Page 90 of To Die For

“After midnight.”

“I’ve got an appointment tomorrow morning with Danny Glass and Betsy Odom. Then a court hearing after that.”

“News flash, you’re not going to make it,” said Braddock.

“The hell I’m not.”

“Travis, listen to reason,” said Walker. “You’re lucky to be alive.”

“Get the doc in here.”

“Devine!” snapped Braddock. “You are not—”

“Get the fucking doctor in here. Now! I’m not letting Betsy down, too!”

The hospitalist, a woman in her thirties with dark hair and a calm expression, was summoned.

“If you leave, it will be against medical advice,” she said.

“Am I going to drop dead from any of this?”

“No, but you’re going to be sore as hell. Stiff as a board. Ears ringing. And you’re going to have the mother of all migraines, even with the pain meds. And that’s going to be for the next twenty-four to possibly forty-eight hours.”

“I’ve got a high tolerance for pain due to my own stupidity. So just give me the meds and cut me loose. I’ll sign what I have to.”

“Are you quite sure?” said the doctor.

“Where are my clothes?” demanded Devine. “Andmy gun?”

CHAPTER

42

DEVINE’S RENTAL HAD LUCKILY SUFFEREDno serious damage, having been mostly blocked from the bomb blast by Coburn’s Lexus. That was fortunate because there probably wasn’t a car leasing place left in the state of Washington that would do business with him. The police had brought it to the hospital. Escorted by a nurse and Braddock and Walker, Devine was wheeled to the exit. With his pain meds in a plastic bag, he rose unsteadily from the chair.

Braddock said, “Do you really think this is a good idea?”

“I’ll get back to you on that,” said Devine, wheezing a bit.

Walker gripped a wobbly Devine’s arm. “This is ridiculous. I’m coming with you.”

“I’m fine!”

“The hell you are! And you’re on heavy pain meds. Which means you’re legally impaired and not allowed to operate a motor vehicle.”

“Look, Beth—”

“No,youlook.” She held up his car key. “Either I drive you, or this gets chucked into that storm drain over there. And then I’ll arrest you for being an idiot.”

Devine looked at her and then glanced at Braddock, who said, “Don’t think she won’t. She’ll out-stubborn you, Devine, guaranteed.”

Devine sighed. “Okay, let’s go.”

Braddock loaded him into the passenger side and Walker drove them off.

Devine eased back in the seat. He’d taken one of the pain meds, but it hadn’t kicked in yet. He was praying it would any second.

Walker glanced worriedly over at him. “I’m sorry about Dr. Coburn. I’d actually heard her speak at a forensics conference I attended last year. She really knew her field.”

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