Tom tried to think of a way to make Drew understand the stakes. “Do you remember when you had your back against the wall a few years ago?” Tom asked. “Shad Johnson had locked your ass up, and nobody believed a word you said.”

At last his words had penetrated Drew’s good humor. The smile had vanished as though it never existed. “I’ll never forget it.”

“Did you tell anybody everything? Even Penn?”

Drew sighed heavily. “No. But I should have. And even though I held back on him, he’s the one who got me out of trouble.”

“Penn can’t get me out of this. You have to trust me on that.”

“I guess I have to. It’s your life, after all.”

“Doc?” Melba said gently. “Are you feeling all right? You look clammy.”

Tom forced a smile. “I don’t think Drew’s going to have a hissy fit if you call me Tom, Melba.”

The nurse gave a self-conscious smile. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

“Do you two want me and Captain Garrity to give you some privacy?” Drew asked, carrying his bloody instruments to the sink.

“I’ll wash those, Dr. Elliott,” Melba said, quickly moving after him.

“No, you won’t. You keep our patient comfortable.”

Melba came back to Tom’s side.

Drew ran water into the sink and waited for it to get hot. “Did you tell him about Mrs. Nolan?”

“Pithy?” asked Tom, suddenly worried. “Has something happened to her?”

“No,” said Melba. “Penn asked me to go by her house and give her a steroid shot. I got Dr. Elliott to prescribe it.”

Tom knitted his brow. “How the hell did Penn know I missed that house call?”

“He went by there to talk to Pithy,” Melba explained.

“About what?”

The nurse shrugged. “He didn’t tell me. And Miss Pithy didn’t, either. She’s sure worried about you, though.”

Walt looked down at Tom and shook his head. “That’s a big club.”

“I appreciate you coming tonight, Mel,” Tom said. “But you need to get on back to Natchez.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Dr. Elliott, leave those things in the sink and go home. Your family needs you.”

Drew nodded, drying his hands. “Will you be at the office tomorrow?”

“I don’t know. Let’s wait and see how our patient does.”

Drew picked up his black bag in preparation for leaving, then looked at Walt. “If you guys absolutely have to drive somewhere, don’t drag Melba into it. You can ‘steal’ the old truck parked down by my pier. The keys are on top of the bathroom medicine cabinet.”

Tom saluted his partner with gratitude. Drew chuckled, started to leave, then walked back to the sofa and looked down at Tom with sadness in his eyes.