"Someone go and get Lexi some lasagna," called my mother. Flatware and a napkin were thrust into my hand and the plate disappeared then reappeared again. Anastasia added garlic bread, and a pair of tongs dropped some salad onto my full plate before I was pushed into one of the hard, plastic chairs that was backed against Solomon's room. I inhaled the rich tomato sauce and garlic and my stomach gave a little rumble.
"Hi, Aunt Lexi," said my nephew, Sam. He stood in front of me, twirling something in his hands.
"Hi, Sam."
"Is Uncle Solomon going to be okay?" he asked.
"I don't know."
"I hope he is because you're sad and I don't want you to be sad."
"Me neither."
Sam held out his hand and dangled a plush dinosaur towards me. It had a long neck and a fat body and comically cute eyes. "I brought my favorite dinosaur teddy to look after him."
"That's really nice of you."
"Can I put it in his room? There's a table next to his bed."
"Yes, sure you can. You can put it on the table. He's got some machines around him to help him breathe but don't worry about them."
"Cool. Mom said I couldn't go in there in case I switched something off."
I thought about that. "Ask someone to go in there with you," I decided.
"Do you want me to booby trap the room in case the bad guys come back?" he asked.
"No, that's okay."
"I suppose it's better that Uncle Antonio just shoots them with the gun he's hiding under his hoody," said Sam. He waved to his mom, gave her a thumbs up, then disappeared into the room. Traci sprinted after him. "He's going to booby trap the room," she hissed as she whipped past me.
I turned and watched through the glass pane as Sam placed the dinosaur on the table and turned it to face Solomon. He patted Solomon's arm, then took a long look around the room. I wondered what he was planning but figured his mom had that covered since she guided him quickly out of the room. "Sam really wanted to see Solomon," Traci said as she gave Sam a little push in the direction of the food. "I promise he did not touch any machines and I won't let him in there again."
"It's really sweet of him to leave the dinosaur," I said.
"He was bound and determined to bring it. He saved up his pocket money and bought it all by himself and he really treasures it. A little too much actually. Do you think he's too old for teddies and the like?"
"No, everyone needs a teddy," I said.
"Even Solomon," said Traci. She squeezed my arm and moved over to help my mom who had begun serving the nurses.
"How much food did Mom bring?" I asked Jord when he sat next to me, a sleeping Poppy snuggled against his chest. She wore a pink dress with white leggings and pink socks. I couldn’t resist reaching over to carefully stroke her head.
"Enough to feed all of us and all the hospital staff on this floor. She mentioned something about putting leftovers in the doctors’ lounge. One of the doctors just asked if she catered professionally and now she's so excited, she's talking about taking a business class at the Adult Education Center."
I concentrated on chewing while I contemplated that. It didn't sound crazy. "I like that idea. Mom loves feeding people. People like eating. She's bored."
"She doesn't stick with any classes."
"True, but she only has to find one that she really likes."
"Like children," said Jord.
I brightened. "That must be why she stopped having children when she got me!"
"Maybe she just gave up," teased Jord. Poppy snuffled, wriggled and settled again.
"I really appreciate everyone turning up to celebrate but we're not done yet. You should all go home," I told him. I stuffed another forkful of lasagna into my mouth and chewed it up. It gave me something to concentrate on that wasn't a mix of fury and tears. "We should celebrate properly when Solomon is okay and whoever did this has been punished to the full extent of the law."
"If anyone asks, I don't disagree with that sentiment. Do you want me to chase everyone out?"
I leaned around him and checked out the queue of doctors. They didn't deserve to go hungry just because I wanted my family to go home. Plus, the lasagna was really good. My mom must have baked all day long. "When everyone's eaten," I decided. "Where's Dad?"
"He's setting up the coffee urns. They brought real coffee and real hot tea! He said no one should have to drink even one more cup of anything from the vending machine."
"Is he allowed to do that?"
Jord waved a hand at the food laden table. "Are they allowed to do this?"
"Good point." I finished the food on my plate and sighed. "I have to go to the restroom and wash up. Watching that jerk at MPD added at least an inch of dirt to my skin."
"I'll wait," said Jord, "Lily said she'll stay with you here tonight if you want?"
I stroked Poppy's head. "This one needs her more than I do," I said.
"Not right now she doesn't," said Jord. "Plus, we're all about the equal parenting at home, except when Lily is hogging the baby."
I skirted past the table, recited some greetings absent-mindedly and walked down the corridor to the bathroom. I used the facilities, washed my face, considered applying some makeup and realized I didn't care how pale and tired I looked. All I wanted to do now was climb onto Solomon's bed and snuggle up next to him. I leaned my back against the tiled wall and pulled out my phone, checking my messages.
Lucas had an update about the remaining suspects but I was pretty sure that was now the wrong path and he didn't require an urgent response. The PIs hadn't replied as to what to do about the cases but since they were already here at the hospital, I planned to ask them before they left. Garrett sent a message: he didn't think sending in Mikey with a wiretap to set up Mooch would work. Mikey had a serious case of the munchies and was now sleeping it off in a cell.
Tugging the restroom door open, I stepped outside, feeling a little fresher, and ready to socialize myself with more distraction. Laughter drifted along the corridor and someone made a loud comment about how delicious the food was. If this had been any other time, I would have enjoyed it; but right now all I could do was appreciate the effort everyone was making. I took a step towards them.
"Ms. Graves?" A large man in a leather jacket stepped out from behind a tall stack of linens. He folded his hands in front of him and stared down at me.
I knew a hard man when I saw one and this man was a boulder. "No," I said, trying to step around him. "Sorry."
"Lexi Graves," he tried again. "I've seen your photo so let's not do this."
"I'm armed," I said.
He shifted his elbow and pushed back his jacket, revealing a gun. "Me, too," he said.
"Donny, bring the lady inside," called another man's voice.
Donny the Boulder lifted a meaty hand and indicated that I enter the room I'd just been about to walk past.
"I'll scream," I said without making a move.
"I'm not going to hurt you, ma'am," said Donny. He drew his weapon and I opened my mouth wide enough to scream but instead of shooting me, he held the gun out. "You can hold it if you want."
"No, thank you," I stuttered.
"I cleaned it," he said, frowning.
"I don't want my fingerprints on it!"
"She makes a valid point. Ms. Graves, Donny," called the voice. This time when Donny indicated, I stepped inside. Instead of a patient room, this appeared to be a large closet. The shelves were packed with boxes of gauze, latex gloves, and other things I couldn't identify. In the middle of it all sat a tall, broad man with a shock of dark brown hair. He looked to be in his late fifties but had retained a craggy handsomeness that I was sure many women probably found very appealing. At the moment, I found it very unsettling, not least because Donny had closed the door and filled the doorway, leaving me no route of escape.
"This is rather unusual," I said.
"I'm sorry for the unique approach. I don't keep an office," said the seated man.
"Okay. Who are you and what do you want from me?" I asked.
"My name is Duncan O'Malley. I'm an old friend of Solomon's. He probably never mentioned me."
The name rang a bell. Solomon listed his name as one of his trusted contacts. "No, he didn't exactly, but I know who you are."
"What do you know about me?"
"I know you're rumored to be dead," I said, thinking back to when I asked Delgado about O'Malley. "You also are, or were, a crime lord here."
"That's nice and even complimentary," said O'Malley. "Usually, I'm called a lot worse."
I decided against telling him it wasn't supposed to be a compliment since I didn't know the extent of his crimes. All I could assume was that crime lord inferred an empire and a crime lord empire went hand-in-hand with gratuitous, merciless violence. "You're also on Solomon's list of most trusted people. Why is that?" I asked.
"Solomon and I became friends a very long time ago. No, he doesn't invite me to poker night at his house and I probably won't be invited to your wedding either, but we are friends in every other description," began O'Malley. "We ran into each other many years ago and he helped me out of a little bind. Nothing illegal, before you ask. A couple of years later, I was able to do the same for him and we've been friends for more than a decade. You're probably wondering how Solomon and I can be friends when we're such very different people."
"I am."
O'Malley laughed softly. "We ask ourselves that too and quite often. But here's the thing, hard friends are good to come by and we have strong boundaries. I don't implicate him in anything, and he doesn't ask. I don't request any favors from him, and he doesn't offer any. Plus, I'm a special kind of criminal."
"I prefer not to know. This is lovely, but you know Solomon is right down the hall in a freaking coma and I would rather be with him."
"I'm sure you would. I heard they got the shooter but he turns out to be just a poor apple that fell from a very rotten tree."
I nodded. "Nice analogy."
"So, it's true. What can I do to help? Anything you need, I will make it happen." O'Malley spread his arms wide.
"Actually, there is something I need," I said, wondering what I was getting into. Ask a favor of a crime boss and where would it end? Solomon might never have asked him but he did trust him and he also left me a note with a list of people he trusted. That had to be for a good reason. Would I end up paying for it? Did I care if it got me what I wanted right now?
"What is the cost?" I asked, hoping the small print wasn't anything terrible.
"Cost? Your money is no good with me," said O'Malley.
I remembered the check Solomon gave me. I hadn’t cashed it, but I could. "I can pay whatever you ask," I said. "If you could find some information out for me."
"Like I said, I don't want your money. I came to help my old friend's fiancée. I would have been a little more obvious about it but I didn't want to scare you off, and, like you said earlier, I’m supposed to be dead. There is no charge for my assistance and there won't be any comeback on you. I am a man of my word. Is that right, Donny?"
"Yes, sir," said Donny.
"Okay, then. The shooter is a loser called Mikey Gibbs. He was approached by a man named Mooch who frequents a bar in Frederickstown on Ninth Street."
"I know it," said Donny. "It's not a very nice place."
"Mikey says Mooch was asked to find someone to shoot Solomon as a warning."
"A warning? For what?" asked O'Malley.
"He didn't say and he doesn't seem to know."
"Who hired Mooch to hire Mikey?"
"He didn't know that either. My brother..."
"Lieutenant Graves?"
"Yes." I nodded. "How did you know that?"
"I know everything. Your brother is a good man. And a good cop."
"Thanks, I think. Anyway, my brother wanted to set Mikey up with a wire tap but he's always wasted so that's a no go. I need to find out whatever Mooch knows."
"I'll get that information and relay it back to you. Does that work for you?" asked O'Malley.
"Yes! Thank you. How do I find..."
"You don't," said O'Malley. He stood up and produced a card from his pocket. On it was printed a single number. "Call this number and leave a message if you need to reach me and I'll call you."
I tucked it into my jeans. "Thanks."
"I hope your fiancé recovers soon and may I say, it was a pleasure meeting you," he said as he stuck out his hand. I shook it, surprised to find it so warm. Donny opened the door and stood back, nodding to me as I left. I hurried along the corridor, since there was no good sense in lingering.
"Where were you?" asked Jord when I returned. Lily sat on one side of him and Daniel sat on the other side, occupying my former seat but he stood up and I dropped into it.
"I bumped into a friend of Solomon's in the corridor," I told them. "A man called Duncan O'Malley. He's some..."
"Duncan O'Malley?" Daniel grabbed his gun. Jord shot up straight and handed Poppy to Lily quickly before he reached for his weapon. "Where?" asked Daniel.
I pointed. "The storage closet next to the restroom." Both of them took off at a run.
Maddox jogged over to me. "What happened?" he asked.
"I got approached by Duncan O'Malley, an old..."
"O'Malley!" Maddox grabbed his gun. "Weapon out!" he told the police guard who immediately reached for his gun as Maddox ran past. Delgado darted into Solomon's room and took up his position, facing the door. Fletcher and Flaherty flanked me.
"What is going on?" asked Mom. "Why is everyone getting their guns out and why did Daniel and Jord just charge off with Maddox?"
"Is this grown-up Laser Quest?" asked Sam. "Can I have a gun too?"
"And me!" said his sister, Chloe. They pretended to zap each other with their fingers.
"Time to go home," said Traci, grabbing their hands and looking around for her oldest child. "Patrick!"
Maddox, Daniel and Jord strolled back, holstering their weapons. "Every room in that hallway is locked," said Daniel.
"No sign of Duncan O'Malley," added Jord.
"What got you all so worried about him?" I asked. "I was trying to tell you he's a friend, of sorts. He only came to offer his help."
"He's the state's biggest crime lord and he was once based in Montgomery. The only reason he's never been arrested is because no one can pin on anything on him," said Daniel. "Plus, he's supposed to be dead. If he's alive, then there's a bunch of other crimes in which I could name him as the prime suspect!"
"Oh, that," I replied weakly.
"It's just O'Malley," called Fletcher over his shoulder. Delgado and Flaherty both relaxed.
"You all know him?" I asked. They exchanged looks, then shook their heads. When Daniel and Jord both turned away, and Daniel waved to the officer to stand down, both of my colleagues nodded to me. Maddox watched with narrowed, worried eyes.
“Catching O’Malley is promotion worthy,” said Daniel. “Shame he wasn’t there.”
“I’m sorry, I must have been mistaken,” I said.
"If I'd known we were on high alert because of O'Malley, I wouldn't have worried just then," said Fletcher while Daniel and Jord were distracted.
"It doesn't worry you that a known criminal was here?"
"No, because he doesn't pose any threat to Solomon. Or to you," Fletcher added.
"I think we should go home," said Mom. She began to scoop up empty serving dishes to deposit in a plastic crate she pulled out from under the table. "It sounds like everyone is a little on edge."
"Thank you for doing this, Mom," I said, jumping up and hugging her. "It was really nice of you to feed everyone."
"Just doing my little bit to help the people who are helping Solomon. Also, I thought we were celebrating and I'm sorry we're not. Do you want to come home with us? Anastasia will be there too. She's been so helpful but she's also been here all day."
"I'm going to stay here now."
"I thought you might say that. I can stay with you or Dad can."
"No, it's all right, really," I said, waving her away. "You've done enough. I'm just going to sit in the room and use my laptop before I get some sleep."
"Call me if you need anything else," said Mom. "Time to pack up," she called.
"I'm staying," said Lily. "No arguments."
"I can stay a while too," said Jord. He sniffed and pulled a face. "Or until the diapers run out."
"You should both go home," I told them. "I don't think a baby should be here right now. Plus, all I'm going to do is sit here. There's nothing to help with, really."
Lily and Jord exchanged a look that was so loaded, even I could interpret it. They didn't want to go but they knew I had a point. Just to drive that point home, I added, "Plus, if Duncan O'Malley is so unsafe, do you really want the baby here?"
"No," conceded Lily.
"Which is why Lily and Poppy are both going home," said Jord. "Lily, you know it's more sensible."
I reached for the changing bag that was deposited under the chair. "I'll walk you to the elevator," I said, standing up and giving them both a little push as a doctor strolled past. "You can fuss over me in the morning."
"I will be here with breakfast and coffee and those little donuts you like," said Lily. "I can bring magazines too and anything else you need."
At the elevator I hugged them both, my heart dipping slightly when they stepped inside. I gave them a half-hearted wave as the doors closed and walked back to the room. Delgado, Fletcher, and Flaherty stood outside. "The doctor is inside," said Delgado.
"I'll get an update," I decided. It might be exactly what I needed to feel better. "Hi, Doctor," I said, as I stepped inside. The doctor had his back to me and appeared to be checking the drip, one hand holding one of the little valves. "Is there any change yet?" I asked. "I know there might not be a lot you can tell me but any news is... news," I finished lamely.
The doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe. I looked toward the floor, waiting patiently before I began to frown. All the doctors and nurses who had passed me on their way to and from Mom's dinner table set-up wore sneakers or very unattractive, rubber slip-ons. This doctor wore a nice pair of dress shoes. Not fancy, shiny ones but something was not quite right.
In fact, it was very wrong.
"Doctor?" I said, much firmer now. "Doctor, I need an update."
The man reached for the drip tube, opening the extra line. I crossed the few steps and grabbed his arm. He twisted around and swung an uppercut, connecting with my ribs, and tossing me back onto the bed against Solomon’s legs. I let out a yelp as he knocked the air out of me. I swung back to deck him, clocking him on the jaw. Pain exploded in my knuckles when my fist connected. He shoved me backwards and reached for the drip, only much more urgently now.
I jumped on the man's back, dragging his hands from the drip and dug in my nails until he dropped the syringe. He yanked his arm forwards before driving his elbow backwards, right into me. Grunting, I clung on, straining to use my body weight to throw him off balance. When my lungs finally filled, I screamed and Delgado burst through the door.
The man stumbled backwards, knocking me into Delgado. The two of us fell into a heap, crashing against Solomon's bed and sliding onto the floor.
The man darted out the door in a flash.
I scrambled to my feet and raced after him. Fletcher and Flaherty bounded after me.
A glimpse of his white coat disappeared through the door to the stairwell. I lurched forwards. If this was supposed to be another warning, courtesy of Mooch, I fully intended to catch him and make him pay.