Page 21 of Retribution

We leave and are given our phones back on the way out, finding ourselves on a corner in Richmond a few blocks from the club.

‘I’ll get us a taxi,’ Mav murmurs. ‘Shit.’

‘What is it?’

‘Daisy called me.’

‘And me.’

I unlock my phone and immediately call her back. One of us has been with her almost all the time. She’s woken up without us there and wondered where we are.

It goes to voicemail, and I snarl at my phone, messaging her instead, but it stays unread.

A black Prius pulls up a few minutes later and we get in in silence. Thankfully, the driver isn’t chatty. We’re at the hospital within fifteen minutes, but when we get to Daisy’s room, there’s a security guard at the door.

‘You’re not allowed in there,’ he says, drawing himself up tall.

‘What the fuck are you talking about?’ I snarl.

‘Your authorization has been rescinded. The patient is only allowed to have her guardian visit.’

‘What the fuck?’ Mav snarls. ‘Daisy!’

The security guard steps forward, his hand going to his belt. ‘You need to vacate the premises, or?—’

‘Or what?’ Shade snarls in his face.

‘The authorities will be called.’

‘This is bullshit,’ Shade growls, taking out his phone.

He puts it to his ear and walks a little way down the corridor. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but the conversation is short and then he gets back, he looks pissed.

‘My father,’ he spits. ‘He was here while we were…there. We can’t see her. She’s being moved to his house.’

‘He can’t do that!’

‘He’s her guardian,’ Shade says through clenched teeth. ‘He already has.’

‘We can’t let this happen!’

‘Call her.’

‘I’ve been trying.’

‘The patient’s phone has been removed from her room,’ a woman’s voice says from behind us.

We turn to find a nurse somehow looking down her nose at us despite being about four feet tall.

‘What?’ I say so angrily that she takes a step back and she glances at the security guard, who tenses.

‘Why?’ Shade asks.

‘Her guardian expressed concerns.’

‘Concerns?’ I parrot faintly.

She nods. ‘I’m sorry but the three of you need to leave. You’re disrupting the unit. There are people here who are trying to heal.’