wrath of the Sea Queen (118 page)

Vin noticed the return of normal power and the
restored
television signal as the rain decreased to a light
drizzle
outside.  The weather was the first thing
displayed
on the TV where Vin sat
impatiently
watching the security guard unlock the
ER
doors
.  The female reporter said that authorities were still cautioning people to stay off the roads unless necessary, but the travel ban had been lifted for commercial vehicles.

"That includes taxis,
"
Vin said to himself.

Vin was about to walk up to the nurses' station to have them call him a cab when he saw one pull up outside.  He quickly detoured and rushed out
of
the glass doors of the emergency room
as a patient was being wheeled inside.  He hurried
over to the taxi as its current passenger exit
ed
the back seat and pa
id
his fare.

"Sir, can you take me to my hotel?"  Vin asked the driver, a man with dark hair and
dark
skin.

"Where are you staying?"

"Here."  Vin handed the man Apela's business card.

"Ah, yes.  I know the place.  I have to drive by there on the way to my next stop.  Hop in," the driver said with a grin.

"Thank you.  You don't know how much I appreciate this."  Vin opened the back door and had one foot inside the cab when a firm hand landed on his shoulder.

"Not so fast, Mr. Harding."

Vin turned quickly, shrugging the hand off as he reacted defensively.  His eyes landed on a
tall, stocky
man in a dark blue uniform and a large brimmed hat. 
He had to be at least a foot taller than Vin. 
The wide, black belt at his waist held a holstered handgun at his right hip and a nightstick at his left.  As Vin caught si
ght
of the man's chest, the sheriff's badge
glimmered
clearly visible
where it was
pinned to his
left shirt pocket.

"Sheriff, I
am
heading back to my hotel.  Couldn't you
please
follow me there?"  Vin hoped the sheriff might agree, though he honestly did not expect
t
he
man
would
care that
Vin
was eager to get back to C
a
eli while the break in the weather held.

"Dr. Simmons tells me that you checked yourself out against
his
advice.  I'm wondering if it might be better for you to stay here a while longer.  Why don't you let this good man be on his way?  I will give you a ride as soon as we
a
re finished."

Vin reluctantly closed the cab door and thanked the driver
, retrieving Apela's card
.  He walked the few steps over to the sheriff and
officially
introduced himself.  He decided that it might not be a bad idea to make friends with the local sheriff
, especially
the way this trip
was going
.

"Hi.  Sorry about the confusion.  I'm
Eyvindr
Harding, but you already know that.
  You can call me Vin.
"
  Vin extended his hand, which the
larger man accepted politely.

"Sheriff Brian Obrey.
  So, do you want to tell me why you
a
re in such a rush to get out of here, Vin?"

"My wife
i
s very sick.  I
ha
ve been trying to get back to her all day, but it seems there is always something getting in the way.  It's
already
after three o'clock, and I promised her I would
return by
lunch
time
.  I haven't actually seen her since we checked into our hotel last night.  Her doctor had her isolated
so she could run some
tests and…you probably don't want to hear all this."  Vin checked himself before rambling on
any further
about how much he miss
ed
C
a
eli.

"
I
t's all right. 
I
married a good woman myself. 
I understand how you must feel.  Why isn't your wife at the hospital?"

"That's a complicated story, but she was on the plane that crashed yesterday, and we didn't find out about the severity of her problem until late last night.  We are traveling with her aunt,
who also h
appens to be her doctor.  Pending the outcome of the tests, she is treating my wife at our hotel," Vin explained as succinctly as possible.

"I see.  Can I do anything to help?  Do you need a ride to
bring
your wife and her aunt
to
the hospital?"  Sheriff Obrey offered.

"I honestly don't know.  I have not been able to check on her
by phone
.  That is why I
'
m so anxious to get
to the hotel
."

"That sounds perfectly reasonable.  As long as you are all right, I don't see any reason…"

"
Vin, I
tried to break
up the storm for you.
"  C
a
eli's voice interrupted Vin's conversation, and he stood still to listen and respond.

"
Thank you.  I noticed the change.
"

"
I did it so that you could come back when they are done with you.  Are you all right?
"

"
Yes, I'm fine,
"
Vin replied while trying to listen to the Sheriff at the same time.

"…I don't see any reason why we can't have this conversation on the way.  Do you?"  Sheriff Obrey continued.

"
Good, I was worried that I might have missed something even though Salma said we
healed
you properly.
"

"Vin?  Mr. Harding?  Is everything all right?"  The sheriff tried to get Vin's attention
when he didn't respond
.

"
You know how Salma can be insistent about such things,
" C
a
eli continued.

"
Tha
t'
s her job, C
a
eli, and she is very good at it. 
I know you trust her judgment.  You are just being overly concerned because it's me.
"

"
True on all accounts, but I can't help it.  I almost lost you once.  I don't want to risk that again.  I would do anything to prevent it.
"

"
Don't worry.  I'm fine. 
Honey, can I talk to you in a few minutes?  I have someone waiting on me right now.  If I don't answer him, he is going to
think I'm sick and
toss me back in
side
the hospital.  If you can wait
a little longer
, I should be home within a half an hour.
"

"
Good.  I knew it would work.  I knew
she
couldn
'
t keep us apart
.  I
really
need to talk to you
.
"

"
You just don't learn, do you child? 
R
emember, you are the one forcing my hand,
" Rika's
angry
voice
rang loudly through
both Vin and C
a
eli's minds.

As soon as Rika spoke the last word, Vin clasped his hands to the sides of his head and grit his teeth to keep from shouting.  The sudden pain in his head made him feel as if his brain were on fire
and like
a giant clamp began to tighten its jaws
on th
e
sides of his skull. 
Vin
staggered a step or two across the sidewalk
and
lean
ed
agains
t the
building
for support.

"
Vin!
"
  C
a
eli could feel the pain Rika
inflict
ed
on
him.

"
Rika, stop it!  Please, stop!
"  She pleaded.

"Vin?  What's wrong?  Nurse!  I need some help out here.
"
  The sheriff held Vin steady on his feet until a nurse arrived with a wheelchair.

Ben nudged C
a
eli forward after
she
stopped at the threshold of the sliding door. 
C
a
eli lost the connection with Vin
and could not restore it
as
she stepped into
the
room.  Her
anger boiled and her
he
art sank.  Rika was hurting Vin in a manner similar to what she had done to C
a
eli at the arena.
 
There was nothing that she could do to help him without being able to connect with him. 
C
a
eli kicked the wall in frustration as she walked by the bathroom door.  Then she made a quick turn and went inside,
closing
the
bath
room door behind her.