Exposed (Rosato & DiNunzio #5)(97)
Bennie turned to Detective Lindenhurst. “So let’s nail this down. When are you releasing Simon?”
“If Walker comes through with the information we requested, I’m hoping I’ll be able to release Simon by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Or nine o’clock.”
Detective Lindenhurst smiled slightly. “Noon is a possibility.”
“How about ten o’clock? I’ll settle for ten o’clock.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Detective Lindenhurst chuckled, rising, and everybody behind him stood up, getting ready to leave.
“Thank you.” Bennie stood up, too. Her ribs were hurting again but she ignored it. “I’m sorry I yelled at you before.”
“It’s okay. It happens.” Detective Lindenhurst’s smile widened.
Declan burst into laughter. “At least she apologized to you. I think she likes you better than me.”
Bennie laughed too. “I don’t like anybody better than you right now. You’re golden!”
They all laughed again, said their good-byes, and walked to the door of the meeting room. Detective Lindenhurst and the others went left, heading for the elevators, and Bennie and Declan turned right, toward the lounge. Just then, she spotted a familiar figure midway down the hall, coming toward them. Nate, wearing a blue sweater, pressed jeans, and a contrite expression.
“That’s Nate Lence,” Bennie said under her breath.
“The Nate Lence?” Declan focused on Nate like a police dog. “Am I allowed to take him outside? We’re already at the hospital. He won’t have to go far to get stitches. Or crutches. It’s convenient for all parties.”
“No.” Bennie smiled. “Just be nice and civil.”
“Is hand-to-hand combat civil?”
“Please be nice, for Mary’s sake. She’s what matters now.”
“Fine,” Declan said, resigned.
Nate reached them in the hallway. “Bennie, I heard what happened and I came to say how sorry I am. About Mary, about you, and everything.”
“Thank you. Nate, meet Declan Mitchell.”
“Nice to meet you, Declan.” Nate pursed his lips, extending a hand to Declan, who shook it without breaking it off.
“Hello, Nate.”
Nate turned to Bennie. “I was just in the lounge. I met Simon’s family and Mary’s. I’m going to get to the bottom of what happened at OpenSpace. I’ll find a way to make it right. First thing in the morning, I’m going to speak to Corporate Giving at CHOP. I’m sure the Blood and Marrow Unit could use a contribution.”
Declan interrupted, “Does money excuse what you did? Firing Bennie? Accusing Mary of disciplinary violations?”
Bennie rushed to say, “Nate, I’m sure CHOP would appreciate that. Now, we have to go. We want to be with Mary’s family as well.”
Nate avoided Declan’s eye. “I truly am sorry. We can talk later.”
“We don’t have anything to talk about, Nate. Good-bye.” Bennie started to walk away, taking Declan’s hand before he used it to commit bodily harm.
“But Bennie,” Nate called after her, turning. “We do have cases coming in, and I’d like for you to represent Dumbarton again. We need you in your former role.”
“No, thank you,” Bennie called back, taking Declan away. “We have to go. Good-bye.”
They left Nate behind, and Declan looked over. “Nice burn, babe.”
“Wasn’t it? And you behaved yourself. Sort of.”
“That’s because I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Bennie smiled, but it faded as they reached the lounge. She could see Mary’s teary family through the glass window. “I hope she’s going to be okay.”
“Me too,” Declan said quietly, opening the door.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Mary didn’t open her eyes, though her head felt better. They’d told her that she wouldn’t need surgery but had to be monitored, with “neuro checks” and “serial CT scans” administered at regular intervals. She couldn’t eat in case she had to go to surgery, but she wasn’t hungry anyway.
She was so tired, but she could hear all of the people she loved around her, and she listened to their quiet voices as if it were the most beautiful music she had ever heard. Anthony was talking to her mother-in-law El Virus, her mother was praying softly, and her father was whispering for the first time in her life. Mary heard Bennie, Declan, and Judy too.
Mary waited to hear Simon’s voice, but she didn’t, and it nagged at her as she drifted in and out of sleep. She worried about Feet and Rachel, wondering how they were. She assumed The Tonys were with Feet.
Mary knew it must be daytime because she felt a warm square of sunlight on her bed, though she didn’t know what time it was. Her head felt heavy and her throat hurt. She could feel the oxygen tube lying against her cheek and a plastic clip around her index finger. She knew she would look horrible, but luckily she was among family, which was best defined as people who love you no matter what you look like.
She drifted back to sleep to the lullaby of everyone talking, and the next time she woke up, she recognized another voice: Simon’s. Mary worried that Simon wouldn’t be in the room long, since he had Rachel and Feet to take care of, so she tried to wake herself up to talk to him.