Poughkeepsie (55 page)

Blake’s hospital stay lasted two more weeks, and when he inquired about the bill, Kim informed him it had been covered by an anonymous donation. A cash donation.

“The billing department actually had to call the hospital president for instructions on how to deal with all the large bills,” she explained in a secretive voice. “In the end, hospital security escorted the head of accounting to the bank in the middle of the day.” Kim shook her head and laughed, but Blake’s eyes hardened. When they were alone he vented to Livia.

“Beckett and his goddamn blood money. This feels all wrong to me.” He sat in what Livia had come to think of as
her
recliner as she helped him lace up his boots. Their soles were still dulled with a coating of soil from their traumatic night.

Livia wasn’t sure how to comfort Blake. She certainly didn’t have a big pile of clean money to take the place of Beckett’s. “Beckett is all sorts of bad because of what he does, but who he
is
—that’s very beautiful. Sweetheart, he really stood by me while I waited for you to come out of surgery.” She rose and held out her arm.

“I would’ve been a wreck waiting for you for hours like that,” Blake said. He leaned on her arm as little as possible as he stood.

“And Beckett would’ve been right next to you the whole time.” She shrugged. None of this changed the fact that Beckett was a murderer and the funds probably came from merchandise customers injected into themselves.

Checking out of the hospital was a process that had started in the morning and now continued into the afternoon. Kim and Susan popped in before their shifts were up to give Blake and Livia hugs and praise. The nurses waved away the thanks Blake and Livia showered on them. Directions from the respiratory therapist, prescriptions for rehabilitation and pain pills, and consent forms made a little pile on Blake’s hospital bed. And still they sat. Waiting. The TV was off. The room felt claustrophobic. Blake and Livia had made all the hard decisions already. Now they just needed to
go
.

True to his word, Blake had spoken to Dr. Hartt every day since he revealed their connection. They’d even progressed to calling each other by their first names. And Ted’s answer to Blake’s housing predicament was almost perfect.

Ted owned the apartment building he lived in, and he told Blake that his property manager had moved out a few months ago, and he needed someone new to fill the job. In exchange for collecting rent and making minor repairs, Blake could live in the building’s basement apartment. It was small, but it came furnished, Ted explained.

Livia had a sneaking suspicion he’d filled an empty apartment with belongings just for Blake, but he was trying very hard to be respectful and sensitive to Blake’s pride. She was thrilled when Blake agreed to take the position.

Around four p.m., Cole and Kyle gave up waiting for Livia’s “Come get us!” text and appeared in Blake’s hospital room. Cole greeted Blake with the usual arm hug, and their eyes locked in silent conversation.

Where’s Beckett?
Blake’s asked.

Cole quickly shook his head. “Blake, you’re looking great,” he said instead.

Blake nodded. “Livia wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He smiled at her, but Livia was busy watching her sister hop from one foot to the other.

“Do you have to use the ladies’ room or something?” Livia asked.

“No. No, I don’t. I just can’t wait. I’m having all sorts of problems with the waiting.”

Livia knew her sister’s secret would bubble out of her soon.

Cole put a hand on Kyle’s shoulder. “You wanted to wait, remember? Tell her if you can’t stand it anymore.”

At that, Kyle exploded. She waved her sparkling left hand in front of her.
“Oh my God! I’m engaged! I’m marrying Cole!”

“What?!” Livia squeezed her sister hard. “Let me see. When did this happen? Did you tell Dad? When is it going to be? How did he propose?”

The men stopped their congratulatory handshake to stare at the speed-talking ladies.

“Last night, not yet, four weeks from today, naked!” Kyle blurted in response.

The girls became a moving, jumping circle of hug.

“Cole, you popped the question in your birthday suit?” Blake teased.

Cole put his face in his hands. “Did not think she would share that bit of information.”

Blake slapped his brother on the back. “Pretty sure Kyle lacks any kind of editing mechanism.”

“So, seeing as you know all the details already, can I count on you to be best man?” Cole watched fear creep over Blake’s face. “The ceremony is at night,” he added quickly.

Blake said nothing, just opened and closed his fist.

“If Mr. Old Timey is still all jacked up from being a bullet catcher, we’ll put it off,” Kyle added.

Blake smiled and held his arms open to the female ball of fire. “I’ll be fine, Kyle. I wouldn’t want you to spend one extra day not married to Cole because of me.”

Kyle hugged him carefully. “Your being well is one of the only things that could ever make me wait.”

After an extra squeeze Blake unclasped Kyle and she found her way to Cole’s hand, as surely as a river finding the bay.

Blake answered Cole’s question still hanging in the air. “I’d be honored to serve as your best man.”

Neither mentioned Beckett, but both touched their tattoos. Then a nurse appeared in the door with some final paperwork and a wheelchair. Livia took the papers and pen over to Blake, whose gaze was riveted on the wheelchair.

“I’d prefer to stand when ladies are standing,” he said quietly to Livia.

She longed to smooth a balm on all his wounds. “Blake, I’m exhausted. What I really need is a nice, strong lap to sit on to get me out to the car.”

He reached up and stroked her hair. “I could be a lap for you, my tired angel.”

Blake settled into the wheelchair and patted his lap for Livia.

“That’s against policy. Patient only in the wheelchair.” The geriatric nurse made a face as if the sight of gentle, new love was a pile of crap under her nose. “And I’m not pushing two people’s weight.”

Kyle stepped up to the tip of the nurse’s formidable bosom. “Hey, Tit-tanic, you’re absolutely going to allow it, or I’ll show you my projectile-vomit-at-will skills. And he has a touch of food poisoning that might just kick in before he can get to the crapper,” she added, pointing to Cole.

Cole hung his head and shook it.

“And I’ll fucking push them myself.” Kyle grabbed the wheelchair. “All aboard!” She started toward the elevator, and Cole quickly joined the parade of laughter.

All four exited the hospital standing, as they sent the chair of contention on an elevator ride back up to Nurse Grouchy’s floor. Cole pulled the car up, and Livia insisted Blake sit in the passenger seat. She sat behind him and kept a hand on his shoulder.

“Livia told me Beckett’s wanted for questioning about what happened to Chris Simmer.” Blake grasped her hand.

Cole drove slowly and meticulously, pausing to look and look again at each stop and curve. “It was Beckett,” he confirmed. “He couldn’t take it. The knowing.” Cole checked his rearview mirror.

“So what now?” Blake wondered aloud.

Cole blew out a frustrated breath. “Eve’s keeping tabs on him. He’s in hiding.”

Blake turned to catch Livia’s eye. “You okay?”

She nodded.

Cole looked repentant immediately. “I’m sorry, Livia. I didn’t think before I spoke.”

“I’ll never be sorry Chris’s dead,” Livia said. “Not after what he turned out to be. I should have shot him in the chest and saved Beckett the trouble.”

“Stop this,” Kyle said suddenly. “We’re not eating this pity pie right now. Liv, you were about as likely to shoot Chris in the fucking cold, black thing that passed as his heart as I am to give the Pope a big, sloppy, wet one.” Kyle closed one eye. “Sorry, honey.”

Cole bit his lip to keep from laughing.

“Beckett’s the mayor of Murderville,” Kyle added with a shrug. “We aren’t going to sit around and pretend he’s an innocent schoolgirl.”

The sedan was quiet.

Kyle looked out the window. “But I do wish he could make it to the wedding. That would be nice.”

Cole pulled up to the curb in front of Uncle Dr. Ted’s building. Eve stood waiting with him on the sidewalk, dressed again in an uncharacteristic jeans and a sweater. Livia was out of the car and opening Blake’s door before anyone even finished waving. He looked apprehensive, and Livia was grateful for the huge awning outside the building’s entrance. Blake went easily from the shade of the car to the shade of the walkway.

It’s new. Ted did this for Blake.
Livia held his arm as Dr. Hartt made the introductions he didn’t realize none of them needed.

“Blake, Kyle, Cole, and Livia, this is my daughter, Eve.” Ted looked from Blake to Eve and back again. Eve gave them each a wry smile and a wink as she grasped their hands with a firm grip.

Ted motioned the group to the entrance. “Please, this way. Blake, your apartment’s the first one on the bottom floor.”

He passed him a set of keys. Livia watched as they shook a bit in Blake’s hands. She tried to keep her eyes from filling with tears but failed.

They walked down the carpeted hallway to the door. His hands steady now, Blake turned the key in the lock and stepped inside. He looked around with a small smile. “This is wonderful, Ted. I appreciate your kindness.”

Ted ran a hand through his hair. “Truly, you’re doing me a huge favor. Eve’s hardly ever here. It’s nice to have a full-time person.” He gave his daughter a pointed stare. She shrugged.

Cole stepped to his brother and held up his arm. They wrapped forearms and nodded. Then Cole held out a hand to Kyle. “Livia, we’ll drive your car over here for you, unless you want a ride now?”

Livia was not ready to leave. She wanted to explore Blake’s cabinets, make sure his bed had fresh sheets, and hold his hand. She opened her mouth to say so just as Ted spoke.

“I was actually hoping to have a few words with Blake.” Ted met Livia’s eyes. He looked like he was not beyond begging for some time with his nephew.

“I’ll let you guys catch up,” Livia said quickly. “I’m going to run home and shower, then I’ll bring dinner by. Okay, Blake? Do you feel okay?”

Blake pulled Livia to him and whispered in her ear. “I’m fine. That’s great—just come back.” After a quick kiss on the lips, Livia left the apartment with Kyle riding her piggyback as Cole held the door.

The door clicked shut with an amazingly solid sound. A sound that indicated private space. Blake stood mesmerized for a moment, then remembered his manners and motioned to the basic, brown couch. The three sat.

Eve broke the awkward silence. “Blake, my dad wants to tell you we’re cousins. Well, we’re, like, half cousins or whatever. This is supposed to be a touchy-feely conversation where we tell you, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll always have a family here with us.’ And then we may or may not have sappy music piped in.”

Ted rolled his eyes. “That was tactful, Eve. Wonderful.”

Blake held up a hand. “I understand what you’re trying to do here, Ted, and I have to tell you I’m working to make this all okay in my head. It’s not easy for me to learn to trust now, this late in life, but I’ll try. And when someone shows me kindness, I don’t forget it.”

Ted stood and waited as Blake rose as well. They shook hands.

“Okay. Well, I guess this is pretty good then,” Ted said.

Blake walked Eve and Ted to the door.
My door.
The littlest things were amazing.

“I’ll be upstairs if you need anything,” Ted added. “My home number and my cell number are on your fridge. You can reach me as your physician or your uncle or just the guy you know upstairs.”

Blake closed the door behind them and was alone. Walls surrounded him, giving him complete privacy. Moments later, a soft knock disrupted his relishing. Eve had reappeared in the doorway, and he let her back in, closing the door behind her.

“Blake, I failed you in the woods,” she began, getting right to the point. “I should have been there sooner.” She held up a finger to stop his argument. “You’re Beckett’s brother, and that means something to me. It matters. And now I know you’re my cousin as well. That matters too. For what it’s worth, I won’t be late again if you need me.” Eve turned and grabbed the doorknob, evidently having said what she came to say.