He stood completely motionless as though conserving all his energies for what lay ahead. He stared off into the darkness. Very soon it would all begin. And very soon it would all end.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
The medical facility at the University of Virginia was a teaching component of the medical school as well as a highly regarded public hospital with a level-one trauma center. LuAnn raced down the corridor. Riggs was parking the car and then would follow her in. She reflected briefly on the fact that she had never before been in a hospital. She quickly concluded that she didn’t care for either the smell or atmosphere. A lot of that was probably due to the reason she was here: to see Charlie.
He was in a private room. A member of the Charlottesville police force stood guard outside his door. LuAnn shot right past him and started to enter the room.
“Whoa, there, ma’am. No visitors,” said the police officer, a solidly built man in his early thirties, holding out a beefy arm for emphasis.
LuAnn had whirled around ready for a fight when Riggs hustled up.
“Hey, Billy.”
The officer turned around. “Hey, Matt, how you doing?
“Not so good. Won’t be playing basketball at the Y with you for a while.”
Billy looked at his sling. “How’d you do that?”
“Long story. The guy in there is her uncle.” He nodded at LuAnn.
Billy looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, ma’am, I didn’t know. They told me no visitors, but I know they didn’t mean family. You go on in.”
“Thanks, Billy,” Riggs said.
LuAnn pushed open the door and went in. Riggs was right behind her.
LuAnn stared across at Charlie lying in the bed. As if he sensed her presence, he looked over and a smile spread across his face. He looked pale but his eyes were quick and active.
“Damn, now that’s a real pleasant sight,” he said.
LuAnn was next to him in an instant, taking his big hand in hers. “Thank God, you’re okay.”
Charlie was about to say something when the door opened and a middle-aged man in a white coat popped his head in. “Just making rounds, folks.” He opened the door all the way and came in. He carried a clipboard.
“Dr. Reese,” he said, introducing himself.
“Matt Riggs. This is Charlie’s niece, Catherine.” Riggs pointed at LuAnn, who shook the doctor’s hand.
Dr. Reese checked Charlie’s vital signs while he spoke. “Well, it’s very lucky Charlie was so good with a tourniquet. Stopped the blood loss before things got really nasty.”
“So he’s going to be okay?” LuAnn asked anxiously.
Reese peered at her over his glasses. “Oh, yes. He’s in no danger. We replaced the blood he lost, the wound is all stitched up. All he needs is some rest, get his strength back.” Reese noted his findings on Charlie’s record log.
Charlie half-sat up. “I feel fine. When can I check out?”
“I think we’ll give you a couple of more days to get back on your feet.”
Charlie was clearly not pleased with that answer.
“I’ll be back in the morning,” Reese said. “Don’t stay too long, folks, let him get some rest.”
As soon as Reese was gone, Charlie sat all the way up. “Any word on Lisa?”
LuAnn closed her eyes and looked down. Thick tears slid out from under her eyelids. Charlie looked over at Riggs for the first time.
“We think he has her, Charlie,” said Riggs.
“I know he has her. I told the cops everything I knew as soon as I came to.”
“I’m sure they’re working on it,” Riggs said lamely.
Charlie banged his fist against the metal sides of the bed. “Dammit, they’re not going to catch him. He’s long gone. We’ve got to do something. He hasn’t tried to contact you?”
“I’m going to contact him,” LuAnn said, opening her eyes. “But I had to come see you first. They said—they said you might not make it.” Her voice shook and her hand gripped his tighter.
“It’d take a lot more than one cut to send yours truly into oblivion.” He paused, struggling with what he was about to say. “I’m sorry, LuAnn. That bastard’s got her and it’s my fault. He called in the middle of the night, impersonated Riggs’s voice. Said that the FBI had Jackson. That I was to come up to Washington and rendezvous with you at the FBI building. I dropped my guard. I walked right into his trap.” Charlie shook his head. “God, I should’ve suspected something, but he sounded just like Riggs.”