He went in through the emergency entrance, figuring the nurse on watchdog duty would probably recognize him from when hed brought Rachel and her baby in and give him a minimum of grief. She did, and would have waved him right on in, but the two cops guarding the door needed more convincing.
A little out of your jurisdiction, arent you, San Bernardino? one of them said as he studied J.J.s identification.
A bit, J.J. said. He was trying to hide his impatience, his urgent need to move on, but the Ridgecrest cops were no dummies.
Can I ask what you know about what just went down here? the one with his ID said, glancing up at him while his partner moved in just a bit closer.
J.J. raised his eyebrows and played dumb. Something happen? When?
Few minutes ago someone assaulted one of the patients here. He took a notepad out of his uniform pocket, glanced at it, and put it back. Name of Rachel Malone. You know anything about that?
Giving up the act, J.J. ran a hand over his beard and swore under his breath. She okay?
Looks like it, the cop said, giving him a long, close look as he handed back his ID.
And her baby?
Mind telling me whats your interest, San Bernardino? Like I said, youre way out of your jurisdiction. He paused, obviously thinking about it. You her husband? Different name, but that dont mean much these days.
Nope, no relation, J.J. said easily. He really didnt want to step on a fellow lawmans toes. If he could help it.
You the babys father?
Why wont they give me a straight answer? Oh, right, he thought, trying to curb his temper, cops dont answer questions, they just ask them.
No, he said through clenched teeth, just the guy who delivered him. You gonna tell me how he is, or what?
Her room seemed filled with people. Policemen-except one was a woman-asking questions, taking pictures, writing notes, talking on their radios or cell phones. Nurses talking to each other in low voices; Rachel could hear them talking about her but didnt care. She didnt care about anything, she was sunk so deep in pain and despair. Pain gripped her like a vise, and it was worse than anything shed ever known, worse than childbirth, worse than the night Nicky died. She could only wrap her arms around herself and curl herself around the pain, too full of pain even for breath. The nurses kept trying to put the oxygen mask over her face, but she didnt want it. She didnt want to breathe, didnt want to live.
My babys gone
Murmuring in the hallwaythe nurses voice, speaking plainly, sounding distressed: Weve told her her babys fine, but she wont believe us.
Then why dont you just go and get him and let her see for herself?
That voicewith an accentsounding a lot like John Wayne.
The nurse again: We thoughthes still being monitoredso many people
Too many people? So clear em out. Come on, guys, thats enough. You can do this later. Cant you see the ladys had about all she can take?
She lifted her head and gave a hoarse cry, cried out his name. Jethro? It was all she could manage; her throat was raw from weeping.
She tore off the oxygen mask, and this time no one stopped her. She watched him come toward her, swimming his way through people, nurses and policemen, all making for the door now, though in no particular hurry. Then he was beside her, and she just naturally lifted her arms to him and he gathered her in, tenderly, as if he understood how wounded she was. As she clung to him, shaking, she felt his hand cradle her head against him, felt his body tense as his head turned, and his voice rumbled next to her ear as he called over his shoulder, Somebody go get that baby-now.
She heard a nurse say huffily, from somewhere distant, Well, Ill have to ask the doctor
And John Waynes voice grating, You just do that, sweetheart.
Then all was still. She heard only the thumping of a strong heartbeat against her ear, and felt peace settle around her like a soft warm blanket.
J.J. didnt try to utter comforting words or in fact make any sound at all, just settled himself on the bed beside her and held her tightly, and after a few minutes he felt the tremors and tension in her body ease. Her head stirred against his hand, and he moved that hand to her shoulder, giving her the option to pull away from him if she wanted to.
Which she evidently didnt. She nestled her cheek more closely against his chest and tightened her arms around him. She sighed, and after a moment, sniffed loudly, then whispered, Hes really okay? Tell me the truth.
J.J. uttered a garbled sound, cleared his throat and said, Yeah, he is.
A shudder ran through her. I heard the bassinet fall. I thought-
He wasnt in it. I guess theyd taken him to the NICU for observation, or something. Just to be on the safe side. You know-since he was born in, uh, less than ideal circumstances.
I was asleep. And then Her voice was muffled and liquid, and she turned her face against his shirt as if to shut out terrible images.
Did you see who it was who attacked you? Was it Carloss men?
Who else would it be? she said angrily, then made a small sound, a gasp, and jerked away from him, wiping her cheeks with her fingers. Above them, her eyes were huge and frightened as they searched his face. How did you- How do you know that?
He was saved from having to answer her by a discreet knock on the door. He called, Come in, and the door opened.
A nurse entered slowly, smiling, bringing with her a rolling stainless steel cart which carried a clear plastic box. Inside the box, all wrapped up like a miniature mummy with a little blue stocking cap on his head, was the infant hed last seen naked and sticky and swathed in one of his own emergency blankets. I brought your baby, she sang softly.
J.J. got out of the way and Rachel scooted back against the pillows and watched with he could only call hunger while the nurse wheeled the cart right up next to the bed. She never took her eyes off that baby, not for a second, and watching her, J.J. got an achy feeling in his throat. Surprised the heck out of him, too. But the truth was, hed never seen anything quite like the look on Rachels face when the nurse put that baby in her arms. As embarrassing as it was to find himself all choked up over something so sappy, he couldnt tear his eyes away from it. No way around it-it really was beautiful, and come to think of it, right then he thought she was probably the most beautiful woman hed ever seen.
It was while he was standing there watching Rachel Delacorte cuddle and coo over her son, and thinking how beautiful she was, that it hit him.
What he was looking at was nothing less than his own redemption.
It must have been there in the back of his mind all along, he thought, and was maybe the reason hed raced like a crazy man trying to get to her in time to save her life. What he had here was in all probability an eyewitness to the unsolved murder of two federal agents. If he could get her to tell what she knewif he could convince her to testify-and keep her alive long enough to testify-he could close this case. And if he could close this caseif he could close one of the biggest open murder cases in the country in yearswell, that ought to be enough to get him his old job back, shouldnt it? Yeahand he could finally get out of this godforsaken hellhole and back to being a homicide detective where he belonged.
But it wasnt the time to start talking to her about testifying in open court against a murdering mobster. First, he was going to have to get her to trust him. Which, he realized, might not be all that easy.
Assured now that her baby was safe and sleeping in her arms, she lifted her eyes once more to him. And it didnt make him happy to see that they were filled with questions, suspicionfear. He told himself it was no different from what he was used to dealing with, and the only reason he minded was because it meant his job-getting her to roll over on her mobster in-laws-would be that much tougher. He tried to ignore flashbacks to the way shed been with him a few hours earlier, when hed held that baby in his own two hands, all squirmy and slippery and alive, heard him take that first breath, make that first sound, then placed him on his mothers belly and guided her hands to touch him, cradle him. Tried to ignore the regret he felt now, remembering it all. The way shed trusted him then. Trusted him in a way nobody had ever trusted him before. The truth was, hed liked the feeling, and losing it-well, he hadnt expected to mind it this much.
How did you know? Her voice was low and tense, and her eyes werent giving him any quarter. About Carlos. How could you know?
Im a detective-its what I do, he said dryly, and instantly regretted it. Stonewalling was automatic for him, but she didnt need that; she needed the truth.
He took a step closer and felt worse than hed thought possible when she shrank back into her pillows, away from him. He stopped and held up his hand. Look, its not what you think. I saw the envelope, okay? The one you were hiding under your clothes. When you, uh, when I helped you take off your clothes in the car. Remember? He hoped reminding her of the fact that hed helped her might buy him points, ease her mind. But she didnt say anything, just watched him, tense and still, the way he imagined she might keep her eyes on a rattlesnake shed come upon unexpectedly, coiled up in her path.
He moved another step closer. At least this time she didnt flinch, which he considered progress.
Anyway, I saw your name on the envelope. After I left you here at the hospital, I had my office run your name. She closed her eyes in what looked like defeat, and he added with a sympathetic smile, Hey, like I told you, Im a detective-well, used to be, anyway, and I am still a cop. He paused, then added gently, Its my job, Rachel. Really. Among other things, I wanted to see if there was anybody we needed to notify.
Her eyes flew open and she gave a sharp gasp. You didnt-
No. No, I didnt. And whatever you might be thinking, Im not the reason those goons found you. Your father-in-law probably had his people monitoring police band radio all over the Southwest. I imagine they had you made when the first call came in about a nun wandering in the desert. Thats not exactly something you hear every day, you know.