“I saw him in the waiting area. Dallas?”
“She’s going after the bastard. She’s hunting the animal who did this to her.”
“Then she’ll get him.” After giving him a pat, Mavis turned away to pull over a chair.
“Wait, sorry, let me get that. You shouldn’t be hauling stuff.”
At best, the folding chair weighed four pounds, but she let him move it over for her. “McNab, there isn’t a lot we—me and Leonardo—can do. But we can move your stuff, set up your new place.”
“It’s a lot of stuff. I don’t want—”
“We can do that, if you let us. Then when she’s better, you can just, you know, carry her in. It’ll be done. You need to be here, with her. We can do this for you. For both of you.”
“I . . . that’d be mag. Thanks, Mavis.”
“Hey, we’re going to be neighbors.”
“You, ah, don’t go lifting anything heavy. With that bun in the oven.”
“Don’t worry.” She rubbed a hand over her belly. “I won’t.”
“I feel like I’m going to fall apart any second. Then the second passes, and it’s the next, and I . . .” He jerked straight in the chair. “I think she moved. Did you see that?”
“No, but I—”
“She moved. Her fingers.” He turned over the hand he held in his. “I felt them move. Come on, Peabody. Wake up.”
“I saw it that time.” With her fingers gripping his shoulders, she leaned forward. “Look, she’s trying to open her eyes. Do you want me to get somebody?”
“Wait. Wait.” He pushed up, leaned over. “Open your eyes, Peabody. You can hear me. No sliding back under again. Come on, you’re going to be late for your tour.”
She made some sound—part gurgle, part moan, part sigh—and he’d never heard sweeter music. Her lids fluttered, and her swollen, blackened eyes opened.
“There you are.” The tears flooded his throat; he swallowed most of them and grinned at her.
“What happened?”
“You’re in the hospital. You’re okay.”
“Hospital. Can’t remember.”
“Doesn’t matter now. You hurt anywhere?”
“I . . . everywhere. God, what happened to me?”
“It’s okay. Mavis.”
“I’ll get somebody.”
When she dashed out, McNab pressed his lips to Peabody’s hand. “It’s going to be okay now. I promise. Dee. Baby.”
“I was . . . coming home.”
“You’ll get there. Soon.”
“Can I have drugs first?”
He laughed, as tears rolled out of his eyes.