Part 34 (1/2)
THE HOSPITAL WAS busy. It was a relatively small group of buildings not far from the town they'd been staying in. Dar led the way inside and they went to the front desk. Giving Charlie's name, they were directed upstairs.
Exiting onto the third floor, Dar spotted Bud near the end of the hall. She called out in a low voice and he turned, closing his cell phone and walking toward them.
Kerry drew in a breath. Bud's face was half-covered with an ugly bruise, though he appeared oblivious to it. His s.h.i.+rt was ripped, exposing his shoulder, and the back of one hand was sc.r.a.ped raw.
”What happened?” Dar asked quietly.
Bud looked up and down the corridor, then motioned them over to a bank of chairs. He sat down in one and let his elbows rest on his knees. He studied the floor as Dar took a seat next to him.
”You ever hear of something being too stupid for the Navy?”
Dar stifled a wry chuckle. ”Heard that around my house growing up a time or two, yeah.”
”Well,” Bud's voice was very soft, ”I done something too stupid for the Navy.” He glanced at the back of his hand. ”I stuck my mug someplace it didn't belong, and got Charlie hurt for it.”
His pain was evident. Kerry settled in the chair on the other side of him and put a hand on his back, rubbing it sympathetically.
”I'm sorry.”
”Not half as much as I am,” Bud said. ”And you know, it kicks my a.s.s to admit being this stupid.” He turned his head and regarded Dar. ”Shoulda taken you up on your offer. Worst that'd caused is givin' me a week's heartburn.”
Dar managed a relatively sympathetic look. ”What'd you get into?”
Bud appeared to struggle with himself for a moment longer, then he shook his head. ”That d.a.m.n kid offered us a chunk of change to go on and dive that site. We did.”
”The wreck?” Kerry asked. ”The kid... You mean, Bob?*205 Bud nodded. ”He approached us the other day when you dropped him off at the island. Said it was a dark dive-get in, get out. Didn't seem too dangerous to me. No big deal,” he said. ”They caught us out there, but we got on the boat and headed out.”
”They followed you?” Dar hazarded.
”Chased our a.s.ses all the way back here.” Bud nodded. ”We didn't want to go back home.” He exhaled. ”They caught us.” His eyes lifted toward a set of doors. ”They had pipes and bats.
Charlie's got a busted kidney. He couldn't get away from them, 'cause of his leg, and I-”
”Stayed with him,” Kerry said.
”Something like that, yeah,” Bud admitted. ”That p.i.s.s-ant kid ran. Took the boat and left us there.”
Kerry's eyes narrowed. ”That skunk.”
Dar rubbed her temple. ”How much did he offer you?” she asked quietly.
”Doesn't really matter,” Bud muttered.
”HOW MUCH?” It was amazing how much force Dar could project in her voice without raising its volume.
Bud blinked. ”Ten grand. Why?”
”That what the nut is on your place?”
Bud nodded.
Dar checked her watch, then dialed a number on her cell phone.
She waited for it to connect, then she started punching in numbers, leaning back and concentrating on what she was doing.
”So, how is Charlie?” Kerry asked.
Bud turned his eyes from Dar's simmering form. ”He got hit all over. They ripped his prosthesis off. Belted him in the kidney.
That's the b.i.t.c.h. He's had problems with that one.”
Dar tapped him on the knee. ”This place taken care of?” She indicated the hospital.
Bud straightened. ”I ain't looking for no handout,” he snapped at her. ”We're fine.”
Dar leaned closer to him and narrowed her eyes. ”If I have to, I can dial into this place and find out if you've got insurance or not, so just answer the d.a.m.n question and don't give me a hard time.”
Bud's eyes dropped.
”That's what I thought.” Dar stood up. ”Okay. I've had it. That stupid mother b.a.s.t.a.r.d DeSalliers is so d.a.m.ned convinced I'm a part of this, he's gonna get what he asked for.” She put her hands on her hips. ”Can we see Charlie?”
Bud looked like the subject changes were giving him whiplash.
He put his hand on his jaw. ”Yeah, I think so.”
”Good,” Dar said. ”You got a place to stay out here?”
Bud shook his head.
”Rufus taken care of?”
206*
”Yeah. He's staying with a buddy.”
Kerry pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket and got up, heading for a nearby pay phone. ”I'll call the hotel,” she told Dar.
”You want me to start calling around to find our friend Bob?”
”Wait until we get back to the room,” Dar instructed. ”I need my laptop.”
Bud looked between the two of them, a little taken aback.
”What are you doing?”
”We,” Kerry told him, covering the mouthpiece of the phone, ”are doing what we do.” She glanced at Dar's fierce expression, then went back to the phone. ”Yes? Yes. We have a room, I know.
I'd like a second one.”
Dar waited for Kerry to finish. They entered Charlie's room, walking quietly into the softly blinking machinery that surrounded him.