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“Thanks, so much This et back A small token of my appreciation”

“You’re on And don’t worry about Oscar I’ll keep an eye on the little bastard as long you need me to” He touched my arm and looked into my eyes “For God’s sake, be careful”

“I’ll do my best”

I ran upstairs to get Oscar and the spare key I tossed so—e—and put in a quick call to Walt He didn’t answer, so I left ahiht was more fun than mine

I had just finished ca A woman at the other end sounded breathless

“Ms McRae? This is Ruth Higgins Walt’s sister He’s in the hospital”

“Walt?” I went limp “Oh, my God What happened?”

“I found hi room floor He’d been beaten to a pulp The d

octor says he’s had a heart attack too If I hadn’t stopped by, who knows” I heard a sob at the other end After a uish in her voice “He’s barely conscious, but he asked me to call and let you know He said it was very i man” At that point, she fell apart

“I’,” I said “Which hospital?”

I raced to Laurel Regional Hospital, inquired at the front desk, and shot through a maze of halls to the CCU Ruth, a short woman in her late fifties with a drawn expression and frizzy, bottle-red hair, looked as bad as she sounded When I asked to see Walt, she told the nurse I was his niece Fiveme her sternest look

I crept into the rooray and immobile Plastic tubes ran in and out of him On one side of the bed, a machine monitored his vitals His eyelids fluttered, and he extended a hand to me

“Sam,” he said, his voice raspy

I walked up and took his hand intears, I bit rateful that he hadn’t noticed it

“Nothing to be sorry about”