Lean on Me (21 page)

“
We will review the
interviews and any available data,” Joseph said. “You’re in
meetings all day tomorrow at the Pentagon.”

“
Sadly,” Alex
said.

“
Do we have your permission
to take some R&R?” Joseph asked.

“
Of course,” Alex said. “We
need to take it when we can. Who knows where this will
lead?”

“
Any sense?” Matthew
asked.

Shrugging, Alex tucked her weapon into her
handbag.

“
The limo is waiting for
you,” Joseph said. “It will take you to Bolling. The Jakker is
waiting for you there. He will take you to New York. He has
requested to stay in New York. If it suits your needs, we’ve
arranged for a limousine to bring you back to
Washington.”

“
Bestat’s in New York?”
Alex asked.

Joseph nodded.

“
We’ll probably sleep on
the return,” Raz said. “Sounds fine to me.”

Alex nodded.

“
You’ll have the details by
the time you land,” Joseph said. “You have your phone?”

Alex turned on the cell phone he’d given
her.

“
You can text,” Joseph
opened the phone to show the keypad. “That’s your fastest
transmission.”

“
We’re going to be fine,”
Alex said. “Don’t worry.”

Joseph gave an uncertain nod and she smiled.
In one look, they acknowledged that the days of not worrying ended
one October day under the streets of Paris. He smiled.

“
We should go,” Raz
said.

Trece jogged down the stairs in front of
them to recheck the limousine driver. Raz took her arm to help her
with her shoes. They were almost out the door when the Butler
called them back.

“
From all of us, sir,” the
Butler held a bottle of Krug, Clos Du Mesnil 1995, Champagne to
Raz. “Care of Mr. Lamberton. We’re very sorry for your loss and
deeply grateful for your service. We are all affected. Mr.
Lamberton has placed a case in the limousine for you to share with
the others. This is for your trip.”

“
Thank you,” Raz took the
champagne with his left hand and shook the Butler’s hand. “I’m
confident that Mr. Lamberton’s generosity was inspired by your
kindness. It’s appreciated.”

Embarrassed, the Butler gave a slight bow.
Alex waved to the team. Raz helped her down the stairs where the
driver waited to help them into the back seat. The driver went
around to the driver’s seat.

“
I know where we’re going
and why,” Trece said. “But I don’t really know why. You
know?”

“
You know that Raz was an
NYPD detective, right?” Alex asked.

Trece nodded.

“
He was there when the
towers fell,” Alex said.

“
Joseph said he saw his
wife jump off one of the towers,” Trece said.

“
Like a lot of people, he
worked night and day in the aftermath,” Alex said. “Raz’s wife’s
body was found on October 26, 2001.”

“
Not her body,” Raz glanced
at her and looked out the window.

“
They only found her hand,”
Alex said. “Her hand and her lover’s hand. The fingers were still
entwined. He recognized her hand immediately because she was still
wearing her wedding set. But their bodies… He gets maybe ten tiny
pieces a year.”

Alex shrugged.

“
Raz and I went to the
Ground Zero site when we started working together,” Alex said. “We
try to go every October 26. The first year we were there, a few
guys who worked the site happened by.”

“
Four,” Raz turned to look
at Trece. “They said they were out walking and ended up there. We
didn’t believe them, but we never found another
explanation.”

“
Next year, a few more guys
showed up,” Alex said.

“
And women,” Raz
nodded.

“
Over time, it’s grown,”
Alex said.

“
We’ve lost a lot of people
too,” Raz said. “Died.”

“
From the shit in the air?”
Trece asked.

“
Respiratory illness,” Raz
said. “Cancer.”

“
They call it Ground Zero
Illness,” Alex said. “They were given respirator masks but they
were mostly non-functional for the work they were
doing.”

“
We had no idea what was in
the air and…” Raz shook his head. “I was lucky… Fairy
luck.”

He looked at Alex. She smiled at him.

“
We never know who we’re
going to see,” Alex said.

“
It’s an Alex thing,
Trece,” Raz said. “She insisted we get dressed up and dance in
memory of all that happened – all the bad, all that was
lost…”

“
And all the good,” Alex
smiled at him. “The heroes who worked to put everything back
together. The people who were saved. The amazing workers who showed
up day after day. Many of them never knew if they’d get paid. They
came to work because they could. We celebrate the glorious human
spirit that joined together.”

“
Now it’s kind of a thing,”
Raz said. “The guys show up in tuxes; the ladies in ballroom wear.
We bring the music.”

“
And we dance,” Alex said.
“It’s very… somber and… beautiful. There are lights there, now but
it used to be dirt and darkness. A few years ago, one of the wives
brought candles. Now they turn the lights out and we dance in the
candlelight. It’s… breathtaking.”

“
It’s only once a year,”
Raz said. “No advertising. No politicians or reporters. No
grandstanding. Sometimes, the local restaurants show up with food.
The NYPD shuts down the street and guards the event.”

“
You’ll probably need to
stay with them,” Alex said.

“
Sounds like that’s where I
belong,” Trece said. “I feel kinda tingly like I’m going somewhere
special.”

“
I’m glad to have you,” Raz
said. “It’s not my favorite or my best night.”

“
It’s very hard,” Alex
said. “I think for everyone. That’s part of the beauty. We get
together in our sorrow and just remember.”

“
That’s where you went from
Scotland?” Trece asked.

“
Right,” Alex said. “I
couldn’t go when I was unconscious in Walter Reed, of course. I
hadn’t planned to go the year John and I got married again
but…”

“
John insisted,” Raz said.
“I was there by myself when Alex showed up. And…”

“
That was fun,” Alex
said.

“
Alex is a really good
friend to me,” Raz said.

“
I know the feeling,” Trece
smiled.

“
We should sleep if we
can,” Alex said. “This is a long, late night and tomorrow is going
to be another meeting-o’-drama.”

“
How long before we get to
Bolling?” Raz asked the driver.

“
Sir, we are twenty minutes
from Bolling,” the driver said. “I’ll wake you before we get
there.”

Trece leaned back to sleep.

Raz put his arm around Alex and they shared
a long look. He kissed the top of her head and leaned back to
sleep. Snuggling into him, she fell asleep.

F

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Tuesday morning

October 27 – 5:25 a.m. EDT

Sheridan Circle Mansion, Washington DC

Raz carried Alex up the front steps. She
waved to Troy when he opened the mansion door. Raz carried her up
the marble stairs. Troy was about to shut the door when Trece came
up.

“
You’re up early,” Trece
said.

“
I’m supposed to meet my
mom for breakfast,” Troy said. “She’s coming here to see the
kids.”

“
Here?” Trece’s eyebrows
went up with surprise.

“
That’s what I said,” Troy
nodded. “But she wanted to come. Leena’s going to watch the boys
until Mom and I sort a few things out.”

“
No DA today?” Trece
asked.

“
Not in Washington. I’m
done here,” Troy said. “I have another round in Fredericksburg this
afternoon. Did you ever hear if they found something on the tapes?
I’ve been so absorbed with the kids that I haven’t
asked.”

“
They ran facial
recognition on the weapons dealer’s security tape,” Trece said.
“They found the guy who bought the guns in your name. They think
he’s the same guy the Irish boys found planting the
bombs.”

“
Have they found the guy?”
Troy asked.

“
That’s an interesting
question,” Trece said. “Depends on who you ask.”

“
Any idea what that means?”
Troy asked.

“
Quoting word for word,”
Trece smiled.

“
Figured as much,” Troy
said. “How was last night?”

“
I cried,” Trece
said.

“
Cried?”

“
The moment we arrived,
they shut off the lights,” Trece said. “They had all these candles
lit and…”

“
Candles?” Troy
asked.

“
They had two thousand and
eighty-three white candles lit for the people who died at the
Towers, one hundred and twenty-five yellow candles for those who
died at the Pentagon, four hundred and twenty-one beige candles for
the First Responders killed, and about two hundred and fifty or so
dark yellow candles for those who’ve died of that illness – you
know the First Responders thing. They even had nineteen light-blue
candles for the terrorists. I asked about it. They said the
terrorists families lost their sons too. The guy who told me said
he didn’t agree with it, but it was an event for everyone. That’s
the first time I welled up.”

Trece looked away from Troy to regain
control over his emotions. Turning back, he continued.

“
It was pitch black. You
could see the lights across the harbor and reflections off the
water, but basically it was dark. The candles were already lit when
they turned off the lights. Alex pulled out an mp3 player and gave
it to a uniform. No one said anything. The kid hooked the mp3
player to some speakers and everyone danced. Waltzes, Fox Trot,
slow dances, and the like. In the dark, I could see guys weeping.
Raz cried. I stood guard with the cops. I’ll tell you, we all
cried. It was… amazing.”

“
Wow,” Troy
said.

“
Wow is right,” Trece said.
“They danced and danced and danced. There was food and water and
Porta-Potty, you know. No alcohol. Otherwise, they danced. They
danced until the candles burned out. Big candles too. They ended
the night with a champagne toast to the everyday heroes who make up
our world. It was… beautiful.”

“
Did everyone stay?” Troy
asked.

“
All night,” Trece said.
“Every single person. Some people traded partners. Everyone wanted
to dance with Alex, of course. But mostly Alex and Raz danced
together. Poor Alex’s hip is bad, but she kept dancing. I don’t
think I’ve ever been to anything like that.”

“
I’ve never heard of it,”
Troy said.

“
No press. Alex makes sure
of that,” Trece said. “And no politicians. If they weren’t on the
ground that day and didn’t physically do the clean-up work, they
don’t dance on October 26.”

“
Any try?” Troy
asked.

“
Mayor,” Trece said. “Some
Senator. The cops took care of them. Some guy who was taking a
video with his phone but... some things are private.”

Troy clapped Trece on the back.

“
I’m going to sleep for a
while,” Trece said. “I think Alex and Raz are due at the Pentagon
for some stupid thing or another.”

“
No idea,” Troy
shrugged.

“
Lucky for you,” Trece
smiled. “Good luck with your mom.”

“
Thanks, I’m warming up
some muffins for the boys,” Troy pointed toward the kitchen. “They
love those mini-muffins.”

“
Better go.”

Trece waved Troy off and went up the
stairwell. He took a shower and lay down to sleep. The images of
the men and women danced on his closed eyelids. Without warning,
his sorrow and loss filtered up through the layers of tough guy.
Overcome, the big man silently wept.

FFFFFF

Tuesday morning

October 27 – 7:25 a.m. EDT

Sheridan Circle Mansion, Washington DC

“
Why are you being so
shitty?” Troy asked his mother. “You
asked
to come here. You
asked
to share a meal
with me. Why don’t you crawl back to your own life and get
the
hell
out of
mine?”

Elizabeth Jasper’s head jerked up to look at
him.

“
The love of my life was
brutally murdered in front of my eyes,” Troy said. “My children are
traumatized from the years they spent with my brother. The police
believe that I killed her because you and your husband came up with
some cockamamie story. I don’t have to… No, I won’t listen to this.
Get the hell out.”

Troy hopped to his feet and walked to the
door. He jerked the door open and pointed. His mother didn’t
move.

“
You
saw the boys.
You
spent every single Sunday afternoon with them.
You
were the person who
could have done something, anything, to help or protect them,” Troy
said. “You did
nothing
. Not one damn thing. And you
dare
to come here to spread your evil
judgments and cruelty? To me? You have no right to say one damn
thing to me about anything. You lost that right when you stood by
while Hector
raped
and
tortured
my children and Dahlia.”