“It’s going to take a week to fix my truck?”
“I got others before you. I’ll work on it between other jobs. It’s the best I can do.”
“All right,” I said. “Call me if you finish it sooner.”
“Oh sure, Captain Ahab.”
“Very funny.”
“Not every guy in town drives a fish-mobile.”
“It’s not...never mind.” I went to the Yugo and folded myself inside like an accordion. It was actually roomier that I thought it would be. I started it up and we putted our way to the hospital.
**
I parked and rode the elevator to the third floor and walked to Hondo’s room. Th
e door was closed and I started to push it open, but a nurse stopped me. “You can’t go in there. He’s not allowed visitors.”
“I just saw him not six hours ago,” I said.
“Are you Mr. Baca?”
“Yes.”
“Before he lost consciousness.”
“What?”
“He’s very ill, Mr. Baca. He said to tell you the little dancer came to visit and you need to find her.”
“How’s he ill? What happened?”
“Pneumonia.”
“But, it’s so fast.”
She said, “Some people call it Galloping Pneumonia, but the technical name is Streptococcus Pneumonia Group A. It’s bacterial.” She touched my forearm, “Do you remember the Muppet fellow who passed away?”
“Jim Henson, sure.”
“He died of streptococcus pneumonia less than twenty hours after being admitted to the hospital. It’s a very fast-acting strain, resistant to many antibiotics. This is the type your friend has.”
I felt all the strength go out of me. “Will he make it?”
“I don’t know. We’re doing everything we can, and he is in phenomenal shape. We’ll know more tomorrow.”
“Can I look in on him?”
She bit her lip then said, “For a moment, no more.”
I went in and saw Hondo under an oxygen tent. He looked flushed and was having trouble breathing. His eyes were closed and his arms were under the clear tent. I watched him for a minute, then said, “You make it or I’m going to be pissed.” I wiped my eyes and left the room.
The nurse was waiting outside and I said, “Will you call me if there’s any change?”
“Yes, we have your number.”
I left the hospital in a daze. The sun was disappearing beyond the sea. I turned on the Yugo’s lights after taking several minutes figuring out which knob and button went to what. Hondo’s message said, The little dancer, and I assumed he meant the one he’d rescued at the Caspian Diamond. Finding her might be a chore since I didn’t know her name or address, and I’d be less than welcome at the Diamond.