Page 72 of I’ll Be Watching You

“Yep.”

We got off on the second floor, which was where my father used to work. A nurse glanced at us, saw the visitor stickers, and passed by.

Luisa turned into the first storage room. She swiped a passkey.

“How the hell?” I asked.

“Shh.”

We entered and Luisa said, “There’s a network plug for updating the software in every storage room that stores electronics. I need ten minutes, but if someone walks in, I’m screwed. Go outside and stop anyone from entering.” She pulled a tablet and wire from her messenger bag.

“Okay,” I said, impressed.

I stepped out and saw two chairs directly across from the door. I sat in one. Nurses walked by. An orderly. Three minutes later, an orderly slowed, pulled his key card to enter the storage room where Luisa was still working. I jumped up. “Can you help me?”

He turned and smiled. He was young, which was good. He wouldn’t have been here long and I hoped didn’t know the answers off the top of his head.

“Sure, maybe?” he said.

“My dad’s in surgery. Well, he was, he should be in recovery, and they said they were bringing him up here, but I can’t find his room.”

“This isn’t the hospital wing. These are doctors’ offices.”

“What? I thought I followed the directions perfectly. Room 215.” I pointed to a door two down. “But it was locked.”

He smiled kindly. “It can be confusing. The hospital rooms start with an H. So H-215 is in the hospital wing. These are the doctors’ offices, no letter.”

Of course, I did know that. Hospitals made their numbering system as confusing as the City of Phoenix made their streets.

I bit the inside of my cheek so hard it made me tear up, which is exactly what I wanted. I looked left and right, plastering confusion all over my face. “I feel so stupid.”

“I can walk you over, not a problem.”

“Would you? That’s so nice, thank you,” I said, louder than I needed to. I hoped Luisa could hear me. “I’m just so worried about my dad, he’s all I have, you know? I went into the Army because of him, following in his footsteps . . .”

We walked, and I glanced back once. Luisa didn’t emerge.

I hoped she was okay.

The orderly left me outside room H-215. I waited a few minutes, then retraced our steps back to the medical office wing, hoping I didn’t run into him again . . . and hoping that Luisa hadn’t gotten caught. I knocked on the storage room door.

Luisa didn’t come out. Maybe she hadn’t heard the conversation outside the door and the orderly returned and found her.

“Lu!” I said in a loud stage whisper.

Nothing.

Well, shit. Maybe she couldn’t hear me.

My phone vibrated.

What’s taking you so long? I’m in the parking lot.

Driving back, I said, “Tell me what you did.”

“I already told you.”

“I can pick a lock, but I can’t hack into a computer. Explain it to me like I’m five.”