He was silent a moment. 'You going to spend the night there?'
'Yes.'
He sighed. 'Am I going to be sorry if I don't make you come in now?'
'No. Nothing else is going to happen tonight. All the bad guys have gone home to bed.'
'You'd better be right.'
'I'm right. Listen, it's been fun, but I didn't call to chat with you. What are the chances of my speaking to Lydia Chin?'
'The little Chinese dish in the leather jacket?'
'You'd better hope she didn't hear that.'
'Who is she?'
'She's a friend of mine, for Christ's sake. She came up to spend a couple of days.'
'You sure know how to show a girl a good time.'
'Can I speak to her?'
'Yeah, sure. Oh, and look—Brinkman's on his way to the hospital, to talk to you.'
'Jesus, Mac, did you have to do that?'
'I didn't want him screwing up my crime scene. Tell him what happened, tell him you're coming in to see me in the morning, tell him to leave you alone.'
'Sure, Mom. Can I tell him my big brother'll beat him up if he doesn't?'
'Tell him any damn thing you want.' MacGregor's voice became distant as he called Lydia's name.
I waited, not long. 'Bill? How's Tony?' Lydia's voice was both soft and urgent, like spring rain.
'I don't know. He's still in surgery. MacGregor give you a hard time?'
She said noncommittally, 'He's a cop.' With a smile in her voice, she added, 'And he's listening.'
'Talk dirty.'
'You wish. What should I do? They took my statement; I can go.'
'Come to the hospital. I want you to take Eve home, stay with her.'
'What are you going to do?'
'I'm going to stay here.' I wasn't sure why. Tony wasn't likely to wake until morning, if then; and I was desperately tired. But it seemed, somehow, as though it would help.
I went back to the little waiting area. Eve and Donnelly were sitting companionably, silently. I asked the nurse behind the yellow counter whether she could tell me anything about Tony yet. She smiled a gentle, practiced smile, said she was sure Doctor would let us know as soon as he could.
I sat down next to Eve. Donnelly and I looked each other over; then I leaned back, stretched my legs, closed my eyes. Eve rested her hand on mine. It was rough, warm, and sure. I twined my fingers with hers, and slept.
Chapter 17
I didn't sleep long. The sound of boot heels clomped through the confused images in my mind. I felt Eve squeeze my hand just before a deep voice drawled, 'Well, look at Sleeping Beauty.'
I opened my eyes but I didn't sit up. The fluorescent hospital lights seemed harsher, brighter than before. I squinted against them.
'Every time I see you, city boy,' Brinkman said, dropping into the chair next to Donnelly, 'you look worse. Why d'you think that is?'
'In the eye of the beholder, Brinkman.' Now I sat up, took my hand from Eve's. I lit my last cigarette, drew on it hungrily. The nurse looked up again, her face more disapproving this time. I crumpled the empty pack, showed it to her. She smiled and bent over her papers again.
Brinkman half turned, spoke to the man next to him. 'You Donnelly?'
'Yessir,' Donnelly said cheerfully.
'He say anything I should know about?'
Donnelly scrunched up his face, thought about what I'd said. 'I don't think so, Sheriff.'
'Okay,' said Brinkman. 'You can go.' He turned back to me. 'You shoot Antonelli, Smith?'
I felt color fill my face like a flood tide. I could have leapt out of that chair and broken his neck.
Eve said quietly, 'Sheriff.'
I stepped on her word as I said, 'Brinkman, you're an idiot.'
'You were alone out there. No one saw what happened but you.'
'Other people saw the car.'
'A car driving out of a parking lot. In a hurry to get to the next drink.'
Wordlessly, I let my eyes meet his. Then I pulled my gun out of my pocket, held it out to him.
