“Well, that is who we are and most of the Lone Wolf guys have wolf name handles which sets us apart from the other brotherhood protectors out there. That’s the way that our leader Kenneally likes it. The fact I already had a handle, Grimm, when I joined was perfect for the wolf pack.”
“All of this is good to know since you are protecting me from evil,” she said.
“I thought you didn’t need protecting.”
“Let’s just say I’ve changed my mind…a time or two now.”
“U-huh. I thought so, but I’m not gloating. I’m glad to hear you’ve come to your senses on the matter. Now lay back on your pillow and try to rest until the doctor comes with a verdict on what your treatment will be. We might be in a room, instead of out there waiting, but we’ll still have to wait back here. They just got you on oxygen so your organs wouldn’t suffer from the loss.”
She leaned back and gave him a thumbs up, closing her eyes.
Grimm wassurprised she’d been so easy to pacify on the matter. And to hear her admit that she had changed her mind about needing protecting so soon after his arrival was grand. It would make the rest of his job so much easier if she was compliant. Although she hadn’t been too mouthy or difficult so far, even if she hadn’t wanted a bodyguard to start. She’d been more talk than action on that front. He believed once she’d gotten to know him over dinner her attitude had changed and then once they went for ice cream and that car tried to run her over, that really made her rethink things. Tonight, sealed the deal. He regretted that she’d had to lose Bathsheba in the process. The cat may have gotten underfoot which annoyed him, but she’d been a good companion to Quinn.
He placed the call to Detective Phillips and let him know what happened at the house. “Sorry to call so late, but you said if anything came up, and it has. We’re in the ER now.”
“I did and the hour isn’t too late. I always unwind after a case so I hadn’t turned in yet. What’s happened?”
He explained in detail what went on. “I left the front door unlocked for you if you want to go over and have the crime tech unit figure out what kind of toxin was used to react with the hot water in her bathroom. Also, you can get a photo of the message left for her on the bathroom mirror. I don’t know how anyone missed checking there tonight as many officers were combing her house.”
“You’re right. Someone should have seen it. Thanks for letting me know and I’ll send a unit out,” the detective said. “I guess no one will be getting sleep tonight.”
“No.”
He ended the call and leaned back in the straight-back chair that was in the room and tried to relax the best he could. Being military, he could sleep almost anywhere. But he also had a job to do, and he didn’t know whether they’d been followed to the hospital or not. That last death threat that Quinn had better not double cross them because they were watching made him wonder if someone was out there now keeping an eye on their every move. Or if it was an idle threat to keep Quinn on her toes.
At this rate, he couldn’t take the chance of falling asleep and having someone slip into the room dressed as a nurse or an orderly and inject Quinn with something. There were too many hospital employees wandering the hallways with ID badges that an imposter could blend in easily with fake credentials.
He dimmed the lighting to help Quinn rest and moved his chair into a dark corner of the room to hide his presence so if a perpetrator came in he’d be harder to see. It worked. A few minutes later, the nurse returned, and she thought Quinn was alone because she asked her where her friend was.
“Isn’t he here?” Quinn said. “He was sitting in the chair there, but even it’s gone now.”
“I don’t see him or the chair”
“H-m-m. He must have gone for coffee then,” Quinn murmured. “Should I be getting this sleepy?”
“We haven’t given you anything,” the nurse said. “Perhaps it’s because you are tired and have been through trauma? How is your breathing?”
“Better than when I arrived, but my chest still feels heavy.”
“We have an EKG ordered and a few other tests. They should be coming in to do those soon. We’re still waiting for the tests on the blood panel we took to come back. I’ll update your doctors about the heaviness in your chest. In the meantime, I’ll raise the head of the bed. You’re lucky, you got one of the better triage beds that is motorized, and is more comfortable.”
“Thanks,” Quinn murmured.
“I’ve checked your oxygen level and it’s back to normal, but since you’re still having heaviness in your chest, let’s leave the oxygen on for now until after the doctor comes in. I’ll check back with you soon, but if you need anything, just press the nurse call button on the side of the bed.”
“Okay.”
The nurse left and a few minutes went by before the door opened and someone came in pushing a computer cart from registration. They got Quinn’s information for billing and left. Half an hour later the door opened again, and the EKG tech came in pushing a cart and hooked Quinn up to the monitor, and did the reading before leaving. The next time the door opened it seemed like an hour had passed and it was the nurse again checking Quinn’s vitals and promising the doctor would be in soon to see her.
“How’s the pressure in your chest?” the nurse asked.
“Better.”
“That’s what I like to hear. I’ll be back.”
Grimm noticed she didn’t give a time frame this time. He shifted in his chair and it made a squeak.
“Grimm?”
