Blood Money Page 23

  Usually Mark didn’t like nurses, even RN’s, who always seemed to try to outguess the doctors. His thought was that they should “pay the dues if they wanted to fill the shoes”, so normally any opinions from a nurse usually on deaf ears with him. In his current state, however, he would listen to what an orderly had to say. He was feeling that desperate.

  Does that mean that I can’t talk to her this weekend?”

  “I don’t want to be quoted,” Nurse Betty started, “but if she makes enough progress, reducing that fever, we will cancel the sedative and move her back to her room. The earliest I can see that happening is tomorrow around noon.”

  “I’ve got to leave to go back to a training exercise around three tomorrow afternoon. It would mean a lot to me if I could talk to her before I have to leave. Would it be alright if I checked with you around noon?”

  “Of course it would, Mark. I’ll be on duty from eight in the morning. You can call any time after that to see how she’s doing. Call me tonight, too. I will be here until seven. I should know a lot more by then.”

  “You’re an angel, Betty.”

  “Not me.” Pointing toward Susan, she said, “That’s the angel I’m just trying to help. Susan is such a sweet lady. I hate seeing what she is going through.”

  CHAPTER 42

  “What do you mean she’s not being released? You told me she was going home today. What the hell is going on? I don’t like being jacked around.”

  “I’m sorry, Mel” the voice at the other end said. I hear she had some complications from the surgery she had last week. They moved her from her room to Intensive Care. The cop went with her. No one can get anywhere near her, not even her boyfriend.”

  “Damn, I just can’t catch a break with that woman. Do you have any details about her condition?”

  “I think it’s just a fever thing. They’re treating her with antibiotics. She should be okay in a few days. My guess is that her release will be delayed for a week.”

  “Thanks for calling, Marty. Keep me informed if there is any change in her status. I need to know everything that’s going on with her. I want her to recover so I can deal with her personally.”

  “You bet, Mel. You know me, I’ll stay on top of it.”

  Mel slammed the receiver down. “Another fuckin’ week in this hell hole,” he muttered to himself. It was a perfect time to start work on the “welcome home” present he was planning for Susan. He went out to his car, removed two boxes and his tool kit and brought them to his room. He laid out a few sheets with diagrams on them. The Internet had plans for everything.

  CHAPTER 43

  Mark left the hospital and headed immediately for the FBI office. He knew that Dennis would be there, even though it was Saturday.

  “Hi! Got a minute?”

  “Sure, Mark, come on in”

  “I just left the hospital. I guess you know Susan was moved to Intensive Care.”

  “Yes, I called the nurses’ station first thing this morning. I knew that she was having a problem with a fever earlier in the week. I was hoping they would get it down in time for her to go home. Sometimes fevers are tricky to deal with.”

  “Nurse Betty thinks that they might be able to get it under control so she can leave next weekend. That’s unofficial, of course. The guard was on duty on the Intensive Care floor. I’ve been meaning to ask you about what happens after Walt pulls his watchdog, which I guess he will have to do when she leaves his jurisdiction to return home.”

  “I’m planning on picking it up, at least until she’s ready to return to work. I’ll handle it as a surveillance exercise. That’s a little bit out of the ordinary, but it will get the job done. On weekends, when you’re out there, security will be your responsibility. How does that sound to you?”

  “That’s perfect, Dennis. Thanks!”

  “You don’t have to thank me. There’s one thing you should have picked up on by now, we look out for our own.”

  Sunday at noon, Mark was at the hospital. Susan had been moved back to her room. She was awake and gave him a big smile as he entered the room.

  “Mark, I hoped you would have time to stop by.”

  “Wild horses couldn’t have stopped me. You gave me quite a scare. When I got here Saturday and found your room empty, I was in a panic.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish someone had told you before you showed up.”

  “What are the doctors saying about this?”

  “Well, in spite of how things look with the IV and all the wires, they tell me the fever is subsiding and we’re on track for me to get out of here on Saturday. This time, it looks certain. I guess I can take another week of this; not that I have a lot of choice in the matter.”

  “You don’t know how glad I am to hear that. You know I will be here.”

  “Yes, I know. I’m looking forward to finally putting this place behind me.”

  He spent the next three hours with her. She drifted off to sleep a few times, but that didn’t matter to him. Mark loved her so much that just being near her was enough. During her waking periods they talked about the routine she would have to follow after she went home. She was determined to follow the Doctor’s instructions to the letter. Getting back her health and mobility was going to be “job one” with Susan.

  Mark updated her on the protection that Dennis had planned. Her concern about security seemed to be lower as her health got better. He guessed that she was feeling less vulnerable. She didn’t really feel that she needed to be “protected.”

  He left the hospital around 3 p.m. to head back to the Academy. This was not the weekend he had anticipated. He was tossed between his desire to continue the training and his concern about being so far away from Susan. Finally, he came to grips with reality. Sue was in the good hands. He could add little to the situation, except to speak with her every day to help keep her spirits up.

  * * *

  The second week at the Academy was more intensive. Mark’s PI work gave him a head start on the Surveillance and Firearms sections, although he needed to get accustomed to firing the .40 caliber Glock handgun, which had a totally different “feel” to it than his Sig Sauer. He adjusted quickly to it, and managed to score a cumulative eighty-nine percent; second in the class. He did not fare as well with the shotgun, but managed to get a qualifying score. It was a good thing that he didn’t need to use one during the warehouse raid.

  Mark became immersed in the classes, and was able lessen his concern about Susan until midday Friday. He spoke with her every night. She sounded stronger each time he called. He also spoke with nurse Betty, who assured him that Susan was making rapid progress. Her temperature had stabilized on Wednesday. The doctors scheduled her to be released on Saturday. They were close, now.

  The AAA couldn’t offer him any alternate routes. Mark checked with the logistics section at the Academy in the hope that they might be better informed; they weren’t. He left promptly at four thirty, hoping to get a jump on some of the traffic. It still took him eight hours. He had read somewhere that commuters waste an entire work-week a year sitting in traffic. At the rate he was going, he was slowly becoming a part of that grim statistic.

  CHAPTER 44

  Susan went through her early morning rehab exercises and returned to her room to prepare to go home. Under the circumstances, her stay at the hospital was about as good as it could ever be. She received the best possible care from loving and caring people. Her doctors were pleased with her recuperation so far. The bruises on her neck had slowly disappeared as the blood vessels in both areas healed. The gunshot wound also healed completely, leaving only a small scar as a reminder of what happened. The scar from the shoulder surgery was something else. While the incision was small, it continued to drain, and required constant replacement of the gauze bandages. This would need to be done for several more weeks. Nurse Betty spent time with Susan, showing her how to apply the bandages, and gave her a large package of bandages to take home with her. Susan needed to use a sling t
o restrict any excessive shoulder movement. Her daily walks around the rehab ward had helped rebuild her leg muscles. She yearned to be out running again. Sue had asked Mark to bring a bright pink blouse and navy blue slacks. Nurse Betty helped her dress. With a shoulder injury, dressing needed to be done slowly and carefully.

  As they finished, Mark made his grand entrance. “It’s a great day for the Irish,” he sang, as he entered the room. It was a bit off-key, which was not unusual for him.

  “It will be when you stop singing,” Betty said.

  Sue chimed in, “Don’t say that. I thought it was cute.”

  “There, see,” he replied, playfully sticking out his tongue at the nurse.

  Betty walked on by him. As she did, she whispered, but loud enough for everyone to hear, “I don’t care what she says, don’t quit your day job, Mark. With that voice, you would starve.”

  As he stood in the door looking at Susan, Mark’s memory flashed back to the day he found her lying on the floor of that closet. He had thought then that he had lost her forever. He shook his head a few times, as if to erase that terrible memory from his mind.

  “Well, are you ready to lose this place? It looks like all the paperwork is done. You are officially released.”

  “You bet I am. I think the reality of going home has finally sunk in.”

  He gathered up the small overnight bag with her personal things and the package of bandages. Nurse Betty returned to the room with a wheelchair. “I’m afraid you have to ride out in this. Hospital rules!”

  “I’d ride out on a hand truck if I had to,” Sue said as she sat down in the wheelchair.

  The nurse led the way to the elevators. On the way out, Sue thanked the guard. He tipped his hat and smiled. “You take care, Ms. Harrigan. It is so good to see you going home.”

  Mark tagged along with the bags. When they finally reached the ground floor, he rushed ahead to bring the car around to the front door. As he approached, she was being wheeled up to the car.

  Sue stood up and turned to the nurse. She stepped forward and hugged her.

  “Thanks for everything, Betty. I don’t think I could have made it without you.”

  “Oh, sure you would have. You’re a very strong and courageous young lady. You take good care now. Don’t forget to do all the exercises on that sheet they gave you in physical therapy, and remember, healing takes time; be patient.”

  “I will, I promise you.”

  Then, turning to Mark, the nurse said, “You take good care of her, Mark.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that. Thanks again for everything.” He handed her a thank-you card with a check enclosed. “I want you to have this, from both of us.” He had found a way to use some of Thurston’s bonus money on Susan’s behalf. Mark stepped forward to help Susan into the passenger seat. She preferred to sit up front with him. “Let me fasten that seat belt for you.

  As they pulled away, Sue gave a last wave to nurse Betty and then settled back to the reality that she was finally going home.

  Twenty minutes later, as they pulled into her driveway, she turned to Mark and said, “I thought that I might feel some apprehension about coming back here, but strangely, I don’t. I guess it all happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to attach any permanent mental trigger to it.”

  “Thank God for that.”

  “Oh, by the way, I had an alarm system installed. I’ll show you how to work it later.”

  He helped her into her bedroom and together they unpacked the small bag.

  “The first thing I want to do is get into something more practical,” she said. “I need to be able get at the bandage more easily.”

  “I can understand that. How are you going to keep the bandage dry when you shower?”

  “I’ll use the hand shower head or take baths for a while. Drying off will be the most challenging part.

  “I’ll bet. Of course, I’ll be glad to help you with that while I’m here.”

  “Why am I not surprised? Right now you can help me get out of these things.”

  “At your service, madam.”

  It was a slow process. A little because he didn’t want to hurt her shoulder, but more because the old feelings that he had for her years ago were back in full force. This was the first time they have been totally alone since the rescue. As Mark helped her remove her clothes and slip into a silk kimono he was stirred by her naked body. He was surprised that instead of his memory going back to their weekend at the shore, it went back to the day that they had come to an agreement that for career reasons they would no longer see each other; the mind was funny that way. Now they were in a position to rekindle the passion they had once known.

  Sue obviously sensed what was going on in his mind. “It feels strange, doesn’t it, Mark? I just don’t have the energy to do anything right now. Don’t get me wrong, I want to, but my shoulder hurts like hell. Every time I move, I can feel that hardware. I need to get some rest. Doing just this little bit has exhausted me.”

  Mark started to protest his innocence, but realized that his intentions were all too obvious.

  “I would just like to lie in your arms. We’ll have a lifetime together for everything else.” He propped up the pillows on the bed and positioned her on his left shoulder. A feeling of serenity came over him as he realized that Sue was there, in his arms, safe and sound. They both fell into a deep sleep.

  The balance of the weekend was spent getting Susan used to maneuvering around the condo without doing any damage to her left shoulder. She insisted on strictly following every direction her doctor had given her. She was living up to the deal she had made with Dennis.

  They found ways to be intimate that didn’t require her to move a lot. Necessity was truly the mother of invention.

  Sunday afternoon came too quickly. Mark didn’t want to leave, but had little choice. He called Dennis, who assured him that his man was already on the scene. Sue handed him a cooler she had packed with a sandwich and three cans of coke. They kissed for a few minutes. Her kisses were soft with sensuality. She said, “I love you, Mark, with all my heart. I am going to miss you.”

  “I love you too, Susan. I will be so happy when this training is out of the way. I hate being away from you.

  “Be patient. There is a lot to learn. They’ve put a lot of thought into the curriculum. You will see when it’s over how everything fits together.”

  “I know,” he said. “It’s not the training. I just don’t want to be away from you for so long.

  “It’s only for a week; no different that if you had to work on an assignment down in Centerville, or out of town somewhere. We’re going to have to get used to being apart from each other. It’s the nature of our jobs.”

  “I don’t think I will ever get used to being separated from you. I look forward to the day that we are together 24/7.”

  “Well for now, dreamer, you need to hit the road.”

  They kissed again and he reluctantly walked to his car, backed out of the driveway and headed out of the development. As he exited, he spotted a lone car with a driver trying to blend in, which was made easier by several of her neighbors who parked their cars at the curb. The driver gave him a quick nod. Mark knew Dennis would take good care of Susan while he was away.

  What neither the Agent nor Mark saw was another car parked a block away. The driver of the car was using a cell phone to report their movements to Mel Tarkington.

  *

  The trip back to the academy was a little better this week. For some reason, there were fewer trucks on the road. That always made the trip more pleasant. He hated to be on the road with truck drivers weaving in and out of traffic, trying to make up time. Mark’s Honda was small enough to be out of their line of vision. If he had ten bucks for every near miss with the big rigs over the years, he’d have enough to get a Hummer. An interesting thought. That would certainly increase the odds a bit.

  CHAPTER 45

  Mel Tarkington smiled as his informant up
dated him on Susan’s whereabouts.

  “She’s home, but she’s being watched. Her boyfriend took her home from the hospital and stayed until around three o’clock today. I guess he lives out-of-town. Around noon, a strange car showed up and didn’t move until another one showed up at midnight. They look like cops.”

  “Well, keep an eye on them. Change cars a lot so they don’t spot you. I know how stake-outs work. After a while, they will get lax. It’s a very boring job. Let me know when they drop their coverage.”

  “I will, Mel.”

  Mel sat back to ponder the latest news. As he saw it, it wouldn’t be too much longer before she would go back to work, and the justification for the surveillance would pass. It was costing somebody a lot of dough to watch her around the clock like this. It had to end soon. If it didn’t, he might have to change his plans slightly. He had a sniper rifle with him, but he wanted to stick to his original plan. He was patient and he was ready. He just needed the right opportunity to finish what he had set out to do.

  CHAPTER 46

  What’s the latest with Mel Tarkington?” Dennis Peterson asked. He was having a review meeting with his ASAC, John Wellman.

  “I haven’t heard a thing. Agents have checked gyms and spas in every major city. There has been no activity anywhere on his credit cards or his cell phones. He has just disappeared down a hole somewhere. We picked up some of his known confederates, but nobody’s talking; not even for money. For all we know, he could be in South America, or in a grave somewhere.”

  “John, I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or not. Let’s keep him on the list, but lower the level to three. I wish we could get closure on this. At some point I am going to have to pull the protection for Susan. She will probably be going back to Cybernetic Solutions soon. At that point, she’s going to have to be on her own.”