wrath of the Sea Queen (120 page)

Vin woke to find
himself
lying in a hospital bed.  He started to sit up, but the wires attached to his forehead prevented him from moving very far.  He turned his head to the left and saw Sheriff Obrey sitting in a chair across the room.  The sheriff heard Vin stir and looked up from the
newspaper
he was reading.

"Welcome back.  You gave me a bit of a scare out there."  Sheriff Obrey walked over to stand beside the bed.

"What happened?"  Vin asked.  All he could remember was the
splitting
pain in his head.

"You were t
alking to
me about getting
home
to your wife and then
grabbed
your head
in pain
.  Dr. Simmons gave you something for the pain, but it had the side effect of knocking you out for a while.  He was actually quite pleased that it provided him the opportunity to run those tests you were trying to skip out on earlier," the sheriff filled Vin in on his current situation.

"Earlier?  What time is it?  How long have I been out?"

"It is almost eight o'clock.  You've been out long enough for me to get caught up on all of today's
cases
except for the lighthouse incident
.  I still need
your statement.  But, it can wait a while longer."

"Eight o'clock!  I've got to call C
a
eli.  She is really going to be worried."  Vin started disconnecting wires from his forehead and fingers.  Alarms immediately began to buzz on the medical equipment surrounding him, and a nurse came running into the room. 
Dr. Simmons f
ollowed closely
on her heels
.

"Sir, you can't do that.  You need to leave those attached," the nurse tried, unsuccessfully, to stop Vin from pulling loose the last of the wires.

"It's all right, Kara.  Mr. Harding is not inclined to remain our guest any longer than necessary.  Just turn off the monitors and alarms please.  Then you can go.  I will take care of Mr. Harding."  Dr. Simmons politely dismissed the nurse.

"You are right about that.  I
a
m
even less
likely to stay
now than I was before," Vin confirmed.

Dr. Simmons stood beside the bed where Vin now sat up. 
Once Vin calmed down, th
e
doctor
insisted on performing
a few basic
neurological
assessments to ensure
that his
current condition matched
the
unexpected test results
.

"Don't worry.  I have no reason to stop you
this time
.  Your tests came back perfectly normal.  You were right, Mr. Harding.  Luck was definitely on your side today.  I would have bet money that you had internal bleeding from
that head
wound,
especially
given the symptoms you displayed.  As it is, you have a mild concussion."

"I can live with that.
"

"I certainly hope so.  Still, it would make me feel better if you would stay overnight and let us keep an eye on you.  There is something unusual about your injury.  I just can't put my finger on it."

"Good healing sort of runs in the family.  Besides, m
y wife's aunt is a doctor
, and w
e are
here
on vacation with her.  She will make sure I'm miserable enough
when she learns about my
concussion
.
 
D
on't feel bad about not getting to
observe
me.  Salma will more than make up for it."  Vin offered the doctor a few
conciliatory
words for all the hassle he had caused.

"I suppose that will have to do. 
I hope you don't mind that we took the liberty of gathering your information from the cards we found in your wallet. 
I have already completed the paperwork, and you ca
n leave whenever you are ready," Dr. Simmons concluded.

"
Great!
  It saves me the time, and I appreciate it."

"Well then, take care, Mr. Harding."  Dr. Simmons shook Vin's hand and left the room.

Vin got up and made a quick trip over to a nearby sink to splash some water on his face and gulp down a cup of water.  Feeling better, Vin returned his attention to the sheriff who wait
ed
patiently.

"Does that offer for a ride to my hotel still stand, Sheriff Obrey?"

"
Yes it does.
  In fact, I will make a
deal
with you.  If you will tell me everything you can about the lighthouse incident, I will
still
take your statement on the road.  I
think you've been
delay
ed
here
long enough
.  I don't know how much longer this weather is going to hold, and I would like to get home to my family, too."

"You've got a deal."

"It's getting late.  Please don't hold Max's supper
on mine or
Vin
's
account.  I don't know when he will get back.  He would not want you to wait on him.  I am not hungry, but I would l
ike
to help you in the kitchen.  Between you and me, if I have to stay out in the lounge and let Salma force me to drink even one more sip of water, I think I might burst like a
n overinflated
balloon," C
a
eli said in a low, conspiratorial voice to Apela.

Max had been grumbling about food for the last two hours.  Apela had given him a snack to hold him over, but the boy was hungry for
a substantial meal
.  He was used to eating
dinner
much earlier.

"I suppose we could go ahead and start cooking. 
It will help distract you. 
Perhaps
Vin
will be here by the time we are done.
  I can show you some of the ways we prepare dishes on the island if you
woul
d like,
"
Apela offered.

"
Yes, please
, and it will keep me out of trouble.
"  C
a
eli glanced at the clock on the reception desk as she walked by. 
F
ifteen minutes after eight. 
W
ould
the pain Rika caused
Vin
force him to stay overnight at the hospital
?  She had not been able to reach him at all since Rika's tantrum earlier, and Ben made it very clear that he was not going to let her leave the hotel
.  He had been keeping a close eye on her in case she got the notion to try and sneak away again
. 
When she
asked
Apela
about his
truck, Ben immediately took that
option
out of her reach by ensuring that Apela kept a tight hold on his keys.  While she did not want Ben or Salma
to
fret over her
,
C
a
eli had been beside herself with worry
over Vin
all evening.
  It was eating away at her not to be able to
run to his aid.

As they neared the kitchen, C
a
eli heard the door at the far end of the hall open.  She looked toward the entrance in anticipation, and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest
in excitement
.

"Vin!"  C
a
eli rushed down the hall to
gre
et him.

"C
a
eli!  Y
ou
'
re
such
a sight for sore eyes."  Vin hugged her tightly, lifting her off her feet
and spinning around
as he kissed her.  He was
vastly
relieved to see her out of bed and moving about as if she were nearly recovered
.
  Although she still felt frail to him, C
a
eli seemed
much improved
.

"Whoa!"  C
a
eli grabbed hold of Vin's arms to steady herself as
a wave of
lightheaded
ness courted her
after the spin.

"Sorry,
are
you all right?"  Vin held her steady.
  Maybe he assumed too much and let himself be deceived by her appearance and his wishful thinking.

"Yes.  I'm fine. 
I'm a
little lightheaded, but n
o
need
to worry.  You've always had a dizzying effect on me," C
a
eli joked.

"Good to know that hasn't changed
.
  I
ha
ve missed you and been
so
w
orried.
  Yet
,
look at you.  You look g
reat!
  However, that doesn't mean that I'm not still concerned.
"

"Me? 
I think
my symptoms were simply the result of
a very
bad
flu. 
But you; 
I was
scared for
you. 
I
a
m not the one
who
nearly got swept out to sea, got shot,
and
had
a crazy lady
trying to make
his
head explode.  My hair should be gray
! 
I was so
worried about
you today."