Chapter Seven
"Don't see why I had to come in with you." Keller chuckled right as he and Danny entered the hospital. "You could have just left me in the car, you know?"
"Not after the way you kept remarking about how nice it was." Danny shook his head, glancing quickly at the older man beside him. The brown-haired, above-average looking man still questioned his mentor's rationale behind trusting him. "That car belonged to my mother, Jack. Forgive me if I don't want anyone to steal it."
"Ouch! That hurts, Danny Boy." Keller replied, wincing and putting a hand to his heart in mock offense. Had he not noticed the wide grin on the older, darker haired man's face, McCoy might have taken him as serious. "Remind me again, what have I ever done to you?"
"You can't be serious." Danny answered, pausing immediately in his tracks and facing the other man. "Do you not remember Panama? Do you seriously not remember trying to kill me?"
"Oh, come on, kid!" a hysterical Keller laughed, rolling his eyes and patting Danny on the back. "That wasn't even remotely personal!"
"Yeah, right." a skeptical Danny replied before suddenly spotting the blonde nurse who had taken care of him. "Excuse me."
"Oh," the woman replied, looking at him. "Mr. McCoy, what are you doing back here?"
"I think that I may have forgotten something in the room I was originally put in." Danny said with a small smile, "Would you mind if I went in there and looked around?"
"Go right ahead." the blonde nodded, motioning towards the room. "Although, it's probably been taken to the lost and found by now. The police have been in there all day, looking for something."
"Are they still in there?" a curious Danny questioned, hoping that the answer was no. "Because I wouldn't want to interrupt a police investigation…"
"They're on lunch." the nurse replied, "Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got patients to attend to."
"Smooth, kid." Keller complimented as the two men walked into the room. "All right, what are we looking for?"
"The phone number." Danny replied, immediately heading for the bedside phone. He remembered seeing the number for the room written on the base. "Once Ed gets a hold of it, he can trace the call and find out where the Professor was most likely calling from." Picking up the phone, he scribbled the number down on a nearby paper towel.
"Got it?" a curious Keller inquired.
"Got it." Danny nodded, stuffing the paper towel into his pocket. "Let's go."
"Not so fast!" a voice commanded from behind the retreating Danny. McCoy immediately turned around again to see Luis standing there with his arms folded across his chest and an accusing look in his eyes.
"You know, girls don't really go for stalking." Sam hissed into Mike's ear as she noticed the bald, African American man spying on Nessa from behind a row of slot machines. The black pit boss with shoulder length hair didn't seem to notice the pair.
"I'm not stalking her." Mike replied, glancing at the brunette beside him. "Ed told me to keep an eye on her." He shook his head. "Especially since we're not sure where the Professor is right now, or what he's planning to do."
"You really think he'd go after Nessa?" Sam asked, clearly worried for her friend. "You really think that he'd pull something here?"
"He's already gone after Danny and Big Ed." Mike nodded, watching Nessa as she traveled from pit to pit.
"He went after Ed?" a confused Sam inquired.
"You didn't hear." Mike slowly realized, taking his eyes off of Nessa for a second. Not knowing how the woman beside him would take the news, he held Sam's hands in his own. "The Professor called Danny and Ed on the phone, and basically owned up to kidnapping Jillian and Delinda."
"Man's got a death wish." a grinning Sam remarked as both her and Mike turned their eyes back to the floor, "I thought everyone knew not to mess with Ed Deline's family."
"Well, he'll have more than Ed and Danny gunning for him if he goes after Nessa." a serious Mike promised, not taking his eyes off of Holt. "I can guarantee that."
"Luis." Danny greeted with an innocent look.
"What are you doing in here, Danny?" Luis asked, even though he already suspected. "I thought that the hospital would be the last place you would want to see right now."
"I forgot something." Danny shrugged.
"Like the phone number?" Luis said, looking intently into Danny's eyes. The brown-haired, Hispanic detective closed the door behind him with as he noticed the innocent expression quickly vanish from his friend's face. "Don't tell me that Ed's planning on doing his usual thing."
"Can you blame the guy, man?" a curious Danny asked, "I mean, the Professor kidnapped his wife and daughter for God's sake. You can't tell me that you wouldn't do the same thing."
"No, I'd let the law handle it like any sane person would." Luis replied before sighing deeply and putting a hand to his forehead. "I don't know why I'm so surprised, because I know that you and Ed believe that the police can't handle anything."
"Or maybe we just prefer to handle some things on our own." Danny fired back, realizing that he was wasting time. Time that could mean life or death for Jillian and Delinda. He pulled the paper towel out from his pocket, and handed it to Keller, who was standing behind him. "Why don't you go outside and call Ed? He needs that number ASAP."
"You didn't say the magic word." Keller smiled, remaining where he stood.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Danny grumbled, quickly putting his forehead in his left hand. The tall, brown-haired man planned on giving it to Ed the minute he got back to the Montecito for sticking him with the dark-haired man. He dropped his hand and looked wearily back up. "Please?"
"Okay." Keller replied after thinking it over for a moment.
"And don't go anywhere near my car!" Danny warned the retreating man. As the door shut again behind Keller, McCoy sighed heavily. "What in the hell did I do to deserve being stuck with him?"
"How much time do you have?" a teasing Luis smiled, looking at his friend.
"Very funny." Danny replied, glaring at his detective friend.
"You should probably be getting back to the Montecito." Luis said, "Ed probably wants to leave the minute that he gets a location."
"Most likely." Danny nodded, knowing his mentor all too well.
"Take care of yourself, man." Luis instructed, suddenly hugging the ex-Marine. "We've already lost Greg." He shook his head. "I don't want to have to lose you too."
"Don't worry." Danny promised, hugging his friend back. "You won't."
"So, how much is Ed paying you to spy on me?" Nessa asked as she walked quickly past Mike, who was still camped out behind a row of slot machines. Seeing the black woman headed towards the innards of the casino, Cannon gave up his post and followed her.
"He's not." Mike replied, appearing at her side. "He just wants me to keep an eye on you. That's all."
"Did it ever occur to Ed or you that I'm a big girl?" Nessa inquired, opening one of the many hidden doors that led to the back of the Montecito, where only employees were allowed to go. "I can take care of myself."
"Mr. D. doesn't want to take any chances, Ness." Mike explained, "That's all." Deciding to change subjects, the African American man stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. "So, what brings you back to this part of the Montecito?"
"I just thought I'd see what the latest is on Jillian and Delinda." a sad Nessa sighed, stopping by the doorway that led directly to Ed's office. "And see how Ed is."
"The real question is how are you doing." Mike said, putting his hand on the woman's shoulder. "I mean, I know that the Delines are like family to you, so it's got to be pretty rough for you too right now."
"I'm fine." Nessa reassured, waving Mike's concern off.
"You sure?" a curious Mike asked, "Because I'm here if you need to talk to someone."
"I know." an appreciative Nessa nodded before kissing Mike quickly on the cheek. "Thank you, Mike."
"You're welcome." Cannon blushed as Nessa headed into Ed's office.
"No way in hell." Danny remarked as he exited the hospital. Stuffing his cell-phone back into his pants pocket, Keller looked curiously at McCoy from the driver's seat of the latter's yellow and black Camaro convertible.
"What?" he asked innocently, but with a teasing grin on his face.
"You are not driving my car." a firm Danny replied, "Did you get a hold of Ed yet?"
"Yep." Keller nodded, reluctantly sliding into the passenger seat. "He's apparently working on getting a location as we speak."
"Good." Danny replied, sitting down. As a dull ache appeared in his broken ribs, he winced and put a hand to his mid-section. McCoy realized that his painkillers were wearing off. "Damn! Maybe you should drive."
"Fine by me." a grinning Keller shrugged, getting out of the car.
To be continued...