Cross My Heart (27 page)

"Terri's with her. I couldn't just sit at home and wait.
How's Clint? Have you heard anything more yet?"

Liz shook her head. "Not much. The bullet entered the
right side of his chest, but thank God it missed any vital organs. He's
in surgery now, so all we can do is wait."

Elyse greeted Paul and his parents with hugs and words of
condolence, and it was only then that she realized Dinah wasn't there.
For the first time it occurred to her that exactly what the other woman
had feared all along had happened—another assassination
attempt. Her husband had died this very same way, and that's why she'd
refused to marry Clint.

But she'd come back. Was she going to desert him now that
it had happened to him, too?

"Where's Dinah?" Elyse asked, fully aware it wasn't the
most diplomatic thing to do.

The four other people hesitated for a moment and looked at
one another, before Paul spoke. "She's out of town. Our two sisters
have been notified and will be arriving as soon as they can make
airline connections. One lives in New Hampshire and the other in
Georgia, and its the height of the vacation rush, so it may take them a
while to get here."

Obviously he didn't want to talk about Dinah Jefferson's
absence and was hoping to change the subject by switching to his
sisters. Elyse didn't push. They all had enough on their minds right
now; she'd make Liz tell her about Dinah later.

She switched to questions about the shooting. "What
happened? Why would anyone want to shoot Clint? Did they get the person
who did it?"

Again Paul, who was obviously spokesperson for the family,
answered. "The subject of gun control is a fiercely debated one and
emotions run high. Clint had given his talk, answered the questions and
spent a while socializing before leaving. He'd just walked out of the
restaurant, when the shot was fired."

Elyse gasped and could almost feel Clint's pain in her own
chest as Paul continued. "The police have a man in custody, but we
don't know anything about him. There'll be time enough for that later
after we find out how Clint is."

Soon they received a call from the governor, who regretted
that his security staff wouldn't allow him to come to the hospital but
assured them that his prayers and those of his wife were with Clint.

The evening wore on, and they were joined by Clint's
secretary, his administrative assistant, Bill and Reba Ogden and
several other people, who were introduced to her as close friends of
Burton and Grace Sterling. Visitors to the room were carefully screened
by the security men, who had set up an office in the building. Only
those closest to the senator and his family were allowed on the third
floor.

Meanwhile reporters, photographers, anchorpeople and other
members of the news media crowded the lobby and waiting rooms on the
first floor, all anxious for a medical report on the fallen senator.
Still there was no word from Dinah. None of the Sterlings seemed
surprised by her silence or her absence. Nothing was said about her,
and Elyse bit back her own questions.

By seven-thirty she could no longer tolerate the small
crowded noisy room. She felt hemmed in, claustrophobic. A buffet of
sandwiches and salads had been brought up and set out earlier, but she
knew better than to try to force food into her queasy stomach. Besides,
she'd already consumed a gallon of coffee.

She took Liz aside and told her she was going to the
chapel.

The small peaceful sanctuary on the third floor, with its
oak pews, stained glass windows and large wooden cross in back of the
altar, offered a haven of quiet and solitude. Elyse leaned back in one
of the pews and closed her eyes.

Unless there were unforeseen complications during the
surgery Clint would live. She had to believe that. Anything else was
unthinkable. But what was in the future for her? Was there a place for
her in his life?

Where was Dinah? Was it possible that she'd run away when
she'd heard that Clint had been shot? Such a reaction was
incomprehensible to Elyse. No woman could be that selfish and cruel.

Still, Dinah had been through an identical experience
before, and she'd suffered a breakdown because of it. Maybe her nervous
system simply couldn't cope with the same shattering situation twice.
Who could say what another person's breaking point was? Elyse had been
through a similar experience, but she was more fortunate than Dinah.
Elyse had Janey, who needed her. Janey, whose helplessness and
dependency gave Elyse the will and the purpose to survive.

A hand on her shoulder made Elyse jump, and she opened her
eyes to see Liz standing beside her, smiling. "The surgery's over," she
said, her voice tremulous, "and Clint's been taken to the recovery
room. The bullet's been removed and there are a couple of broken ribs,
but he'll recover completely."

Elyse collapsed against the back of the seat as joy
replaced the terror and pain. "Oh, thank God," she moaned as Liz sat
down and gathered her close in a loving maternal embrace.

For a moment Elyse clung to her sister, drawing on Liz's
strength until she could recoup her own. "The doctor says Paul and his
parents can go in and see Clint for a few minutes," Liz said, "but he's
still coming out of the anesthetic. They'll be moving him to a private
room in an hour or so, and then you can see him."

Elyse nodded and sat up. "Is Dinah here yet?"

"Dinah isn't coming," Liz said firmly as she stood up.
"Look, I've got to get back to Paul. He wants me with him when he sees
Clint, but we can't stay long. Wait for us in the family waiting room.
There's nobody there now. Everyone took off after being assured that
Clint would be all right. We'll talk later."

Liz left, but Elyse continued to huddle in the pew. For a
moment she was too light-headed with relief to think or move, but her
mind wasn't blank for long. Liz had said Dinah wasn't coming to the
hospital, which meant that she was still running from her problems.

Poor dear sweet Clint. He was probably going to have to go
through losing Dinah all over again, and at a time when he was most
vulnerable. A stab of pain for him made Elyse wince.

Would she be willing to be second best if Clint still
wanted her? Damn right she would. She'd take him any way she could get
him and count her blessings. But there was one thing she couldn't do.
She couldn't be there when Paul told him that Dinah had deserted him
again. She couldn't watch the anguish he wouldn't have the strength to
hide. If there was a chance that she would be taking Dinah's place in
his life she didn't want to know the depth of his pain when he heard
the news.

So okay, she was a coward, but this was one time she
couldn't comfort him. Clint of all people wouldn't expect it. He
wouldn't want her put through something like that.

She picked up her purse and walked slowly out of the
chapel. In the family waiting room she found a pad of paper and wrote:
I've
decided to go on home. Janey needs me. Please give Clint my love and my
best wishes for a speedy recovery. Tell him I'll come to see him when
he's feeling up to having visitors
.

She signed it and left it on the coffee table, where it
couldn't be missed, then took an elevator to the ground floor and
walked out of the hospital, unnoticed.

Physically and emotionally spent, Elyse slept soundly all
night, but woke in time to catch the six o'clock early-morning news
broadcast on one of the Sacramento television stations. According to
the report Clint's condition was good and he was resting comfortably.
She'd call Liz later and get a more detailed account.

That is, if Liz were still speaking to her. Elyse had
known her sister would be upset with her for leaving the hospital when
she'd been told to wait, and she hadn't felt up to arguing about it, so
when she'd arrived home last night she'd unplugged the telephones
before taking a shower and dropping into bed. She'd been uneasy about
it, but Liz had assured her that Clint's life was no longer in danger.
His family was with him, so he'd be well cared for, and she'd
desperately needed sleep before facing him the next day.

She'd plugged in the phones again when she'd gotten up,
but so far they hadn't rung.

She curled up on the sofa and sipped her coffee, not
hearing a word of the news as the broadcast continued. Her thoughts
were with Clint. How was he really? Would he be in the hospital long?
How had he taken the news of Dinah's defection, if that's what it was?

Her heart ached for him. Hadn't he suffered enough? Why
hadn't Dinah just stayed away and left him alone?

Elyse longed to go to him. They should have been married
the same weekend Paul and Liz had been, then nothing would have kept
Elyse away. If she were given a second chance with him she was going to
marry him and let tomorrow take care of itself. She loved him enough
for both of them, and eventually she'd make him forget Dinah.

Janey came downstairs at seven-thirty. She and Elyse had
just finished breakfast, both still clad in their nighties, when they
heard the front door open and close. Elyse got up and went into the
hall, where she met Liz coming toward her, her eyes blazing.

Before she could speak Liz lit into her. "What's the
matter with your telephones?"

Elyse had been afraid her sister would react like this.
"Nothing. I unplugged them."

Liz was furious. "Oh, that's just great. I've been trying
to get you all night. If you ever do a thing like that to me again I'm
going to turn you across my knee and give you the spanking I should
have administered at intervals years ago."

By this time they were back in the kitchen, and Janey was
watching them, wide-eyed with amazement at her aunt's uncharacteristic
anger.

Elyse sighed. "I'm sorry, Liz, but I knew you'd be upset
with me for leaving without telling you, and—"

"You're damn right I am. Clint's been asking for
you—"

"For me?" Elyse blinked with surprise.

"Yes, you, although why he wants such a blind, stubborn
little fool, I'll never know."

"But I thought it was Dinah he'd want."

"I told you Dinah wasn't coming. Now, dammit, get your
clothes on while I dress Janey. I'm taking you back to the hospital if
I have to tie you in the car."

Without another word Elyse turned and ran upstairs and
into her bedroom. She heard Liz dressing Janey in the next room as she
quickly donned a breezy turquoise gauze dress with a wide flounce and
multicolored rick-rack trim. Her pulse was pounding, and she didn't
take the time to put on makeup—except for a rich berry shade
of lipstick—before sliding her bare feet into white pumps.
She hurried toward the door just as Liz and Janey came out of Janey's
room.

Liz carried a small overnight case. "I'm taking a change
of clothes for Janey," she explained. "She and I are going to spend the
day together, aren't we, pumpkin?"

The child clutched her aunt's hand and nodded vigorously.

Downstairs Elyse headed for the garage, but Liz stopped
her. "We're going in my car," she said flatly.

"But how will I get home?"

"I'll bring you, but not until Clint tells me to. Now get
in and don't give me any more trouble."

From long experience Elyse knew better than to argue with
Liz when her elder sister had her mind made up. She and Janey got into
Liz's gray Chrysler.

By the time they were on the freeway and headed for
Sacramento Elyse had regained some of her composure and was determined
to find out what was going on. "Liz, I want to know where Dinah
Jefferson is and why she hasn't been to the hospital. Does she know
Clint's been shot?"

Liz was driving ten miles over the speed limit, and she
kept her eyes on the road as she answered. "I'd have given you a
detailed explanation last night if you'd waited as I'd asked you to do.
Now I'll let Clint do it. He'd prefer it that way."

Elyse's protest was met by stony silence, and neither
spoke again until Liz pulled up in front of the hospital. "When you're
ready to leave, call me and I'll come and get you. And Elyse—"

Elyse looked at her sister and saw that Liz was smiling.

"He's in room 426. For the love of God, marry the man."

Elyse nodded and managed an uncertain grin. "I intend to
if he'll still have me."

She kissed Janey goodbye and walked into the lobby.

Elyse saw the uniformed police officer as soon as she
rounded the corner of the nursing station on the fourth floor. He was
sitting outside the door of the room at the end of the long hall, which
she knew would be number 426. When there was an attempted
assassination of a state senator, law enforcement was conspicuous.

Her stomach churned as she hurried toward him. How was
Clint? Would he be glad to see her? Would the officer even let her in?

He stood as she approached him. "I'd like to see Senator
Sterling," she said.

"Your name, please, and family affiliation."

"Elyse Haley. I'm his brother's sister-in-law."

"Wait here." He pushed open the door and walked into the
room, only to reappear within seconds. "You can go in, but I'll have to
search your purse. Sorry."

She nodded and handed the white crushed leather bag to
him, but he didn't take it. "Open it and empty the contents out on the
table." He motioned to a cart that stood next to his chair.

She did as she was told, and he eyed the assortment of
makeup, wallet, pens, credit card holder and keys.

"Okay, you can put everything back and go in," he said,
still not touching anything.

She scooped the items into her purse and walked through
the swinging door.

The room was fairly large and the furnishings were
polished hardwood instead of metal, but there was no mistaking the
place for anything but a hospital room. Clint lay on the partially
raised bed, his eyes open, watching her. He was wearing a navy cotton
pajama coat with white piping, and the sheet covered him to the waist.
There were no IVs or other needles or tubes, and any bandaging was
covered by the coat, but he looked white and tired.