Bike Week Blues (28 page)

I nodded at the door. “What’s the deal?”

“Judge Parker’s in there with Penny Sue.
She’s not seriously hurt. Bruises, slight concussion, maybe.
They’re going to keep her for observation.”

“Rich?”

“In there, too. That’s why I’m here,” Frank
said. “He was working undercover for us, and we don’t intend to let
anything else happen to him.”

“How bad is he?”

“You saw him—beat to a pulp by those
maniacs. No serious internal damage, it seems. Believe it or not,
the shot Red gave him was a painkiller. I guess she really cared
for him.”

My eyebrows shot up. Who would have
guessed?

“Can we go in?” Ruthie asked.

Frank waved toward the door. “Be my
guest.”

“Did the flowers arrive?” Fran said.

“Not yet.”

There was a commotion at the end of the hall
as a large cart filled with floral arrangements was wheeled our
way.

“That must be them. The florist promised to
have them here in an hour.”

Frank gave Frannie May a look. “Nothing goes
into that room until I check it. We almost lost Rich once, and
we’re not taking any more chances. In fact, I should frisk you and
search that bag.” He pointed to the satchel Ruthie’d brought for
Penny Sue.

Fran held up her hand. “Be my guest, check
the flowers,” then rushed through the door.

I turned to Ted. “Will you be here for a
while?”

He brushed my hair off my forehead. “Yeah,
I’ll be here. Don’t have to go back on duty for another few
hours.”

I stroked his arm. “That’s great. I don’t
think we’ll be long.” I waved as I followed Ruthie into the
room.

The judge held Penny Sue’s hand and stroked
her forehead lovingly. It was such a sweet scene, I almost teared
up. Heavens, I’d better get some of that black cohosh, fast.

Ruthie went to the judge and rubbed his
back. “How are you, sir? How’s Penny Sue?”

“I’m fine!” Penny Sue struggled to a sitting
position, took her father’s hand and kissed it. “Daddy, you really
don’t have to stroke my forehead.”

“Sweetpea—”

Sweetpea? That was a new one.

“—you loved it as a child.”

“I did, Daddy, but it messes up my
make-up.”

I shook my head. No make-up left to mess
up.

Penny Sue scowled. Ruthie handed her a
compact and lipstick.

“Oh, shit,” Penny Sue exclaimed, catching
her image in the mirror. She smeared on some lipstick and handed
back the mirror.

“Rich?” I asked.

“The doctor’s in with him now.” She nodded
at the curtain separating their beds. Her eyes welled with tears
and she lowered her voice. “He’s going into the witness protection
program. I may never see him again.” The judge stroked her
forehead. “His wife had cancer, you know that. Anyway, she was in a
lot of pain and hospice doctors prescribed some pretty powerful
painkillers. After her death, Rich was so distraught, he used the
remaining narcotics to dull his pain. He got hooked, which is how
he got caught up with Vulture’s bunch. They were selling drugs to
finance their arms deals.

“Rich was buying drugs from one of Vulture’s
branches in Georgia. Rich was busted in a raid, and rather than go
to jail, agreed to work with the Feds undercover. He had previous
police experience, which made him a natural. In the course of the
drug investigation, he realized it was a lot bigger, and the drugs
were funding arms purchases.

“Rich was working with Sammy—Sidney’s
partner—who’d infiltrated Vulture’s gang. Somehow, Vulture became
suspicious of Sammy and knocked him off. My car was in the
background and the rest is history.” She paused. “Did you hear why
Vulture had it in for me?”

“Yes, the old two-headed coin. Who would
have guessed?”

The flowers were wheeled in at the same time
as a gurney. Hospital volunteers put the bouquets on the
windowsill, as transporters lifted Rich onto the gurney.

“What’s going on?” I demanded.

Sidney appeared in the doorway. He walked
over to the judge and Penny Sue. “The doctors say Rich is stable.
We’re going to transfer him to a safer place. Vulture’s locked up,
but he has ties to militant extremists and arms dealers. Rich isn’t
safe here.”

Penny Sue started to cry. I started to cry.
Ruthie cried. Only Fran and the judge didn’t cry, and they looked
close.

“Can I have a moment alone with him?” Penny
Sue sobbed.

Sidney nodded and herded us out of the room.
We paced in the hall, avoiding each other’s eyes, trying to keep
our emotions in check. Ted came over and gave me a hug. Finally,
the gurney emerged from the room, and Rich gave us the thumbs
up.

I buried my face against Ted’s shoulder, my
tears flowing uncontrollably. He stroked my hair and nodded toward
the door.

We all rushed in to Penny Sue.

She looked up at us and smiled. “He’ll be
back.”