Doctor Galindo said, “I didn’t mean to alarm you, but I wanted to make you aware of what’s happening. He is one of the oldest people in the country, not simply on the reservation.” Galindo rubbed his nose, “And then again, your grandfather may outlive us both.”
Randall left the hospital an hour later and checked in to the La Quinta before calling Jeffrey about eating at K-Bob’s Steakhouse.
When he arrived, Jeffrey had a booth for them. “How’d it go?”
Randall said, “Doctor Galindo’s going to release him in the morning. He’s doing better.”
“You going to stay with him, make sure he’s doing okay?”
“Yeah. For a while.”
“You stay too long, he’ll run you off. He likes his independence. Chased me with a stick about three months ago because I kept asking him questions.”
“I believe it. I asked him why he went to Whitetail, and he talked around it, never really got to what happened. Said he was having bad dreams about me being in trouble.”
Jeffrey said, “I heard from the folks he passed going up there, the Kawayklas. They saw him talking like he was having a conversation with someone, but there wasn’t anyone around. They said he called names of folks that aren’t with us anymore. Spooked them, so they called me.”
“I’ll talk to the Kawayklas, see if they can add anything to this.” The server brought them menus, and both ordered water to drink. Randall continued, “I figure that having him at his house and getting more time to talk, I’ll find out what’s bothering him.”
“Good luck.” When the food arrived, they ate, talking between bites, catching up on local things and people they knew the way friends do when they haven’t seen one another in a while.
Randall went to his room afterward and called John Quick.
John answered, “You enjoying the high country?”
“You bet.”
“Good.”
Randall said, “Has Hunter filled you in on things?”
“She’s going to in about an hour or so. We’re going to your house and eat mangoes.”
“You turd.”
John laughed, “Just kiddin’. We’re going into Lauderdale and find someplace to eat and have a few d
rinks while we talk. She said she wants to see and hear the ocean.”
“That’s good. What about our cases at homicide?”
“Finishing up putting the last evidence in the file on that murder last week.”
“The tweakers.”
“Yeah, Cosmè Davidson, where he stabbed Squeegee Simmons for using Davidson’s trick of fishing with mouse-catching sticky pads in outside mailboxes to bring up letters and stuff. Cosmè claimed that was copyright infringement, and that particular mailbox was in his territory.”
“That was a sticky case.”
John laughed again, “How’s Grandfather?”
“I’m picking him up in the morning. Then he and I will do some talking.”
“Take as long as you need. Family’s too important not to.”
“I will, but it won’t be long.”
John said, “I know. One thing about Grandfather, when he tells you to get out, he does it with love.”