The emergency room was busy. They went to the registration desk, where Eames pulled out her badge. "My partner was brought in a little while ago."
She nodded and motioned for them to follow her. She led them to an empty cubicle where Logan sat alone. "Mike?"
"They took him to x-ray. He'll be right back."
"How is he?" When he hesitated, she added, "I want the truth."
"Right now, a little doped up. They gave him some strong pain killers when he woke up in a lot of pain. Since he regained consciousness, the doctors haven't been so worried."
"Did he tell you what happened?"
Logan looked at the floor. "Yeah, he did."
She waited, but he remained quiet. "Mike, tell me what happened!"
"I went over to his place after lunch. We were going to shoot some hoops and grab a bite to eat. He didn't answer, and the door was unlocked, so I went in."
"Who did this to him?"
Logan fidgeted in his seat. "It was Ricky and three of his friends. He's seen them before with Ricky."
"Oh, my God…" She felt her father grab her and guide her to the chair near Logan. "What have I done?"
"This isn't your doing, Alex," Logan said.
She shook her head slowly. "He's lost his mind."
"He's going to lose more than that. Deakins blew a gasket when I talked to him, especially after I called him back and told him Ricky did this."
She felt like she was walking through a nightmare. She could feel her father's hand on her shoulder and she knew Logan had taken her hand and was holding it, but she was detached. She just wanted to lie down and go to sleep, so she could wake up and this would all be over.
She looked up when Deakins arrived. The captain looked from one detective to the other. "What the hell is going on?"
"He's in x-ray," Logan answered.
"Is he awake?"
"He was when he left."
The captain looked at Eames. "Did Mike tell you?" She nodded. "Where is your husband now?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since yesterday."
He looked at Logan. "He's sure it was Waters?"
Logan nodded. "Yeah, he's sure."
"And the other three?"
"Friends of Ricky's."
"And they're cops?"
Logan nodded. "He was sure of that."
"Ok, I am going to handle this. One of you call me as soon as you find out anything more. And let me know how he's doing."
He was sleeping when they brought him back from x-ray. John motioned for Logan to come with him and they left the cubicle. She got up from the chair and walked over to his bed as soon as the nurse finished what she was doing with his IV. Reaching out, she touched his face. His eyelids fluttered and he forced himself awake. "Eames…"
"Look at you," she tried to smile. "Next time I won't leave."
"I'm glad you weren't there."
"Bobby, I…"
"No," he said quietly, reaching toward her, but getting hung up with IV tubing. He looked annoyed. "This was between him and me."
"And three other men? That's just wrong."
He shook his head. "They didn't hit me."
"So what, they were just spectators?"
"No."
She pushed his shirt open, looking at the bruises that were beginning to form on his chest and abdomen. "They got you under control and held you so he could hit you, didn't they?" He didn't answer. "What the hell is wrong with him?"
He adjusted himself on the bed, trying to stifle a groan of pain. "He said he had us followed yesterday," he said quietly after he'd settled back against the pillow. "He knew you were at my place last night."
She looked away from him, her anger growing quickly, like a forest fire, teetering on the edge of her control. When she looked back, she saw his blood, his bruises…the pain in his half-closed eyes…and something snapped. "That son of a bitch…that goddam son of a bitch…"
"Eames…" He sat up, ignoring the pain. "No….don't you dare…"
But she didn't hear him. She left the cubicle, pushing past Logan and her father when they came to see why he had shouted at her. She began to run, not listening to the voices that followed her.
Logan would have run after her, but he was helping to restrain her partner, who'd ripped out his IV and was set on stopping her. It took four of them to wrestle him back onto the bed and a syringe filled with medicine to keep him there.