Chapter 51

Good Samaritan

As Jamie looked around the Emergency Room lobby, she felt a dizzying sense of déjà vu. It felt so similar to the night of the party when she’d brought Lisa in for treatment after her run-in with Sue Green, except that this afternoon, the hospital was far busier, and damage from the earthquake was still visible. Plywood panels covered broken windows, and workers on scaffolding were busy repairing the damaged atrium and rehanging light fixtures.

She looked for her old seat across from the mounted flat screen television and gasped.

“Jamie, what is it?” asked Roderick.

Jamie took a hard left at the registration desk where Ellen was speaking with an administrator and into a waiting area filled with dozens of people. She passed an elderly man with an oxygen tank, a stressed mother trying to sooth her crying toddler, and a young man in thick glasses tapping on his phone. But Jamie was only interested in a young couple holding hands.

“Well, hello there,” she said to Lisa and Patrick.

The pair had been deep in conversation and looked away from each other reluctantly at the intrusion, but when they saw it was Jamie, they both smiled.

Jamie crossed her arms and kept her expression stern. “Patrick, you’re bleeding.”

Patrick glanced at his left arm. “It’s just a flesh wound.” A black leather jacket sat folded on the chair next to him.

“I will make it bleed harder if you don’t tell me how it’s possible that you are the son of Victor Smith,” Jamie said.

“Yeah, about that.”

“Hi, Lisa,” said Roderick. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?”

Jamie jumped in. “This young man is Patrick Smith. The son of Portland’s most ruthless mobster.”

Patrick nodded, “Guilty as charged.”

“You have a lot to explain mister,” said Jamie sternly.

“I know, I know,” said Patrick, raising his hands as though to block Jamie’s words, then wincing in pain at his injured arm.

Lisa took Patrick’s hands as though to calm him. She held Jamie’s eyes. “Jamie, he’s told me everything. Patrick didn’t have a choice. His dad threatened all of us. Patrick, me, my mom. His dad’s been keeping tabs ever since we left the Academy. It’s really scary.”

“Speaking of scary,” said Patrick. “Here comes your mom.”

Ellen waded through the chairs to the small group. “Lisa, Patrick. What a pleasant surprise. Somehow this all feels very familiar.”

“All that’s missing are George and Sue Green,” said Jamie in agreement.

Ellen shook her head. “Don’t speak their names, Jamie. You might conjure them out of thin air.”

“Who are George and Sue Green?” asked Roderick. Jamie just shook her head no, and for once, he took the hint.

“Patrick, I see you’ve been injured. Shall I call a doctor?” asked Ellen. “I know many of the staff personally.”

Jamie and Lisa exchanged confused looks at how civil Ellen was being.

She should be attacking the devil’s spawn, thought Jamie. Not trying to help him.

“It’s nothing serious,” said Patrick. “I might need some stitches.”

Ellen just nodded.

Jamie was stunned. Why wasn’t the mayor giving Patrick the third degree?

“Has she seen it?” Ellen asked Patrick.

“No.”

“Good. Let’s keep it that way.”

“That’s it, Mayor Salder? Patrick betrayed us all,” said Jamie. “He’s been lying all this time.”

“True, but something new has come to light. And we need to adjust accordingly,” said Ellen crisply.

“What has?” asked Roderick. Jamie could see him reaching into his messenger bag for his voice recorder.

“In good time,” said Ellen in a way that made it clear the topic was off-limits. “Now, can you all head to Sheila’s room? Patrick, unless you feel you need to see a doctor immediately, I’d like you and Lisa to go with Jamie and Roderick. I’d feel better if you all stayed together.”

“Absolutely, Mayor Salder,” said Patrick.

“Good. Ask Sheila if she needs anything that might make her more comfortable. I need to speak with the hospital administrator for a few more minutes.”

“How do we find her?” asked Roderick.

“Jamie, you’ve been to her room. Do you remember how to get there?” asked Ellen.

“Third floor, first left, then a right?”

“No dear, two lefts, then a right. Now, Sheila is being guarded by an officer, so it’s entirely safe. However, she is almost certainly being watched. Use your best judgement and be careful.”

Jamie watched Ellen look meaningfully at Patrick. Dying of curiosity, she wished she’d ignored Patrick and clicked play.