Free Fever Dream by Dennis Palumbo

and slight as a child.
    “I’m Lloyd Holloway,” her doctor announced. More hand-shaking all around, except for Robertson. He just mumbled some version of good-bye and resumed his position outside Treva’s door. Standing guard.
    Which was Holloway’s cue to lead us away from her room and into a visitor’s lounge around the corner. The same one as in every hospital in the world. Small, with pea-green cushioned chairs. Fluorescent ceiling lights. Vending machines. We had the place to ourselves, but nobody sat.
    Holloway was youngish, incongruously built like a wrestler, and with long yellow hair pulled back into a pony tail. Reminding me of that surly pony-tailed coroner’s assistant from the crime scene. Must be the new sartorial trend in medicine.
    “How is she?” Eleanor Lowrey asked.
    “Well, she took a helluva blow to the head, but she’ll probably be okay.”
    Holloway’s manner was brusque, dismissive. Maybe he was having a rough night, I thought. Or maybe that was just who he was.
    “Any concerns about a concussion?” I said.
    “Not really, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”
    Eleanor bit her lip. “Can we talk to her?”
    “Not for a while. We have her sedated. From this point on, it’s all about observation. Seeing how she responds.”
    His tone sharpened. “That order came from the hospital director’s office. Apparently, in response to a request by the police. Easier to keep her isolated up here in the unit. Protected, I guess. Fewer rooms. Fewer visitors.”
    “Biegler’s doing,” I said to Eleanor. “Or maybe even the assistant chief’s.”
    But she seemed distracted. Wasn’t listening.
    “And there’s just the one detective on duty?” she asked Holloway. “Robertson?”
    “Yeah. But he hasn’t budged. I had to send one of the nurses’ aides to get him some sandwiches. Robertson said he was hungry.”
    Eleanor chuckled without humor. “Yeah, like he couldn’t afford to miss a meal or two.”
    Lloyd Holloway glanced at the wall clock over our heads. “Look, I’ve got a meeting on Ward B, all the way on the other side of the building. I’ll be back soon to check up on the patient. So if you’ll excuse me…”
    He gave us a brief, professional smile and walked out of the lounge. I watched him go down the narrow hallway, stopping only once to chide some nurse who’d just come from another room. Whatever his grievance, he didn’t wait around for her response. I watched her tired, worried face as he strode off. ICU is a tough gig.
    When I turned back to talk to Eleanor, I saw that she’d crossed her arms and was leaning against the opened doorframe. She looked pretty beat herself.
    “We’re stretched too thin,” she said quietly. “With the recent cut-backs, and some early retires that took the department by surprise, everybody’s feeling the strain. This bank robbery thing is really pushing the envelope. Christ, if a jerk like Robertson is who we’ve got watching our star witness…”
    I came closer and touched her shoulder. Her violet eyes rose up to meet mine.
    “Listen, Treva’s probably as safe in here as she’d be anywhere. The truth is, we’re both feeling like we screwed up. At least, I know I am. I should’ve been in that ambulance with her. Maybe then…”
    She frowned. “Yeah, about the ambulance. The crash. I mean, what do you think happened?”
    “Karp probably lost control. I was told he drove off like a bat out of hell. Bergmann’s orders were to get Vickers and Treva to the hospital ASAP. Unless there was some kind of mechanical problem…the brakes, or…”
    “We’ll know soon enough. They’ll take the ambulance down to the impound, CSU will go over every inch of it. Soon as we get their report—”
    “Fuck their report!” A familiar booming voice echoed down the hall. “Wait till you hear mine .”
    It was Harry Polk, sweat gleaming on his wide brow as he joined us in the lounge. His breathing was quick and labored, as though he