Chapter 2

The night desk clerk took sixteen fucking rings to get to the phone.

“Please,where’s the nearest hospital?”

“?Que??Que?”

“My friend is very sick,please,I need a hospital.Room 116.We need a doctor!”

“Doc-tor??Por favor?”

“?Ingles?Habla Ingles,please!”

“No hablo,senor.No se.”

Steven slammed down the phone,his throat thick.

“Fuck!!”

Okay,now wait.Calm down.He’s not convulsing right this second.Think,think.Isn’t there a hospital on Habana?

Yes,there was.St.Joseph’s.Steven could see it now in his mind,fa?ade painted a peachy-tan,the tile roof a concession to the Hispanic neighborhoodthat surrounded it.And less than seven minutes away.