CHAPTER NINETEEN
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“Here,” Remy said softly, setting Ralph’s cell phone gently down on the rolling tray next to his bed. He’d barely touched his lunch, but that wasn’t surprising after the morning they’d all had. Her news hadn’t been easy to break to a man in his condition. In fact, Remy had discussed it with Julia prior to breaching the subject with Ralph. “Thank you for letting me use it to contact Susan. I figured she’d be worried after what happened at the advertising agency this morning. I’m sure it’s all over the local news by now. Who knows, it might have even made national coverage.”
Ralph shifted slightly on his bed to make room for her, so she sat on the edge of the thin mattress and reached for his hand. He’d been her mentor, her champion, and her rock for many years up to this point. It was hard to see him so fragile, but it was clear his color was returning by the brightness in his hazel eyes. He squeezed her hand and then picked up right where they’d left off before she tried to change the subject by using his phone. Apparently, her decoy hadn’t worked in the slightest.
She and Julia exchanged knowing glances, but Remy could easily see the worry lines around the older woman’s eyes. She had every right to be worried about her husband, but Remy thought he appeared in good spirits and healthier than the last time she’d seen him, if that were possible to judge.
Remy mouthed that everything would be okay, but it appeared the wrong thing to say. Julia covered her mauve-colored lips with the tip of her fingers and shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. Her reaction was one that most everyone who knew her would expect, and Remy couldn’t help but smile at the love these two shared.
“I saw that Mr. Novak was holding your hand earlier,” Ralph pointed out, courtesy of Julia who had caught sight of her and Brody’s affection when she’d stepped out into the hall. The older woman thought it precious and had shared her findings with her husband. Remy wouldn’t deny it, but even she wasn’t quite sure where this relationship was headed. After all, they barely knew each other. “It’s obvious he cares for you. You should do what that young man says, dear, and allow him to take you somewhere safe until they find David Varan and he’s back in custody.”
Ralph didn’t realize it, but he’d said something earlier that had altered her entire outlook of what the future may hold for her.
He was finally taking that last step and retiring.
And he wanted her to take over the reins.
It wasn’t so much as what he’d said, as it was her reaction that had been a wakeup call.
Ralph’s words had inspired images of what her future would be like, and there was a lot to be desired. Yes, she wanted to manage Forsythe Advertising, but she didn’t want it to take over her life the way her obsession with David Varan had done.
Remy glanced over her shoulder to find Brody looking at her from the other side of the door. His dark gaze practically drilled a hole through the thin pane of glass, and she could see that he’d recognized her message.
Last night had been…well, Brody’s touch had awakened something in her and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go on without it. She’d convinced herself that she had to see through what was started four years ago, but she could do that and have something waiting for her at the end of this very dark tunnel.
Brody had become her guiding light, and she craved his warmth. That meant finishing up here at the hospital, returning to Sorrento where Brody could assist the statewide search with his special penchant for technology, and then testifying all over again about the destruction David had visited upon her life for the second time. She would see to it that every day of his life was spent either in a padded room or behind bars. He was beyond a shadow of a reasonable doubt a menace to society at large.
As for Brody?
Well, Remy wasn’t sure what their future held, but she did know that she wanted to see where it could lead. It was the first time in her life where something else could take precedence over David Varan. For an instant, she surmised what it might be like to take a week off and find a small bungalow on the beach in Aruba where they might be able to more thoroughly explore those possibilities.
“Has there been any word from the police?” Julia asked in concern, somewhat diverting the conversation into something Remy was comfortable dealing with. She didn’t want to talk about her relationship with Brody just yet. It was too new, and that alone told her how important he’d become to her. “We just called down to Carol’s room. Her husband said there’s a uniformed police officer outside of her door.”
“There is one outside of your room, as well,” Remy informed them, squeezing Ralph’s hand in assurance. Julia appeared somewhat uneasy, though. “It’s just a precaution. The police have yet to locate David, but I’m sure it won’t take long. There’s an APB out on him, along with every law enforcement officer in the state looking for him. He can’t evade them forever.”
“Julia, why don’t you go down to see Carol with Remy?” Ralph urged, though Julia didn’t appear too pleased with that suggestion. Was this all too much for the older woman? “I’d feel more comfortable if you go with her, seeing as she has professional protection.”
“I would rather wait for you, Ralph.” Julia had always been rather dependent on her husband, though she could be rather stubborn when she set her mind on something. Remy had a feeling that Julia’s influence had something to do with the fact that Ralph wanted to hand over the reins of Forsythe Advertising. “We can go visit Carol together after you’ve eaten some of your dinner.”
“Why don’t we all go now?” Remy suggested, knowing it would make Julia happier to have her husband by her side. Besides, Ralph had mentioned he wasn’t hungry and that he was due to have his walk around the corridors that the nurses made him take three times a day. “Then Brody and I can see that you two are situated back in your room before we leave here.”
Remy shifted so she could move the tray farther away so that Ralph could have room to stand up from his bed. Julia had brought him some of his favorite pajama pants from home so that he didn’t have to wander the halls with his ass hanging out, as he put it. He still had the IV attached to him, so she also reached over and pulled the rolling stand closer so that it didn’t hinder his progress. She didn’t like seeing him in pain, so she stepped out of the way so Julia could assist her husband.
“Don’t forget your purse, dear,” Julia reminded Remy, handing it over to her as they traded places. Ralph was waving his hands at his wife as she tried to hover, muttering that he could stand on his own two feet. The two were still bickering back and forth when Ralph’s phone rang from its place on the rolling tray. “You can just let it ring, dear. Whoever it is can wait until I get back.”
Julia’s words came a little too late, because Remy had already glanced at the lighted display. She recognized the number flashing across the screen.
“It’s Susan,” Remy said with a mixture of curiosity and concern. Had something happened? Had David decided to try another way to find her? “May I?”
“Of course.”
Ralph was shooing Julia’s hand away from the back opening of his hospital gown. The older woman was trying to smooth down the sides so that they weren’t exposing his backside, but he apparently didn’t want her anywhere near his gown. Both were staring at each other with determination, but it was he who won the battle as he sidestepped her reach. It wasn’t long until he had one arm through his robe and the other side resting over his shoulder. Apparently, the only thing that mattered to his pride was that the opening of the gown was only displaying his pajama pants and not his crack.
“Susan, is everything okay?” Remy asked, tilting her head so that she was able to press the phone against her shoulder. She adjusted the strap of her purse as she sidestepped to the other side of Ralph so that he could take her arm in support. Julia was retrieving her own phone, which was ringing as well. It didn’t help the situation when the phone attached to Ralph’s bedside began to chime in as well. When it rained, it certainly poured. “Susan?”
“Yes, I’m fine, but there’s something I need to—”
“Don’t,” Remy warned Ralph, who was trying to turn the IV stand around so that he could reach for the hospital phone. It had already rung twice. “I’ll get it, Ralph. Susan, let me call you right back.”
“Wait, it’s about—”
Remy disconnected the phone and then was finally able to lift the hospital receiver out of its holder.
“Ralph Forsythe’s room.”
Silence.
“Hello?”
Remy turned and saw both Ralph and Julia looking at her with inquisitive glances. There appeared to be no one on the other end of the line, but Remy still sensed someone’s presence.
Was it David?
Remy swallowed against the constriction forming in her throat. She wouldn’t have hesitated to say something had Ralph and Julia not been standing right next to her. She was already responsible for Carol’s brush with death. There was no way in hell she would allow anyone else to get hurt by acting rash, so she quietly hung the receiver back in its place on the railing.
“Whoever it was must have hung up before I answered,” Remy said, feigning a smile as she urged Julia to finish up with her call. It was best for them to leave the room just in case it had been David trying to locate those people closest to her. She’d even made the mistake of announcing whose hospital room had been dialed. “Are you two ready?”
Julia had set her purse and phone on the bed, apparently not wanting to take either with her on their walk to see Carol. They had all made it halfway across the room when her phone began to ring again.
“Leave it,” Remy urged, wondering if David had somehow gotten ahold of the private numbers of those she cared about. After all, he’d somehow known she was under the protection of SSI. “You guys will be back in a minute. I’m sure Carol is still sedated, and Ralph shouldn’t be too far from his own floor.”
Remy rushed forward and opened the heavy door, not wanting to give Julia a chance to go back for her phone. The older woman glanced back, but Remy already had Ralph half out the door with his rubber-soled socks the hospital had given him.
“What’s wrong?” Brody murmured from her side as if he’d always been there. His warmth soaked into her side, and she turned slightly to lean against him. His right hand rested on her hip as if he understood how much she needed his touch at the moment. Maybe she was losing her mind. “What happened, Remy?”
“Someone just called Ralph’s hospital room,” Remy explained in a low tone so that she wasn’t overheard. She then waited a brief moment before falling into step behind the older couple. “No one replied back to me when I answered.”
“And you think it was David?” Brody asked cautiously, motioning for the guard to stay back and cover the room. “Officer Gerard, I’ll see to it that Mr. and Mrs. Forsythe are accompanied downstairs. Please make sure no one enters that room.”
“I don’t know,” Remy answered desperately, though she hated to come across in that manner. She didn’t like being caught off guard. She grounded herself by running her fingertips over Anna’s heart necklace. “Maybe. It was chaotic. Everyone’s phone was ringing, so it took time for me to answer the hospital line. I might have not picked up in time before the other person decided that no one was going to answer and simply disconnected.”
Remy monitored Ralph’s progress as he shuffled his way down the long corridor. The clear plastic tubing of the IV swayed back and forth with every step. He had more energy than Julia, which was saying something. He even gave a small wave to each room as they passed.
“You’re doing great, Ralph.” The aide who had delivered his lunch fell into step alongside Ralph’s left side. Remy wasn’t surprised to find that he wouldn’t be able to make the journey to another floor without having a medical escort. “I hear you’re busting free from this joint in a couple of days.”
“It couldn’t come soon enough,” Ralph said with a chuckle, maintaining his slow pace. They’d made it halfway to where the elevator banks were located, thus giving Remy time to settle her nerves. “My wife and I have big plans to travel around the entire globe. She never thought I would hang up the reins, but I had a change of heart recently.”
The aide chuckled at Ralph’s joke, and he went on to explain how important the company he created was and what it meant to him. Remy’s heart hurt for him when he brought up Phillip’s death and how having something as important as Forsythe Advertising kept him functioning during those dark days. It was hard for him to step back from something he had poured his heart and soul into, but that he had someone dear to him who would take care of the business just as he would. Hearing his words caused Remy to respect his decision even more, and she was honored that he had so much belief in her. She understood how work could be a saving grace during a grieving so harsh that it was difficult to even breathe.
“Congratulations.”
Brody was sincere in his compliment, and she smiled in kind as her previous concerns washed away with the comforting resonance of his voice. She had caught sight of an officer stationed down the hall near the elevator banks. David wasn’t getting into this hospital without being ventilated. He was on the run because he couldn’t control his urges. One more mistake would see to it that he was once again incarcerated or worse…this time for life either way.
“It’s bittersweet.” Some of the tension in Remy’s shoulders started to dissipate as the chaos from before evaporated. This slow walk they were on was how life should be handled…introspective and appreciated. It wasn’t lost on her that Brody was by her side. “I’m honored that Ralph believes in my ability to handle the advertising business.”
“You seem to be leaving something off the end of that sentence, trouble,” Brody pointed out, catching the fact that she had more to say.
Remy’s heartbeat stuttered at this opportunity afforded to her, and she quite honestly almost let it pass by remaining silent. The slight nudge at her back prevented her from playing it safe like she normally would have. She would have turned around to see if anyone was there had her gaze not been searching for Brody’s reaction.
“I’m finding it kind of relaxing not having to suit up every morning,” Remy confessed with a small shrug. “I’m wondering if maybe there isn’t a balance that I might find more enjoyable.”
“…not feeling well,” Julia said, drawing Remy’s attention away from Brody’s slow smile and whatever his reply might have been. The older woman was taking even slower steps than before as she placed her hand on Ralph’s arm. “Maybe we should go visit Carol later.”
“Julia?” Ralph questioned in alarm, not the only one noticing that Julia’s face appeared to have lost most of its color. He sought the aide’s help, who had already taken a few steps ahead of everyone to retrieve one of the two chairs that had been positioned near the elevator banks. “Maybe we should get a nurse.”
Remy was in agreement, though Brody wrapped his fingers around her arm before she could take a step back toward the nurse’s station. She understood his reasoning to keep her close, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t see her from that distance. He was already signaling the uniformed officer and explaining that he should go and retrieve help for Mrs. Forsythe.
“I don’t need a nurse, Ralph.” Julia brushed away her husband’s concern, though she did cover her chest with her right hand that went against that sentiment. “I just need to sit down and take a breather.”
“You really should be wearing that mask I gave you yesterday,” the aide censored, having already taken Julia’s arm and was guiding the older woman to the chair in the small alcove. “A lot of viruses hang out in these hospitals. Let me go and grab a wheelchair. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Julia was leaning one elbow against the metal of the armrest, doing her best to comfort Ralph and ease his worries. The small alcove had more than enough room for all of them, but it appeared Brody wasn’t comfortable with their location. He took a hold of her arm and drew her back into the hallway as the elevator chimed its arrival before the doors swished open, revealing two of Remy’s colleagues.
“Bruce? Elliott?” Remy involuntarily stepped forward and away from Brody in her haste to learn what might have prompted them to leave Carol’s side. “What happened? Oh, my God. Please tell me Carol is okay!”
*
“I can only count on you.”
It was true.
David couldn’t recall the last time he’d experienced sadness, but today had been overwhelmingly emotional. He was fulfilling his destiny and fully aware of what needed to happen to eradicate the demon he’d been called on to destroy.
Others weren’t so loyal.
The voice understood and would now guide him on this lonely path to war.