Crescent Cove General Hospital was no different from any other she’d been in for one reason or another over the years. They all gave Victoria the creeps. Sick people, broken people—and, if Juniper had been telling it straight when she’d whispered through the bars of her jail cell earlier, dead people too—were often in residence in hospitals. Those were the top reasons she was careful to make sure she ate right, exercised daily, and basically took good care of herself. If it could be avoided, she never wanted to be a patient in a hospital anywhere.
Desmond, however. Poor guy. He’d had no choice in the matter, kicking over like he had. Where else could they have taken him? Nowhere that she knew of. But it didn’t make her like having to be there herself any better just because he was in their care.
At the nurses’ station, she told the head nurse her name and who she was there to see. She was surprised to find he’d been placed in a triage bed for a few hours’ monitoring and would be allowed to go home soon if everything turned out well.
“Can he have visitors? I’d like to see him if I may,” she told the nurse.
“Yes, of course you can, but you’ll have to wait for a bit. There’s someone in there with him now.”
Victoria scrunched her face up in a frown, but she nodded and turned toward the waiting room, which was set up like an entertainment lounge. There were chairs, a television, and several magazines as well as stacks of different varieties of medical literature for people to browse. “I’ll just wait here, then.”
She didn’t wait long. Less than five minutes later, Garrett came walking into the waiting area, his expression kind of grim. “Hey! Garrett! You were back there with Detective Mallard? What happened? How’s he doing? Are they letting him out tonight?”
Garrett nodded while directing her toward the far side of the lounge area. “I was with him. He flatlined, but he’s fine. Yes. He has another hour on the machines and a routine round with the docs, but he should be able to rest in his own bed tonight.”
“Juniper said he really was dead!” Victoria leaned close to whisper. “How much can you tell me about that?”
His gaze guarded now, he said, “It’s true. He was gone for more than five minutes. Nearly ten. But thanks to Quincy over at the WitchRoast knowing his potions, June’s Duckmaster is alive and well and will be roasting her ass over his particular brand of fire before she can catch her breath now that he’s found out what happened.”
“What did happen, Garrett? Nobody has been able to clue me in so far, and I’ve got Juniper breathing down my neck from her jail cell, insisting she’s innocent and they have to let her out of there.” She cast a glance heavenward. “I’m here to talk to Detective Mallard and get clear cell phone footage proving he’s exactly as well as she says he is so her jailers will let her out of her cage, as she calls it.”
Garrett shot a quick glance around the empty lounge but still kept his voice low in case there were others in the vicinity with hearing as keen as his. “Poison, Tori. There was poison in that coffee Desmond sucked down. I’m sure it was meant for Juniper. It was her cup, after all. What I can’t figure out is why.”
Victoria’s eyes went wide. “Someone tried to kill my godmother? Oh, dear lord, but why? Who would want to harm Juniper, Garry? And with poison—!” She shook her head in disgust.
“I know. Both cowardly and vile.” He sighed and slipped his hands into his pockets. “I don’t know the answers, Tor, but I’m sure June is gonna want to find out.”
“The sooner the better,” Victoria agreed, nodding. “I really do have to get her out of there. Somehow.”
He laughed. “You’ll figure it out, I’m sure, but right now, you’d better get yourself back there with the detective before they lock the doors. Visiting hours are done in half an hour.”
Victoria’s gaze shot toward the head nurse. “Hmm, yes, and I’m sure she wouldn’t have a hard time rushing everyone out once the bell tolls. Thanks, Garrett. For everything you did, though I don’t know what that was, either. I’ll call you when we are home—provided I manage to get Juniper out.”
“Ha! I’ll bet she will be calling me if you don’t. She doesn’t give up, that one. Got a mouth like a drunken sailor at times, but her eyes miss nothing, and her brain is razor sharp.”
Victoria’s snort said without words how well she knew what he was saying to be true. “Yep! That’s my godmother, all right!”
Desmond did his best to straighten up when Victoria Cooper walked into the curtained-off triage area. “Victoria. Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be back at the mansion, handling Ms. Holiday’s guests now that she’s in jail for my murder?”
Tori slipped her purse under her arm. “I came to be sure you’re okay, Desmond. Are you? That was some face-plant back there. You sure you’re all right?”
He peered at her for a long moment before nodding. “I think so, yes, but I have no way of knowing for sure. You see, I’ve just been poisoned, Victoria. Would you know anything about that?”
She hurried to the bed and leaned close. “I know the coffee was intended for Juniper. You died for her, Desmond. Yes, I know about that. Can you imagine? She’s going to hate that!”
There was a flash of amusement in her eyes, he noticed, but now he couldn’t quite meet her gaze because, though he knew what she was saying, he also knew Juniper Holiday had been instrumental in saving his life. And his greatest fear at the moment was that she would find a way to use that information against him.
“Victoria, I think I am ready to go home. Can you drive me back to the precinct once I manage to get out of here?”
“Of course. Just let me know what you need. But first, I need to ask a favor.” She screwed up her face in an apologetic little wriggle.
He stared at her. “A favor. Really.”
She nodded. “Yes. You see, the guys at the jail or department or whatever you guys call it haven’t been notified that you aren’t dead. They’re holding Juniper on suspicion of your murder. I think they need to see your living, breathing self with their very own eyes. Video will work. I just need to get my phone. Will you do it?”
His sigh was filled with resigned exasperation. “Just do it, but quickly. The doctor will be around soon, and I don’t want him to think I’m into taking selfies with lovely young women.”
Victoria’s laughter played surprisingly well on something in his insides. “Wow, they must have given you some powerful juju medication, Detective, ’cause right now, you’re acting as silly as June does!”
His eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest to complete the look. “Really, Victoria. Wow.”