"I understand your concerns, Ben, and I'm not ignoring them. You know that Nathan and his colonel and probably a few of his team members will be down in the lobby. I wouldn't send Salma if I thought there was even the slightest chance of her getting hurt. I don't think that's the type of danger she's facing at the moment. And, she won't be gone very long. Salma can call me if anything at all happens. I don't want to leave Caeli just yet; besides, I can't go in Salma's place. I would if I could," Vin explained.
Stepping away from a quick inspection of Ben's back, Salma conceded with unmasked astonishment on her face.
"I suppose Ben's back can wait. The repair is actually much better than I thought. I'll have to ask Caeli how she did that. Don't look so worried, Ben. Vin is right. I'll be fine in the lobby. I think these people are just trying to scare me off, and I don't scare so easily."
"No, that you don't, Love. Be careful and don't be long."
With a parting kiss for Ben, Salma left the room and headed down to the lobby. As the door to their hotel room closed, Caeli made her way out of the bathroom and let Vin help her over to a red recliner in the corner.
"Ben, Caeli, I know you two are miserable, but we are going to have to hit the road again. Do you think you can you handle another short trip?" He looked at them sympathetically. Vin hated asking them to travel again right away. Despite his assurance a few moments ago, Vin understood the necessity of leaving the hotel for Salma's safety. Too many people knew Salma would be staying there.
"Whatever you think is best, Vin." Caeli answered weakly from where she curled up in the large chair by the window.
Ben sat in a pale, wooden chair in front of a desk made of the same material. Salma recommended that the firm support would be better for Ben until she could get finish the patchwork that Caeli had started.
"I will be fine. Of the two of us, I think I'm currently in better shape." Ben nodded to Caeli, shivering in the chair. She had her feet drawn up and her arms folded tightly across her midsection yet again. She sat sideways, leaning against the back of the plush chair. Ben held out a blanket he had grabbed from the end of the bed next to him.
Vin thanked him as he took the soft, blue throw from Ben's hand and walked over to his wife. Once she was covered, he sat on the edge of the chair and gently stroked her sweat-soaked hair as it clung to her heated skin.
"I'm sorry, Caeli. I said that you would have my full attention once we arrived, but I've been preoccupied. I also sent Salma away while you were in the bathroom," Vin whispered to her.
"That's ok."
"It's just not a good idea for Salma to stay here. There's no telling what the protestors or the media might try next. We have to get her to a less public venue; but we will be settled soon."
"I understand, Vin."
"It won't be much longer. Is there anything I can do for you until Salma gets back? Do you still want to talk about this?"
"Yes, but give me a few minutes please. My head is pounding. Let me rest until Salma returns. Then I won't have to repeat everything for her," Caeli tried to smile reassuringly at him.
"Ok. Then close your eyes and rest, Honey. I'm right here if you need anything. Salma will have a look at you soon." Vin kissed her unusually warm forehead as he stood up, taking one last look into her weary eyes before turning away. He did not get two steps before he heard Caeli cry out in pain. He quickly turned to see what was wrong. Caeli had thrown the cover off and was clutching her midsection, curled up more tightly in the chair.
"What is it, Caeli?"
Caeli shook her head. She couldn't answer him. Her stomach had cramped up causing a good deal of pain. She was sweating profusely again, yet felt chilled to the bone. She tried to hold very still because even the slightest movement caused the room to start spinning. It was all Caeli could do to keep from being sick each time she opened her eyes, and she was ultimately unsuccessful. Thankfully, Vin grabbed a nearby wastebasket for her.
Vin knelt beside her, helpless to ease her pain, but there for whatever else she might need. He kept a hand lightly on her back for support. After several minutes, the pain in her stomach finally subsided, the nausea passed, and Caeli was able to sit back in the chair again. Vin made a quick trip to the sink in the bathroom to get her a glass of water and helped her hold the cup so that she could drink. He also brought back a wet washcloth which he used to wipe the sweat from her forehead, and then placed it on the back of her neck to help calm any lingering nausea.
"Honey, you definitely need help," Vin said after returning from running the washcloth under the cold water again and wiping down her face and neck once more.
"Thanks, Vin," she whispered as the coolness of the water helped calm some of the unpleasant feelings. Caeli started to shiver again, and Vin recovered her with the blanket.
"Maybe it's a good idea to go ahead and get both you and Ben to a hospital." He was seriously considering changing his plan and taking her to the emergency room right away. If the water hadn't provided some relief, then Vin would have already called the front desk to arrange for an ambulance.
"I prefer to wait for Salma. I trust her more than any stranger. I will go to the hospital if she thinks it's necessary. Will she be back soon?"
"She should be. I will have her look at you as soon as she returns." In the back of his mind, Vin hoped he made the right call sending Salma out by herself; but his choices were limited.
"Then let me sit here until she gets back, please."
Caeli wasn't fond of hospitals or doctors. Salma was the only doctor she truly trusted. Even still, the rare times that she was sick enough to need more than an over-the-counter remedy, it was like trying to pull teeth even to get her to see Salma in a medical capacity. Vin's intervention was usually required to break through Caeli's resistance. The fact that she readily agreed to let Salma treat her now and to go to a hospital, if necessary, was another sure sign that this was serious.
After ensuring that Caeli wasn't going to need him further, Vin walked to the other side of the room to check on Ben. He took up the high-backed chair next to the desk where Ben was seated. They were far enough away from Caeli that she would not overhear or be disturbed by a quiet conversation. Vin turned the chair around backward and sat facing Ben with his arms resting on the back of the chair so that he could keep an eye on Caeli while he talked to Ben.
"How are you doing, Ben?"
"Surprisingly well. I can barely tell I've been shot, aside from the lingering soreness and the fact that the wound is still visible. Whatever new talent Caeli has discovered is something quite special. By all rights, I should be in a hospital bed recovering in misery; not up and walking about and feeling as good as I am."
"That's a big relief. I would hate to have to handle these two ladies without you," Vin joked.
"I'd never leave you in such a position, Lad."
"Good. Because I'm going to need your help. Ben, I hate to ask this, but are you able to look after Caeli for about half an hour?" Vin asked softly.
"Sure. Do you want to tell me what is really happing?"
"With Caeli? I don't know. I have never seen her like this. She does not want to go to the hospital until she sees Salma."
"I'm sure that whatever this is, Salma will be able to help her. Try not to worry," Ben offered a positive spin on the situation.
"I need Salma's help with another hotel issue, but it can wait until she looks at Caeli."
"That sounds like a good idea. Now, do you want to tell me the rest of it?" Ben noticed more than Caeli's illness.
"We already know the plane crash was not an accident. I don't think the gals are aware of that yet. They think we are moving because of the media circus surrounding Salma, and I would like to keep it that way as long as we can. I don't know the reason yet, but I don't think you were shot by accident. I suspect it has to do with Salma's work. I believe she is in danger, Ben. I just don't know to what extent. Right now, I think they are trying to scare her. And I have no doubt that this
is going to escalate if they don't get the results they are after."
"I agree. I was thinking along those lines when I saw the picket lines at the pier and witnessed the exchange of gunfire from the helicopters. Although, I thought they might have been trying to injure Salma. I was glad they hit me instead. I kept that suspicion to myself because Salma is worried enough about me and Caeli. She doesn't need any additional concerns," Ben concurred with Vin's conclusion.
"Did you notice the blue pickup truck on the ride over?"
"Yes. It was hard to miss. Nice move, by the way, calling their bluff like that. Though, I tend to agree with the Private's assessment. It was pretty clumsy for professionals. Do you have any idea who might have been driving?" Even injured, Ben didn't miss much. Vin had been counting on his observations.
"No, and it might well have been reporters, but my gut is telling me otherwise. I have a plan to get us to a safer location."
Just then, the door handle rattled and Salma walked into the room, followed by a bellhop with a luggage cart containing two suitcases and two hanging clothes bags.
"Hi guys. Looks like I found our luggage." Salma smiled and waved the man, dressed in black pants and a bright orange shirt bearing the hotel's palm tree logo, into the room.
"I will fill you in on the rest later," Vin whispered and jumped up quickly to intercept the bellhop with the cart.
"Here, let me help you." Vin stopped the cart and then reached into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet. He gave the man a ten dollar bill.
"If you don't mind, I will leave the cart out in the hall when we're finished. It has been a long day and we would like to take our time unloading it." Vin put on his most gracious smile for the man.
"No problem, Sir. If you need anything else, my name is Sal. Call down to the front desk and ask for me by name." The man gave a huge smile and quickly pocketed the generous tip.
"Thanks, Sal." Vin closed the door behind him as he ushered the hotel employee out of the room.
"That was real smooth, Vin. Now, what was that all about?" Salma checked briefly on Ben during the exchange and found him no worse than before. In fact, a bit of color had returned to his face. When Ben told her about Caeli's episode, Salma quickly went to her side.
Caeli was still huddled up in the chair across the room, resting, but not asleep. She looked awful. After a few quick assessments, Salma pulled her medical kit out of her carryon bag and produced two vials of clear liquids. She located a syringe and gave Caeli a shot of each medication.
"What was that, Salma? Will it cause any problems for my…" Caeli asked sleepily.
"No Dear. It's just a little vitamin booster for your immune system and something to help with the pain. It's the best I can do for now. I need to get your symptoms calmed down and get you someplace a bit more settled before I can spend time with you and run some tests. We could go to a hospital and, I agree with Vin, that it's probably not a bad idea. Besides, it would give Ben an excuse to go as well. He is too stubborn to admit that he wants me to stitch him up," Salma said.
"I will go if you think I should, but what I really want to do is sleep. I'm so tired. Vin said we will be relocating somewhere that is safer for you. Can you run your tests when we get there?"
"I can draw your blood and send it to be tested. You don't have to be present for the tests. You could get some sleep while we wait. In fact, that shot should already be making you a little drowsy. A hotel might be better for sleeping than a hospital after all. I suppose I would be all right with that arrangement for now."
"Vin?" Caeli looked over at him sitting on the edge of her chair once more.
"If you go to the hospital to wait, then you won't have to move again if you need to be treated. I can make sure that no one disturbs your rest."
"Vin, I understand your concern, but now is not the time to increase her tension. You know how much she hates being in the hospital. There is not much they can do for her at the hospital that I can't do for her while we wait for the test results. Let her have the hotel so that she can relax. Can't you see how scared she is?" Salma kept the request strictly between her and Vin.
"I can feel her concern, Salma. It matches my own fear for her. I only want what's best for her."
"That makes sense. I will go, Vin," Caeli replied after considering the comment he had made out loud.
Caeli was doing her best not to be a burden, but both Vin and Salma insisted that her illness required further attention. Caeli could not deny it. She was as miserable as she could ever remember. Still, more than anything else, Caeli was sure that she would feel better if she could just get some sleep.
"Her symptoms are most likely a flu that has gone untreated for too long, and the stomach pain is likely from her cut. I need to look at it and get that patched up. I can do that at the hotel."
The combination of medicines Salma gave Caeli was a comparatively weak dose due to her low tolerance to medications, but it would reduce her fever, decrease her muscle pain, and make her sleepy.
Unfortunately, Caeli was nauseous again and got sick five minutes later. After a second wave of stomach pain, as intense as the first, she finally began to settle down. Once the medicine had been in her system for ten minutes, Caeli finally appeared to be slightly more comfortable. It was all Salma could offer without access to supplies that would only be available at a medical facility. Salma tried to reassure Vin that Caeli would be all right and did not need to go to the hospital right away, determining that it would be better to wait and see how she responded to the medicine first. Vin paced with worry until Salma finished checking on Caeli, and then he was by her side again.
Vin gave Caeli some more water to drink and replaced the cool washcloth on her neck. Salma not only agreed, but insisted upon examining her thoroughly once they reached their new destination. Vin sat with Caeli for the next ten minutes, making sure she was not getting any worse. When she seemed relatively stable, Vin left Caeli to rest while he crossed the room to talk to Ben and Salma. Salma wanted to know the specific details of Vin's plan.
"Would you join me for a walk, Auntie?" Vin tried to lighten the mood in order to help ease his tension. He placed Salma's arm in his and escorted her toward the door, turning back to wink conspiratorially at Ben. Vin knew Ben would look after Caeli while he took Salma downstairs to make the remaining arrangements.
Vin and Salma walked down the hall to the elevator. When it arrived, they stepped inside the empty unit and waited patiently as it carried them down to the ground floor. They walked across the large, grandly decorated lobby, noting the extravagance of the setting. The furnishings included plush red and gold sofas, several leather armchairs, and a scattering of coffee tables covered with newspapers and magazines. The floor was white granite tile with twelve feet square area rugs placed strategically to designate separate areas without using physical boundaries. The conference committee chose a luxurious venue. What a shame that the beautiful views were being blocked as the windows were boarded in preparation for the massive storm that was forecast to hit the island in the next few days.
As they walked, Vin explained to Salma that he wanted her to get them checked out without letting anyone other than the reception clerk know they were leaving. He wanted her to keep one room key for them to use until they left, which they would place in the night drop box on their way out. Vin had no intentions for any of them to return to the rooms once they departed. If asked, she would say the reason for their departure was to accept an offer to stay with friends. Since the conference was sponsoring her rooms, Salma would ask them to hold the invoice until the end of the week. Since she would still be presenting at the conference, nobody would know that she left the hotel until Friday evening. Vin hoped that would be enough to mislead anyone making casual inquiries.
Salma walked up to the counter, alone, to handle their departure details. The clerk confirmed her information, made notes in the computer, and thanked her for letting them know the situation. They invited her to
keep the room keys. They said they could not release the room, and that perhaps she might want to freshen up while attending conference events. Salma thanked the helpful clerk and returned to the elevator, which she then rode up to the correct floor.
Vin, in the meantime, went off in another direction to rent a car. He found an ATM along the way and made several transactions, pulling out as much cash as he could from their bank account. He wanted to make sure that his movements from this point forward could not be traced electronically. Vin continued on to the other end of the lobby where two car rental kiosks could be seen. There, he also located a local information booth which he headed for first. He inquired about the plane crash and the location of the center where the survivors had been taken. It turned out to be an arena only six miles up the road. Vin thanked his good fortune as he stood waiting impatiently in a rather long line at one of the car rental agencies. The intermittent rain and impending storm were apparently forcing people to drive rather than walk to their destinations tonight.
Almost as soon as Vin and Salma left the room, Caeli jumped up from the chair and stumbled into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Ben could hear that she was sick again. The water in the sink ran for several minutes afterward. When she still hadn't come out after ten minutes, Ben considered getting up to check on her. As he prepared to do so, she finally returned. Caeli actually looked like she might be feeling a little better, but she kept her arm pressed across her stomach and leaned heavily against the wall to steady herself. Though she obviously wasn't well, the medicine must be providing her with some relief.
"Why don't you come over here and keep me company? I haven't had a chance to thank you for that little miracle you performed," Ben suggested.
Caeli walked slowly over and sat in the chair that Vin previously occupied. She continued to press her arm across her abdomen, but didn't appear to be shivering any more.
Wrath of the Sea Queen Page 20
