Turn Coat (The Dresden Files 11)

"Still in one piece," I replied. "How are they?"

"Drugged and sleeping," she said. "Morgan's fever is up another half of a degree. The last bag of antibiotics is almost empty."

I clenched my jaw. If I didn't get Morgan to a hospital soon, he was going to be just as dead as he would be if the Council or Shagnasty got hold of him.

"Should I get some ice onto him?" Molly asked anxiously.

"Not until the fever goes over one hundred and four, and stays there," I said. "That's when it begins to endanger him. Until then, it's doing what it's supposed to do and slowing the infection." I finished the last bite of sandwich. "Any calls?"

She produced a piece of notebook paper. "Georgia called. Here's where Andi is. They're still with her."

I took the paper with a grimace. If I hadn't let Morgan in my door half an eternity ago, he wouldn't have been in Chicago, Shagnasty wouldn't have been tailing me to find him, Andi wouldn't be hurt-and Kirby would still be alive. And I hadn't even tried to call and find out how she was. "How is she?"

"They still aren't sure," Molly said.

I nodded. "Okay."

"Did you find Thomas?"

I shook my head. "Total bust."

Mouse came shambling over. He sat down and looked up at me, his expression concerned.

She chewed on her lip. "What are you going to do?"

"I..." My voice trailed off. I sighed. "I have no idea."

Mouse pawed at my leg and looked up at me. I bent over to scratch his ears, and instantly regretted it as someone tightened a vise on my temples. I straightened up again in a hurry, wincing, and entertained wild fantasies about lying down on the floor and sleeping for a week.

Molly watched me, her expression worried.

Right, Harry. You're still teaching your apprentice. Show her what a wizard should do, not what you want to do.

I looked at the paper. "The answer isn't obvious, which means that I need to put some more thought into it. And while I'm doing that, I'll go look in on Andi."

Molly nodded. "What do I do?"

"Hold down the fort. Try to reach me at the hospital if anyone calls or if Morgan gets any worse."

Molly nodded seriously. "I can do that."

I nodded and grabbed my gear and the key to the Rolls. Molly went to the door, ready to lock it behind me when I left. I started to do just that-and then paused. I turned to my apprentice. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

She blinked at me. "Um. What did I do?"

"More than I asked of you. More than was good for you." I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Molly."

She lifted her chin a little, smiling. "Well," she said. "You're just so pathetic. How could I turn away?"

That made me laugh, if only for a second, and her smile blossomed into something radiant.

"You know the drill," I said.

She nodded. "Keep my eyes open, be supercareful, don't take any chances."

I winked at her. "You grow wiser, grasshopper."

Molly started to say something, stopped, fidgeted for half a second, and then threw her arms around me in a big hug.

"Be careful," she said. "Okay?"

I hugged her back tight and gave the top of her head a light kiss. "Hang in there, kid. We'll get this straightened out."

"Okay," she said. "We will."

Then I headed out into the Chicago night wondering how-or if-that was possible.

Chapter Thirty

I don't like hospitals-but then, who does? I don't like the clean, cool hallways. I don't like the stark fluorescent lights. I don't like the calm ring tones on the telephones. I don't like the pastel scrubs the nurses and attendants wear. I don't like the elevators, and I don't like the soothing colors on the walls, and I don't like the way everyone speaks in measured, quiet voices.

But mostly, I don't like the memories I've collected there.

Andi was still in intensive care. I wouldn't be able to go in to see her-neither would Billy and Georgia, if they hadn't arranged for power of attorney for medical matters, a few years back. It was long after standard visiting hours, but most hospital staffs stretch rules and look the other way for those whose loved ones are in ICU. The world has changed a lot over the centuries, but death watches are still respected.

Billy had come to me on the down low to set up power of attorney for me, in case he should be hospitalized without Georgia being nearby to handle matters. Though neither of us said so, we both knew why he really did it. The only reason Georgia wouldn't be there is if she was dead-and if Billy was in no shape to make decisions for himself, he didn't want to hang around and find out what his world would be like without her in it. He wanted someone he could trust to understand that.

Billy and Georgia are solid.

I'd spent some endless hours in Stroger's ICU waiting room, and it hadn't changed since I'd been there last. It was empty except for Georgia. She lay on the sofa, sleeping, still wearing her glasses. A book by what was presumably a prominent psychologist lay open on her stomach. She looked exhausted.

I bypassed the waiting room and went to the nurses' desk. A tired-looking woman in her thirties looked up at me with a frown. "Sir," she said, "it's well after visiting hours."

"I know," I said. I took my notepad out of my pocket and scribbled a quick note on it. "I'll go back to the waiting room. The next time you go past Miss Macklin's room, could you please give this to the gentleman sitting with her?"

The nurse relaxed a little, and gave me a tired smile. "Certainly. It will just be a few minutes."

"Thanks."

I went back to the waiting room and settled into a chair. I closed my eyes, leaned my head back against the wall, and drowsed until I heard footsteps on tile.

Billy entered with a rolled-up blanket under his arm, glanced around the room, and nodded to me. Then he went immediately to Georgia. He took her glasses off, very gently, and picked up the book. Georgia never stirred. He put the book on the end table, and her glasses on top of it. Then he took the blanket from under his arm and covered her up. She murmured and stirred, but Billy shushed her quietly and stroked his hand over her hair. She sighed and shifted onto her side, then snuggled down under the blanket.

I reached up a hand and flicked the light switch beside my head. It left the room dim, if not really dark.

Billy smiled his thanks to me, and nodded toward the door. I got up and we walked out into the hallway together.

"Should have tried to call you sooner," I said. "I'm sorry."