Chapter Forty Three:

Saturday, November 1, 1997 – Los Angeles, CA – Cedars-Sinai

Inez had known the disappointment of missed chances and recognized it in Daisy. Not like being punched in the gut. More like becoming immaterial. The long waiting which seemed, even to Inez, like being locked out rather than being locked in was likely not making the situation any easier for her. And now they would need to find a place for her to stay.

When Kay walked back in the room, she spoke to Daisy. "I told him you were here. He wants to see you."

When Daisy rushed into the hall, Soonie gave her the room number and told her which direction to take. And then went back to the waiting room to find Inez waiting, her face a question mark.

"He was going to find out soon anyway. There was no reason to keep it from him and every reason to tell him as soon as possible."

Inez sighed in agreement and remembered what she told Kate about E being able to read guilt…

"Shit!" she said, under her breath, alarming Soonie.

Inez pulled her phone out of the tote and dialed the office. When Cam answered she demanded to speak to Thompson, no matter what he was doing.

Cam had said Inez sounded tense. "What's up?" he asked with an 'it's never good when you call after dark' tone."

"Did you find Kate's cell number?"

"Haven't really had the…"

"Find it. Now. And don't wait to call me back with it. Call it and let her know what happened. Then call me back." Inez was still hoping she was wrong. But hit the wall with the palm of her hand and swore again anyway.

Darting out the door, she knew Kay was close on her heels but didn't try to stop her. When they got to E's room she gave it a quick knock; hard enough to announce herself, yet soft enough not to awaken the two other occupants of that section of hallway.

Inez didn't wait for the niceties of comforting words or patient waiting for E to remember. She needed answers.

"E."

"Inez, what…?"

"Do you remember anything, anything at all, about your conversation with the man outside your apartment? Or why you took La Cienega instead of the 405?"

"No…I don't remember anything…"

Inez already had her phone to her ear and had dialed the office.

"C'mon, c'mon…answer dammit. Angie, I need you to get a unit over to 131 North Hamilton Boulevard, it's off Willshire, Apartment B. I'm leaving in a few minutes. Should be there about the same time."

As soon as Inez said the address, Enos became alarmed and agitated to the point Daisy had to restrain him. Soonie moved in to assist. He fought off their attempts and was about to pull out his IV needle.

"Kate? Why do you need to go to Kate's?"

"E," Inez said, the dread on her face would have confirmed it even if she hadn't said another word. "You were on La Cienega when you were attacked - near Ladera Heights, before the split. It's a straight shot north on La Cienega. You weren't headed for my place. You were headed for hers."

It took a few seconds for the information to kick in. Other than Enos and Inez, only Soonie understood the significance.

"I left three messages on her answer machine and she hasn't returned any of them."

"Call her mobile…" Enos was still trying to process it. The hand that Soonie was holding began to tremble and he tightened his hold on hers.

Inez dialed the numbers into her phone as quickly as he gave them to her in rapid fire.

"No answer," she said, holding the phone away from her ear, "Just goes to voicemail."