“I have to tell you the latest. Guess who proposed?”
“Who? What? Bob proposed? Spill, girl!”
Martha laughed. “Okay, just come on over, and keep a look out.
“A what?”
“Oh never mind, just get over here. I’m not working this afternoon and my time’s my own.”
She couldn’t mention being watched, wanting to enjoy her afternoon with Lizzie. She needed this friend now more than ever in her overburdened stress.
She met Lizzie at the door, and glanced hurriedly about the streets before closing it. A woman rode past on a motor cycle, but nothing else moved.
“Hey, Liz, good to see you.”
“What’s the big news? You’re saying Bob wants to marry you now, after his long silences. Have you talked any of this out?”
“That’s the real trouble. We haven’t. We’ve hardly said a word. He doesn’t take time for talking, just grabs me and heads for the bedroom, saying he can’t live without me. The man’s hardly in the door before he goes into action!” Martha flushed. “Not only that, he hasn’t a clue about that big guy, the one who wants me dead. I just can’t tell him. I’ll lose him all over again. Liz, what’ll I do?”
“I don’t know what to tell you, but I wonder how much deeper you’re going to dig that hole for yourself?” Lizzie queried. “You’ll be very lucky to pull out of this with your life, if that big guy’s after you.”
“It’s not a hole I dug for myself. It’s what that scrawny, dying monster, lying there in our hospital did to me years ago that started it all, and of course, that damned Fred Callahan.”
“Dying monster? What are you talking about, now?”
“I didn’t tell you that part. I’ve seen the predator that ruined a year of my life, the actual pedophilic monster from my childhood. Lizzie, he’s a patient in my hospital!”
“No, you didn’t tell me that! You’ve seen him?” Lizzie’s fine features twisted with revulsion. “What’d you do? Fix him, too?”
“No need. He’s an old, withered, dying wretch now. He’s got cancer, and for him, even that’s not good enough. He’s terminal, and his dying can’t come soon enough or hard enough.” Martha took a deep breath. “I was in shock at first, but then this terrible rage came over me. It’s never been like me to feel such anger generally. But toward him, why not? I don’t know if he heard me, but I told him I hoped he suffered every kind of torture there was. Then I ran out of the room and nearly knocked that blabber-mouth Jake right off his feet. Never even saw the guy.” Martha shook uncontrollably by the time she finished speaking. “Oh, God, I can’t stop this shaking!”
“My God, Martha! You poor woman, no one could blame you for feeling that way!”
“Not if they knew the terrible reasons behind my rage, but they never will, Lizzie. I’d never let that out, never.”
“Here, have a coffee. I don’t know what else I can do.” Lizzie got her a cup and held out a sweet. “Here, have a biscotti, too.” She saw Martha loosen up and start to laugh. “Good, I knew that’d help.”
“You are a dear, Lizzie. I don’t how I’d have made it these past few weeks without you.” Martha threw up her hands. “So what do I do about Bob?”
“You’ve got to let him know if you think someone is out to put cement overshoes on you, don’t you think?” Lizzie burst out laughing then suddenly sobered. “Here we are laughing like idiots when your life’s in jeopardy.”
Martha shrugged and they laughed together. “Like Scarlett, I can’t worry about that now. I’m sick of thinking about it. I’ll think about that tomorrow.”
Later in the day as Lizzie prepared to depart, Martha ushered her out and quickly checked about for unusual vehicles on her street. She saw nothing.
Restless, unable to settle down and relax even for a few moments, she picked up the phone, punched in the number for Mercy and took a shift.
***
Later, Martha pulled into the hospital parking lot and walked into the staffing office.
“Will med-surg be okay this evening?” Angelina asked. Her upturned face, framed by black, curling hair, directed a friendly smile toward Martha. “You haven’t been in much lately, glad to have you on tonight.”
“That’ll be fine, Angelina, thanks.” She smiled back at the girl and took the elevator to third. A man entered with her, said nothing, and went on to the third floor. A visitor, she guessed idly, without real thought. Many people populated a busy hospital like Mercy, though mostly during the daylight hours.
She saw Bob’s big solid body immediately. He flashed a knowing and friendly grin in her direction. “Hey, girl, working tonight? Not busy enough?”
“Good to see you, Bob.” Martha played it cool, refusing to broadcast their affair. Hospitals constantly reeked with personal gossip, and she wanted to avoid it. Time enough if things went right, she thought as she settled in the report room. Bob sat next to her, blissfully unaware that the underworld had been added to her list of terrors.
“So, how’s about a snack after?” He asked the question, all cool and casual, but she felt the heat lying beneath that calm exterior. Thinking and remembering the way he could be, set her heart pounding.
Gracie tapped her pen in a rapid staccato right then and started the taped report. As the information hummed along, Martha felt Bob’s leg against hers, and her blood raced wildly thinking of their bodies meeting in the dark. He’d never settle for less than he’d had already. She knew that and was grateful for it.
“No rest for you tonight, girl!” he crooned low in her ear.
She flushed and hoped no one noticed. But then she heard the words...”Jean M., room 209, admitted with a fractured pelvis, abdominal hemorrhaging, now under control. Her neuros are poor. She doesn’t arouse, pupils not equally reactive. An MRI of her brain has been ordered. If it proves a brain injury, she’ll be admitted directly to ICU. She hasn’t been taken up there so far as they didn’t have a bed,” Gracie added. “She doesn’t belong on a med-surg ward with her injuries, but ER was so packed, they placed her here for the present. We’ll have to watch her closely.”
The shock hearing of Jean’s admission struck Martha deeply, though she’d expected it to happen again. Jean, her assigned patient, had suffered devastating brutality at the hands of her “darling Jimmy” once again. Martha no longer felt the heat of Bob’s presence. Her heart raced, and her anger soared at another cruel act committed against the helpless.
She plotted revenge against Jimmy. But, catching those thoughts, she realized she wasn’t like that anymore. I know better now. I cannot avenge all wrongs. As she spoke silently to herself, she recognized that other force within her, new, and strange. Down girl, you’re not running my life. She grinned at her own emerging power, even over Serena. It gave her courage. I can handle this, I know I can.
Reaching Jean’s room, she saw the patient’s violent mate lingering at her bedside, portraying the role of concerned husband. You phony, battering bastard! Martha had no time to give Jean any care. She’d arrived as they were loading her on a gurney. Fleeting glimpses of blood-matted hair and a swollen face was all she saw. Jean was barely recognizable. Knotting her fists, Martha watched Jimmy slink along behind the cart containing the pitiable figure of his wife.
Surprising to Martha, his face wore a mask of deep concern. Why look so sad, Jimmy, you sadistic bastard, afraid of arrest for the assault on your wife?
Getting a firm hold of herself, she visited the rest of her patients. The figure of a small, casually dressed man, somewhere in his thirties, lingering about the halls, did not worry her. She just figured he was visiting a relative. The shift kept her running, and Jean never returned.
Gracie told her the patient had been transferred to ICU, her condition extremely critical.
“I’m very glad I never trained for those units,” Martha replied. “I have enough stress in my life without that place.”
Later on, the evening ground to a halt and they moved out of the
hospital and into the cool night air. Bob took her elbow and they headed for his truck. “Was that the battered woman you mentioned before?”
“Yes Bob. We knew she’d be back, and she is, fighting for her life. If I were her I wouldn’t want to live. But then if I was married to Jimmy, he’d be the one worried. I’d never put up with abuse like that.”
“Remind me never to raise a hand to you, woman. No telling what could happen, hey?” He helped her into his truck. “Where shall we go, my darling, where?”
His voice made her forget the trauma she’d seen this evening. Weak with longing, she whispered, “Anywhere with you is okay with me, you handsome devil. What a strong person I am,” she added, feeling like a shameless floozy, although she hoped he didn’t see her that way. “It’s what you do to me.”
They entered Bob’s home and never left until long after dawn. Outside, Carla kept watch, sitting alone. A long black car cruised past, more than once. She’d set herself for a long, dreary night but the sight of the black car told her that Martha was definitely being stalked by Imperato.
Ryan had forewarned her of this eventuality. In detail, he’d explained how Martha had inadvertently made an enemy of the man and was blissfully unaware of it. Carla had already seen Martha’s contact with Imperato during her night out with Lizzie at The Paradisio.
She punched a number on her cell. “Hey, Figueroa, glad you’re on tonight.”
“Hey there, Carla. What can I do for you?
“Ben, this woman I’m tailing has a suspicious car driving by at intervals. I don’t like the feel of it. Got someone available?”
“Sure. I’ll send someone right away. Where are you?”
She told him her placement and hung up.
Sure she hadn’t been made by the drug people or by Martha, she stayed low. She was known for her competence. People rarely caught on to her surveillance, and she knew when to call for re-enforcements. No heroics for Carla. She remained in the shadows, her motorcycle beside her.
Hours later, Bob drove Martha away in his truck. He dropped her at the hospital to pick up her own car. Martha drove away and Carla saw no other surveillance. “Maybe they’ve given it up for now.”
Martha entered her garage and Carla called for relief. She’d about had it for this segment. Seeing a cycle pass near and move on down the street, she accepted his slight nod, and left.
CHAPTER 33
Martha felt rested, her spirits higher than any time in recent memory. Real happiness seemed within reach. The nights spent with Bob made her feel she’d found something precious. She had a handle on her mental status, too. Even Will seemed to be doing better these days.
“I can’t wait to see Dr. Carton. He’s really helped me, and I want him to know how well everything is going.” She floated about, her feet barely touching the floor as she picked up her phone and called Jeannie.
“Hi Jeannie, I’m coming over.”
“What’s wrong, Mom?
“Oh, everything is great. I just want to talk.” She hung up, showered, and pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt, the bright green one that always heightened the vivid color of her eyes. Looking in the mirror, she was sure she’d never looked better. “Bob, you wonderful man.”
Paying only passing attention to the motorcycle moving along behind her and on down the street, she slowed and turned into the Moulton’s driveway. Jeannie met her at the door.
“Mom, what’s going on? You’re so different this morning.”
“Everything is different, Jeannie. I’m in love, for one thing. Bob is coming over to meet you later on today if we can agree on a time.” She couldn’t stop the elation seeping out in her voice.
“How about dinner, then?” Jeannie hugged her mother. “So, tell me, what else has’ got you so up in the air, anyway?” Her deep blue eyes intensified in color as she studied her mother. “I have to say, I’m glad to see it.”
“Bob and I are going to be married, Jeannie. And we’ll move away from here, too. He said he doesn’t care, as long as we’re together. We won’t be too far from you, I know that much. I have to see your family, especially my dearest little Will.” She went on to tell Jeannie something of Bob’s losses.
“He sounds really good, Mom. He’s known sorrow, too.” She grinned. “I can’t wait to meet him. Do you realize you’ve planned marriage with a man none of us have met?” She looked serious for a moment. “And how are you doing with your treatment? Any progress there? Does Bob know about it?”
“He knows everything, which is way more than I’ve told you. I find it difficult to tell you the rest of it. I know just about all there is to know by now and I’m working on integration. You’ll be shocked when I do tell you.”
“You’d better do it now, then. I’ve waited long enough to find out what happened to you as a child, and all the rest of it. Or do I even want to know about it? What do you think, Mom?”
Martha saw doubt and pain cross Jeannie’s face, and quickly decided to go slowly with the details. She was so happy within herself, telling sordid details from the past would only dampen everyone’s spirits. “All in good time, Jeannie. Bringing up garbage now won’t help anyone. So where’s Will?”
Martha felt such happiness today, she refused to think of any negatives. In her advanced state of euphoria, there were no clouds on her horizons or troubles waiting.
***
Ryan sat at his desk. Carla’s detailed report had left him feeling chilled all over. He called Harris. When he appeared, Ryan said. “Our lady is in a hell of a spot and has no idea about it. She’s managed to attract Imperato and his crowd. A man came in here and told me some things about Martha that, if true, explain it in part. He thought the woman who decked Imperato looked like Martha, yet he wasn’t really sure it was her. Seems Imperato thinks Martha may be that person. In any case, he’s got people trailing her. That fool woman can’t seem to stay out of trouble.”
“They didn’t tag Carla, but she called Figueroa in case she needed back-up.” Then Ryan remembered another item Jake had mentioned. “Oh yeah, this same guy made a report about finding purple stains on Martha, not once, but twice. I thought that to be very incriminating. Our investigative reports on her indicate a rural background as well.” He sighed. “That ties her in with the attacks on the two child molesters, but how does that tie up with Imperato? She’d have had to frequent that sleazy dive, The Paradisio, fairly often and that’s not like the Martha we know...Or is it”
“What do you want to do?” Harris asked, worried. “We can’t let her get sucked into that mess. It’s got to be a case of mistaken identity. She couldn’t possibly know a man like Imperato.”
“You’re right as hell, but unless those thugs move against her, we can only keep watch. One slip and it could be too late if he believes she’s the one that gave him the knee in front of God and everybody.” Ryan flung his papers off the desk. “Damn it all to hell. We’ve got to protect our little lady perp. We’ve got to get ahead of Imperato on this. Find out what’s going on with that situation if you can.” He laughed. “I’d like to have been there to see Imperato get it, being such a bastard with the ladies and all. Left him groaning right on the dance floor, too.”
Harris laughed. “Good for her, if she did it. We’ll get extra detail on it and see where it goes from here. We have a guy or two on the inside of that organization. Maybe that’ll tell us something.”
Harris left the office, and Ryan sat tight for a while before muttering, “I’d sure like to have an in depth conversation with that lady. She despises us and I don’t blame her for that, but we may be the best friends that woman has ever had.”
***
Bob and Martha knocked on Jeannie’s door. Excitement exuding from Jeannie’s glowing, deep blue eyes, she bade them enter.
Martha introduced him around and took him to meet Will. “Will honey, here’s a good friend of mine, a very nice man who wants to meet you.”
Will looked up at a very big man. His eyes grew l
arge, his face paled, and they both saw the little features tighten with fear at the sight of a strange adult male. His father had shaken hands with this man and welcomed him, but still, the boy hesitated.
Seeing the boy’s distress, Bob knelt down to him. “Hi, Will, your Grammy and I are very good friends. She tells me you like to go to Biggie’s Burgers. I like those Bittie Meal Bits, myself.” He took in Will’s Legos and books. “I see you like to build things and read books, too. That’s great!”
Will looked up at Martha. “Grammy, is he good, like my daddy?” She heard the tremor of fear in his voice and saw the tight set of his jaw as the little boy tried so hard to be brave.
“Yes, he is. You never need to be afraid of this man, not ever.” She punched Bob playfully, and the boy saw Bob’s laughing response. “See, he’s a big guy, just like your daddy, and a good man like him, too.” She stood close to Bob. “He’s really nice, Will.”
Will shyly held out his hand to Bob, and as he enfolded the little guy’s hand in his big paw, she saw the boy relax a bit. It was a beginning.
Jeannie stood back, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I like him, Mom,” she whispered it to Martha then winked at Martin.
The evening went well, and Martha enjoyed a glow of happiness denied her for so long. Bob chatted with Martin, finding enough manly topics to suit them both. The women frequently heard a roar of masculine laughter during the evening. Bob kept his eye on Martha, too. It gave her the warm feeling of his acceptance in every way, and her family as well.
The pleasant evening ended. It was late when they left, and Bob had only one place in mind. Martha had no objections and noticing nothing but each other, they blissfully moved through the darkened streets. A slight breeze ruffled the shadowed greenery, and intermittent street lights left puddles of light as they passed. Caught up in what seemed an eternity of waiting, in their anticipation of having each other, they failed to notice the long, shiny limo, sliding along, far behind them. In her happiness, Martha didn’t care anymore, and Bob had no reason to suspect an evil surveillance or the protective shield of the police.
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