Chapter 75

Chapter 75—Jack learns about 

Kate’s injuries

10:42 p.m., Thursday, December 29 

When the elevator reached the ER floor, Jack got out, and waited for the next elevator. He wanted to confront Kurt, and see just what Kate’s old associate was really up to. But the next elevator arrived, and Kurt was not on it. After the second elevator emptied, Jack figured out that Kurt was not going to be getting out.
“I must have spooked him,” Jack surmised.
Before approaching the nurse station, Jack surveyed the entire area. He figured that if one bad guy showed up on Kate’s behalf, there might be others. Not seeing anyone he recognized, he proceeded to check on Kate’s status.
“I would like to check on a patient. I think she is in surgery,” Jack said. “Kate Handler. Can you give me an update?”
“We do have a patient by that name,” the nurse at the desk told him. “Are you related?”
“Yes, my name is Jack Handler. Kate’s my daughter.”
“We don’t have any recent updates,” the nurse said. “All I can tell you right now is that your daughter is still in surgery. Dr. Phillips is the Emergency Room Surgeon tonight. He is our chief surgeon on this shift. If you will wait in the waiting room, as soon as he comes out I will have him talk to you.”
“That would be great,” Jack replied. “Do you have any idea how long that might be?”
“I really have no more information than I just gave you,” she said. “I’m sorry. You do know that she suffered a gunshot wound in the left hip. And that there has been some internal bleeding. As soon as the doctor is confident that she will be stable, he would come out and talk to you.”
“I’ll have a seat right over there,” Jack said, pointing to a chair just outside the waiting room.
“Thank you, Mr. Handler,” the nurse said. “I’ll be sure and send Dr. Phillips over to talk to you. I just want you know that Dr. Phillips is the best we’ve got. In fact, he is greatly respected by his peers. Your daughter is in good hands.”
“Jack did not audibly respond, but he did smile, and nodded in a manner suggesting he was pleased to hear that.
“It’s not just the doctor that I worry about,” Jack thought as he walked over to the seat he had just pointed out. “It’s the guy administering the anesthetic, or the nurse with the flu, or the intern on pills. Any one of them could kill my Kate.”
Just as Jack sat down, a man in a black suit walked over to him until their knees touched, and said, “Jack Handler? You are Jack Handler? Right?”
Jack sized him up quickly: “Cheap suit. Big man. All muscle. Distinctive bulge right where you’d expect to find a Glock. Very big, heavy hands.”
“Who’s asking?” Jack demanded, not at all comfortable about having his space violated, and wondering where this guy had come from.