His eyes transfixed, Alex almost didn’t feel Brandy licking his hand.
“You’re gonna be okay,” he said, petting her furry head. Drawing his attention back to his cousin, Alex whispered, “God, I know you’re busy, but we need you here. Now.”
“Amen,” Kellan whispered, kneeling beside Alex.
“Come on!” Steelman said, as he continued working on Alyson.
Alex’s phone rang, disturbing the frantic scene. Reaching into his pocket he flipped it open.
“Not now, Lisa!” he said, without answering the call.
Chapter 14
Alex seldom failed to answer Lisa’s calls. When he had, it had always meant trouble. He knew she would be panicking, but he’d have to deal with that later. As they loaded Alyson into the back of the ambulance, Alex squeezed her hand.
“You’re gonna be okay, kid.”
“I know,” she said, weak. “Check on the pup for me.”
“I will,” Alex smiled.
“I’ll ride with her, Alex,” Chief Steelman said, climbing into the back of the ambulance.
“Chief, I won’t be far behind. I wanna check on my other girl and then I’m on my way.”
“Saved my…” Weak, Alyson couldn’t form the words.
Alex cast a worried look at the chief, urging him forward.
Steelman nodded, and the EMT’s closed the doors. A few feet away, Alex found a busy doctor working on Brandy. Though awake, she dutifully lay still, panting as the doctor worked to get an IV started.
“Doctor? How is she?”
“Mr. Mendez,” the doctor acknowledged, forcing a welcoming smile. “She’s dehydrated. From all the vomiting, I guess. Making it difficult to get this IV started.” When Brandy raised her head, Alex petted her, spoke soothing to her. “I think she’s going to be okay. She’s alert. That’s a good sign.”
“What happened?”
“Honestly? I can’t be for certain, but I examined her vomitus. It looks as if somebody gave her some chocolate. My guess would be those colored candies with the hard shell.”
Brandy let out a soft whimper as the doctor finally got the IV working.
Alex stroked her head and scratched her ears gently, reassuring her.
“M&M’s?” Alex asked.
“Not sure,” the doctor admitted. “I don’t eat chocolate. But if that’s the candy, great. It wasn’t enough to kill her, thank goodness, but she’s gonna be sick for a little bit. Not going to feel much like chasing that ball around the yard for a couple days.”
Alex jumped, held his ears when the ambulance sirens blared. On the table, Brandy flinched, raised her head. Weak, she immediately lowered it back down. Alex watched as the driver carefully worked his way onto the street.
Reaching for a bowl, the doctor presented it to Brandy. Nervous as any papa would be, Alex looked at the bowl. Considered its contents.
“What is that?” Alex asked, pointing to the dark substance in the burnt orange bowl.
“It’s a coal-like substance. One specially formulated for dogs. To help her continue to get that mess out of there. It may be gone. Dogs are good about horking it up yanno. But we wanna be safe. Now that I’ve got the IV started, she shouldn’t dehydrate from it any further.”
“So she will be okay then?”
“Oh yeah,” the doctor said, confident. “I’ll take her back to my office though, if you don’t mind. Just for observation.”
“Would you?” Alex said, relieved. “That would be awesome.”
“It’d be my pleasure. She’s a sweet baby. One of my best patients too.” He smiled at Alex as he said it.
“She’s pretty special,” Alex agreed, kissing her furry head. “I love you, girl. You be sweet and Daddy will pick you up later, okay?”
She whimpered, raised and dropped her face. Focused her eyes toward Alex.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Alex said, genuinely moved. “You’ll be okay now. And I’ll be there as soon as I can. Okay?”
When he brushed a hand on the side of her face, Brandy licked his palm.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he whispered. “She’ll be okay, right? I have your word.”
“You do,” the doctor said. “I should probably take the other pooch. Just to be safe.”
“Good idea,” Alex admitted, “Want me to fetch him?”
“Nah,” the doctor said, “You go. One of these officers can help me.”
“Hey, Alex, we really gotta go, Bud,” Kellan said, handing him the keys to the car.
“Okay, come on.”
Chapter 15
“I’ll be okay, Alex.”
Alyson had said it several times by now. Alex wasn’t exactly ready to listen just yet.
“I’m sorry, Aly,” Alex said. He’d said that several times as well. He also wasn’t ready to stop.
The smell of the private hospital room reminded him of what he’d caused. The whooshing, whirring and occasional beeping reminded him of all he could have lost. The IV bag bringing life-giving fluids to Alyson’s body reminded him of the fragility of life. Guilt, guilt and more guilt. Lisa was going to have his head, and rightfully so. How many times had he promised his wife that she would be okay? How many times had she worried for Alyson’s future safety only to have Alex allay those fears with confidence that, today, was found to be misplaced? How many times indeed?
“Alex, it’s okay. I—”
“No, Aly, it’s not okay. I let you down.”
“Dude, seriously!” Her voice echoed throughout the private room. Alex was certain it had carried down the hall. Clearly, he thought to himself, she was getting her strength back. “The guy caught me off guard is all. I don’t even know what he was doing there. Shot me as I was leaving the bathroom and that’s all I know. Didn’t think I’d need my sidearm in the shower. Rookie mistake that I won’t make again.” Even as she finished with a playful grin, Alex was not amused.
“From what we can tell, he didn’t take anything,” Kellan said.
“And you’re sure you didn’t see him, Alyson?”
“Not really. I mean, I get these flashes every now and then, but it all happened rather fast. I-I think I remember red hair. Goatee.”
“Red hair?” Alex asked. “You’re sure? Red hair?”
“Alex, I’m not sure of anything. I’m not even sure of what I was wearing. I remember getting out of the shower, drying my hair with the towel. That’s about it. I think I saw red hair. But I might have dreamed that after I lost consciousness.”
“Which means—” Kellan began, causing Alex to shake his head slightly.
“Which means,” Alex interrupted, “You and I probably need to get back to the office.”
“Jameson and Joplin are still at your house,” Kellan began.
“And I want a guard outside this door. Two in fact.”
“Alex,” Alyson began to protest.
“That’s an order,” Alex insisted, “From your cousin and your superior.”
“Technically-speaking, you’re not my superior,” Alyson said, eliciting a reproachful look from Alex. “Sorry.” She couldn’t fight the smirk.
“You remember anything,” Alex said, handing her a small notepad with the hospital’s logo. “If you even think you remember anything, you write it down, you hear?”
“Promise,” she said. “Hey Alex?”
“Hmm?”
“You tell Lisa what happened?”
Grabbing his phone, Alex winced.
“She’s going to kill me,” he whispered, opening and closing his flip phone repeatedly. “She’s so going to kill me.”
“She’s probably gonna kill us both,” Alyson said.
“Nah, not you,” Alex replied, patting her hand. “I think that wound is gonna get you a pass.”
“Want me to shoot ya?” Alyson asked, giving a playful grin.
“Oh, geez! You are related to Lisa!” Alex laughed.
He stopped laughing when he saw Lisa’s number on his cell phon
e.
Chapter 16
Lisa wasn’t as mad as Alex had thought she’d be. She was, however, far more worried than he dreamed possible. It had taken Alex the better part of half an hour to convince her not to hop on a plane and come back to Texas.
“I’ve got this,” he’d told her. “Everything’s under control.” He had even let her talk to Alyson, who had assured her that she was okay. Simply home invasion. Wrong place. Wrong time. Finally, he told her that he didn’t want her to leave his mother there with the kids and Aunt Rita. It wouldn’t be fair to them, he said. That worked. He wasn’t a chauvinist, but he was a husband and a father and he was in desperate need to protect his family right now. So, if a little implied chauvinism is what it took to keep Lisa and the kids out of the potential line of fire, that’d be great. He’d just have to make it up to her later.
Now, in the veterinarian’s inner office, he sat next to a cold, steel, examination table, gently petting his four-legged child. The one part of the whole day’s events he hadn’t mentioned while on the phone with Lisa.
“So, she’s going to be okay then?” Alex asked the doctor. Laying perfectly still, her tail not wagging, as if on the verge of death, Alex wasn’t as certain as the doctor had seemed.
“I believe she’ll be fine,” he assured Alex. “I’ve seen many a golden come through my office. I believe what we have here is a classic case of milking a very real sickness for Daddy.”
“Is that true?” Alex asked, turning his attention to Brandy. “You trying to make me feel guilty, young lady?”
Who me? Her expression seemed to ask it with perfect innocence. She twitched an ear, turned onto her stomach, sneezed on Alex’s extended hand.
“Where’s Buddy?” Alex asked, trying to ignore Brandy’s obviously exposed ploy.
“I’ve got him in the back. I did some research with his doctor. Took some tracking down, I tell ya! He’s current on his shots, so that’s good. They both look to be in good health. You really should be careful about that chocolate though.”
“We don’t have much chocolate in the house,” Alex confirmed. We keep a little bit, but mostly snack cakes and stuff. You said earlier, I think, that she ate M&M’s. We don’t have any of those that I am aware of.”
“Well then, she got ‘em from somewhere. I doubt she went door-to-door.”
Alex didn’t say anything. He thought it. But he didn’t speak it.
“So they’re both good to come home then?”
“Yes,” the doctor answered, petting Brandy. “This one is going to need lots of belly rubs and whatever else I can order a guilty Daddy to do for her.”
“Yeah yeah,” Alex chuckled, rubbing her soft fur, “Breakfast in bed and the whole works, right, kid?”
Had it been any other dog, Alex might have missed the smile.
“Okay, little furry princess. Let’s go.”
He snapped the leash onto her collar, just as one of the assistants brought Buddy in.
“Hey there, big guy! Well, you’ve had a big day huh? You may not want to stay with us after this excitement.”
“Oh, I’d say he’s probably found about the best home in the world,” the doctor whispered, bending down to pet the pooch.
“Okay, kids, let’s go home.”
***
It was great to be home again, even if Lisa wasn’t there. With Alyson effectively tucked in, Alex did his best to usher the remaining officers out, if only so as to embrace the solace of the castle where he reigned as king. Sitting on the couch, a pup on each side of him, Alex had had enough for one day. Laying his head back, only the occasional encouragement of a wet canine nose, eager to be petted, kept him from drifting into full slumber.
Perfectly still, his eyes closed, head tilted back as he slouched on the couch, Alex found himself strangely fascinated by the difference in fur of his, now, two furry companions. Typical to the Golden, Brandy’s coat was long, silky. Having just had a bath earlier that week, her long coat was baby soft. In contrast, Buddy’s short, black hair was wiry and coarse. It didn’t feel dirty, but something about it felt as if perhaps Buddy had been an outside dog in his former home. At least in part. Being housebroken, of course, suggested the contrary. Alex would have to remember to give him a bath tomorrow. The excitement of that unknown disturbed Alex’s rest.
When the doorbell rang, Alex sprang to a vertical base a bit too quickly, disturbing both pooches, who had come to rest their jaws on Alex’s legs. Each let out a yelp. Buddy jumped off the couch, prancing beside Alex as he walked toward the door. Less eager, Brandy stepped carefully from the couch cushions and followed close behind.
Opening the door, Alex was stumbling backwards before his brain had even registered the blow to his jaw.
He saw stars…
And then…
Nothing.
Chapter 17
“Alex! Alex! Wake up! Are you—you get away from him! Alex!?”
He recognized Alyson’s voice echoing through his brain. Perhaps pounding the walls of his skull was more accurate.
“I’m sorry! I—”
“Josh? You know, you hit hard.” Alex’s sore jaw, ringing ears and pounding head muffled his words, causing him to talk as if a mouth full of cotton had taken up residence within.
“Well, if we’re being technical, the table hits hard,” Josh answered. “Alex, I’m sorry. I heard Alyson had been shot. I got scared. I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hit you.”
“No you shouldn’t have!” Alyson shouted, wincing when a wrong move hurt her shoulder.
“Baby, stop,” Josh said, gently guarding her hurt shoulder. “I--”
“Yes?” Alyson asked, indignant.
“I love you, alright? I’m sorry we’ve been fighting lately. I’m sorry I’m such a jerk and I’m sorry I’ve been away from you for so long.”
In all the time Alex had known Alyson, he’d seen her cry maybe a handful of times. While she wasn’t a robot by any means, she certainly wasn’t one to cry for no reason. So, when the tears not just came to her eyes but flooded them, Alex was more than a little taken aback. Happy, in a bittersweet kind of way, but still surprised. Not half as surprised as Lisa would have been. Of course, Lisa would have been the same blubbering mess, much like the one rubbing her snotting nose into Josh’s shirt. It was probably the drugs the hospital had given her, at least in part. Still, the tears carried with them an undeniable sense of realism that was all too evident.
Instinctively, Alex rubbed his shirt, as if attempting to remove some phantom catarrh from the breast pocket.
“Okay, the two of you can continue this later. I have an injured cousin who needs her sleep and an injured officer who is ordered to bed.”
“You know, as a federal—”
“As the punk kid dating my wife’s cousin, you need to get out of here before I punch you this time.” Alex winked.
“Yes sir,” Josh replied. “I do love you,” he added, pulling Alyson close. Alex marveled at the power of the affection in Josh’s stare. There were many things about which he worried, whether as a husband, father or police officer. Josh’s sincere love for Alyson was not one of those things that kept him up at night.
“Love you, too, jerk,” she laughed, giving him a love tap on the shoulder.
Ah, he thought to himself. So this is what other people thought when Lisa and I started dating? I understand now.
***
Helping Alyson back into bed that night, Alex was overcome with one of the strangest sensations. Here he was helping a young woman into bed and he couldn’t fight the images of his own little girl. Intermingled images of the tiny girl she was and the young woman she will someday be. He hoped Alyson didn’t see the tears he was fighting back as he realized there would come a day when his own little girl would be too big for Daddy to tuck in. Still lost in thought, Alex bent down and kissed Alyson on the forehead. Caught off guard, Alyson’s eyes flashed with surprise, as a smile eased onto her lips.
“G’nite
, Daddy,” she said, in a remarkably accurate impersonation of Christina.
“Goodnight, little one,” Alex answered, chuckling.
When Buddy jumped on the bed, Alex patted his head.
“Come on, you.”
“Oh, let him stay,” Alyson said, patting her chest and clicking her tongue.
“Okay,” Alex said, “but don’t get too attached to him. You know as well as I do that Christina will probably lay claim.”
“Hey, no dog hogging!” Alyson laughed, “She sleeps with Brandy. This one’s mine. Ain’t that right, Buddy?” She patted his head, kissed the side of his face, causing him to erupt in a furious tongue bath. Laughing, Alyson playfully begged him to stop.
“Okay you two,” Alex said, heading to the door. “Sleep. I don’t wanna have to come separate you kids.”
“Yes, Daddy,” Alyson said, this time adding a slight lisp.
Flipping off the lights, Alex walked into the hall, followed by Brandy, dutifully looking up at him.
“Well, it’s just you and me tonight, kid.”
Whining, Brandy stopped at Christina’s closed door, sat, pawed at it. Finally, after chuffing, she looked back to Alex as if reminding him of her lack of opposable thumbs.
“Sorry, girl,” Alex said, patting his leg. “Christina will be home in a few days. Come on. You can sleep with Daddy tonight.”
Looking back at the door, Brandy whined once more.
“Brandy Mendez,” Alex said, with a playful firmness. “Come on stubborn.”
Scratching the door once more, Brandy stood, turned, padded after Alex.
“Good girl,” he whispered, walking toward his bedroom. He yawned, stretched. “Think I’ll read and head to sleep myself.”
Chapter 18
Alex sat up in bed with a start. Whatever – whoever – had screamed was in peril. Without turning on the lamp, Alex opened the drawer in the nightstand. Trying to be quiet, he removed his weapon – this one a Glock he’d purchased for personal home defense. The Glock 17 feeds from staggered-column or double stack magazines that have a 17-round capacity (which can be extended to 19 with an optional floor plate) or optional 33-round high capacity magazines. For jurisdictions which restrict magazine capacity to 10 rounds, Glock offers single stack 10-round magazines. The magazines are made of steel and are over-molded with plastic.
Target: Mendez: An Alex Mendez Tale Page 6