Page 116 of Lucky Charm
Cait had good people around her, and he was glad. The silence stretched for a few minutes.
Jackie settled in the chair again and arched her back. “You’re tired. I’m tired. When did you last eat?”
“Last night. Time to get something, I think. I’ll power nap in a while and take the edge off.” He forgot he was talking to a doctor.
“We need a hotel room, a base of operations. She’s going to be here for a week at least, maybe two, wouldn’t you think? We need a place to sleep and eat when we can trade off sitting with her.”
He hadn’t considered that because he plain didn’t want to leave her for any reason. “She almost died, Jackie. I’m not sure I can handle not being right here every minute.”
“You trust me?”
“I trust you because Cait trusts you. I don’t know you well enough yet to be a hundred percent committed.”
“Fair enough. Let me go to the desk, see what’s with this surgery, and then we’ll go eat. We sit in this room for a few more hours and we’ll go nuts.”
Hunt smiled. “Agreed.”
They left the room and started down the hall to the nurses’ station. Hunt scanned for threats as usual. Occupational hazard.
A familiar figure stood at the desk talking to a nurse.
“What in the hell?” He picked up his pace.
Jackie stayed right beside him. “What?”
Within feet of the man, he uttered his name. “Quaid?”
The civilian dress with the navy ski jacket threw him off, but the cynical smile and hard eyes were the same. Quaid came to Hunt and their long handshake became a hug. “There you are. I’ve searched the whole hospital for you. These people are harder to get info out of than the CIA.”
Hunt stepped back. “What are you doing here? How did you know?”
“I talked to Doogie, and I never went home. Where’s Lucky Charm? Is she okay?”
Hunt realized Jackie’s head was going back and forth, confusion in her features. “Cait’s in surgery. Jackie, I’m sorry. This is Quaid Daniels. Quaid, Jackie Shay. Jackie is Doc’s family.”
Quaid put out his hand. “I’m sorry for this situation. I’m here to offer any help I can. Where are you staying?”
Jackie shook his hand but turned to Hunt for the answer.
Hunt shrugged. “Here.”
“Uh, no. That’s not going to work. Let me tell you about the staff. I was in this fine establishment a few weeks ago, then I helped Baxter and his mother navigate their situation.” He leaned to Jackie. “Doc fixed me up in Afghanistan. The nurses didn’t have a lot to do except nag me, and they won’t like Hunt in her room for long.”
Hunt swore, quietly. “Let them budge me.”
Quaid shook his head. “Don’t walk that road. It won’t help. I’ll get arrangements made for a suite at the Patton Regency Landstuhl. It can be a base of operations until they release her.”
Quaid’s thoughts mirrored Jackie’s and threw him for a minute. “Quaid? That’s a lot to ask.”
“No, Hunt. Let me do this. It’s no problem.” He took his phone out and stepped away.
Jackie yanked on his sleeve. “I can’t afford that.”
Hunt leaned closer and whispered. “I’ll cover it.” He had hazard pay he hadn’t even used yet.
Quaid disconnected his phone. The conversation had been short. He grinned at the two. “Settled.” He lifted his hand and spoke behind it to Jackie. “Rumor has it my grandfather is Zephren Patton. The rumors would be true. I arranged with my Aunt Elizabeth for the room. Let my family dothis, please. There won’t be a bill. I’m alive because of Cait.”
Hunt looked at Jackie. Jackie gave him a surprised look back.
