Lean on Me (40 page)

“
No, sir,” Sergeant Beetle
said. “I wanted a second to talk to you.”

“
I’m not going anywhere,”
Alex said. “Talk away.”

“
First, I wondered if you
might call me by my first name,” Sergeant Beetle said. “We’ve been
through a lot and I thought…”

“
I don’t know your first
name,” Alex said. “That’s pretty rude of me. If you tell my mother,
she might kill me. But I misplaced your name in all the mess of
Dahlia’s murder, the marathon, the World Trade Center dance,
missing hostages, and taking over a sage military installation. It
sounds like I’m being flip but I’m actually embarrassed. I keep
forgetting to ask my Sergeant.”

“
Peter,” Sergeant Beetle
said. “People call me Pete.”

“
Nice to meet you, Pete.
I’m Alex and I believe you’re in my bedroom.”

He smiled. When she smirked at him, he
laughed.

“
Anything else, Pete?” Alex
asked. “I was thinking of taking a bath.”

“
No baths,” Pete
said.

“
Infection?”

“
Infection.”

“
Fuck,” Alex said. “Did
they have to operate again?”

“
No,” Pete said. “You
mostly needed quiet and rest. Your husband’s been with you every
night and Max is usually here during the day. They had to work
today.”

Alex sniffed.

“
My mother’s been here,”
Alex said.

“
She just left,” Pete said.
“She and Claire? Sorry I don’t know any of these people. I probably
should use their first names.”

“
Do you know their second
names?”

He shook his head.

“
Then don’t worry,” Alex
said. “Did you get a suit from Frederec?”

He nodded.

“
Trece?”

Pete nodded.

“
Good,” Alex said. “Claire
has amazing talent. You see her dresses on the red carpet and
queens. She made that gorgeous dress for me to wear to the World
Trade Center dance. Frederec inherited her talent. I bet he’d be
thrilled to have you model for him.”

“
He had a photographer
here,” Pete said. “They took my picture but I don’t really care. I
could never afford anything so beautiful. He’s funny
too.”

“
I like Frederec a
lot.”

“
He’s all about a girl…
Amelia?”

“
Amelia?” Laughing, Alex’s
eyebrows went up. “Amelia the soccer player?”

“
Soccer player, rock
climber, beautiful, funny, blah, blah,” Pete said. “Sorry I wasn’t
really listening.”

“
You know who that
is?”

“
No sir.”

“
Captain Hutchins’s little
girl,” Alex said. “I thought it was no coincidence that she turned
down all those invitations to the Christmas dance.”

“
Don’t quote me,” Pete
said.

“
I won’t,” Alex said. “And
don’t worry. Vince will get around to understanding. He missed most
of Amelia’s growing up. To him, she’s still a baby, not
fourteen.”

“
Fifteen,” Pete said. “She
had a birthday while you were in the hospital.”

Alex laughed.

“
Why is that
funny?”

“
Her mother was fifteen
when Amelia was born,” Alex said.

Pete laughed.

“
Anyway, I’m pretty sure
you’re not here to tell me all the house gossip,” Alex said.
“Although I’m dying to know about Fionn and Helene.”

“
Helene’s hiding at
school,” Pete said. “That’s what her mother says.”

Alex smiled.

“
Claire was younger than
Helene when she met Ben. Married him two days after she turned
eighteen.”

“
Lots of young love here,”
Pete said.

“
You sound cynical,” Alex
said.

“
Hasn’t happened to me,”
Pete said. “That’s all.”

“
Takes time,” Alex
said.

“
You were…”

“
Twenty,” Alex said. “But
my dad was forty-three when he met my mom. Ben was in his forties
when he married Claire. Max just met his true love. Or so
we
think. It just depends
on when you meet your person. But I’ll tell you. The one thing that
all of us have in common is that we believe there is someone
waiting just for us.”

“
I guess,” Pete said. “I
wanted to talk to you about Bill.”

Alex held her hand over Bill’s head. He
indicated that she could pet him and she did.

“
Bill’s breed, the Belgium
Maltese? Belgium Shepherds?” Pete’s eyes implored her. She smiled.
“They aren’t known for getting along with dogs. Don’t worry. I kept
him away from your dog Maggie. And Maggie just ignored
Bill.”

“
Ignored?” Alex asked. “Did
something happen?”

“
Well Bill…” Pete said. “He
seems very fond of Maggie. That Irish guy? The one who looks like
Ronald McDonald without the big belly or the shoes?”

“
Eoin?”

“
Yeah him,” Pete said. “I
was in the back with Bill when he let Maggie out.”

Alex gasped.

“
Right,” Pete said. “Bill
went right up to Maggie and she let out a loud bark. Bill… I’ve
never seen him do this.”

“
Do what?”

“
He stopped in place,” Pete
said. “Maggie gave him one more bark and he rolled onto his
back.”

“
He what?”

“
I know!” Pete said. “The
Ronald McDonald Irish guy called the other Irish guy and they
laughed and laughed. Maggie wasn’t impressed with old Bill. But
later… Well, they’re fast friends now. They cry when they’re not
together.”

“
Really?”

“
Yeah,” Pete said. “Is she
fixed?”

“
Of course,” Alex
said.

“
That’s probably good,”
Pete said. “Bill doesn’t sleep with me anymore. He wants to be with
Maggie. She’s the same way.”

“
See, Pete,” Alex said.
“True love.”

“
You’re okay with
it?”

“
Sure,” Alex said. “Maggie
can have whatever friends she wants.”

“
Your husband said you
might be upset.”

“
I wonder why.”

“
Maggie wants to be with
Bill,” Pete said. “Not you or your husband.”

Alex laughed.

“
That’s funny?” Pete
asked.

“
It’s a bit like Amelia,”
Alex said.

Just outside the room, someone was coming up
the stairs two steps at a time. Alex groaned.

“
I’m awake because I have
to work, right?” Alex said.

“
Sorry,” Pete
said.

“
That’s all right. There
are a lot of people missing,” Alex said. “Who do you think that
is?”

“
Agent Rasmussen,” Pete
said. “He needs to talk to you.”

“
I have the feeling that
I’m in a lot of pain,” Alex said.

“
You’re drugged,” Pete
said.

Alex nodded.

“
I’m not supposed to walk
right?” Alex asked.

“
Right,” Pete said. “That’s
why Bill and I are here. We’re supposed to keep you lying
down.”

“
Hey!” Colin stuck his head
in the room. “You’re awake. That’s good.”

“
Hey Col,” Alex said. “Is
Mom still here?”

“
She’s making dinner,”
Colin said.

Pete got up to leave.

“
Thanks Pete,” Alex
said.

Blushing, he nodded, signaled Bill to follow
him, and they left the room.

“
Mom’s cooking?” Alex
asked.

“
Not a chance,” Colin said.
“When was the last time you saw her cook?”

“
I was… seventeen?” Alex
asked. “But I’m not really sure I’d call it cooking.”

“
My point,” Colin said.
“She’s ordering ‘take away’ according to Fionn. Sushi, I
think.”

Colin touched her forehead and stuck a
thermometer in her mouth.

“
You’ve been really sick,”
he said. “It’s funny, you know. I’m always shocked and a little
scared when you’re sick.”

“
Why zat f-nny?” Alex asked
through the thermometer.

“
You’ve been sick a lot
these last three years,” Colin said. “Listen, I’m supposed to tell
you that I don’t know how you got sick again. But how stupid do you
have to be to have surgery one day and sit in a pool of blood,
feces, and vomit the next?”

“
Hstags,” Alex
said.

“
Whatever,” Colin said.
“Typical Alex ego. Like you’re the only one who can rescue
hostages.”

Alex made an indignant noise and flipped him
off. He laughed. He’d won the ultimate little-brother prize by
pissing off his elder sister. He danced around the room in glory
until her thermometer beeped.

“
Still warm,” Colin said.
“Fuck Alex. John said you had sepsis for almost a year after you
were stuck in that room.”

“
Not that long. Maybe ten
months,” Alex said. “Is Dr. Tamagura on the case?”

“
Your infection doc? He met
us when we landed at Bolling,” Colin said. “He’s been consulting
every step of the way.”

“
Did you call the
acupuncturist?”

“
He’s been treating you,”
Colin said.

“
Fuck,” Alex said. “He’s my
ace in the hole.”

“
I know,” Colin said. “You
probably need more rest. Sadly, you’re going to get…”

“
More work,” Alex
said.

“
Travel’s out,” Colin said.
“They think we’ve found more men but you’re not going. You’re stuck
here for at least a month.”

Alex dropped back to the bed.

“
Mad?”

“
Relieved,” Alex said.
“Who’s going to get the hostages?”

“
The team,” Colin said.
“You’re supposed to teach Leena and Margaret to do what you do. If
I were you, I’d worry a little bit. You’re getting old and these
younger women are probably better at your ‘special’
job.”

Alex smiled.

“
Don’t give that
patronizing smile,” Colin said. “You know as well as I do that it’s
always been a matter of time.”

Alex kept smiling.

“
Shit, I thought that would
work,” Colin said.

“
You might get me once,
little brother,” Alex said. “But I’m not Samantha. You won’t get me
twice.”

Colin laughed.

“
Wait,” Alex said. “What
part of that was a lie?”

“
Lie? Who lied?” Colin’s
voice was filled with laughter. “Roll over. I have to give you a
shot for your hip.”

Alex rolled onto her side. He injected pain
medication and antibiotics into her hip. She lay there for a few
moments before he helped her sit up. He gave her a nasty-tasting
Chinese medicine tea. Alex counted to five then drank it down.

“
Ahh,” Alex
said.

“
Jeez, Alex,” Colin said.
“I knew you were tough, but that was impressive.”

“
Practice, little brother,
practice.”

Colin smiled.

“
Any news from Julie?” Alex
asked.

“
Nothing.” Colin shook his
head. “Mom’s been handling Paddie’s pick up and drop
off.”

Alex held her arms out and Colin hugged
her.

“
I’m sorry,” Alex
whispered.

“
Me too,” Colin said. “It’s
my fault. I really botched this one. At least we have
Paddie.”

Alex kissed his cheek. Colin gave her a cell
phone. The first step off the landing moaned a warning that someone
was coming up the stairs.

“
My number’s on speed
dial,” Colin said. “Page me and I’ll come. But let me know if you
leave the house. I’ll come with you. You must have medical
personnel available to you at all times.”

Alex nodded.

“
You’re really sick, Alex,”
Colin said. “No joke. People who get this sick don’t usually
survive. Don’t fuck around, ‘k?”

“
Okay,” Alex said. “You’re
the best bigger little brother a girl could want.”

“
Yes, and you’re the best
second sister twin a guy could want,” Colin said. “I’d like to keep
you around for a while.”

A tap at the door produced Raz. Alex smiled
in greeting. Colin touched her shoulder and left the room.

“
Get me out of here,” Alex
said.

F

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Raz laughed.

“
Please?” Alex asked. “I
know it’s been a long time but I still have the smell of the
hostages in my nose.”

“
Where would you like to
go?” Raz asked.

“
Backyard?” Alex
asked.

“
It’s getting dark,” Raz
said.

“
We can light a fire in
your fire pit. I promise to work my very hardest. But I need some
air.”

“
You promise to dress warm?
It’s about forty degrees, maybe fifty. You’ll tell me the moment
you get too cold?”

“
Pinkie swear,” Alex held
out her pinkie.

Smiling, Raz shook her pinkie. He went to
her closet.