“Are you still being followed?”
“I think so. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were wondering where I am right now.” She stood up. “I have to leave.”
“Not yet.” I pulled her back to her seat. “I just want to know why the metal wands they had didn’t find the thing in your arm.”
She put her head on her hands on the table. “It’s plastic. It’s new technology, or so they told me.”
I leaned up to her ear. “Or you have nothing in there at all and it’s a psychological ploy to keep you in line.”
“Do you think so?” she asked, lifting her head.
“I wouldn’t put it past Boris. He wants to talk to me at the party, alone.”
Her face turned terrified. “Don’t do it,” she whispered in a quick hiss. “Don’t let him get you alone, or you’ll regret it.”
“I don’t think Jim will let me be alone. He’s kind of glued to me right now.”
Her eyes searched my face. “Are you two even dating?”
I smiled, just thinking about it. “He wants to in the worst way, but I’m keeping him guessing. It’s a good game I’m playing, just to keep him at bay.”
“Good idea. I wish MI6 would’ve done that for me.” She wiped her eyes. “What am I going to do? I might be pregnant with a child produced by a rape.”
I sat back and stared at her. “What will you do?”
“I can’t kill anything, so that’s out of the question. Adoption?” Tears filled her eyes again. “And I really wanted a family.” Her head fell back to her arms on the table and she was at a full sob when Jim finally came back into the room. He lifted her sleeve, wiped some alcohol on her arm, and shot her with a syringe.
She raised her head and stared down at her arm. “Oww. What was that for?”
“You’re going to get really sick in a few moments and pass out. It’s all under control because it’s going to get you into the hospital. We’re going to see what we can do to help you.”
“But…” She closed her eyes. “I don’t—” Her head hit the table with a thud.
“That would do it.” Jim smiled and took her pulse. He walked to the door and one of the men walked back inside with him.
I was so glad he hadn’t done that to me. If he had, he’d never live to tell about it, after I came to.
Chapter 12
As soon as some governmental goons carried Elizabeth’s body out of the room, Jim walked back in and stood beside me.
His hand went to my shoulder. “I have a job for you. I need you to run into the main dining area and tell me that Elizabeth has passed out on the floor. I was in the men’s bathroom, and you and Elizabeth were in the ladies’ room. Got it?”
We would’ve been there for a long time, but I wasn’t about to tell him it was his fault for leaving us alone. “Yes, sir. Is she going to be okay?”
“Absolutely. It was just a sedative.” He leaned down and kissed me, making my eyes shut and my toes curl. Doctors were so hot when they were in action. He backed off and I could feel him staring at my face. “Are you sure you’re not in love with me yet?”
“I have no idea,” I whispered, my eyes still shut.
He laughed and left the room as I opened my eyes, blew out a breath, and waited a few moments. After I walked out of the room, I ran to Jim, who was sitting at the bar, drinking something that looked like a martini. I wanted to ask him if it was shaken or stirred, but I had a job to do and didn’t need him berating me.
“Elizabeth needs help,” I said in a loud voice.
He turned toward me with the toothpick for the olive in his mouth. “What happened?”
Like he didn’t know. He’d caused it.
I had to stay in character. “I have no idea. I was talking to her one minute, and the next, she was flat out on the bathroom floor. I tried to wake her, but it didn’t work. I’m really scared. She just fell down right in front of me.” I was certain I was overacting, but I had to behave as if I was terrified.
Jim grabbed his phone and dialed a few numbers. He got off the stool and lifted the phone to his ear, heading toward the bathroom. “I have an emergency at the Vicious Circle Bar. I need an ambulance for an unconscious woman, I think.” He and I headed into the bathroom, followed by at least four customers.
Elizabeth was on the floor, appearing to have passed out. I could only imagine the dreams she was having. I was so tired; it didn’t seem fair that she should be able to sleep.
“Thanks,” Jim said. “We’ll be waiting in the ladies’ room.” After ending the call and putting the phone away, he bent over Elizabeth and placed his finger on her neck. “I think she just passed out. Did she eat today?”
“I don’t know,” I said.
He moved her to her back and patted her cheeks. “Elizabeth. Wake up.”
Nothing happened. Whatever he’d given her must have been strong. I glanced around at the other people who were watching, and recognized one of them as a guard for Boris. However, I didn’t know his name. I wanted to throttle him anyway, but had to play the game.
The sirens sounded for the ambulance, while Jim kept trying to get Elizabeth to wake up. The attendants ran into the bathroom pushing a gurney. One of them was the man who’d waved the wand over us from MI6. They lifted Elizabeth onto the gurney and whisked her away.
I tried to will myself to cry, but it wasn’t working. I had to behave like a worried coworker, so I tried to follow where they’d taken Elizabeth. “I want to see her. I want to go with her. I have to make sure she’s okay.”
I pushed past the crowds for the outside, but Jim held me back. “They don’t need you there right now. She’s in better hands and they can take care of her.” He pulled me to his chest and I tried to sob. It was tough, because I didn’t cry, not even at funerals, so I faked it.
“Let’s go home,” he said. “We’ll check on her in the morning.” He helped me out of the bar and onto the sidewalk, heading back toward the United Nations building. “Lean on me,” he whispered, his arm moving to my shoulders. “You have to play the part. The tears were really effective.”
“I was faking the tears.”
“You faked the tears?” He moved his face just inches from mine. I concentrated on his eyes, which seemed like the pathway to his soul. I was in worse shape than I thought.
What was the matter with me? I was nothing like this. Focus. Focus.
I concentrated on his eyes, not letting my gaze stray to his lips. “Yeah. I don’t cry. Ever.”
“You’ll have to learn how to do that,” he said. “It’s going to be a requirement, I’m sure. You’d better practice or something.”
“One of those guys is a Russian guard,” I whispered.
“I know. That was Oleg, the rapist. I’ve done a background check on him, and he’s a pretty bad guy.” He glanced behind us as we crossed the street.
“What’s Elizabeth going to do?”
“MI6 is handling it. She can’t leave town, though, because the Russians have people stationed near her parent’s house, just waiting to strike. Now you see why we have to get Scotty out of town.”
“Do you think they’ll be able to find the commune?” I whispered.
“It’s doubtful. We’ll follow them back and keep an eye on the place.” He reached up and stroked my cheeks. “Amazing. I could’ve sworn you were crying. Can you cry for me now?”
“No. I need a reason to cry, and even then, you’re going to be out of luck.”
“So I need to give you a reason to cry? I’ve never been in that situation before. I usually have the other problem and can’t get women to stop crying.”
“I just bet. You’d make any normal girl cry. Tears are for pansies, though.”
“Uh-huh.” He pulled out his cell phone as soon as we walked toward his car. “Is Harold there yet?” He glanced over at me while nodding. “Yep. We’re on our way.” He ended the call and walked with me the rest of the way to the car. “He just got there.”
“Th
at’ll make me cry, having to deal with him,” I muttered.
“Good. So when you need to cry, think about dealing with your brother.”
“He’s a pain. He always has been.”
As soon as we got to the car, Jim unlocked the doors with his remote and opened the passenger’s side. He ran the wand over the entire car and us, but everything was clean. We both got into the car and drove slowly toward my apartment.
“Not in a hurry?” I asked
“No. Your brother’s giving my guys a hard time. I want them to put him in his place before I get there so I don’t have to. As far as you know, I’m your boyfriend and not a Fed. I’m a doctor.”
“So now you’re a doctor. I was wondering when you’d finally wear that hat.”
He raised an eyebrow and stared at me. “You like that hat. It’s really obvious doctors turn you on.” His hand moved to my leg with a grin, rubbing my inner thigh. “Want to play doctor with me?”
I threw his hand from my leg and stared out the window. “No. Not a good time for that.”
“You won’t be able to use that excuse much longer, you know.”
“I’ll think of another one by then.”
He chuckled. “I just bet you will.” He pulled into the apartment garage and made me wait for him before getting out of the car. We entered the complex hand-in-hand, because he was right—doctors were really sexy and I couldn’t control that response.
“Harley,” Squirt yelled as we walked in the door. I could smell him a mile away, he was that ripe. He walked up to me and gave me a hug, his scraggly black and gray beard giving my face a rash. I could hear Scotty playing cards in his bedroom with the rest of Jim’s men.
“How are you doing?” I asked, holding my breath.
“We’re fine. I want to introduce you to my common-law wife, Ray.”
My eyebrows hit the ceiling. “Wife?”
He directed me around the corner, and there, on my beautiful white cloth couch with matching pillows, sat a gigantically fat woman in an old red dress who was at least fifteen months pregnant, I swear, looking like she was having labor pains. She was leaning against the back of the couch, but her legs were parted and she had scooted her butt to the edge. She closed her eyes and panted.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“She’s been having those pains for the past twenty minutes,” Squirt said. “I think it’s fake labor, because she’s not due for two months, we think.”
“Two months? She’s huge.” Jim looked her over from top to bottom. That was an understatement in more than one way. “I think your dates are off because that looks like labor to me.”
“Who are you?” Squirt asked.
“I’m her boyfriend and a doctor.” Jim pointed at me.
Squirt turned toward me. “You’re dating a doctor?”
I nodded, still trying to hold my breath from his odor.
Jim stepped closer to Ray and knelt beside her, feeling her stomach. “How far apart are the contractions?”
She panted and breathed hard. “About a minute.” It didn’t look good to me.
A huge gush of water suddenly splashed out of her, pooling on my floor and soaked up by my carpet. Great. I just lost my security deposit. Now what?
Chapter 13
“I need a cigarette,” I muttered.
Jim shot me a nasty glare, and then faced Ray. “You need to go to the hospital, right now.” He whipped out his cell phone. “That was your water breaking and the baby’s on the way.”
“No hospital,” she said in almost a whisper. “I can feel the head moving right now and don’t want any hospital doctor touching me. It has to be a natural birth with no help. It’s more of a turn-on that way.”
“The head’s crowning?” Jim helped her to her feet and slowly walked with her to the bathroom. “Let’s make this really easy and do it in the tub. Fair enough?”
“Sure. That sounds fine to me.” Her voice sounded breathless, and she took very slow and deliberate steps, holding onto her back while Jim helped her.
“Harley,” Jim yelled. “I need help.”
“I can help,” Squirt said. “I’ve birthed a bunch of these kids.”
Squirt and I walked after them. Ray was leaning against the bathroom wall with her eyes closed.
“Breathe through it.” Jim held onto her arm. “You can do this.”
“I know. I have four other kids,” she said.
“You have four kids?” I asked Squirt.
“Well, we don’t know who the father is to all of these kids, but we treat them like they’re all our own. When it’s hot in the summer, all clothes are gone, so who knows who is enjoying themselves.”
I couldn’t believe it and had to bite my tongue from chewing him out. “And you’re going to keep Scotty in an environment like this?”
“It was your choice,” Squirt said, almost laughing.
“I have no choice.” The foster home was looking better and better, though.
“We’re going to take off your underwear,” Jim said.
“I’m not wearing underwear,” Ray said.
Ewww…and she was sitting on my couch, which was now all wet, I might add. I was ready to vomit. I took a deep breath, trying not to smell the sewer duo, and covered my forehead.
“Fine,” Jim said. “Let’s just get into the tub.” He helped her step over the side, while Squirt helped her sit down, then moved behind her to support her while she was in labor.
“You’ve done this before,” I said to Squirt. “Does that help having you behind them?”
“Yep, but it’s hard work. I get squished.”
Jim knelt beside the tub, while Ray had another contraction. Jim moved her knees up and lifted her dress, checking to see what was going on. “Push, Ray,” he said. “The head’s almost out.”
She leaned against Squirt and put her feet on the sides and front of my tub. I kept thinking there wasn’t enough bleach in the world to take away this vision in my head.
Jim turned toward me. “Harley, I need towels, rubbing alcohol, and a knife. A sharp one if you have it. And something to tie off the cord.”
I stood there, my mouth open, just staring, unable to comprehend what he was saying. What did he need again? I had a photographic memory, but when in total shock like this, it didn’t matter.
“Harley? Did you hear me?” Both of his hands were bloody and holding onto a dark-haired head.
“I heard you.” I turned and walked away, trying to remember the list and get the supplies he’d requested. I returned with everything just as the baby popped out into Jim’s hands. I handed him the towel. He wiped the baby off, making it cry, and cleaned out its mouth. I put everything else on the floor beside him and backed away slowly. I was ready to make my escape, but something held me there, just watching.
“It’s a boy.” He tied and cut the umbilical cord. He ran some water in the tub and cleaned the baby off, rubbing it down with soap and shampoo while the poor thing cried. I handed him another towel. He wrapped it around the crying baby and handed him to me.
I juggled the baby while holding both arms straight out. The poor thing wailed. This was ridiculous. “I don’t know how to handle a baby.”
Squirt scoffed. “Sure you do. You’re a girl and all girls can do it.”
“No, I can’t.” I looked down at the child in my arms whose toothless mouth bawled out to me. I pulled him up to my chest, and rubbed his back. I couldn’t stay in the bathroom and watch what Jim was doing. I also knew this kid needed clothes and a diaper, so I walked out and left Jim and Ray to their mess.
I headed into Scotty’s bedroom. “Can one of you guys help me?”
“Did you just have a kid?” Jordan asked, still playing cards.
Idiots. I swear. “Me? Did I look pregnant? No, Ray did. Just now. Can one of you get some diapers for this kid before I have a problem?”
“I’ll go,” Chris, the dark-haired man, said. “I have a few nephews and nieces, and I can fi
nd something.” He stood and laid down his cards, then stepped closer, staring down at the baby. “Cute kid. I’ll be right back.” He headed toward the bathroom, waiting in the hallway.
The baby had calmed down and his eyes were closed. I could feel him breathing against my chest, and realized Squirt was right. Girls did know how to take care of babies, if they had no choice.
Jim walked out of the bathroom, said a few words to Chris, and then joined me in the living room. Jim was wiping his hands on a clean towel. “How’s he doing?”
“He’s asleep,” I said. “You did a great job. You’re absolutely amazing.”
“You’re actually nice. That’s what’s amazing.” He studied my face with a grin. “Besides, I’ve delivered a few babies in my time.” He took the baby from my arms and sat down on the couch, unwrapping him. He checked him over from top to bottom, and wrapped him back in the towel.
“I’ll be back,” Chris said. Donut sugar covered his mouth. He opened the door and was about to step out, when Jim grabbed Chris’ arm and handed him the baby.
Chris let the door shut on its own, trying to hold the baby in his hands. “But I’m going out to get diapers.” He wiped his mouth on his shirt.
Jim shook his head. “Harley and I’ll do that. She needs to get away for a little bit. Just don’t feed that kid any of those white powdered donuts. We’ll be right back.” He took my hand and walked out the door with me.
Once we were in the hallway and heading into the garage, I turned toward Jim. “Why do I need to get away again?”
“If you stay around them too long, you’ll get sick of kids. I don’t want that to happen.” He took me to his car and helped me inside. After he got into his seat and checked for bugs, he pulled out of the garage and drove to a discount department store that had everything.
I was quiet for the whole trip, but finally had to know. “Why don’t you want me to get sick of kids?”
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