Lillian has long suspected Dupree's problems began with his mother. "Tell me about your mother, why don't you?"
The effect of Lillian's words is profound. Dupree begins to tremble.
"What's the matter?" Lillian pushes. "Cat got your tongue?"
Dupree approaches her, clutching the large-bladed knife in his hand. Suddenly his face contorts into an ugly grimace and he lunges at Lillian, thrusting the blade deep into her chest.
Then, in one blinding instant, everything explodes in a nightmare of heat and pain.
And unaccountably … noise.
34
When Jake comes into a state of semi-consciousness he's in a hospital operating room. Doctors and nurses are milling around him; there are loud voices and lots of excitement. He tries to remember what happened that resulted in his being delivered here but his mind seems incapable of recalling anything at all. Then someone sticks something in his arm and his world fades into blackness.
His next experience with wakefulness comes about a day later. This time there's no one in sight. He tries to sit up.
It's impossible.
Even the prospect of moving his head to the side proves unattainable.
He makes an attempt to call out. This produces a sound something like what a pail being rolled across a concrete floor might make.
He decides he has little choice but to bide his time until someone comes to him.
While he waits, memories start to flood his mind. They're obscure and nonsensical for the most part. But Tristan and Lillian are certainly in the forefront of his thoughts.
Sometime later a nurse comes into his room. She leans over him, adjusting something. "You're awake," she says. She seems quite delighted at this development. "How are you feeling?"
"Mmph coll mmn."
The nurse registers no curiosity at all about whatever it was Jake attempted to say. "Just relax," she says. "I'm going to get the doctor." She disappears.
Later - he's not sure how much later - a doctor enters the room and stands over him, looking deep into his eyes. "How many fingers do you see?" he asks, holding his hand in front of Jake's face.
"Moo."
"Blink twice if that means two," the doctor says.
Jake realizes the doctor is the same one who treated him after the shooting. He can't remember his name. Jake blinks twice.
"Very good," Doctor Bolger says, seeming relieved. "You've come through a very difficult time, Jake. You need to rest but it looks like you're going to be fine. I'll check on you again in a little while." He pats Jake's shoulder and disappears.
Jake wants desperately to speak, to get answers to the pressing questions of Tristan's welfare. And Lillian's. But though he tries to stay awake it proves impossible.
He's aware of movement around him at various times but it somehow no longer seems important that he get answers to questions he can no longer even remember. He lets himself drift on a sea of contentment.
* *
When Jake comes awake this time, Tristan is standing beside his bed, holding his hand. She looks older, more mature, and sadder than he remembers. But she is, without a doubt, the most wonderful sight he can imagine.
"Hello, Daddy," she says.
"Hi, baby," he says. It's little more than a whisper but it's real language and can be understood.
"How are you doing?"
"Okay, I think."
"Do you remember what happened?"
He ponders for a moment before answering. He feels like he's on the verge of remembering something important but he can't quite bring it home. "Not really."
"What's the last thing you do remember?"
Suddenly he does remember something important. "You were missing," he says. "We had lost you."
"Right. Well, I'm found."
"Where's Lillian?"
"She's going to be brought down to see you later. She's on the next floor up."
"She's in the hospital? She's been hurt?"
"Yes, Daddy. Marius Dupree - the Goddess Slayer - nearly killed her. But she was operated on and she's okay now. She's going to be fine."
"The Goddess Slayer. Marius Dupree." Memories are now flooding his mind.
"He's in custody, Daddy. They got him."
"How?"
"Lillian's cell phone was traced to the property in Holmby Hills. A S.W.A.T. team broke into the house and fired off a flash-bang grenade and stopped him before he could kill us. Although it was very very close for Lillian. We were all extremely lucky."
"I'll be damned."
"The really big news, Daddy, is that the bullet in your head has been removed. Doctor Bolger operated on you right after you were brought here from Dupree's house. It was touch and go for a while but you've come through it wonderfully."
"How long until I can get out of here?"
"You've made remarkable progress but I don't think you're going anywhere for at least another couple of weeks."
"How long have I been here?"
"Almost two weeks. You were in and out of things for quite awhile. You should rest now. I'll come back this afternoon when Lillian is brought down."
As much as he doesn't want to see her go, he's aware that he needs to rest. "Okay, baby."
He closes his eyes and let's himself drift off once again.
34
The reunion with Lillian is bitter-sweet. When she's wheeled into his room Jake's eyes mist up. He has learned in talking to Bobby Schultz and Keith Abrams a few minutes earlier just what she's been through, that her courageous actions in stalling Dupree undoubtedly saved Tristan's life.
She has lost weight and her eyes are sunken, but the spunky attitude remains in place. "Hi there, sailor," she says. "Lookin' for a little company?"
"I dunno. Maybe. How much do you charge?"
Jake's head is propped up on pillows but he is allowed very little movement yet. Lillian leans in close to him and delivers a chaste kiss to his forehead.
"That's all I get for my hard earned money?"
Lillian smiles but there is sadness in it. "You're looking pretty good all things considered," she says, gazing at the mummified appearance of his head.
"You too."
She dismisses this with a toss of her head.
While they sit quietly looking at each other Lillian decides to try something to appease the curiosity that has been eating at her ever since she learned that the bullet in Jake's head has been removed. 'I LOVE YOU, JAKE!' she mind-shouts, once, twice, three times.
Nothing.
The gift of clairvoyance, extrasensory perception, or whatever one might want to call it, appears to have gone the way of the dinosaur. Well, it was put to its best use in that basement, anyway, she decides. She knows in her heart it is very unlikely she would have taken the steps to stall Dupree if Jake had not uttered those fateful last words before passing out.
"So when are they letting you out?" Jake asks.
"Another day or two."
"A punctured lung, among other things I hear."
"Yeah."
"I suppose thanking you for what you did is a little underwhelming, Lil. We used to say on the force we'd take a bullet for a partner. Nobody ever offered to take a knife to the chest, though, that I recall. You're something else, lady."
"Hey, it was nothing. We're partners, right?"
"The very best of partners."
Lillian reads the real meaning in Jake's words. She places her hand on his arm. "Nothing has changed in that regard, Jake."
"Lil, please don't---"
"I'm sorry, Jake. My mind is closed on this subject. We'll always be the very best of friends but what happened between us on the love front has reached its logical conclusion."
"I don't get it," Jake responds. "It makes no sense at all."
"What do you mean?"
"You just told me you loved me. Three times."
Also By The Author:
CAME A SHADOW
CUTTER'S GROVE
DEATHBED CONFESSION*
A SHADOW FELL
THE SHADOW'S EDGE
A WORRIED MAN
*Originally published as THE RENO CONFESSION
THE FOURTH BULLET: A Novel of Suspense Page 17