Page 76 of Wild Temple
“I need to see some identification,” Tabitha growled.
We fast-walked down the hall while Tabitha approached the officers and complained. It wasn’t long after that when they shouted for us to stop. That was our cue to take off.
What started as a brisk walk turned into a sprint. JD and I raced down the corridor with the girls and took a right at the next corner.
The police chased after us, shouting. Fortunately, they were at the other end of the hallway when we had started our mad dash.
We made a few quick turns down the hospital hallways and ducked into a patient room. I picked up a clipboard at the end of the patient's bed and reviewed her chart. The others stood around, trying to make themselves look busy.
The patient looked at me with confused eyes. She was an American woman who had broken her leg during a scooteraccident and was in traction. They were common in the area—first-time scooter drivers underestimating the dangers and overestimating their abilities.
"Everything is looking great, Mrs. Davis. You’re healing well, and we should have you up and out of here and running marathons in no time.”
Her brow wrinkled with confusion. "Who are you?"
The cops ran past the room, their footsteps slapping against the tile. They ran to the end of the hall, then split up at the T junction.
We slipped back into the hallway and walked in the opposite direction, trying to play it cool.
We flooded out of the nearest exit into the night air. It was hot and thick as usual.
Caspian and his men hadn't bothered to take my wallet or my phone while we were in the jungle. They weren't after money, and the cell phone didn't have service out there. We walked around the hospital, back to the parking lot by the ER, and found the Jeep. I hopped behind the wheel, cranked up the engine, and we drove away.
I called Talia.
In a relieved exhale, she said, "Oh my God, you're okay! I was worried sick about you. What happened?"
I gave her a brief recap of the full story and told her we needed a place to stay. "I need you to hack into the hospital database. Check the security cameras and patient records. I think Isabella got into an accident and was treated at the hospital. She's not there now. But she can't be far."
"I'm on it," she replied. “I don’t know how I missed this. I checked with the hospital. They said they had no Jane Does matching Isabella’s description.”
“People fall through the cracks all the time.”
Talia told me she would call the Nest and make arrangements for our stay. By this point, we were running short on cash. Talia said she would transfer crypto and make reservations under an assumed name.
15 minutes later, we checked in at the front desk. I got keys to a two-bedroom suite with a spacious living area, a minibar, and kitchenette. The balcony overlooked the pool. It may not have been the most opulent place on the island but was the pinnacle of luxury compared to the jungle we had just endured. Anything would seem like a five-star accommodation after that.
The first thing I wanted to do was hit the shower.
Brooke joined me.
The hot, steamy water washed away days of dirt, grime, sweat, and trauma. It swirled down the drain as we both lathered up. But the adventure wasn't quite over yet.
Fresh and squeaky clean, we decided to get dirty again in the tiny shower stall. It was a challenge, but we made it work.
Afterward, we toweled off but didn't have any fresh clothes to change into. The white terrycloth robe provided by the hotel would have to do for now. It was way too small, but it served its purpose while I mixed drinks.
The scrubs we had taken from the hospital were relatively clean. They would do until I could get other clothes. The girls were in the same boat. We all had nothing.
I fell onto the couch, drink in hand, and put my feet up on the woven coffee table. That’s when I noticed something astonishing.
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My feet didn’t ache.
I'm not really prone to believe in legends and superstitions, but considering the abuse my feet had taken over the last few days in the jungle, they were recovering well. Faster than I had anticipated. I wasn't going to complain. Maybe it was the healing water. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was just my imagination. Maybe it was the stiff drink in my hand and the beautiful woman at my side.
We chilled out in the suite, ordered room service, and feasted like kings. After all, we had been through, we deserved it.
