Slowly, dully, still sick with worry over Solomon, Valkyrie turned to Ghastly and the new guy in the cowboy hat. "Who're you?"

Ghastly's head turned sharply to the side in a motion that looked like the beginnings of a silent and firm don't do that, but he changed his mind halfway through. Valkyrie frowned at him without understanding, but then her gaze slid up to the cowboy hat and she looked back to the entrance of the hospital without comment. Gabe. Or Gabe's brother, maybe, since he was supposed to be getting here soon. She was grateful for the company, and for the answer to her prayer in the cab, but she just couldn't really bring herself to care at the moment.

The cabbie gave a little shake, like he was waking himself up from a trance, and reached into his pocket. "I do, actually. How much?"

Ghastly laughed, and Valkyrie suddenly did look up. Come to think of it, why had the cabbie been on his way to the hospital? No - come to think of it, where had Ghastly been for the last few hours? If the man was Gabe, and Gabe had gone with Ghastly, what happened to Skulduggery?