Willow Smoke (64 page)

Nick
stomped
his
foot
on
the
man’s
wrist,
pinning
it to the floor. “If you try for that
pig
sticker
again,
you’d
better
be
able
to
handle
it
a
lot
better
than
your
fists.”

Reggie
yelped.

Without
taking
pressure
off
the
man’s
wrist,
Nick
bent
over
and
pulled
a
thin
five
inch
blade
from
its
hiding
place
in
Reggie’s
boot.

Nick
glanced
at
Daisy.
“I
suppose
introductions
aren’t
necessary,”
Nick
said,
stepping
aside
to
cradle
Daisy
in
his
arms.
“This
must
be
Reggie—the
outstanding
citizen
of
Cicero.
I’m
Nicholas
Underwood.
You’re
lucky
you’re
still
alive,”
he
growled
at
Reggie.

“You’ll
wish
you
weren’t
before
I’m
through
with
you,”
Reggie
gasped,
bracing
himself against the wall, trying to stand.
“This isn’t over. Not at all.”

“Not
if
you
don’t
want
it
to
be,”
Nick
agreed.
“You
just
be
careful,
little
man.
Any
accidents
happen
to
Daisy,
and
I’m
coming
after
you.
You
won’t
have
enough
hiding
holes
to
keep
me
away.”

“Nick,
please
don’t
antagonize
him
more,”
Daisy
pled,
tugging
on
his
elbow.

“Sandy,”
the
man
in
the
white
coat
said.
“Call
security.
I
want
this
man
removed
from
the
premises.
And
he
is
not
to
be
allowed
back
in.”

“Who
the
hell
are
you?
I’m
Maxine’s
husband.”

“I’m
Maxine’s
doctor,
and
I’ve
had
to
repair
your
handiwork.
Don’t
tell
me
otherwise.
The
cops
don’t
believe
your
story
either.
But their hands are tied.
Mine aren’t.”
Doctor
Anderson
looked
at
the
nurse.
“Like
I said.
Make sure security doesn’t let
him
back.”

“But
what
about
my
nose?”
Reggie
wailed,
clutching
his
handkerchief
over
his
nose.

The
doctor
grunted.
“Doubt
one
more
broken
nose
will
harm
your
looks
or
disposition.
You’ll
heal
a
lot
faster than your wife.”

“I’ll
press
charges,”
Reggie
squealed.

The
doctor
looked
around
the
room
at
the
nurse,
Nick
and
Daisy
and
then
shook his
head.
“I
don’t
think
you
have
any
witnesses
to
back
up
your
story
this
time.”
Two
security officers entered the room.

“Get this vermin out of
here,
gentlemen,”
Dr.
Anderson
ordered.
“Make
sure
you
put
your
gloves
on
before
touching
him.
I
wouldn’t
want
you
catching
anything.”

“I’ll
get
you,
too,
Doc,”
Reggie
shouted
over
the
shoulder
of
a
guard
hustling
him
from the room.

“Don’t
waste
your
breath
on
me.”
Dr.
Anderson
shook
his
head
and
turned
toward
Nick
and
Daisy.
“If
I’m
not
threatened
twice
a
day,
I
don’t
feel
like
I’m
doing
my
job.”
He
invited
them
to
be
seated.

“Are
you
okay?”

Daisy smiled at Nick. “I’m
fine. I was pretty shook, but now I’m okay. How about
you?”

“Never
felt
better.
It’s
good
to
get
the
adrenaline
going
now
and
then.”

“I’m
worried.
Reggie’s
threats
aren’t
idle.”

“Neither
are
mine.”

“I’ve
got
a
busy
schedule,
you
two,”
Dr.
Anderson
interrupted.
“I’m
afraid
you’ll
have to sort out your family troubles on
someone else’s time.”

“Sorry,”
Daisy
replied.

“That’s all right. As to
your sister,
we’re
keeping
her
under
heavy
sedation
at
the
moment,
but
we’ll
begin
to
back
that
off
in
the
morning.
I
think
she’s
doing
okay,
given
the
circumstances.”
Dr.
Anderson
looked
toward
the
doorway
where
Reggie
had
left
and
shook
his
head.
“Some
women
never
learn
to
give
up
on
a
guy.”

Daisy
nodded.
“Will
she
make
it?”

“Oh,
I
think
so.
Unless
there’s
complications.
With
any
luck,
she’ll
be
out
of
intensive care in two or three days. Then it’s just a matter of getting
her back
where
she
can
manage
for
herself.
People
don’t
stay
in
hospitals
any
longer
than
necessary
these
days.
Sometimes
not
even
long
enough.”

Daisy
held
her
chin
in
her
palm.
“Before
he
attacked
me,
Reggie
was
saying
something
about
not
having
insurance,
and
that
I
needed
to
pay
her
bill.”

“I
don’t
handle
the
financial
end
of
things,
but
this
is
a
county
hospital.
There
are
a
lot
of
patients
here
who
have
no
insurance
and
can’t
afford
the
services.
Don’t
worry about your sister’s bills. There
are
programs
that
can
help
with
that.”

“If it’s a matter of
money...”

“Don’t
even
suggest
it,”
Daisy
ordered,
glaring
at
Nick.
“That’s
exactly
what
Reggie
wants,
for
you
to
start
paying
their
bills.
If
you
ever
begin,
there
will
be
no
end.
I
can
guarantee
it.”

Dr.
Anderson
laid
a
hand
on
Nick’s
shoulder.
“I
expect
that’s
excellent
advice.
I
see
these
kinds
of
situations
far
too often.
The
county
will
help
out.
You
both
pay
your
taxes;
let
the
county
do
its
thing. It
will
do
the
minimal,
but
it
will
be
adequate
medical
care.”