She was looking at the room service menu even though she was still not hungry after the big, late lunch, when there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?” she called out as she struggled out of bed.

“Gail.”

“Be right there.” Jean had to stop a moment to catch her breath, then moved slowly to the door. “Hey,” she said as she opened it.

“Hi,” Gail said. “I just heard you were mugged? Are you all right?”

“Yeah, just hurt my kidneys. Come in.” Jean held the door open and Gail came in just as Fletcher arrived. “Jean! You okay?”

“Yes. Come on in.” She left the door to him and hobbled to the bed. “I’m supposed to lie down and let my kidneys heal.”

Gail and Fletch each found a chair. “What happened,” Fletcher asked. “Stephanie is down in the lounge making it sound like every ninja in China is after you.”

Jean rolled her eyes. “No. I was coming out of the bathroom and just before I got to the turn, someone ran up behind me. Sucker punched me in the kidneys and raced back into the kitchen. I was left on the floor, gasping for air like a goldfish out of her bowl.”

“That’s horrible!” Gail’s eyes were wide and a hand covered her mouth. “Who did it?”

“No idea. I don’t expect anyone will ever know.”

“Was it a man or woman?” Fletcher had both elbows on his knees as he sat forward.

“Don’t know that either. Could have been anyone, I couldn’t turn around to look even if my brain had been sharp enough to think of it.”

“Well that sucks. You’re going to miss everything happening tonight.” Gail stood up. “What can I get you?”

“Nothing, really.” Jean did her best to fluff up the pillows behind her back, so it was supported. “I’m not hungry and I’ve been told by the doctor, no drinking.” She lifted up her glass of water. “This is it for me.”

Another knock came on the door. Fletcher got up to answer it. Jean appreciated that. She’d just gotten comfortable. Kiko and Ian came in. “So, this is where the party is,” Ian said. “Kidney punch, huh? That sucks. Any blood in your urine?”

Kiko gave him a light smack. “Pretty personal there, bub!”

“Hey!” He grinned and spread his hands wide. “I’m a nurse now, remember?”

Everyone laughed.

“No. No blood. I think that’s why the doc let me get out of the hospital.”

Everyone sat around and chatted for a while, then began taking their leave, one at a time. Gail was the last one left. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”

“Could you refill my glass. I have a bottle of water on the bathroom sink.”

Gail did that and brought the remainder of the quart bottle and the glass back and put them on the bed stand. “No dinner?”

“No. Really. I’m not hungry. I’m just going to rest and let these kidneys heal.”

“Okay. I’m going downstairs. I hope the police find who did it.”

“I do too.” Jean thought a minute. “One other thing. Today at the candy place. Did you see Brandon with any one? Talking, or anything?”

Gail looked thoughtful. “No. But Norman was. Nobody I recognized.”

“What did she look like.”

“Not a woman, a man. Dark complexion, black hair. Very thin. The guy really should eat more.”

“Could you hear them? Did they do anything?”

“No. Why?”

“I don’t know. I saw Brandon talking to someone very similar to who Norm was talking to, just before he got back on the bus to leave. Could be someone asking for directions.”

Gail shrugged. “I guess. Norm pointed at you once. I saw that.”

Jean’s eyes went wide. “When?”

“Uh,” she put a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God! Do you think that’s who attacked you?”

Jean held up a hand to stop her. “Wait! I didn’t say that. Just, where was I when Norman pointed me out?”

“You were looking at the assembly line, the bars of chocolate going into the wrapping area. He was way behind us. I never thought!”

“Why would you?” Jean shook her head. “It was probably nothing. Norm was just telling the guy where the exit was or something.”

Gail gave a big sigh. “You think so?”

“Sure.” Jean did her best to sooth the younger woman. “That’s all it was. Travelers trot or the like. I’ve been there and done that.”

“Oh, yeah. Me too. I hate that.” Gail gave her hair a fluff. “That makes more sense.”

“Of course.” She chuckled. “Why would Norm want me attacked.”

Gail laughed. “Yeah. That would be strange, right?”

“Yes.” Jean sighed. “You go have fun. I’m probably going to turn in early and let my system rest.”

“You do that.” Gail moved to the door. “Take care. Sleep well.”

“I will.”

Jean heard the door open, then pull shut. She struggled out of bed and shuffled to the door, throwing the security lock on it. She stood staring at the door. Was there any way to lock it anymore? It didn’t appear so. Jean sighed and decided to use the facility while she was up. She grabbed her cell on the way back to the bed along with her purse. The little night stand was getting pretty crowded, but she didn’t care. She wanted everything close at hand.

Back in bed and comfortable, she called Detective Voberg. “Hello,” Jean said when the detective picked up. “Jean Hays.”

“Miss Hays. Shouldn’t you be enjoying your reunion?”

“I can’t. I’m on bed rest. Someone attacked me in a restaurant this afternoon and hit me in the kidneys.”

“Tell me.”

Jean told her everything. “The doctor said the hospital would file a report.”

“I’ll look into it. Anything else?”

“I mentioned that Brandon Rivers was talking to someone at the chocolate factory. I must have been the only one to see that. But Gail Amendola just told me she saw Norman Heller talking to someone that from her description sounded a lot like the guy talking to Brandon. She said Norm pointed me out while we were on the tour. I tried to talk her down from her conclusion that might be who attacked me because I don’t want her to worry, but here I am, attacked this afternoon.”

“You think someone is after you?”

“I do. Word is out among the reunion attendees that I have solved murders in Greyson. They’re calling me the Murder Queen. Someone, I think, believes I know more than I do.” Jean could hear Detective Voberg sigh.

“This is what you did in Greyson?”

“Pretty much, with about the same results. I usually don’t know much of anything but the fact I’m asking questions, it gets someone twitchy and I end up in the hospital.”

“You are suspicious of Brandon and Norman?”

“I would have said Brandon because he was taking those meetings with Justin and the Afghani’s. Norm was Quality Control. What would he have to do with anything?”

“Good questions, Miss Hays. Do you feel secure?”

“I’ve got the room locked and the extra security thingy thrown. Hotel doors are pretty heavy in this day and age. I think I’m good.”

“Fine. I’m going to start making calls. Don’t leave your room.”

“Fair enough.”

“Good night, Miss Hays.”

“Good night, Detective.” Jean clicked off, put the phone on the stand and sat, staring at the blank TV. What could have Justin dragged back to the States with him. Drugs? Afghanistan was known for opium. Wasn’t heroin derived from opium? Some sort of dealer or transporter? A middle-man that made a mistake? What else, gold? Arms? She shook her head. How would he be dealing arms? Jean massaged her temples. She had no idea. It could be artifacts for all she knew, secreting them out of the country ahead of the far right muslim fanatics hell bent on destroying their own heritage.

Jean picked up the remote and turned on the TV. She didn’t want to think about it at the moment.

Two hours later, her cell phone rang. “Hi.”

“Jean, it’s Dwight. I was hoping you were still awake.”

“Yeah. I hurt. I don’t have any aspirin even if the doc would let me take it. What’s up?”

“Can I come up?”

“Sure. You know where I am.”

“Be there in a sec.” He hung up.

Jean sighed and inched out of bed. She went to the bathroom and washed her hands. Still no blood in the bowl. She should have had Dwight go to the gift shop and get another couple bottles of water. Her bottle was dry. She’d have to resort to drinking tap water. Jean made a face just thinking about it.

Not long after, there was a knock at the door. She stood on tiptoe and looked through the peephole. It was Dwight. Jean opened the door.

“Come in.”

“How’re you doing?” He followed her in, making sure the door shut behind him.

“Good enough. Like I said, I’m in some pain.”

“Did you call the doc? He said you could call.”

She crawled back into bed. “I know. But I just checked. I’m not bleeding. It’s not that bad I want to take morphine or oxy or some other thing that’s going to knock me for a loop.”

“You always were a lightweight when it came to the harder drugs.” He flopped into the chair. “Party’s going full swing down in the lounge. They have an 80’s band. Everyone is lapping it up.”

“So why are you here?”

“What do you know about Gail?”

“Amendola? She was just a kid in Afghanistan. She told me Justin’s suppliers used to bring her Swiss chocolate because she served them tea at meetings.”

“What about now?”

Jean studied him. “What?”

“What’s she do now?”

“She stationed here, at Nellis. Said it’s an easy pace. Not like a war zone. Why?”

“Because she and Fletcher are all over each other.”

Jean laughed. “It’s Vegas, baby.” She shook her head. “And it’s a reunion. I don’t think that’s much to go on.”

He scowled. “Maybe, but I saw them, heads together around the cocktail table with Soren. Looked thick as thieves.”

That did give Jean pause. “And Norman?”

It was Dwight’s turn to look confused. “What about him?”

“Where was he?”

“Talking to Damon at another table. Why?”

Jean sat back against her pillows trying to think around the pain in her back. “Maybe they’re all in it together.”

Next Chapter: Chapter Twelve