Chapter 6
Steve had a guilty conscience that he had approached Mel like that. He didn't know why, but his protective instincts just kept kicking in and he was afraid something might happen to her, even though she seemed more like the kind of woman who could take care of herself. Steve said goodbye to Tani, got in his car and drove to the coroner's office. It was time for him to apologize.
When he arrived, the side door to the building was open. Unusual, because actually it behaved here similarly as in the Palace, that one could enter the building only over an admission control or the receipt. Steve drew his gun. Just beyond the door, the guard was leaning against the wall. Steve felt for his pulse; he was alive. Steve placed an emergency call and then cautiously moved on. The door to Mel's office was only ajar. Steve pushed it all the way open and entered the office. Through the windows to the autopsy room, he could see that someone was lying on the ground. He ran over.
"Mel?" Steve bent over the medical examiner, and when he slid his hand under her head, it was full of blood. Not good. His heart pounded in his throat as he felt for her pulse.
"Mel? Can you hear me?" Gently, he stroked her cheek.
Her eyelids fluttered, then she moaned and her hand went to the back of her head. Then she opened her eyes and looked at him. She tried to sit up, but in a moment everything started to spin. She sank back and held her head.
"You'd better lie still, the ambulance will be here soon. You've got quite a bump back there."
"What happened?"
"I was just about to ask you that."
"I was just about to start the autopsy and then I don't know anything."
Now she sat up after all and leaned against the cabinet. Her gaze fell to her office and then to her desk.
"The bugs! He took the bugs."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, when I came they were still in the box on the desk. Now the box is gone."
"Damn. I guess the store was his source after all." She turned pale.
"But how did he know about me?"
"I'm afraid someone like us was looking at the video surveillance." Steve heard the ambulance approaching.
"And now you let me take care of you first, and I'll put the old lady back in the cooler."
"But I'm fine." Steve looked at her sternly.
"Yes, that's why you're chalky white in the face, you get dizzy when you stand up, and you have a hole in your head." Defiantly, she looked at him.
„But…"
She didn't get a chance to answer, because the paramedics had arrived in the meantime. They taped the laceration to the back of Mel's head and then took her to the hospital anyway to rule out a major injury. Reluctantly, Mel let herself be pushed into the ambulance.
Steve watched the car for a long time. When he wanted to get into the ambulance, an icy look from her had made him take his foot off the step again.
Steve closed his eyes. When he saw her lying on the floor, he felt as if a cold hand was reaching for his heart. And he was glad that she was all right.
Mel patiently endured all the examinations and when the doctor diagnosed only a concussion and a bump with a laceration, she took her bag and left the hospital. There was no way she was going to stay here, she could cure the concussion at home. Then she was again faced with the problem of cab or how to get out of here. She looked at her cell phone and called Tani.
"Mel? How are you?"
"It's all good. Can you pick me up at the hospital?"
"You get to go home already?"
"Yes, you could put it that way."
"Mel!"
"Please Tani. I have a mild concussion and you can go home with that."
"Yeah okay, I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"Thank you."
Restlessly, Mel paced up and down in front of the hospital. She had spent so much time in hospitals and rehab facilities in the last few months, it was enough to last her a lifetime. Then she heard Tani's scooter approaching. As soon as she came to a stop, Mel got on. "Will you please drive me to the institute?"
"Mel, you should get into your bed, a concussion is not something to be trifled with."
"I'll do it then, yes, but my car is at the institute or I won't be able to get to work tomorrow."
"I don't want you to come to work tomorrow either."
"And then who's going to examine Ms. Mirren? You?"
"Please see how you are tomorrow. I'm sure the old lady won't run away from you again."
"Yeah, okay."
Tani stopped in front of the institute and Mel thanked her for picking her up. After she left, however, she went back to her office and picked up her laptop and beach bag. Then she left the forensic institute again and got into her car. When she arrived at Noelani's apartment, her head was pounding and Mel felt nauseous. Exhausted, she lay down on the couch and immediately fell asleep.