“Hey, you two!” she said.
Jack didn’t seem to recognize Malachi. He walked over to him and thrust out his hand. “I’m Jack Winston and this is Blake Stewart. We work with Helen. We’ve been worried sick. We, uh, called the hospital and they said it was okay to visit.”
“Sure. Helen needs to see her friends,” Malachi said, shaking hands with Jack. Blake seemed confused, as if he should know him but didn’t. Malachi smiled. “Malachi Gordon. I’m a private investigator working as a consultant with the federal unit down here.”
“Oh, uh, great,” Blake said. Still confused, he turned back to Helen.
Jack did the talking; he was a good bedside guest. He regaled her with tales of kids who’d been on the ship and told her how much she’d been missed. Blake listened, just staring at Helen, his infatuation evident.
He sat down, taking the place Abby had been in before. “Helen...oh, God. Oh, Helen, we missed you so much! We’re so glad... Anything, anything you need or want, you let us know. We’ll get it for you!”
“I’m going to be okay, Blake. Abby and this gentleman here, Mr. Gordon—they saved me.”
“I wish it had been me, Helen!” Blake said passionately. “I wish I could have saved you. If I ever find out who did this, I swear, I’ll kill him!”
His words hung in the air for a minute. “You can’t say that,” Helen told him. “You...you have to let the law take care of him.”
“Don’t worry,” Malachi said. “I understand how you feel, Blake. But she’s right. You have to leave this in the hands of the law.”
Blake didn’t answer.
Jack placed a hand on his shoulder. “They’ll get him, Blake. They’ll get him. Don’t upset Helen.”
“I’m fine,” Helen said softly. Malachi thought she was; seeing how Blake felt meant something to her. His affection made her stronger.
Just then, Abby came back into the room with Roger English, Roger looking duly chastised. He went over to Helen and bent down—then straightened abruptly and asked, “Is it all right if I kiss your cheek? It won’t hurt you or anything?”
“I would love a kiss on the cheek,” she said.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, Helen.” Roger kissed her cheek with great care.
“Thank you, Roger.”
He nodded, stepped back and looked at Malachi. He didn’t say anything else.
Malachi rose. “Come on, Roger, let’s go get some coffee.”
“So, Helen, we’re hoping you’ll be back with us soon. I mean, we want you to get rich and famous in a zombie movie, but we’d like you back with us, too,” Jack said.
Roger came forward again. “Helen, he’s taken another girl. Her name is Bianca Salzburg. You might have met her.... She took some of the local tours and she might have been on the Black Swan. Helen, you have to remember—”
“Stop it! Leave her alone!” Blake said.
Malachi got up, stepping between the two of them and glancing at Abby.
He clapped Roger on the back. “Kat should be back soon,” he told Abby.
He was done at the hospital; he’d gotten from Helen everything he thought he could, and it was time to start going over what she had said, and trying to put the pieces together. Now, Helen deserved a little peace.
As soon as he was outside the room with Roger, he said, “You were very good in there—at first. But we already told Helen that another woman is missing. She wants to help. I’m glad you came to see her, but badgering her won’t help. Abby explained that to you.”
Roger was red-faced but he nodded dully. “They haven’t found Bianca yet. She hasn’t been back to her B and B, and she isn’t answering her cell.”
Malachi didn’t tell him he was sure the police had put a trace on the phone. “We’re going to do everything we can” was all he said.
“Can I tell Helen I’m sorry?” Roger asked.
“I think it’s best if you don’t. She’s had enough for today.”
“All right,” Roger said. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Take a walk. See if you can think of anything. If you do, call me.” Malachi presented a card. It had nothing on it but his cell phone number.
“You don’t even have a name on this,” Roger told him.
“Doesn’t need it. You have my name. Call if you need me.”
Roger nodded and glanced wistfully toward Helen’s hospital room. The uniformed officer on duty by the door stood there with his arms crossed looking at Roger.
“I’m going,” Roger muttered, heading toward the elevator. “I guess I’ll check out the Dragonslayer.”
Malachi watched him leave. As he did, an elevator door down the hall opened and Kat stepped off. She tried to keep the doors from closing but she didn’t move quickly enough. She apologized to Roger, who mumbled something, pushed the call button and stood there, waiting.
Kat came down the hall. “Everything all right?” she asked Malachi.
Malachi nodded, still watching Roger. “I think Helen’s had all the visitors she can handle for the day,” he said.