L.A. Dead (Stone Barrington 6)

"You'll be met there and brought up in the elevator."

"Good." Stone hung up, got his arms under Dolce, and picked her up. "Let's get her to the car," he said.

Dino closed the front door behind them, then got into the rear seat of the station wagon, helping Stone move Dolce's unconscious form into the car, then Stone went around to the driver's side.

"I hope to God we can get out of here before the cops show up," Dino said. "Some neighbor must have heard the shots."

Stone started the car and headed down Mulholland. "They'll find an empty house," he said.

"And a mess. Eduardo had better send somebody up there to clean up."

"I'll mention it to him."

* * *

They got as far as Sunset Boulevard before Dolce began to come to.

"Easy, Dolce," Stone said. "You just lie here and rest."

"Stone?" she said.

"I'm here, Dolce," he said from the front seat. "Just lie quietly. We'll have you home soon." He turned up Sunset and began making his way toward the Judson Clinic.

"Where's home?" she asked dreamily.

It was a good question, Stone thought, and he didn't have an answer.

There were two beefy men in orderlies' uniforms waiting in the garage with a gurney. Stone stopped the car, got out, and helped Dino remove Dolce.

"Where are we?" she asked. Her hand went to the back of her neck. "I've got a headache."

"We'll get you something for that," one of the orderlies said. "Why don't you hop up here and we'll get you upstairs and to bed."

"I don't want to go to bed," she said, looking around the garage. "It's early, and I'm a late person."

"We won't need the gurney," Stone said. "Come on, Dolce, let's go upstairs and get you something for your headache." He reached for her arm, but she stiffened and tried to pull away.

Dino stepped up and helped hold her as they got her onto the elevator.

An orderly pressed a button. "We've got a room ready," he said.

"What hotel is this?" Dolce asked

"The Judson," an orderly replied.

"Never heard of it. I want to go to the Bel-Air."

"The Bel-Air is full," Stone said.

"Never mind, Papa keeps a suite there; I want to go to the Bel-Air."

"Eduardo said to take you here," Stone said. "He'll come and see you in the morning."

The elevator stopped, and the party moved down the hallway, with Stone and Dino holding tightly onto Dolce. They got her into a room, where a nurse was waiting.

"Oh

, no," Dolce said, struggling. "I know this place. I've been to a place like this."