not saying you need this, but I’m going to give you a number. You can’t be too careful. Some people. You just never know.” He tore a paper off a pad and jotted down a number he looked up on his phone. He handed it to Kaylin. “I used to work with this guy before I retired from the force. Name’s Rusty. He started a private security firm. He’s interested in stuff like this.”
“A bodyguard?” Kaylin asked.
Mike shrugged. “Little bit of this. Little bit of that. Does some investigating. Private protection. He’s still setting it up. That’s his cell; I don’t know his new office line. Give him a call. Maybe he’ll cut you a deal if you give him a good Yell review.”
“I think you mean, ‘Yelp?’”
“Whatever,” Mike said. “Oh shit!” He radioed yet another guard. “Got a girl, looks strung out, standing on her gurney, room 5. Get down there.”
Kaylin studied the number and the card. Looking at it made her stomach twist and threaten to bring up the Snickers she’d just finished.
“Geez,” Natalie said, huffing behind Kaylin. She typed furiously into her cell. “How hard is it to book a ride around here?”
“Ride for what?” Kaylin asked, slipping both pieces of paper into her scrub pocket.
“Airport,” Natalie said. “I’m working Thanksgiving this year; got a deal on a flight for next week to go visit my family. My mom’s going to do a September-giving. But I can’t get a hold of a car service. By the way, you’re invited.”
“I’ll check my schedule,” Kaylin said. “I love your mom. And her cooking.” She took out her phone and pulled up a number. “Try this guy,” she said. “His name is Jimmy. I did surgery on him a few months ago. He runs a private chauffeur service and gave me a ride home from the airport after our winery trip last month, pro bono.”
“Ahh, the winery,” Natalie said. “Yeah, sorry about that.” She entered Jimmy’s number in her phone. Natalie’s boyfriend, Gavin, had come to the airport to pick them up after the girls’ trip but got out of the car screaming at Natalie for not answering her phone the night before. Kaylin had taken Jimmy up on his offer of car service rather than riding backseat with that uproar going on.
