The Bogeyman; the tale of a man and his death list

Chapter 24(Saint Louis Hospital)

“Depends on who is asking” Redmond replied icily. He didn't even flinch.

She hinted with a haughty smile, “well, I'm Rose Jefferson. You came highly recommended by Lord Roosevelt himself.”

“Oh, I see. I hope my terms were well laid out?”

“Yes, we have that into consideration.”

“You better do, lead the way eh” He said, leaving Rose a bit shocked. She was reluctant at first, more skeptical. 

Seeing the highly recommended whatever in a casual outfit, coupled with the not-so-good-looking for a home behind me made her doubt his credibility.

It was fair to say that she had expected some James Bond in an Italian suit.

She had only kept up with it because he came highly  recommended by Mr. Roosevelt himself.

Redmond sat beside her in the lead car. Just like that, they zoomed off, on their way to the highly rated dinner party hosted by the Jeffersons.

Aunt Tana was still rooted at the spot, watching them until they were out of sight.

She couldn't help but wonder about the nature of the trouble Redmond had caused. 

It only made sense to her that they have taken Redmond to teach him one or two about being a fucking man.

“Who knows, he may have stolen from some important people. Ruth must hear this.” She said with a rather sad tone but deep inside, her heart swelled with joy like a pumped balloon.

The journey to the venue, so far, has been a silent one until a call came floating in, disturbing the serenity. 

“Ms.” One of the men subserviently handed the phone to Rose.

At the perch of the phone near Rose’s ear, her countenance drifted from neutral to a slight frown.

By the time the call was over, her beautiful face was smudged with steamy sweat. On a closer look, one could see that she was tense.

“Turn the car right away!” She ordered sternly. At the speed of light, the very adept driver manipulated the steering in a remarkable fashion. The car tyres screeched at each turn while the exhaust pipe fumes the spot with smoke. No wonder she expected a Bond.

“Why the change of plans?” Redmond asked calmly. 

Calm in the midst of an imminent storm, that was Redmond's deposition. He appeared like he was in another universe, different from the one the other three were. 

Beads of hot sweats lined up like soldiers at their forehead. Their faces were like ones that have just eaten a pile of feces.

Redmond has maintained a neutral expression despite the sudden drift from their course.

“My father was attacked. He is in the hospital right now.” Rose replied with a straight face, not wanting to show his weak side before the stranger.

That was the last word before the car, one by one came to a forceful stop, right in front of  Saint Louis hospital.

“Leave the way!!!”

“Watch it! Hey! Out of the fucking way!” The men kept yelling as they cleared the path to the ward pointed out by one of the nurses.

By the time they arrived at the spot, a league of doctors were doing what seems like brainstorming while Mr. Jefferson lay motionless on the hospital bed.

At the sight of Rose, a pretty girl, just as beautiful as Rose embraced her with tears. “Papa is…dying, Rose” Rose’s younger sister, Lara, wheezed. 

Rose's eyes burned red, ripe for tears while her lips tightened, hoarding the urge to cry. “It will be alright, Lara. Papa will be alright.” 

“Are you Ms. Jefferson?” A dumpy man in his late forties approached Rose. Behind him were full fledged doctors lined up like his students.

Rose was still on big sister duty, pacifying her younger sister hence she could only nod in affirmation.

“Am Doctor Hardy,” he paused, “am sure that rings a bell” He dropped a cocky smile.

A slight frown crept to his face when Rose nodded against it.

“In twenty-first fucking century?” He managed to say, disappointment etched in his tone.

Everyone knows how miffed Dr. Hardy tends to get when he isn't given a celebrity kind of attention. For fuck sake, he remains one of the most popular doctor in Denor city.

In his eyes, it is a crime not to treat him like a celebrity let alone not recognize him. But he will let this one slide because of how Powerful the patient is.

“Well, pertaining to your father, his situation appears delicate but he is stable…”

“Not for long” Redmond interrupts on arriving. He had taken his time to walk to the ward unlike Rose and her men that literally flew their way in.

Dr. Hardy threw a careless, haughty glance towards his direction and continued, “In the next twenty minutes, a series of tests will be done and then…”

“We don't have the time.” Redmond curts and this time, he got a deathly stare from Dr. Hardy. Rose didn't shy away from doing the same too. She was tempted to send him away.

“Treatment will commence immediately after the…” Once again, just before he could finish, Redmond acted again. But, this time he forced himself into the hospital room, right where Mr. Jefferson was lying.

This caused murmurs and certain expected reactions. “Hey you!” “Dunderhead!” Dr. Hardy and his colleagues called out as they found their way inside.

One of the eager, sycophantic doctors was about to get hold of him when Redmond held his wrist causing him to yelp for help.

Rose Jefferson was alarmed at this point, as well as others. Dr. Hardy was a step away from dialing the security alarm while Lara had already signalled the burly men to attack.

Redmond raised his head and he caught the horror on Rose’s face before releasing the doctor who then carried his injured hand with the other.

“You will lose your father in the next..” he took a look at Mr. Jefferson’s motionless body and then towards Rose, “In the next five minutes, high fever will set in, it then graduates into convulsion. His body complexion will lose hue and then darken rapidly. 

Lastly he will experience intense shock to his body as a result of the poison usurping the blood supply. In seven minutes, he will die. Allow me to help.”

Dr. Hardy started it, then his colleagues followed suit, laughing boisterously and unprofessionally.

“This guy is a real cuckoo. Who the hell are you?” He turned to Rose, “Where the hell is this humourless comedian from?” Dr. Hardy mocked, giggling and sniggering in between each insult.

“Your call, Ms. Jefferson. Time is ticking.” His statement surprisingly left Rose confused and perturbed. 

A lot of things raced through her mind. “Who the hell is this stranger from Mr. Roosevelt himself? Is he a doctor now or is this some joke to him?” She thought wildly.

Lara watched Rose closely with disbelief, “Don't Tell me you're considering this trashy talk from a simpleton?” Lara lashed out, “Throw him out already or I will make them too.” Lara threatened sternly, pointing from the men to Redmond.

“Are you going to risk your father's life because of a speculation from a bloke that hasn't touched a surgical blade in his whole damned life.”

“I'm your best option here Ms. Jefferson. The earlier you know this the better.”

“Yes, Dr Hardy is the best there is.”

“Dr Hardy has done miraculous things in the name of medicine.” 

His soldiers lined up behind him.

“Are you telling me Dr. Hardy that I shouldn't worry about this?” Rose managed to ask.

Hahaha, “Absolutely, Ms. Jefferson. Your father is as stable as anyone else right here. He won't even break a breath in the next two hours.

If he is so sure of his dud speculation, he should agree to bow, apologize and praise me in public if it fails. I will do the same if I am wrong.” Dr. Hardy concluded cockily.

Redmond dropped a half smile and shaked to it. 

“Dr. Hardy, the time is five minutes now and yet no changes so far” One of the doctors in his early fifties announced.