You're Next

‘People will come to kill her,’ Shep said.

‘Kill her? Which people?’

‘The ones who put her here. They’ll want to finish the job.’

‘We have good security here. It’s not like anyone can walk into a patient’s room.’ She balked at the silence. ‘You don’t trust our security.’

‘No.’

‘So it’s not her husband, like the cops say. Who did this.’

‘No.’

‘How do you know?’

Shep said, ‘I know.’

‘Is that why you’re here? To stop whoever you believe is coming?’

‘Yes.’

‘You really believe-’

‘Can we transfer her to a different hospital? An undisclosed location?’

‘No. She’s too unstable. Her blood pressure’s labile. Plus, that artery nick is clotting off nicely. Any jostling in a vehicle might open it back up.’

‘Can her husband force a transfer? Doesn’t he have some legal say?’

‘You’re a devoted friend,’ she observed. ‘But no, I won’t allow her to be moved. Not until she’s more stable.’

‘Like this afternoon, when she’s off the ventilator?’

‘Like a week from now.’

Before Dr Cha could reply, the door opened and Elzey and Markovic strode in with Annabel’s sister, a big- boned, attractive woman. A weighty purse knocking about her hip, June paused a few steps from the bed, quivering, to regard her sister. She regained her composure, and introductions were made.

June shifted her attention to Shep. ‘Who is he? Who are you?’

‘Shep,’ he said.

She looked at Dr Cha. ‘He’s not family.’

Dr Cha tapped the medical chart against her hand. ‘I was told he’s on the husband’s side-’

‘Annabel’s husband doesn’t have any relatives.’

‘We were foster brothers,’ Shep said.

At this, June’s mouth came open a little. ‘I thought family privileges were only afforded to real family.’

‘Real family,’ Dr Cha repeated evenly. ‘It is our policy to consider foster siblings-’

‘Given what’s gone on here, why would you let anyone involved with Mike have access to my sister?’

‘What has gone on here?’ Dr Cha asked. She waited, the silence drawing out. ‘I wasn’t aware that any charges have been brought.’

June glared at Shep. ‘Mind if I have some time alone with my sister?’

Shep said, ‘What?’

‘Mind. If I have. Some time alone with. My sister?’

Shep stepped out into the hall, the detectives flanking him.

‘So,’ Markovic said, ‘you’re very close to Ms Andrews?’

‘Who?’ Shep said.

‘Annabel,’ Elzey said. ‘That’s her maiden name. Which you know, of course, given how familial you are.’

‘Right,’ Shep said. ‘Sure.’

A few feet away, Dr Cha jotted on the chart and slotted it into the acrylic rack mounted on the door. The detectives made no attempt to lower their voices.

‘Shepherd White. Safecracking. Burglary. B & E. Quite a celeb you are.’ Markovic grinned. ‘You’re in all the databases.’

Shep said, ‘And still not wanted for anything.’

Elzey said, ‘Currently.’

Markovic now. ‘Mind if we frisk you?’

Shep held out his arms. Markovic spun him, planted him on the wall, hands pinching his ankles, sliding up his legs, patting his sides. ‘You wouldn’t happen to know where your dear foster brother is, would you?’

Shep turned, straightening his clothes, and nodded cordially at Dr Cha over the detective’s shoulder. ‘No.’

‘If you talk to him, tell him this: If he doesn’t produce himself in short order, he’s gonna be charged for the murder of Hanley Burrell and the attempted murder of Annabel Wingate. Annabel’s father has already started proceedings to enjoin your boy from exercising his authority under the health-care proxy. No judge is gonna uphold a fugitive’s control over the life of a woman he put in a coma.’

‘Mike didn’t put her there. And he’s not a fugitive.’

‘Come tomorrow morning,’ Markovic said, ‘he will be.’

Chapter 34

Ensconced in a swirl of sheets and wearing a glazed expression, Kat watched cartoons. Absentmindedly, she rubbed her thumb across the back of Snowball II, working the mini-polar bear like a rabbit’s-foot charm. Mike had done his best to put her hair up, but strays abounded and the ponytail had wound up off center. It was one of those things he could never figure out how to get right.

‘I miss school.’

‘I know.’ Mike had pulled a chair around to sit, elbows nailed to his knees, his gaze stuck on the phone.

‘I miss the sun.’

‘Me, too.’

‘I miss my bed.’

‘I know.’

‘I miss my mom.’

Mike’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.

Kat was wearing the same blank expression she’d had on last time he’d glanced over. The phone rang, forcing him to switch tracks. He snatched it up.

Hank said, ‘We’re gonna steer clear of the sheriff’s department, since we know they’re hooked into the alert. But I found someone for you at LAPD. This is turning into a high-profile case, and I’m banking on the fact that LAPD’ll want to keep it in their court if you go in to them. They’ve got more muscle than sheriff’s.’

‘Who there?’

‘Jason Cayanne, a captain two in the North Hollywood Station.’

‘Can I trust him?’

‘Mike, this man will listen to you. That’s the best you’re gonna get right now. Let this thing go another twenty- four hours and the most you can hope for is a clean jail cell.’

‘I need to know Kat will be safe.’

‘LAPD will protect her better than you can.’

Mike hung up, pressed a fist to the edge of the desk until his knuckles ached. Then he found the Batphone and called Shep. ‘How is she?’

‘A little better. Some movement, pain response. The doc seems excited by that.’

‘Movement. Movement is good. Pain response is good.’ Mike realized he was babbling, chewing his thumb.

‘But she’s not out of the woods. Things could still go south fast.’

Mike swallowed dryly. ‘How about her safety?’

‘They’re letting me stay with her right now,’ Shep said, ‘but visiting hours end at eight.’

‘What are you gonna do?’

‘I’ll figure something out.’