He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “I knew she was … fragile. But I can’t blame you. I tried to go back to her myself.”
“I know. I was just trying to do what I thought you’d do.”
Henry’s eyes remained closed. The corner of his left eye expressed what looked like a tear, but she couldn’t be sure. “Henry?”
“Nnhh?” he groaned sleepily.
The Dilaudid was kicking in. “I brought some things to show you. I found some old photos in one of your notebooks.” She didn’t want to mention the fire, in case no one had told him about it. “Would you look at them for just one second?”
The reporter opened his eyes with difficulty. Caitlin held the first snapshot up and tilted it so the overhead light shone on the paper.
“This is Tom Cage with Brody Royal,” she said. “In a fishing boat. Can you see it?”
“Don’t need to.”
“Why was Tom with Royal?”
“Don’t know. That picture always worried me …” Henry blinked and opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
“Henry?” She fought the urge to shake him. “Can you hear me?”
“Doc … never let me … interview him. I … gave Penn copy.”
Caitlin’s mouth fell open as Henry groaned. One more thing Penn had withheld from her.
“Doc told Penn … wasn’t nothing. One-time … thing.” Henry jerked as though at a sharp pain. Her stomach clenched in sympathetic reaction.
“There’s some writing on the back of the picture,” she said in his ear. “It says ‘BT,’ and then ‘T. Rambin.’ Henry,” she said sharply, feeling him slipping away. “Henry! Can you hear me?”
“Unnhh,” he moaned. “Bad now … push the pump.”
Caitlin sighed and pressed the pain pump three times in quick succession.
Henry murmured something, but she couldn’t make out the words Then his eyes slowly closed, and he began to snore. The Dilaudid had overcome both pain and consciousness.
Caitlin prayed he would awaken before Sherry returned.
TOM AND WALT LOOKED at each other over empty Chinet plates that smelled of fried fish and ketchup. Melba walked over to them with the flat paper bag she’d used to blot the grease from the bream fillets and french fries.
“Still got some left,” she said. “Any takers?”
Walt groaned and rubbed his belly. “If I eat another bite, I’ll pop. You did a fine job, Melba.”
The nurse smiled and laid a hand on Tom’s good shoulder. “How bad’s that pain, Doc?”
“Nothing two more Lorcet wouldn’t fix.”
Melba humphed like chiding nurses around the world. “Two more Lorcet and you’re liable to quit breathing when you doze off on that couch.”
Tom winked at Walt, who smiled briefly, then wiped his hands on a paper towel, stood, and flattened his trousers. “I hate leaving you two, but until I meet Colonel Mackiever, we’re not going to have a prayer of leaving this place.”
“You’re sure it’s not a trap?” Tom asked.
“Mac and I Rangered together. That’s the best answer I can give you. Anyway, he’s the only man in this state who can cancel that APB.”
“But you think he wants some kind of quid pro quo in exchange for helping us?”
Walt nodded. “Sounded to me like Mac’s got a Knox problem. Which is exactly what we’ve got. So maybe things’ll fit together just right for all of us.”
“How long will you be gone?” Melba asked.
Walt looked at his watch. “I figure six hours. Ninety minutes each way, plus whatever it takes to deal with Mac. I can’t risk getting pulled over by a Louisiana highway patrolman. He might just put a bullet in my ear. I could be back in five hours, if nothing unexpected happens.”
“What if it does?” Tom asked.
“Put it this way: I’ll be back by dawn no matter what happens. Will you two be all right? Or should we try to get some kind of guard help over here?”
“We’ll be fine,” Tom said, hoping it was true. “The fewer people who know we’re here, the safer we’ll be.”
Walt nodded. “I think you’re right.”
“I hate for Melba to be here. There’s not only the legal risk for her, but the physical one, as well. I think you should drop her in Natchez on your way through.”
Melba put her hands on her generous hips and glared at Tom. “And what do you plan to do after you have a heart attack and pass out? You going to call the ambulance with ESP?”
“She’s got you,” Walt said. “And be glad for it. I couldn’t leave you here alone.”