“Thanks, Mel. I’ll take it.”

She hesitated, then went out. As soon as the door closed, he picked up the phone. “Walt?”

“You bet,” said a Texas drawl.

“Don’t say anything until my nurse hangs up.”

They waited for the click of the receiver. Tom had e-mailed Walt Garrity a few hours earlier, instructing the old Texas Ranger to call him at home using a pay phone.

There was a clatter in Tom’s left ear, then Melba said, “Dr. Cage? Have you got it?”

“I’ve got it,” he said, waiting for the click.

It was slow in coming, but at last it did. “Okay, Walt.”

“Jeez, pardner. Could you make it any harder on a fella?”

“What do you mean?”

“You just about can’t find a pay phone these days.”

“Sorry.”

The old Ranger chuckled. “I finally found one in the lobby of a hotel. I think mostly hookers and drug dealers use it. Anyway, what’s going on? Not your ticker again, is it?”

“No. This is worse.”

“Shit. Fire away.”

“I’m in trouble, buddy. I need help.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“The law.”

Garrity took a moment to process this. “That sounds like your son’s line of country.”

“Normally, it would be. But I have to keep Penn out of this. This is … different.”

“Different how?”

“This is like Korea.”

“Which part?”

Tom hesitated, wishing he didn’t have to raise any ghosts for Garrity. “Like the ambulance.”

“Oh, God. How do you mean?”

“Similar situation.”

This time the silence dragged for a long time. “I think I’ve got you. Tell me what you need.”

“I hate to ask this, Walt. I hate to ask you to leave Carmelita.” Garrity had found his true love late in life, a Mexican woman who put up with nothing but took wonderful care of him. “But I need you to come to Natchez.”

“Keep talking.”

“I may be in custody soon. Probably not tonight, but possibly as early as tomorrow. If that happens, I’m going to need you on the outside, doing what I can’t from jail.”

“I hear you.”

“This could be dangerous. I won’t lie to you.”

“Imagine that,” said the Ranger.

“Before you say yes, I want you to know—”

“I’ll tell you what I know, Corpsman Cage. Medics stick together. Right? Whatever you need, you’ve got it. You know that.”

Tom felt an unexpected rush of emotion. “Thanks, buddy.”

“Can you be more specific about your situation?”

“Not on the phone. Let’s just say I’ve got a target painted on my back.”

“Just like that ol’ red cross in the snow, huh?”

“Yep. A lot like that.”

“What goes around comes around, I reckon.”

“Walt—”

“Put a sock in it, Corpsman. Remember what we told the wounded. ‘Lie still. Play dead. Help’s a-comin’.’ I’ll be there tomorrow, if not sooner.”

The connection went dead.