Wolf’s eyes opened and moved around taking
in his surroundings. He was in a bed. In a hospital gown. An IV going into his arm. His eyes followed the line up to the bag hanging beside his bed. Some kind of monitors stood next to him. And then his eyes focused on the man sitting in the chair by the bed, flipping channels with the TV remote. Red Dog.
Wolf tried to move, and pain shot through him in a dozen places. He groaned. Christ that hurt. And then it all came flooding back. Taz and his knife. And Crystal.
Fuck. Was she okay? He tried to lift his arm.
“You dumb fuck, don’t try to move. You’ll tear your stitches,” Dog growled, looking over.
And then suddenly Cole was there, standing in his peripheral vision at the foot of the bed. “So, you let a DK get the drop on you?”
“Yeah. Where’s Crystal? Is she okay?” He tried to sit up in the bed, and grimaced against the searing pain in his gut and the lightheadedness that hit him.
“Take it easy, Brother. She’s fine,” Cole informed him.
“Who the fuck you think has been sitting next to your bed, you scary bastard?” Crash added as he came into view on the other side of the bed.
“Scary?” Wolf frowned, then reached up to gently touch the bandage on the side of his face, remembering. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“You ain’t gonna be a pretty boy no more. You got an ugly mug like the rest of us now,” Red Dog teased coming to his feet.
Wolf’s mind circled back, a little jumbled from the pain meds. “She’s here?”
Crash and Red Dog exchanged a look with Cole, who explained, “She was. She had to leave. The traveling ‘O’Rourke’ show left town.”
“And she…she left with him?”
“Yeah, man. She left with him as soon as he showed up,” Dog confirmed.
Crash looked across the bed at Dog. “Well, why don’t you take Tiny Tim’s crutch and beat him over the head with it.”
“What? He asked.”
Wolf lay back and stared at the ceiling as feelings of desolation washed over him.
“Look, Wolf—” Crash started, but Wolf cut him off.
“You guys mind if I ask you to leave. I’m kind of tired and my head’s foggy.”
Crash and Red Dog again looked at Cole, who jerked his chin toward the door.
“You take care of yourself, Wolf. We’ll be back in the morning.” Crash patted Wolf’s leg.
“Take care, man,” Dog said. “By the way you lucked out with some hot nurses. I’d insist on a sponge bath first chance you get.”
Wolf nodded, his eyes still on the ceiling, but didn’t even crack a smile at Dog’s attempt at humor.
When Crash and Dog had left, Cole moved to the side of the bed, his hands resting on the metal side rail. “Before the law comes in for your statement, let’s get your story straight.”
Wolf nodded.
“Mack told ‘em it was a botched robbery attempt. One guy in a ski mask.”
“One guy. Gee, thanks for making me look like a pussy.”
“Caught you unaware as you were taking a piss.”
“How dignified.”