The younger clean shaven man had his back to the one concerned about this Jacqueline.
Calmly, he scanned in all directions, peering into the darkness.
Billie is business first, telling the man what needs to happen.
"I must insist you go to hospital immediately sir. I have done what I can do on a front porch, but the gunshot wound will need to be managed for a few days. You will need a surgical intervention for the removal of any foreign materials, as well as debridement of the wound if needed. Those steps must take place in an antiseptic location. Afterward, penetrating torso wounds such as this one must be monitored for drainage if needed, and watched carefully for any sign of infection."
"If these steps aren't taken within less than six hours from now, your risk of infection and septicemia will increase exponentially and your your likelihood of survival will drop to less than fifty percent."
"To put it concisely, you need to leave now. I have an automobile nearby and I can take you to the nearest hospital immediately."
She directs all the information specifically to the wounded man. He alone is the one who must consent to treatment. Billie does not practice medicine by committee. When her precautionary warning has been issued, Billie gets around to the man's question.
"I do not know a Jacqueline, but I did receive this letter earlier this evening."
She takes the letter from her pocket and shows it to the man.
"Was Jacqueline the author of this letter? If so, why did she send it to me?"
She could tell the doctor was just a civilian who seemed have have been dropped into this. The Welshman was a user of the arts so he know the hidden world. The prof now the hidden world as they had talked about it a aften for his research. The ranting woman screams of being a see'er of the bright ways. And the burly man had seen combat, he was not even shocked buy what had happened, and he know the prof so it was likely he know things. So what to do with this Doctor and the rambling see'er woman?
"Liston Doctor, it is good that you caring for za professor, he means a lot to me. I agree he needs a hospital. As for your Letter It seems its not from ze professor ze you are not here for him as we are."
She bends down and kneels by the doctor, she places her hand on Billies hand reassuringly and carries on taking now in a lower voice.
"Hir Doctor zis is not your world, zis is the world of bad men doing bad things, and the zi rulez you play by in zis world of bad men are deadly ones as you have seen. Zo I suggest you take hir professor to the hospital and zat woman there who wants you to stay zo much, keep them safe, let us deal with ze very bad men for ze professor."
She lets go if Billie's hand and then turns and asks the professor directly.
"Hir professor you ask myself, Khaled, John, and hir Dafydd here for a rezon, what would you have do for you?"
Dafydd looks on, concerned for the doctor's health, but unsure how to proceed. The young Asian woman, she seems to know her medicine. More than I do, and we should probably follow her guidance. he thinks. At a convenient moment when no one is looking that way, he dismisses the sword. As Helena asks her question, Dafydd steps closer, interested in the answer.
Eva takes a moment to look around the courtyard, trying to get more clarity on her bearings. As she does, she listens to Billie's assessment of the professor's condition, and ponders to herself, "He was so close to gone, it all could have been lost - but not what?"
She slowly comes up alongside Dafydd, and kneeling down next to the Professor, she gently takes his hand. "Sir, I am sorry, I know this will sound crazy, but I was drawn here tonight, at this very moment, by a vision. Amidst your pain and loss, I must ask, do you still have it? Do you still have the Sliver of Eternity?"
Professor Finch looks significantly relieved, but still in rough shape after Billie’s exceptional care. He looks up at her, listening to her professional evaluation. He then carefully takes the letter, reaches into a pocket to produce a pair of spectacles. They are badly damaged, with one lens completely missing, and the other cracked and chipped. Squinting, he attempts to use the one remaining lens to evaluate the letter. ”Yes, this is most definitely from Jacqueline. I am truly sorry that she has also drawn you into this - though, selfishly, I am now glad you were here.”
He hands the letter back to Billie, then briefly looks at the broken spectacles before tossing them on the ground. ”Given both what I have briefly heard of your academic excellence and your clear demonstration of skill here, I will agree to your assessment that I must be on my way to the hospital.”
Looking to Khaled, he is a bit puzzled. ”Emerick? I didn't think he came with us to Egypt, but he is another colleague in the research that led to this find which brought us all together tonight - how do you know him Khal?”
He chuckles, and coughs briefly, then hearing Eva’s words - continues. ”Sliver of Eternity? So you mean - how could you know? A vision you say? Then I guess I must ask of you all a favor - can one of you go into the kitchen and look inside the largest stone jar on the counter. If luck is still with us, then perhaps it is possible that I still have the Sliver, as you call it. Once we know the date of that, then yes Doctor, I will go to the hospital “
Just a half-written note, professor. If he is their next target, then, time is of the essence, Sir.
The younger man passes the note he'd he's palmed and pocketed.
In the face of distraction over some piece of bric-a-brac supposedly in the house, Billie reiterates the importance of time to the Professor.
"It must be found quickly then. The clock is ticking. I'll go get my motor and pull it around."
Billie hurries off to her Bentley parked on the nearby side street.
Dafydd heads for the kitchen and looks around once he gets there.
John seems single minded "So Jacqueline was here when these murderers invaded your home but isn't here now?" Worry seems to be creeping into his voice. So close and yet so far!
Billie runs off to get her car, still confused about the night's strange events.
_____________
Dafydd hurries into the house and quickly finds his way towards the back of the building into the kitchen. Entering, he sees the smoke and remnants of what had once been an uncontrolled fire in the pantry to the left. Looking on the right towards the counters, he sees a trio of large ceramic jars in disarray - the smallest is tipped over, with tea leaves falling out. The middle and larger are both still standing, though the have been smashed open and their contents, both white and powdery (likely sugar and flour), have spilled across the counter and show traces of fingers searching through.
Coming close, you search through the fluffy powder (definitely flour) in the largest stone jar. You fix a crumpled piece of waxed paper discarded within, but nothing else.
______________
The Professor looks up to John, seeing the anguish in his eyes. "If you did not find her within, then yes. I fear those who attacked us tonight took both her and Flossie. They likely planned to use them as leverage against me, or to try and extract information from them. Or worse." The Professor is clearly upset, but tries to calm his words, "I am sorry Mr. Mosby, I truly am. I had told Jacqueline to approach you months ago, but she was always so conflicted in her emotions."
Dafydd returns, and holds the piece of paper out to the professor. "This is all that was in the largest jar. Besides flour. It appeared to have been broken open."
Helen was happy the doctor had taken her advice and was taking the prof to the hospital. This kind dark adventure was not the kind and caring doctor like her should be getting herself mixed up in. She stayed with the prof as John dashed off
Retrieve the Attica t.
But when he came back with just its rapping, she asked him
”Jhon could I hold zat for a moment”
Billie stops her automobile in front of the house by the steps and hops out.
"Right, so is the stuff about the doohickey sorted now?"