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“I hate needles.”
“You really are a baby today,” she says. “Which makes me think you’re not just here because you scraped your knees. I’ve seen you hurt worse than this and you didn’t come in.”
“You got me, Perry Mason. I’m worried about Candy. What can you tell me?”
I can’t see Allegra, but I hear her draw a long breath.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I haven’t worked on many Jades. I’m running some tests on her now. I should have something in a day or so.”
“Call me when you do.”
“You know, even though we’re not a regular hospital, there’s still this thing called doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“I know. But call me anyway.”
“We’ll see.”
“The clinic looks pretty quiet today.”
“That’s why Candy went home. We don’t have that many patients these days. Still, we’re doing better than the regular hospitals.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are more Lurkers staying in town than people. Cedars-Sinai, big hospitals like that are pretty much empty. Even the doctors are gone. It’s critical-care patients only with a skeleton staff.”
“So, it really is only us funny people left.”
“No, and that has me worried. I think people have been watching the clinic. There was
a pickup truck in the parking lot across the street all day yesterday. A van the day before that.”
“Who do you think it was?”
“I have no idea. It just makes me nervous.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t just people looking for a place to get out of the rain for a few hours?”
“Maybe. Maybe seeing the city like this is just making me skittish. I’m scared.”
She puts some gauze on the wound and tapes it into place. I hate the feel of tape on my skin.
“If it happens again, call me. I’ll check out whoever it is.”
“Thanks. That makes me feel better. There. All done.”
I put on my shirt and coat. Allegra sees the dirt on my pants and boots.
“Where the hell have you been?”
“Have you ever been in an ossuary?”
“I’m not sure I know what that is.”
“They have one in Paris. Vidocq will tell you about it. It’ll be great pillow talk.”
“It’s something gruesome, isn’t it?”
“I’ll let you be the judge.”
