Trixie

Chapter two

Don walked back meekly with Clara, sat on the bed while she took her vitals. Pressure taken and when she took his temperature, she made a 'um um' sound which got Don alarmed. He didn't want to stay any longer than a day or two, he hoped that he could go back real soon.

"What's that Clara? Don't tell me the bad news." Don implored.

"Agent Eppes.."

"Don, Don , Clara, its Don."

"Well OK Agent Don."

"Funny, Clara. Please call me Don?"

"OK, Don, since you've been a resident of this fine establishment for more than 3 days, we can be on intimate terms." Clara smiled.
"So Clara, what wrong?"

"You temperature is still hovering on the border of high. It's been 2 days and still it's not coming down. I call Dr. Stewart and let him decide.
OK here's your meds, get your rest and no gallivanting."

"Not gallivanting, just sitting in the garden enjoying some sunshine.
Clara, I met a little girl there, her name's Trixie, do you know anything about her accident?"

Don didn't want to be nosey but he needed some details so that he can ask Megan if Trixie's accident was related to their case.

"Oh that's Mrs. Cameron and her daughter Trixie.
It's a police case; Mrs. Cameron's car got hit by a speeding car.
It seemed that the speeding car was stolen and the driver is a kidnapper or something like that; don't really pay attention to the news. Got them from my chatty nurses.
Trixie's a little imp. Most adorable and chatty too. It seemed she's a child genius, got most of the nurses stumped with her questions and observations."

Don was not surprised, umm, he decided not to tell Charlie and let him find out by himself, if he ever had a chance to meet her.

"I had a chat with her in the garden and I find her adorable too. Sad that she was in the accident with her mother. Her mother just woke up? I heard it from Trixie's Nana when she came looking for her."

"Yea, the little old lady kept her company in the ward during the day. Mrs. Cameron woke up but still in a serious condition.
OK young man, you rest now, Doctor Stewart should be coming in soon"

Don found that that he needed to get out of the room, he waited till the coast was clear, he took a walk down the corridor, a different corridor this time and he found himself in a large area with a sunroof. Sofas formed a semi circle facing each other under the roof.
'Probably for the patients to get their sun without stepping outside.
He took a corner sofa and sat down, leaned back and closed his eyes.

After a while, the seat beside him move, "You're a man of mystery."

"Huh?" Don opened his eyes and saw the curly top.

"Oh, hi Trixie, how's your mother?

"I was looking for you. Mommy's got to rest so I had to leave, they won't let me stay. Nana is sleeping again in my room. So I came out."

"So Goofy is once again your stand – in on the bed?"

Trixie laughed.

"What are you doing here; this place is for grown-up patients and not little pixies like you."

"I'm grown up."

"No, you're not; you're only eight years old."

Don can't believe that he was holding a conversation with a little girl, he wondered what his father or brother would say if they see him doing that.

"Don? "

"Yes?"

"I think I see Dr. Stewart looking this way, he's coming this way too, is he looking for you."

"Now, how do you know that?" Don asked looking to where she was pointing, the end of the corridor in deed was Dr. Stewart talking to one of the nurses.

"Dr. Stewart is looking after my mommy too."

"Huh? Oh Ok. I think you'd want to go back to your room. Dr.Stewart might call the police to catch you. You're an escaping patient after all."

Trixie laughed and indeed Dr.Stewart came bearing down on them.

"Young lady, what are you doing here? You go back now, I want to have a talk with Agent Eppes."

"Agent Eppes? You're agent Eppes? Don?"

"Er..Yes, I'm Special Agent Don Eppes, I work for the FBI." Don was wondering and suddenly "OW!"

Trixie looked at him and whack him on shoulder where the bullet wound was. She clambered down and stared at him and said,
"Its your people who put my mother in hospital. My Nana told me it was in the news that the FBI was chasing the bad person that ran into my mother's car. I hate you!" she cried and ran off.

Don was speechless, he looked at Dr.Stewart, he said,
"Come on let's go back to your room, I want to tell you something."

Don said nothing but walked with Dr. Stewart to the direction of his room,
"I'm sorry."

Don was not paying attention then he noticed Dr. Stewart talking to him.

"Huh?"

"I said, I'm sorry, didn't know that she react such a way. Are you alright?" Dr. Stewart looked at Don.

"Alright, no problem, its just the way things are. Her mother's in serious condition because of our case. I feel bad too."

"But if you don't then that little girl will not be found. Your kidnapper is here, you know."

"What!"

"It's in the news, your case, I mean, so I won't telling you anything new. They brought all the injured parties to this hospital. It's the nearest and Mrs. Cameron was critical when they brought her and her daughter here.

There's another car that he crashed into, I'm sure you've know. The two people inside received outpatient treatment.

Your friends brought you here and that kidnapper person came in a heavily guarded ambulance. Shouldn't be telling you this, but I know you can get the information easily, he had broken ribs, but his condition made it serious."

"How so" Don asked and he was still in shock that the perp was in this hospital. Usually they were sent to Prison hospital.

"He's diabetic and the Prison hospital cannot deal with this problem just yet. He's kept here for the time being under heavy guard."

Ok no more talk, let me check you over, um your temperature still not good."

It was quiet when Dr. Stewart gave him a once over again, he told Don to lie down while he check his shoulder.
A nurse, not Clara, came in with necessary equipment and after a while of prodding and asking Don for the level of pain, which he replied negative.

Dr. Stewart stared at Don and asked again the level of pain to which Don replied,"5".

The nurse cleaned the incision and once again bandaged up his shoulder and this time the bandages were wound round his shoulder loosely.
This made Don a bit comfortable and the pain was not too bad.

"Your incision is slightly inflamed and because of that you still have a temperature. I will put you on stronger antibiotics and hopefully it will clear the infection.
I'm sorry to say that you will be our guest until further notice.
Please let the nurse know if the pain gets bad" Dr Stewart said looking at Don for any reaction.

"If by tomorrow the fever still lingers, then we'll do a blood test to see what happened, now we let the antibiotics do its job.

Rest and no gallivanting around and picking up strange girls.
Seriously, Don you want to get better, preferable that you stay in bed or inside this room, do not wander all over the place, its not good for you, germs floating everywhere, you get what I mean?''

Don nodded and muttered his thanks.

Dr.Stewart left and Don looked round for his cell but cannot find it anywhere, sneaky, his dad must have taken it away.

The door opened and David and Megan came in.

"Hi guys, was about to get one of you."

"How are you? Not blowing this joint soon?" David asked.

"Not yet, the doctor is not letting me out and I do not know why a little temperature is such a big deal."

Megan looked at him and saw that he was really not taking this seriously. She looked at David in alarm, then she turned to Don and told him in a very careful tone,
"Don, infection is a real big deal, if not taken care of, you'll be in real big trouble, so enjoy the luxury hotel here for a little while more. The Office is running smoothly, Merrick is taking charge while you recuperate."

"Seriously I'm about to go mad staying here."

"That's why your dad's not here isn't it? You're behaving like a spoilt child."

"Careful Megan, I'm still your boss."

"Yea, yea, where's Charlie? You sent him away too?"

"Megan…"

Megan backed off putting both her hands up.

"You said you'd wanted to see us? "David quickly put in.

"Yes, you know about the accidents that Logan caused while being chased by LAPD?"

"Yes?"
"The accident victims are here in this hospital and you know what? Logan is here too."

"What!" both Megan and David exclaimed.

"He's being treated here because of some complications that delayed his being transferred to Prison Hospital, it seems that he's diabetic."

"Hey Don how did you know all of this? You sneaked back to work while your dad's not looking?" David asked jokingly.

"Wished I did. Dr. Stewart told me and I met one of the accident victims."

"Oh, how so?"

"Long story and anyway, did our reports say that Logan is diabetic?"

"No, there's nothing written anywhere to say that he's diabetic. Remember last week we nearly got him cornered? We were chasing him and suddenly lost him and another report said that he was at another place near the ATM machine?"

"I must thank Dr. Stewart for this piece of information. This is very suspicious, think of it; maybe there are two of them. Have you interviewed the little girl?"

"No, the parents promised that they will bring her to FBI office tomorrow. I've tried to interview her yesterday but she won't say a word."

"Megan, try to do it today. Don't frighten them but it could be two kidnappers instead of one. Ask the girl."

"OK, I'll go now and I'll get Lt. Walker on it and double the security."

"Thanks Megan. You go on too David."

"Er.. I'll stay here a bit or until Alan comes." David got the nod from Megan.

"What? that's OK David, he's under guard. I won't be going anywhere. Under Doctor's orders to stay in this bed or inside this room ."

"Why? You've been wandering?"

Don put a finger to his nose and both of them burst out laughing.

They both said their good byes and went off.

Don paced up and down his room and finally got tired, sat on his sofa and soon dozed off.

His door was pushed opened slightly and a small figure crept in. She went up and put something near him and then crept off.

Alan came into the room and looked around for his son and what he saw, he wished a thousand times that he had a camera or a phone with the latest technology. He just wanted to take a photograph of his sleeping son on the sofa. Not just any photograph but a photograph of his eldest sleeping on the sofa clutching a very big teddy bear.

tbc