Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #4)(91)

Doc Knight led them into Freddy's room and Hannah felt the tears well up in her eyes. Freddy, who'd always seemed so full of life and enthusiasm, was perfectly still in his hospital bed. It was a shock seeing him immobile like that and Hannah realized that he looked much older, almost as old as he actually was without the boyish grin and the excited voice that had asked constant and sometimes childish questions.

Freddy was connected by tubes and wires to monitors and other medical equipment, and Hannah was almost glad that he wasn't awake. If Freddy had been conscious, she would have forced herself to be bright and cheerful for his sake and that would have been difficult.

As Hannah moved closer, she noticed what she thought was a respirator and she turned to Doc Knight. "Freddy can't breathe on his own?"

"Not right now. Shortly after you brought him in, his throat began to swell and it compromised his airway. I gave him antibiotics to reduce the swelling, but they'll take time to work."

Jed looked very concerned. "You mean Freddy could die without that machine?"

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"Yes, but it's only a temporary condition. The antibiotics should improve matters by tomorrow morning. Then we can take him off the respirator."

"I'd better stay here tonight." Jed sat down in the chair by Freddy's bed. "If Freddy wakes up in the middle of the night, he'll be scared and he might try to pull that tube out."

Doc Knight shook his head. "We're keeping Freddy heavily sedated and he won't wake up. There's nothing you can do for him now. What you need to do is go home, get some sleep, and come back in the morning. I'll call you if there's any change in his condition."

"Are you sure? I could sleep in this chair and I wouldn't be any trouble."

"I'm sure you wouldn't be, but Freddy's doing just fine and he'll sleep through the night. I need you to be rested for tomorrow when we wake him up. That's when we'll need your help to reassure him."

Jed looked disappointed that he couldn't stay with Freddy, but he nodded. "Whatever you say. You're the doctor."

"If you don't have any more questions, I have to get back to the emergency room. I've got some traffic injuries to treat."

"Sure," Jed said. "Thanks for everything."

After Doc Knight left, Hannah motioned toward the door. "Come on, Jed. Let's go out to the lobby and call my mother. Everybody's waiting to hear about Freddy."

The corridor was quiet as Hannah and Jed walked back to the lobby. Most of the patients were sleeping, and only two nurses were manning the station that separated the two wings.

"They only have two nurses for all these patients?" Jed sounded worried again.

"Relax, Jed. Doc Knight runs a good hospital. Freddy will get the best of care here."

When they got to the lobby, Hannah placed a call to the cottage and filled Delores and Michelle in on Freddy's condition. Then Jed got on the phone and thanked them again for finding him in the crowd.

306

"You really should get home, Jed," Hannah said when she'd hung up the phone. "You look tired."

"I am, but I don't think I can sleep. I'm just too worried about Freddy. Do you have time for a cup of coffee in the cafeteria?"

"Sure," Hannah said, even though the last thing she wanted was hospital coffee. Jed obviously needed to talk.

The hospital cafeteria was deserted and Hannah took a table near the window while Jed got them coffee from a vending machine. It was every bit as vile as Hannah had expected and she took small sips, hoping he wouldn't notice that she was drinking very little of it.

"I've been thinking about what Doc Knight said and I'm sure Freddy was in a fight." Jed took a swallow of his coffee without seeming to notice how bad it was. "If I ever catch the guy that did this to him, I'll..."

"No, you won't," Hannah interrupted, reaching out to take Jed's arm. "Believe me, Jed, I know exactly how you feel. I'm not a violent person, but I'd be tempted to hammer the person who did this to Freddy. What we both have to remember is that violence is never the answer."

"But I've got to do something! Just seeing him like that... it was awful!"

"I know, but the authorities will take care of it. As soon as Freddy's well enough, Doc Knight will call in a deputy to take his statement. If someone did attack Freddy, they'll be caught and punished."

Jed sighed deeply. "I guess you're right. I just feel so helpless, you know?"

"I know. I've been trying to think of something I could do for Freddy, but there's only one thing that comes to mind."

"What's that?"

"Freddy kept mumbling about the present he had for you and how he had to get it so that you wouldn't be mad at him any longer."

"That sounds like Freddy." Jed sighed again. "He doesn't have much money, but he always wants to buy me things."

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"Oh, he didn't buy this. He said it was something you lost and he found in your garbage last week. He told me he had to shine it up for you before he gave it back to you for a present."

"Do you know what it is?"

"I don't have a clue." Hannah shrugged. "Freddy had it in a shoebox, but it was tied up with twine and I didn't look inside. I'm keeping it for him at The Cookie Jar. I'll stop in to get it before I come to the hospital tomorrow morning. We can store it in his hospital room and once Freddy's awake, he can give it to you."