Page 29 of Dual Destruction

“Are you bleeding?” I asked Sage.

He lifted his shirt, revealing the white gauze with a small stripe of dried blood on it.

“He’s not bleeding,” I answered Ronan.

“Have you changed the bandage?”

“What?” I scoffed. “No. I gave him a bath, that’s enough.”

“Jesus, Foster,” Ronan snapped. “Did you cover the gauze?”

“Of course I did. I’m not a fool.”

“Right,” Ronan apologized. “Right. I’m sorry. It’s just…”

“I know,” I told him. “You’re a doctor and I’m not.”

Sage cleared his throat and I scowled at him again.

“Tell your good doctor to bring me some antibiotics so I don’t get an infection,” he said.

“If you get an infection, I’ll be rich,” I reminded him.

“What?” Ronan interrupted in my ear.

“Your patient wants to ward off infection,” I said to Ronan before looking back at Sage. “You’re not even a real patient. You better keep it clean and say a prayer.”

“I have some here,” Ronan offered.

“No.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” he tried.

“I don’t care if he lives or dies,” I said.

“Then why did you call me?” Ronan and Sage asked at the same time.

“Whatever,” I hissed at both of them.

“I’ll come by on my way into the hospital and leave it on the porch with some gauze so you can change his bandages.”

“I’m not changing his bandages.”

“Come on, Golden,” Sage coaxed, jerking his chin in my direction.

“Let me know when you come by,” I told Ronan. “He can do it himself.”

I ended the call and dumped my phone on the table, then balled up a slice of turkey and popped it into my mouth, chewing angrily. Sage looked bored again and he leaned back in his chair, picking at the edge of the tape that held down his gauze.

“To answer your earlier question,” Sage said after a long pause. “I don’t know who wants me dead, but after looking at the information in your file, I think I have an idea.”

Chapter Ten

Sage

Ididn’t have a phone.

I didn’t have my guns.