Chapter 368 Hospital, Alarm and Trouble
As an expert in jungle combat, Luke chose the easiest route and returned to Stephen’s log cabins in less than ten minutes.
At that point, all of them were drenched.
Luke helped Steve into a chair on the patio and looked for the key to the pickup.
A few minutes later, Luke and Annie were in the front seats of the pickup, while Steve lay in the backseat as his girlfriend took care of him.
The Ford pickup started up and drove down the mountain.
Luke didn’t rush. While Steve didn’t look good, he wasn’t dying.
On the other hand, if Luke accidentally drove the car off a cliff, they would be killed.
Thanks to Elementary Driving, it only took Luke thirty minutes in the heavy rain to return to the campsite for No. 37 Middle School.
Luke parked the car outside Juliet’s cabin and knocked on the door.
Juliet opened the door and was surprised to see Luke fully kitted out. “What’s wrong?” Luke said, “A tourist from another campsite is heavily injured and needs urgent medical care. Where’s the nearest hospital?” Juliet said, “I know where the hospital is, I’ll take you there.” Luke stopped her. “Juliet, you’re responsible for the students here. Besides, it’s not safe to drive right now. Just tell me where the hospital is. That’ll be enough.”
Juliet meant well, but she might get into an accident if she drove too fast on such a rainy night.
Juliet thought he had a point. She wasn’t very confident in her driving skills.
She hurried to find a map in her room and marked a location on it. “We usually send students and teachers who require first aid to this hospital called Hatchmobis. It takes thirty minutes to get there. Keep the map, I have more copies of it.”
Luke thanked her and accepted the map. Surveying it and taking a photo with his fake phone, he turned around and said, “Thanks, Juliet. I might not return tonight.”
Juliet saw him off and shouted, “Be careful. Call me if anything happens.” Luke signaled OK with his hand and quickly drove out of the campsite.
They arrived safely.
There was no problem with Juliet’s map and the hospital was easy to spot.
Forty minutes later, Steve was rushed into the operating room.
Looking at the two wet and shivering women, Luke said to Janet, “Wait for Steve here. I’ll take Annie to buy some things, okay?”
Janet trembled and nodded, her eyes fixed on the doors of the operating room.
Knowing that she was too worried about her boyfriend to go anywhere, Luke left with Annie, who was also shaking.
He asked a nurse, and found a 24-hour supermarket.
He then told Annie to choose some clothes for herself and Janet.
Women were better in that aspect. Luke wasn’t an expert, except when it came to determining cup sizes.
On the other hand, Luke picked up a few towels, some water, and a big backpack, before he paid for everything.
He booked a room at a motel a hundred meters from the hospital, and told Annie to take a shower and change her clothes.
Luke took off his equipment too. He put away his guns, his holsters and his bulletproof vest.
After Annie came out in a big bathrobe, Luke took a quick shower as well.
He then smiled at Annie. “Can you keep going? If you can, let’s go to the hospital to keep Janet company; she should change out of her clothes at the very least, and it would be inappropriate for me to take her to do that.”
Annie was amused even though she hadn’t recovered from her shock yet. “Dream on.”
She had gotten completely drenched during the storm, and Janet was no exception; she certainly wouldn’t let Luke watch her change.
Refreshed, Luke and Annie returned to the hospital, and Luke persuaded Janet to find a place to change into dry clothes.
After the two girls left, he took out his phone and called the police. Actually, the hospital should have already called the police; Luke was only making another call to make sure.
Ten minutes later, a local constable arrived.
Luke showed him his badge and told the constable what he knew.
While they were talking, Annie and Janet came back.
Annie was holding a bunch of transparent plastic bags that contained everything they had been wearing except their underwear.
Luke gave the plastic bags to the constable and said, “Here’s the evidence.”
The constable was stunned for a moment, before he smiled wryly. “Well, thank you for your cooperation, Detective Luke.”
Luke didn’t think it was a big deal. “I hope this can reduce your workload a little.”
The constable naturally agreed.
A lot of things were easier with the cooperation of someone in the same field.
Another constable showed up, and the two of them questioned Annie and Janet separately.
After a while, neither of the constables had good expressions. The older of the constables came over and asked to speak to Luke in private.
They talked for a while, and Luke knew that this matter was a little tricky.
Those kids were from another town on the other side of the mountain, which wasn’t in the constables’ jurisdiction.
If the constables wanted to arrest the kids, they had two options: Climb the mountain right now, or talk to the constable of the other town first before they arrested the kids.
Looking at the storm outside the window, Luke didn’t think that the constables had the courage to climb the mountain in this weather.
As for arresting the kids from another town, that was a completely different matter.
Luke had no interest in telling the constables what to do. He made it explicitly clear that he was only a passer-by in this case, and that the constables should do as they saw fit.
He had never liked to stick his nose into someone else’s business, even after becoming a police officer.
He had accomplished his objective of saving Annie, Steve and Janet.
Given Steve’s wounds, if he was determined to sue those kids, there was a high chance he could get them sent to juvie, and bankrupt their parents in damages.
This type of case which involved serious bodily harm was something that “professional” lawyers would be very interested in taking on.
Luke would naturally follow up on the case as well.
He wouldn’t act without reason, but once he confirmed certain things, he didn’t mind spending another weekend here.
The two constables were relieved; at least they didn’t have to risk their lives climbing the mountain at night.
The identities of those kids weren’t a secret. It would be impossible for them to run.
Police matters in the other town were entrusted to LASD. It was better to communicate with LASD first before taking any action.
Two hours later, Steve was wheeled out of the operating room.