Page 19 of Wild Fever

"You sound very much alive to me," I said.

"Not for long, if this continues."

"What seems to be the problem?" I asked, too curious to just dismiss it as nonsense.

"I don't feel well. I have a splitting headache, a fever, and I've been getting nosebleeds."

"Sounds like you need a doctor."

"I've already seen a doctor. They’re beyond useless. They wanted to admit me to the hospital.”

"Given the situation, that might not be such a bad idea."

"I’ll be dead within the next 48 hours. I'm not spending my last days in a hospital.”

"I still don't see how I can help."

"I told you. I need help to find out who's responsible and why. More importantly, I need to find a solution. You’re a man witha certain set of skills. You have a reputation in the community. If I had more time, I could probably figure it all out myself. But I don't. Right now, as cliché as it sounds, you're my only hope.” After a brief pause, she said, "I can pay you. Name your price. Money is not my primary concern. I can't take it with me.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m not stupid. I’m calling from a pay phone.”

There weren’t many left on the island, and I knew where most of them were.

“Want to tell me exactly what’s going on?”

“I told you. Are you in or out?”

“I need a little more information. How about we meet face to face?”

“Fine. But I need certain assurances from you.”

“Like what?”

"I don't have time to waste with procedural bullshit. I don't need anybody who is going to get in my way.”

“Your way of what?”

"Getting to the truth and a solution.”

“Why don't you just tell me what's going on?"

"Not on an open channel."

"So where do you want to meet?"

"I need to know that I can trust you."

"You called me, remember. Do you want my help, or don't you?”

"Yes. I want your help. Stop being so difficult."

I chuckled. "I'm not the one being difficult. For someone who's short on time, you sure are wasting a lot of it.”

"Meet me at Key Bean in an hour.”

It was an eclectic coffee shop, popular with artists, writers, and the intelligentsia.