Scent of Danger

"To keep you from contacting her. It sounds pretty lame to me."

"To me, too... How the hell would she know my plans?" A pause. "Besides which, I thought the cops had decided you shot me."

Dylan started. "They actually laid that one on you?"

"Not in so many words... But I'm a pretty smart guy... even with all these damned drugs in me." Carson rested a few seconds. "They're being assholes. I told them so. They think I'm just protecting you. They'll figure out the truth... soon enough."

"Thanks," Dylan said simply.

"For what? Trusting you not to put a bullet in my back?" Carson snorted in disgust. "Give me a break... and some credit for knowing you." An off-handed shrug—and a wince. "Besides, I ruled you out. If you wanted me dead, I'd be in a box... not a hospital."

"Cute." Dylan knew Carson was trying to make light of the accusations, but he couldn't laugh off something of this magnitude. Still, it took the edge off his rage knowing Carson had dismissed the detectives' speculations without a second thought.

"Lighten up, Dylan.... They don't know you, or how tight we are.... They're just doing their job. They've got a great rep.... I had Stan check them out. They'll get it right.... Look at the bright side. I'm not gonna die... so I'll be around when they find whoever shot me.... Then I can make them apologize to you... in public, if it helps."

"What'll help is seeing you on your feet, and seeing whoever did this in jail."

"Sounds good." Another short rest. "When's Sabrina coming back to the hospital?"

Dylan glanced at his watch. "I checked in with her about an hour ago. She sounded pensive. I guess she's dealing with her family, and the shock of finding out who her father is. But she's holding her own. She said she'll be here around eight."

"She's got a lot more to be pensive about than putting a name to a sperm specimen.... And her family's got a lot more to worry about than a scandal.... But then, you already know that. Which brings us to our next topic..." Carson was forced to stop and rest his lungs. He began coughing, and gestured for some water.

Dylan poured him a cup, helped him drink it. "Maybe we should cut this talk short."

Carson waved away the notion. "Not a chance... We're finishing this before Dr. Kildaire comes in... and tosses you out."

As usual, Carson wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Okay," Dylan agreed. "What topic's next—Ruisseau?"

"Nice try. But you know better. I'm not worried about Ruisseau.... Not with you and Stan there... I have some thoughts... but we'll talk about those later." A concerned pucker formed between his brows. "Just tell me one thing... are the detectives bugging anyone?"

"Everyone. We'll survive. We're tough." Dylan braced himself for Carson's typically intensive probing. "So what's the next topic?"

"Sabrina's real reason for coming—what is it?"

"I already said, she wanted to meet you. Is that so odd?"

"No. But it's only part of the reason... and it doesn't explain the urgency of the visit.... She's a workaholic. She's got a pretty intricate business to run... yet she just dropped everything and flew here...."

"She thought you might not make it. Now she knows you will."

"Which takes the focus off me... and gives her time to decide whether or not she wants a relationship with me."

"Right."

"So you think she'd jump on a plane... and run home to work it through... with her family." Carson was starting to fade. But he was fighting it tooth and nail. "But she didn't do that, did she? She's still here."

Dylan blew out a breath. "Maybe she wants to get to know you better. Maybe she's curious. Maybe—"

"Dylan—stop. I saw the dialysis machine." Carson raised his wrist. "And I know what this shunt-thing is for."

Silence.

"Stop looking like a dog who got caught peeing on the rug… I called Radison in... made him tell me about it. I know my kidneys aren't kicking in

." Carson shut his eyes for a minute to regather his strength. Then, he opened them. "Tell me the truth. Did you bust your ass... to find Sabrina... in case I needed a transplant?"

Dylan didn't avert his gaze. "That, and because you asked me to."