by Laura Acton
At the raspy sound of Loki’s voice, Dan pulled over the rolling table and poured Loki a cup of water. “Here. Take a drink.”
After downing the entire contents, Loki gave Dan a slight smile. “Grazie. As I said, I rounded up bits and pieces because my stepfather wouldn’t buy the parts I needed. Desperate to make it work, I went into my stepfather’s shed to borrow the things I needed. I planned to put them back after the competition, but Narciso caught me in there.
“He dragged me into the house by my ear and put me in the corner facing the wall before he began hurling insults at me. Narciso made my life hell. So much so, I left the house on my eighteenth birthday … best present ever. When I was little, I didn’t understand why he despised me, and I still don’t. I never did anything to him … except exist.
“While he ranted about how I would end up in prison because I was a thief and how much of a disappointment I was, something struck me in the back. At first, I thought he hit me. When I opened my eyes, I discovered he had thrown my project at me. He proceeded to use a baseball bat to destroy my creation right in front of me.”
Loki sucked in a ragged breath. “I worked so hard on the robot, and he ruined everything without one thought for all the effort I put into building it.”
Speechless, Dan stared at Loki. His stepfather’s action reminded him of the things Brody’s father had done. He lay his hand over Loki’s and with sincerity said, “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way.”
“Yeah, well, nothing I can do about the past.” Loki closed his eyes and wondered if now would be the right time to approach Dan, still not sure what he wanted to do with the information he found on Narciso.
“No, you can’t change history,” Dan agreed. Oh, how he wished to change things in his. Pull Sara out of the way. Stop before he killed Brody. Select a different hiding place for him and Unicorn. Run faster to save Gambit … so many events he would change if he could.
Decision made, sort of, at least the part to talk to Dan, Loki said, “You know people, right?”
Confused, Dan cocked his head and replied, “Yeah … um, what kind of people are you referring to?”
Unsure quite how to ask, Loki blurted out, “Special people. Those who can investigate things without anyone finding out. Um … like confidential things. Someone who keeps secrets no matter what they find.”
Intrigued, Dan nodded. “I have a couple of friends like that. Why?”
His eyes darting around the room to make sure they were still alone, Loki leaned closer and whispered, “I think Narciso murdered my father … my real pa. I can’t prove anything yet, and the Italian police ruled his death an accident.”
Slack-jawed, Dan gaped a moment. “What makes you believe that?”
“A few things. I keep a folder locked in my desk at home. I don’t know who else to ask, and I hoped you might help me. I need to be sure before I tell anyone else anything. If he did murder my father, Sonia and my ma would be devastated. I don’t want to hurt them unless I can prove my suspicions.”
Nodding, Dan said, “Show me what you uncovered, and I’ll make some calls.” His mind went to Dom. If anyone possessed connections to ferret out the truth in international dealings, it was Dominque Savoy.
A smile on her face, Jennie strolled toward the room of the two demigods, time to wake the raven-haired Aeneas for a concussion check and to take vitals on the blond Achilles. Based on what she overheard about her second patient’s exploits apprehending the bomber, the name she gave him fit well.
Upon entering, her expression morphed to a frown. “Constable Broderick! You’re not supposed to be out of bed. You had surgery only eight hours ago.” She twisted towards the hall and caught sight of an orderly. “Jerry, give me a hand in here.” She strode over and eyed her patient sternly when he started to rise. “You will wait for Jerry.”
Loki laughed softly. “You’re so busted.”
Giving Jennie a wow smile, secretly glad for the help since his body was in no shape to make the short distance between here and his bed under his own power, Dan resumed his seat. “Anything you say, ma’am.”
Rolling her eyes, she turned to Loki. “Is he always this incorrigible?”
Beaming, Loki nodded. “Dantastic doesn’t like hospitals.”
Putting a face with a name, Jennie realized the blue-eyed constable was the famous Dantastic the hospital grapevine still whispered about. Working here for only two months, she had not been around at the time of his miraculous recovery from a wound which should’ve ended his life. Achilles is a perfect pseudonym for him.
Then she recalled the other bit of gossip … his infamous escape from ICU after a gang war. “So, you’re the guy everyone talks about.” Realizing she spoke out of turn when Dan’s eyes flared with surprise, she said in her best nurse command voice, “I’ll be keeping an eye on you. No slipping out AMA.”
“He won’t be going anywhere on my watch.” Loki smiled at the cute RN.
Dan chuckled and noted the spark of attraction Loki showed when he stared at their nurse. He tried to think of a suitable wingman statement but failed. He realized if Loki had been Brody, he would’ve known what to say and decided he needed to learn more about the bomb tech.
Jerry walked in and instantly recognized Dantastic. “Hey, back again? You must’ve missed the green jello. You do realize they sell lime gelatin in the grocery stores? You don’t need to visit us here to eat some.”
Remembering the orderly who helped him shower, Dan snickered as Jerry assisted him to bed. As he moved, he noted Jennie turned her full attention back to Loki for the concussion check. Dan shared a glance with Jerry when she asked, “Do you recall your phone number?”
Loki’s response was priceless, “I’ll only tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
“Thanks,” Dan said to Jerry after he was settled in bed. Closing his eyes, Dan realized Loki didn’t need a wingman. The Italian did fine all by himself. Moving from the chair to the bed exhausted him, and Dan was rapidly pulled into sleep before Jennie finished speaking with Loki.
Fire Stick Grill – 3:00 p.m.
Lexa hurried inside, glad she had enough time to stop. Though Mrs. Baldovino would supply tons of food, Lexa wanted to provide Dan with his favorite cookies and didn’t have time to bake them before work.
She grinned at the hostess. “Hi, Capria. Is Jarmal here?”
A bright-eyed woman beamed at Lexa. “Yes, he is.” She glanced beyond Lexa, searching for the ever-present companion. “Where’s Dan?”
“Not with me this time. I only have a few moments.”
“He’s in the office. If you wait here, I’ll grab him.” Capria bustled away.
Lexa scanned the interior. Jarmal’s restaurant was immaculate. She wished they had eaten here yesterday. She called the health department before leaving the house to lodge a complaint against Thai Underground and was assured a health inspector would be sent to do a surprise inspection.
As she waited near the podium, Lexa’s mind turned to the conversation she had with Boss on the way out of the hospital. He caught up to her at the elevator. It had been awkward at first, but she sighed, and he seemed to read something else in her.
It pained her to lie to the man she viewed as a surrogate father. When he gently placed his hand on her shoulder and asked if she was alright, she truthfully stated she was fine. Her deception came when she declared her reasons. She focused on the stress of the call, worry over Loki, Dan, and Ray, and being trapped underground for hours.
Well aware of her phobia, Boss appeared to readily accept her explanation. Though he insisted she schedule her annual session with the department psychologist within the next two days. The concern shining in his eyes nearly undid her, and she almost confessed she and Dan were in a relationship.
At the last moment, she stopped … doing so would ruin everything. Although she admitted to herself, once their secret came out it might destroy all she worked for too. The guys might feel betrayed an
d abandon her as her brothers had. Lexa puffed out a breath which lifted her bangs.
“What’s so heavy that it has you so down?” Jarmal said giving Lexa his trademark bright-white smile and embraced her.
Once he let go, Lexa said, “Stuff. I came to ask you a favor.”
“Anything for you.”
“Well, actually it is for Dan.”
Glancing around, Jarmal’s grin faded slightly. “Where is he?”
“Hospital.”
Eyes widening, Jarmal stared and waited.
“Sorry, that was abrupt. He’s gonna be okay. Ended up with food poisoning and injured his kidney in last night’s call. He’ll be down a few weeks.”
Nodding Jarmal let out a long breath. “What can I do for him?”
“He hates hospital food.”
Jarmal snorted. “Who doesn’t?”
Lexa grinned. “Loki’s ma is cooking up a storm, but I thought Dan would like a treat. I wanted to—”
Jarmal beamed and interrupted. “I have the perfect thing. All his buddies requested it when he got food poisoning in Afghanistan. Funniest thing when one after another they stopped by and requested I make him a cobbler.”
“He likes cobbler? What kind?”
“Yep, cherry cobbler is his favorite dessert according to each one of them. Though he prefers a fire-baked version, I can whip up an oven-baked one and have it ready for you by six if you want to pick it up, or I can deliver it for you.”
Tucking her new knowledge of Dan in her hip pocket, Lexa smiled. I can make him my Dutch oven cobbler someday. Refocusing on Jarmal, she said, “I start shift at four. If I’m not on a call, I’ll swing by. If I don’t drop in by seven, I would appreciate you delivering it for me.”
“Done and Done. Want some double-chocolate chunk cookies? They’re fresh out of the oven. Nothing better than chocolate to deal with stuff.”
Lexa chuckled. “Sure, why not. But I get to pay for them this time.”
Trotting to the back, Jarmal’s laughter filled the place.
Capria smiled. “That means no you won’t.”
“Yeah, I gathered as much.” Tilting her head, Lexa studied the perpetually happy hostess. She would suit Jarmal. Their personalities meshed.
Returning with a bag, Jarmal handed them over. “Which hospital this time?”
“St. Michael’s. He and Loki are sharing a room.”
“Loki too?” Jarmal’s mind went to the bombing yesterday. “Your team responded to the Kolff building, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“How is Loki?” And without pausing, thoughtful consideration on his face, he added, “I should include something for him, too.”
“A concussion, but he will be okay soon, and I’m sure anything you fix he’ll love.” Lifting the bag, she added, “Thank you for the cookies. I gotta run now.”
Jarmal pulled her into a hug, then released her. “You take care out there. You’re one of my favorite people.” He stood back and watched her leave. When the door closed, he turned to Capria. “Well, cupcake, I hope you didn’t mind me hugging another woman in front of you.”
Capria wrapped her arm around Jarmal’s waist. “I know where your heart lies. I also understand why she is one of your favorites. She makes Dan happy. So, I will never worry about you hugging Lexa … or Heather.”
Glancing around his restaurant to check if anyone observed them, finding none, he pulled Capria to him and solidly kissed her.
Sweet and Sour
13
January 7
St. Michael’s Hospital – Tenth Floor Hallway – 7:00 p.m.
Lexa’s ponytail bounced in time with her happy steps. Though she would never speak aloud and jinx today, she was pleased it had been a slow one and Boss decided they could all swing by the hospital for a quick visit. She and Brett Santelli, Echo Team’s sniper, were paired for the shift and had stopped at Jarmal’s restaurant to pick up the cobbler. Laughter met her halfway down the hall, which caused her to smile.
Brett’s long stride was one step for every two of Lexa’s, but he had to hurry to keep pace with her. “What’s the rush? It not like they’re going anywhere,” he teased.
In her eagerness to visit Dan, she had not realized her tempo increased to a near run. “You have never had Mrs. Baldovino’s bread. If we don’t hurry, none will be left.”
Chuckling, Brett kept up. “Well then, lead on. I wouldn’t want to miss out on fresh bread.”
St. Michael’s Hospital – Room 1033 – 7:00 p.m.
The sight meeting Lexa’s eyes astonished her and Brett ran into her back when she abruptly stopped and stared. She almost lost hold on the pan of Jarmal’s cobbler. Jaw-dropping, Lexa scanned all the horizontal surfaces. Two additional rolling tables had been brought in and were covered.
She wouldn’t have been surprised if the items covering them had been plasticware and foil pans containing delicious food such a lasagna, vegetables, soup, and homemade bread from Donata, but it wasn’t, and she was. Once her feet could move, Lexa stepped forward into a room filled with cherry cobblers and she voiced her only coherent thought, “Where did all these come from?”
Dan halted as he began spooning up another bite and peered at Lexa. He burst out laughing when he sighted another container of cobbler. This was so reminiscent of what occurred upon his return from Makhachkala. Knowing full well what she held, he said, “What you got there?”
“Um, the same thing you are eating.” Lexa glanced around the room at the mirth of the gathered men. She set Jarmal’s pan down on Dan’s bed since no room existed elsewhere.
Seeing Jarmal’s logo on the foil, Dan pulled it closer and lifted the lid. The aroma wafting out of the still warm cobbler excited his senses. He dipped his spoon in and savored the tart and sweet flavor. “Mmmmm tasty.”
“So, who sent you all these?” Lexa’s hand waved around at the tables.
“Family mostly. I called Scott, and he spread the word I was in the hospital. I told him about the second time I had food poisoning and well—”
“You did that to skim over your kidney issue, didn’t you?” Lexa declared interrupting him as she crossed her arms. “We’re still gonna talk about what’s minor and what isn’t.”
“Busted again.” Loki quipped before he took another bite.
“Again?” Jon’s eyes narrowed.
“Three times poisoned?” Bram asked simultaneously.
Dan opted for the lesser of the two evils and focused on Bram’s question. “Yeah, this makes the third time I’ve gotten deathly ill from lousy food. In Afghanistan, the guys all brought me cherry cobbler when I could eat again.”
“Jarmal said something about them all asking him to make you a cobbler.” Lexa decided to follow down the path Dan chose. Later, when not surrounded by a group which included three of Echo Team, she would address Loki’s comment and have a private talk with Dan.
“Yeah, was as funny then as now when everyone showed up with the same treat for me.” Dan scooped up more of his dessert.
“Three times. You’re one unlucky man,” Brett said before he took the plate offered to him by Mrs. Baldovino. “Grazie, ma’am.”
Donata inclined her head with a gracious smile. She was pleased to take care of these brave officers who Dante worked with. She set about filling a plate for Lexa, knowing which items she preferred.
The expression on Jon’s face made Dan realize he needed a longer diversion or he would find out he got out of bed and the lecture he was sure to receive over his choice would ruin the pleasant mood. So, he launched into storytelling. “The first time, man, I didn’t know what hit me. While stationed at CFB Edmonton, me and Brody had to go to Cold Lake for training. En route, we stopped at a grimy roadside stand. Brody refused to eat anything, claiming he didn’t want ptomaine. I worked the shift before we left and had no opportunity for lunch. I was so starving I chowed down.
“I got sick in very short order. Brody sped down AB-28 because we were late due t
o stopping so often for me to puke. He finally shoved a plastic bag at me and insisted we couldn’t afford to stop again or our asses would be hung out to dry.
“Don’t recall much after that. Brody told me that I became so ill, he no longer cared about being late, but about getting me to the Cold Lake Medical Center. Brody ended up getting pulled over by an RCMP officer. Said she was cute and instead of giving him a citation, she hopped back into her cruiser and escorted us all the way to the base hospital with lights and sirens on.”
Lexa’s eyes widened, her food forgotten as she listened to Dan’s story. “That was Brody and you?! My god, I met Brody.”
Eyes whipped to Lexa, Dan had forgotten about asking her about the incident. A grin grew. “Brody wished he had asked for your number. Described you as auburn hair, petite, with a dazzling smile.”
“Wow, such a small world,” Nick remarked upon witnessing the shock on both Dan’s and Lexa’s faces … and not only theirs, but everyone’s.
“Destiny made sure they ended up on the same team.” Loki beamed innocently.
Ray leaned back, observing his teammates. Dan certainly brought a level of weirdness which didn’t exist before he joined them. The connections, oddities, and … well, sheer unbelievability of all he endured. His gaze shifted to Loki. He noted when he came to visit after lunch a weight appeared to be lifted from his best friend.
The pallor which had descended on him before Christmas was gone. He also noted the conversations between Loki and Dan seemed to flow easier as if they connected in some way. Rather than feeling any sense of jealousy, Ray felt joy that Loki made headway with Dan. Perhaps that is the reason for Loki’s lightened mood. He had been so upset by how he treated Dan initially and wanted to reach out to build a friendship with the rookie.
A change in the demeanor of their teammates alerted Dan, Ray, and Loki, they had been notified of a critical call via their headsets. The unison action of plates setting down confirmed their suspicions.