Chapter 46

word count 1330

Trudy didn't know what to do. Her heart pounded. She felt light-headed. Those guys in scrubs took away Buzz! Panic was rushing through her veins like rampaging flood waters. What could she do? Gilberto! Maybe Gil could help? Running back toward the cafeteria, she wobbled and stumbled in her stilettos, until she finally stopped and kicked them off. She picked up the shoes and ran in her bare feet.

Gil had just paid his check and was talking to Hank on his cell when Trudy arrived. He spied her coming from afar, ragged and heaving, short of breath, jogging across the lobby at full gallop. He continued talking to his partner, but his eyes followed the wild woman as she dodged chairs and wound around desks.

"Gilberto! Gilberto! Somethin's happened to Buzz!" She clutched him by the collar and shook the poor fellow with every syllable.

"Easy, easy! I'm talking to my partner about it." He said to her, pushing the lady back with one hand, speaking in the phone at the same time. "Okay, Hank! I'll see what I can do. Bye!" He shoved the cell in his pocket.

"Well, Miss Trudy! It seems Buzz is here in the hospital. Hank says he's cleared it with hospital administration so I can see him in ICU. So, let's go!" He took her arm in his and started down the hallway.

Trudy gushed. He was so handsome and so cute, and so gentlemanly, walking with her all proper like this, arm in arm. She lifted her chin and walked as regally as she knew how, her gallant knight by her side. When they arrived at ICU, however, the stark reality hit her again. Buzz was here, and he was sick. Gil changed demeanor as well, shifting into full out cop mode, approaching the reception desk with his badge already in hand.

"Whoa! Brenda! I didn't expect to see you here." He came close to walking past the lady detective. She'd been lounging there, leaning with shoulder against the counter, arms folded across her chest.

"Bettencourt." she replied, her expression grim.

"The boss is a patient in ICU." He studied her. "But I guess you already know that."

"I do." Brenda shot Trudy a smile. "Hi, girl! Good to see you!"

"Hi, Brenda!" Trudy struggled to get the words out. She was trembling, her eyes like tiny dots as she glanced around in a frantic motion. "Where is he?" she whined.

"Easy, doll! He's right through those doors. Gimme a minute to talk to the receptionist." Gil gave her a hug.

"I've been trying for half an hour to get in with no luck," Brenda said.

"Yeah, but I know people in high places." Gil leaned close and spoke to the secretary in a quiet voice. She checked her computer screen and picked up the phone. Gil turned around to shoot Brenda a triumphant smile.

Brenda felt like killing the show off, but she kept her temper in check.

"Go right in!" the receptionist declared as she hung up the phone.

Gil started, with Trudy behind, followed by Brenda.

"Not you two!" The girl pointed to the women. "Just him."

Gil turned on his heel and backtracked to the desk. "I need them for the investigation. The cop is working with me, and the woman is an important witness."

The receptionist contemplated while tapping a well-manicured finger on the desk. Gil leaned close, close enough to kiss her if he wanted and murmured, "Please, babe!" Color rose to the girl's cheek. "Okay, go right ahead," she said.

Brenda marched behind the others. That sonofabitch, she thought. I can't believe I had to stand there like a moron while he got "permission" for me to go through. I don't know who I want to kill more, Bettencourt or the damned receptionist.

When they arrived at beds 1A and 2A, they stopped short and gawked. Such a sight to see! The nurses had pulled away the separation drape so the two beds could be side by side with an open space between them. Jeannie on the left, Buzz on the right. Both patients appeared to be unconscious.

What a picture! Gil thought.

Look at the that! Layin' there next to his wife. I think I'm going to be sick, thought Trudy.

There's that sonofabitch, thought Brenda.

Gil saw an intern rushing by and grabbed the fellow by the arm, pulling him over.

"I'm with the New Albany police department," he said, flashing his badge. "That's my boss! How is he doing? Are you his doctor?"

The intern eyed his badge cautiously.

"I am the intern on the case. The staff doctor has left for the day, but I can tell you he appears to have been poisoned. We're still awaiting the toxicology report. In the meanwhile we have a gastric lavage tube in to clear out the stomach and some medicine to ease the symptoms. We also did an EKG because of heart arrhythmias."

"What's his prognosis?"

"It appears good. He got here quickly. But we'll know more when the toxicology comes in."

"How long will he likely be hospitalized?" Brenda broke in.

"That's impossible to say at this time."

"Please, puleeeeze!" Trudy grabbed the intern by the shoulders. "Please, tell me he isn't going to DIE!"

"Whoa, sweetie! Back off," Gil said, pulling her off the startled doctor.

"But he's sick, and I'm worried."

"Now, now, sweetheart! Let's go have a cup of coffee, and you can tell me about this infatuation you have with my boss." Gil shot her a funny smile and a wink.

Trudy couldn't help but feel better. She loved her Gilberto. "Okay, hon!" she said.

Well, I'm glad to be rid of these two, Brenda thought. I can scoot on over to Buzz's house and start working on my plan.

***

Adam didn't like Erik, and he didn't know how to act around Lisa, Hank's daughter. What was he supposed to do? Act like she was his mother...or his baby sitter? He would treat the two in completely different ways. Well, he had only one mother, and Lisa wasn't it. So he figured he should treat her like a baby sitter who never went home. But it was uncomfortable. This wasn't his house. It wasn't his stuff. He was afraid to touch anything. And he was hungry. He felt stupid going to raid their fridge. It was their fridge, not his. He didn't know what he was allowed to have and what he wasn't. Or what he was allowed to do, or what he wasn't. And Erik was a jerk. He didn't seem very smart, and they didn't play the same kind of games. He missed Elliot. They fit together from the first minute they met. He didn't think he would ever want to be Erik's friend. Too bad Erik didn't understand that. The jerk kept asking him to play his stupid games, and Adam didn't want to.

He really missed Elliot. He wondered if the other boy ever went to the DQ these days. It was just a bus ride away. What harm could there be to take the number 7 bus to the Dairy Queen. The number 7 routed around the whole city. It would take him from here to the DQ in no time. Reaching in his pockets, he pulled out his money. Several bills, one of them a five, and a few coins. That should be enough.

"Whatcha' doin?" It was Erik. What a pain!

"None of your beeswax!" he retorted. "And don't follow me or I'll kill you!" And he knew how to do it, too! Yessir, he was going to the DQ and look for Elliot, and nobody was going to stop him.