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"That may be really important," she told hi for the hospital, to see about Doug," Stephanie told her

"Good idea Make sure he’s still wearing that cross"

"What?" Stephanie said

"We got a cross on hi it"

"We--we took it off hi his throat," Stephanie told her

"I’d better cole was ensuing--an elderlywas doing his best to defend hiely struck at hied theDoug’s eye across the bed The old man was crazy--and he was lethal

"What the hell?" Drew said to Doug

"The old geezer just caan to speak to Drew in rapid Italian, his words earnest

Drew shook his head, trying to indicate that he didn’t understand The man waved the knife It appeared to be a butcher’s knife One slash from that, and…

"Now, sir, I can’t let you chop uphis voice low and even That’s how you were supposed to talk to the crazed, right? They needed to get the knife away from the fellow

Where was the hospital staff? If the cops were here, and they were looking into a blood theft, why the hell weren’t they co this co their turn to talk They were all distracted

All right, he had to handle it himself He took a step toward the fellow "Now, buddy, listen, I need you to give me the knife"

The

"No! Dear God, what the hell… no, no, no! I don’t have a weapon, see?" Drew said

Doug was trying to get around the bed and ht have been as old as God hied toward the foot of the bed, sending Drew back to the far corner of the room

Drew looked wildly around himself "Someone, help!" he shouted as loudly as he could There was nothing

He grabbed a bedpan, putting it in front of himself as a poor excuse for a shield

He was quickly sorry that he did so The old man bunched his slender muscles and started across the roo forward

The old ain He was nearly upon hi tackle for the old fellow He heard a shriek; the body that had flown in, catching the fellow’s feet, bringing him down hard on the hospital bed, was Grant Peterson Stephanie had let out the screa in the doorway

The oldGrant ju His foot connected with the oldfroainst the wall, and fell to the floor

Doug ripping his knees

The old man just lay on the bed then His head isted to the side His eyes stared vacantly, glazed, across the roo hiht, is your wrist… can youto the fellow’s other side She began to speak in Italian to him

He didn’t respond

At last, the nurse, Antoinette, ca on here?" she denantly "What have you done to hi the old nantly "He tried to kill Doug Then he tried to kill ot here just in the nick of time to stop hi both Liz and Grant aside She began to speak to the oldback his white hair

Suddenly, as if he were an infant, he began to cry, leaning against her She got hilances over her shoulder, she led hihtjacket!" Drew yelled, shaking now that it all seemed to be over

"He’s har looked at the butcher’s knife he was holding He stared across the room at Grant, who appeared to be just as baffled

"Are you both all right?" Grant asked

"Yeah, thanks to your rather timely arrival," Drew said dryly "Nice kick A bit of Jackie Chan action, huh?"

"I was in a few kung fu et you back into bed Maybe this could cause aet the hell out of this loony bin!" Doug told him

Grant didn’t seem to hear "Where are the doctors? Nurses, orderlies--anyone? What, is the staff around here nuts? What’s going on? There’s no one around? We heard you from the lobby!"

"So--the cops are talking to the staff," Drew explained

"What?" Liz deone Stolen I didn’t get what happened, either," Drew said, trying to make the story as short as possible