In the Line of Fire by R. J. Noonan

Author:R. J. Noonan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

18

By the time Derringer and I arrived at Evergreen County Hospital, Donny Gallagher was in postop, having undergone surgery for severe head trauma. His doctors predicted Donny would survive his injuries, but it was too early to determine what permanent neurological damage he might’ve sustained. We peeked in on Donny, saw Chris napping in the bedside chair, and backed out.

It was after ten PM, shift change for many of the nurses on the third-floor surgical unit of the hospital. Derringer and I stood between the elevators and the nurses’ station, watching as fresh-faced men and women arrived, laughing with their coworkers, reviewing charts, and receiving important updates on particular patients. The clang of activity and low hum of fluorescent lights thrummed in my ears.

Lowering myself to a seat in the waiting room, I felt my energy drain as the temporary adrenaline surge dissipated. Finding Donny Gallagher beaten to a pulp had taken a toll, and once I got back to the precinct, I would need to add to Z’s report about the scene of Donny’s assault and the collection of evidence that seemed to dovetail into two active cases. I needed a hot cup of coffee and some sugar to power through what was shaping up to be a long night.

“I’m grabbing a snack,” I told Derringer. “Want something?”

“Coffee?” He scanned the hallway with a sharklike intensity that I admired. “I’ll go with you.”

The cafeteria had closed for the night, but a nurse directed us down one hall to a row of vending machines that sold coffee, sandwiches, and snacks. We took our stash back to the intensive care waiting room and devoured our small feast. The coffee was decent, and it went well with the Kind nut bar I’d gotten from the machine. Derringer quickly polished off two sandwiches, but we both savored the coffee.

“I wouldn’t mind pressing Chris Gallagher for more details,” Derringer said thoughtfully. “I think he knows more than he told you.”

I could tell he was gnawing at the bit to grill Chris himself, but I thought a softer approach was sure to give us a bigger payoff, and I told him so. “Besides, his father is in serious condition. We need to take that into consideration.”

He shook his head. “A cop is lying in intensive care and Chris Gallagher knows more than he’s letting on. If anything, that guy needs to be leaned on hard.”

“Before we do a push, let’s do some research.” I straightened in the stiff chair and nodded toward Derringer’s black satchel. “Does that computer have access to crime databases?” I wanted to run some searches on the Gallaghers, but that would mean returning to the precinct to use the computer system there.

“This computer has magical capabilities,” he said, “as long as the hospital Wi-Fi is reliable.”

He put his coffee aside and opened up the small laptop that he’d seemed glued to in Omak’s office. At this time of night, there were no other visitors in the intensive care unit waiting room, so it seemed okay to huddle close and take care of some business.

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