I said, “Um… county hospital?—”
“I daena understand those words.”
“I’m so sorry, the county hospital, in…” I watched his face for recognition, “Transylvania County? North Carolina?”
Nothing.
I added, “You know where that is?”
His eyes were closed again,tightly. He shook his head.
He didn’t seem to recognize anything I said. He didn’t know where he was, apparently. And he wasn’t planning on explaining what that little object was.Great, mystery unsolved.
Jen said, “Boy, were you lucky you got injured on Lexi’s land. She is thenicestpersonandshe called the ambulance. Youdefinitelydon’t want to sue her. Plus, at great trouble, she even brought you the… that thing you got there.”
He opened one eye again. It looked as if he were straining. “I am verra grateful for yer help and sorry the trouble caused, Mistress.”
Jen said to me, “Good,see,Lexi? Should we go?”
I ignored her and asked the man, “Are you from Scotland?”
“Aye, Alba.”
Jen pretended to leave, gesturing we ought to go.
But I was still curious and drawn to ask questions. “How did you end up in my yard?”
“I daena ken, but I am just here fleetingly. I winna bother ye again, Mistress. Ye hae m’assurances.”
His eyes closed tight again.
There was a quick knock on the door and two police officers entered.
Jen grabbed my arm, pulling me to the side.
An officer sized us up. “Friends or family?”
I shook my head. “Nope, just a bystander — just here for a moment to make sure he was okay.”
The officer said, “Can you step outside, please?”
The other officer said to the guy in the hospital bed, “Sir, can you produce an ID, sir?” For some reason he was speaking loudly, probably because the guy kept his eyes shut tight, though that didn’t make any sense.
Jen and I stepped out to the hall.
She said, “We ought to go now, right? This is pointless.”
I stood quietly, listening.
She laughed, “Orwe can stay here and eavesdrop.”
And that’s what we did.
The officers remainedfor a few moments and asked questions: “What is your name? Where do you live? Where do you hold citizenship?”
He answered, his voice so low and rumbling, that it was hard to make out the words. I stepped closer to the door and concentrated, but all I could make out was the name, “Torin.”
A few momentslater the officers left the room.