“Not a problem. We’ll check you out.”
As she draped a blanket over him, her companion strapped something around Stone’s bicep, and then whatever it was squeezed Stone’s arm.
Numbers were shared between the two, and hands probed his limbs and torso. Words were spoken, but Stone didn’t understand what was said.
He tried to focus, but his eyelids felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each.
“You can rest, Mr. Barrington,” the woman said. “We’ll take care of you.”
He wanted to stay awake and ask what was going on, but as if her words were the permission he’d been waiting for, his lids shut, and the world around him faded away.
Stone woke to the soundof rhythmic beeping.
He blinked several times, letting his eyes adjust to the bright ceiling light.
“Well, look who’s decided to return to the land of the living.”
Stone turned toward the voice.
Dino Bacchetti stood by Stone’s bed, smirking. Dino was Stone’s best friend and the police commissioner of New York City.
Stone tried to say something, but his throat was dry and it came out as an unintelligible croak.
Dino held out a cup. “Here. Have some water.”
Stone drank until it was all gone, then asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I think the better question is: What areyoudoing here?”
Stone looked around. “I don’t even know where here is.”
“NYU Langone Hospital.”
“What am I doing here?”
“You don’t remember taking a swim in the middle of the ocean?”
“A swim…” Stone’s voice trailed off as the memory of theAmanda Jaegoing down hit him.
“Oh, shit.”
“Youdoremember!”
“I thought I was going to die.”
“I’m told you have your life vest to thank for that not happening.”
“What do you mean?”
“It was equipped with an emergency beacon that activated when you went into the water. The Coast Guard picked it up when they neared the accident site.”
The door opened and Mike Freeman entered, carrying two cups of coffee. He ran Strategic Services, which was one of the top security companies in the world, and he was also partners with Stone at both the Arrington Hotels Group and Triangle Investments.
“He’s awake,” Mike said.
“How long have you two been here?” Stone asked.
Mike handed one of the coffees to Dino. “A couple hours for me. Dino’s been here since this morning, I think.”
