Catch Me if You Can
Chapter 15By the time Jeff got to the hospital that night Stu had looked at every magazine they had available, and read The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times cover to cover. He hadn't sat in one place like this for that long since he couldn't remember when, and it was driving him crazy. Jeff brought two of the books Stu had been reading with him; Jeff knew that wasn't enough to keep his partner happy but it would do for a start.
The hospital room was filled with flowers. "You running a florist shop on the side, Stu?"
"Isn't this ridiculous? Everyone I've ever known has sent flowers of some kind. I finally had to tell Avery no more, and to keep them at the nurse's station."
"You mean there's more?" Jeff asked incredulously.
Stu looked bewildered. "Yes. Lots."
"I'll collect the cards and have Suzanne send Thank You notes to everyone."
"Thanks. Tell her to keep the cards when she's done. I guess I better read them so I know who she's thanked for me. What's going on at the office? What about your meeting? How did that go?"
"We have a brand new client. And it's going to be big."
"Don't keep me in suspense. I'm dying for any news that isn't hospital or recovery related."
"Chrysler Motor Cars of Los Angeles. There are twelve different Chrysler car lots that are part of the group."
"Well, congratulations. Sounds like you got a big one. What's their problem?"
"Auto theft. Cars disappearing off their lots. It's going to take both of us, I'm afraid."
"Jeff, you know I'm going to be laid up for at least two or three weeks more. How am I going to help?"
His partner chuckled. "I'll find a way, don't you worry. In the meantime, Suzanne sends her love. She wanted to send flowers, but I talked her out of it."
There was that bewildered look on Stu's face again. "She knows better than that."
"Like my mother used to say - we're all at sixes and sevens without you there. I have to play daddy, and I don't do well in that role."
"You do just fine, Jefferson."
"Any word on the blood yet?"
"Not that they've told me. And I still don't know what they're going to do if they don't find any."
"Don't even think about that. They'll find it somewhere."
"Let's hope so. Tell me more about the Chrysler dealerships."
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If took the hospital two more days to finally locate the blood needed for Stu's transfusion. Unfortunately, it was in Ottawa, Quebec, and would take about twelve hours to get to San Pedro. Stu gave Jeff the news when he called. "That's great, Stu. I know you want to get out of there, but at least they've found the blood. Just hold on another day and you'll be able to get out of bed and start walking."
"Won't that be a big thrill. I'll be able to walk around the hospital. If I can stand up, that is."
Jeff knew that tone of voice well. Stu was bored. And when he got bored he got grumpy. "You knew there was going to be rehab work because of where the bullet was. The sooner you do the rehab the sooner you can come home."
"I know, I know. I'm just so tired of lying in this bed that I can't see straight. Any chance of you coming down today?"
"No, sorry. I've got the Robertson case to close today, and that will take all afternoon. But I'll be there tonight."
"Alright. I'll talk to you later."
It was almost noon by the time Stu had himself talked into getting up. After all, the blood would be here tonight and they would start the transfusion as soon as it got here. What harm could it do? He waited until he knew Avery was at lunch and decided to try. He carefully swung his legs around the bed and slid his feet into his slippers. He grabbed the handrail and pulled himself to his feet, wobbling only slightly. Still holding onto the railing, he took a step. Then another. Finally he let go and took two steps.
It was the last step that got him. Suddenly he couldn't breathe, and he had a stabbing pain in his chest. It got worse and worse until it felt like a knife in his heart. His breathing was labored and he felt dizzy, on top of everything else. He swayed and staggered and couldn't stay on his feet. All he could think of as he went down was why didn't I listen to the doctor?
That's the way Nurse Avery found him, sprawled on the floor, for all the world looking like a dead man. She grabbed the button that would summon help and took his pulse. It was almost normal. By the time Jimmy the orderly got there Stu was coming to. "What . . . what happened?"
"You tell me, Mr. Bailey," was her answer as Jimmy picked him up like last week's laundry and placed him gently on the bed. Avery removed his slippers and covered him with a sheet. "Is that better? Do you have pain anywhere?"
"My . . . my chest hurts."
"Why did you think it was alright to get out of bed?"
There was no answer from Stu.
"I've sent for Doctor Johnson. He'll do a complete exam." She paused while she pulled up a blanket. Stu grabbed the edges of it as he shivered. In a softer voice she told him, "You could have killed yourself, Mr. Bailey."
"I know," he murmured.
By the time the doctor got there he was feeling better. His chest no longer hurt and he was breathing easier. The doctor went over everything thoroughly and then, with what could only be described as a disgruntled expression, asked him the same thing Nurse Avery had. "Why did you think it was alright to get out of bed, Mr. Bailey?"
"I just thought . . . I mean, the blood is coming . . . I guess I wasn't very smart, was I?"
"No, you weren't very smart. I'll tell you once again. Your body doesn't have enough blood for your heart to work properly as it is. When you try to do something else on top of that, your heart takes over and has priority. We can only hope that you didn't do any permanent damage. Will you give me your word that you won't do anything like that again? Otherwise, I'll have to have one of our orderlies sit with you the rest of the day."
"You have my word, Doctor." Stu felt like he'd just been scolded. He also felt like he deserved it. He could just imagine what Jeff would have to say tonight. What had he been thinking? If a client had pulled a stunt like that he would have fired them. He was sick of this bed, sick of this hospital. He was especially sick of all the damage Binny Carroll had caused. The man was dead but he was still causing problems. Stu wanted nothing more than to get out of here and go home, but after what he'd just done he knew he was nowhere near ready to. As if to remind him of how far he was from being healed, his side where he'd been shot began to ache. Why couldn't he have left well enough alone?