Page 64 of The Last Grift
Gabe felt his eyes go wide. What the fuck?Eltontook Gordon to the hospital? How? From the expression on Casey’s face, he was having a similar reaction. How had Elton managed without his truck?
“You got him from Greta’s place?” Casey sounded semi-outraged. “Your truck is sitting in front of your house. And we’re just leaving Greta’s, where someone who wasn’t either of you two was. They ran off, but Karne didn’t see who it was.”
Gabe appreciated that Ranger Man didn’t say he’d been flattened by the intruder.
“Oh, my tabs are expired,” Elton said dryly. “I forgot to order them, so I’m gonna have to go the damn licensing place in person. I drove the ATV.”
The ATV? What ATV? Gabe hadn’t seen one. But he also hadn’t looked around Elton’s property until tonight.
“I forgot you still had that,” Casey admitted, looking chagrined.
“Why were you looking for me anyway? Did you think I wandered off into the ravine?”
Casey cocked his head at Gabe. “You want to field this one?”
“Nope. I think we should get to the hospital, wherever that is, and talk to Gordon.”
Gordon MacDonald may have surfaced, but he was in deep trouble and possibly in no shape to protect himself.
TWENTY-FIVE
CASEY
Friday
The recently remodeledTwana County Medical Center was located on the outskirts of Westfort, about twenty minutes from Heartstone. Casey had been there on more than one occasion, both as a kid and an adult. Even though it was a Friday night, the parking lot was full. Maybe because it was a Friday night. As he looked for a parking space, he drove past a haphazardly parked two-seater dune buggy-style vehicle with roll bars and a fabric top.
Casey cocked his head toward the vehicle. “That’s Elton’s.”
“Huh. Okay. What’s he doing with a dune buggy?”
“That, I don’t know.”
He circled the lot twice before he lost patience and crammed the Wagoneer into a space next to a late-model Land Cruiser that occupied more than its fair share of two spots. Karne had been remarkably quiet during their drive from Greta’s, and that silence made Casey a little nervous. A quiet Charming Fucker meant trouble, at least in Casey’s book.
Before squeezing out of the Jeep, Casey cracked the window for Bowie. “We won’t be too long.” Bowie didn’t ask to get out. He stayed down with his head on his paws as if he knew he had to stay behind. “Good boy.”
“You owe your dog a serious treat,” Karne said.
Casey grunted his agreement. Bowie was the best doggo, better than most people.
“On the other hand, good thing I skipped dinner, or I wouldn’t be able to get out of here,” Gabe complained, scooting out of the car sideways.
So annoying.
The personbehind the front desk greeted them with a polite, “How may I help you?”
“We’re here for Gordon MacDonald. Is he still in the ER?” Karne asked, turning on the charm like water from a faucet. Casey tried not to glower again.
The greeter’s fingers flew across the keys as he entered Gordon’s name.
“Mr. MacDonald is in exam room three.” The younger man rattled off the directions. “There’s a note that his grandfather is with him. Visiting hours are technically over at nine,” he added, glancing pointedly at the clock on the wall behind him.
They had half an hour.
Grandfather. Casey caught Karne’s amused look. Elton was going to stick with Gordon as long as he could get away with it. Good. Gordon needed as many people as possible in his court.
“We won’t stay too long, thanks,” Casey said, starting toward the hallway that led back to urgent care.
