"I'll go with you."
Bert spoke up on his own initiative, but Catherine shook her head.
"No need. I can go by myself."
Catherine knew Bert didn't like Channing, so she thought it would be better not to make him come along.
But Bert insisted.
"He's your father, after all. No matter how you look at it, now that he's sick, I should go see him."
In truth, Bert wasn't comfortable letting Catherine face Channing and Lucca alone. Channing might have lost all ability to act aggressively after his stroke, but Lucca was a different matter altogether—she was dangerous. There was no way Bert would allow Catherine to go by herself.
Seeing how firm he was, Catherine said nothing more. After breakfast, the two of them skipped the office and went straight to the hospital.
When they arrived, Channing's hospital room was empty. Channing was struggling to lift his arm, reaching awkwardly for the nurse-call button by the bedside. His movements were clumsy and pitiful, his appearance haggard.
