by Dale Mayer
“Maybe as a finale, if it would result in you moving the animals someplace else. I don’t know the life expectancy of elephants …”
“Decades,” she said shortly. “The sanctuary needs to be financed for at least another forty to fifty years for those we have right now.”
“And that reconfirms how we really need your father on his feet and back at the helm.”
She sighed. “I hate waiting.”
“It’s not been very long yet.”
She glared at him. “Speak for yourself. I’ve been waiting for my father to get back to normal for two years, and then I had to deal with this whole nightmare regarding the website and the deluge of bad press all of a sudden. It took me a long time to get to the point where I was talking to Gunner about it.”
“I’m glad you did, and obviously it was the tipping point for all this.”
In the distance she heard a gentle voice. She bounded to her feet and raced to her father. “Dad, are you awake?”
There was a sigh and one word, “Yes.”
She smiled down at him, desperate to hold back the tears. “Do you know who I am?” she asked hesitantly.
He rolled to his back, reached up a hand and said, “Lilianna.”
She lifted his hand to her lips and dropped a kiss on his knuckles. “I’m so glad to see you back again, Dad.”
“I don’t know that I want to be back. It sounds like hell has gone down in my absence.” He opened his eyes and stared at her. “Please tell me it was all a bad dream.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure which part you think might have been a bad dream, but the fact that you’ve been out for two years is certainly not a dream. That’s a very sad reality.”
He stared moodily around the room, his gaze lighting on Liam. His eyes narrowed, and he stared at Liam for a long moment. “Logan, Levi, Gunner,” he said, tripping the names together in a rough thought pattern.
Liam stood and nodded. “Correct.”
Relief crossed her father’s face. “And the conversation we just had a little bit ago?”
Liam placed his hand on Lilianna’s shoulder. “The truth, every bit of it.”
Her father stared at the ceiling. “Now I feel old,” he whispered. “Tired and old.”
“No time for that,” Liam said quietly. “There’s a hell of a mess, and you need to be alert and aware of what’s happening.”
“You’re Liam.” Her father’s gaze sharpened as he looked at him. “Explain?”
Instead, Lilianna gave him the rundown of the lawyers and doctors upcoming visits. “It’s really important you are as alert as you can be,” she said. “I don’t know what’s happening with the paperwork, but they’ve taken Brianna down to the station for questioning.”
A shadow crossed her father’s face. He stared at the blankets for a long moment and then sighed. “I love her dearly. But she’s very much like her mother.”
At that, Lilianna couldn’t argue. There was a knock on the door, and she turned to see North coming in with bags in his hands.
He placed them on the small coffee table and shut the door. He looked down at the older man, reached out a hand, shook it and said, “I’m North, another one of Levi’s employees.”
Her father stared at him for a long moment. “Two of you?”
“Two of us,” North confirmed.
“Then it’s bad, isn’t it?”
“Bad enough. And, if you don’t take your place as the head of the family and as the manager of the sanctuary,” Liam said, “there’s a good chance it won’t be a sanctuary any longer.”
The shock hit her father between the eyes. He brushed it away. “I don’t know what you just brought in here, but it smells like food. I don’t think I can handle eating right now. But I sure as hell won’t face a battle without being showered, shaved and dressed.”
“Do you want help?” Liam asked.
Her father pushed back his sheets, sat up and carefully stood. He considered the room for a moment. “It’s not spinning. I’ll take that as a good sign.” And he marched slowly like an old solider toward the bathroom.
*
Liam smiled. He liked the man’s guts. He squeezed Lilianna’s shoulders gently and said, “Come on. Let’s get you some food. Leave your father to do what your father needs to do to get back to the world.”
She stared at the bathroom door. “He looked much better, didn’t he?”
Liam could hear the hope in her voice and nodded. “He did. More than that, he appears to understand what’s going on around him.”
“But he’ll be off on dates and probably names,” North said. “So, when he comes back out, we should talk about that, fill him in a bit.”
Liam walked over to the bags while North explained to Lilianna how sometimes the drugs left pockets of memories empty. Liam opened the bags, smiled and brought out several big sealed containers.
“What all did you get?”
“Everything but the kitchen sink. I wasn’t sure how long we’d be here, and I wasn’t sure if your father was eating,” he said apologetically to Lilianna. “I was hoping he would, but I think he’s right. His stomach will be a little on the touchy side.”
“But he’s been eating steadily,” she said, “maybe not a lot though. I don’t know how the withdrawal of the drugs will affect him.”
“We’ll ask him when he comes out,” Liam said firmly. He pointed to the corner of the couch and said, “Sit.”
She shot him a look and sat down. “You know I’m not a dog, right?”
He chuckled. “At least not a well-trained one.”
She snatched up a napkin, wadded it in a ball and chucked it at him.
He laughed out loud.
North said, “Children, children.” He brought out paper plates and plastic knives and forks. “I suggest we dig into this before the shit hits the fan.”
Liam opened the containers to find stacks of pancakes, a container of scrambled eggs and another one of sausages. In still another tin-foil-wrapped package, there was toast. He shook his head. “I have no idea where you got all this, but it looks delicious.”
“Anything looks delicious when you haven’t eaten in twelve hours, and you got no sleep to boot,” North said calmly. He took two sausages, two pancakes and scooped up some eggs, then grabbed a piece of toast. “Eat up.” He sat back down on the couch.
As if galvanized by his words, Lilianna grabbed her plate and served herself about half of what North had taken.
That was good because Liam had no intention of starving today. He served himself an equal portion to what North had and that left pretty close to what Lilianna had for her father, if he wanted any.
Liam hoped they’d have fifteen or twenty minutes to eat their meal in peace and to coach her father before they were interrupted. But he also knew a lot was going on today.
He’d just finished his pancakes and sausages, was starting on this toast with the eggs on top, when his phone rang. He sighed, placed his food on the table and pulled out his cell. He didn’t recognize the number. “Liam O’Brien.”
“This is Detective Olson.”
Liam sat back. “Detective, what can I do for you?”
“I just spoke to Levi and filled him in on the details. I don’t have any proof Brianna was involved in anything untoward at the property. There are lots of emails between her and a lawyer, and her and her husband, regarding paperwork and legal documents. I presume from what you’re saying that Lilianna didn’t know anything about this. Is that correct?”
“We’re not sure what legal paperwork has been drafted,” Liam said carefully. “Can you confirm the lawyer’s name?”
“Eric Fulton,” Detective Olson said.
Liam nodded. “That’s the same lawyer.”
“I don’t have anything to charge her with at this point.”
“No, I can see that,” Liam said. “How long can you hold her?”
“The same Eric Fulton is here trying to get her released.”
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“Interesting. Can you hold her a little longer? Let me see if I can get the new lawyer there and see what’s up?” He ended the call and made another. “Gunner, we got a problem.”
After Liam explained, Gunner said, “I’ll take care of it.” And he hung up.
Liam slowly put his phone down. “So the lawyers may not be meeting because Fulton is trying to get the police to release your sister.”
“She hasn’t been charged with anything?” North asked.
Liam shook his head. “Not even sure right now what she would be charged with,” he admitted.
“But Eric isn’t a criminal lawyer,” Lilianna protested.
Just then her father walked out of the bathroom. He looked a little shaky but also like a changed man. He stopped in front of the group, studied the food and said, “What’s this about Eric?”
“He’s the one trying to get Brianna released.”
Her father raised his gaze. “Any chance I can go to the police station and see him there?”
Liam contemplated the advisability of that. “Not likely. But it depends on the doctors, but you definitely do need to see him. We’ll see if he can come here.”
Her father sighed, turned to look around the room. He was still pale, still a little shaky but said, “Where the hell are my clothes?”
Liam was afraid there weren’t any. He glanced at Lilianna. “Do you want to track down some for him?”
She stood. “I’ll talk to the nurses at reception.” And she disappeared out the door.
Her father sat in her place and studied the food. He grabbed a piece of toast and said, “This might sit.” He slowly nibbled away.
“How much do you remember, sir?”
“I remember a huge chasm of black overwhelming grief that swallowed me up, sucked me dry. I couldn’t get out of it—no how, no way,” he said tiredly. “It’s like nothing else mattered.”
“I get that. Do you remember attacking the nurse?”
He shook his head. “I can’t imagine that’s something I would have done. It’s not in my nature.”
“There could have been an inciting incident,” North said. “We need to find out what nurse was supposedly attacked, and what proof they have of the attack.”
Her father sighed. “Eric is a friend. Why would he do this?”
“I don’t know,” Liam said. “The problem is, we don’t know what anybody’s doing.”
North said, “Do you remember dates, names of the doctors? They’ll need to know what level of acuity you have now.”
Jim looked at him. “I remember your name is North, and his is Liam. I remember Eric was my lawyer, and I remember Gunner as being a good friend. I don’t remember how so much time went by without my permission though.” He started to get angry. “I don’t remember hitting the nurse, and I don’t remember very much about the last two years. There are bits and pieces moving in and out of a fog. And that’s about it.”
The men nodded. “If you can get that piece of toast down,” North said, “maybe try for some protein as well.”
Jim nodded. He extended his hand, staring at it. “I feel like I’ve lost fifty pounds and aged fifty years.”
“You’ve been eating regularly,” Liam said. “But your body has lost the vitality and vibrancy that comes with living an active lifestyle. You’ve been sitting on the couch or lying in bed for the bulk of the last couple years.”
Her father shook his said. “I hated TV to begin with. I can’t imagine how I got relegated to this.”
“The question now is, whether you’re capable of getting yourself back out of it.”
“What battle is it you guys are here to fight?” Jim asked.
The men exchanged a look.
Jim shook his head. “None of that. I can’t fight if I don’t know who I’m up against.”
Liam explained how Lilianna had gone to Gunner because she was afraid somebody was trying to defame the charity. He ended with, “The funds have dried up. And all kinds of rumors have talked of mismanagement of funds and poor treatment of the elephants.”
Jim was aghast. “Anybody who knows me realizes how much I love those elephants.”
Liam nodded and added, “But everybody understands you haven’t been at the helm for the last two years. Everybody knows you loved your son so much that the blow of his death was crippling.”
“So why now?” Jim stared off in the distance. “I’ve no doubt I can contact the charities again, tell them I’m back to health, or at least recovering,” he corrected. “And get the money flowing again. We must have it for the elephants.”
“I asked Lilianna what would happen if there wasn’t money,” Liam said. “And she said that, if worse came to worst, she would have to sell property.”
With clear eyes, Jim looked at him. “That will never happen while I’m living and breathing.”
“You didn’t leave your daughter a whole lot of choice,” Liam said. “You do realize her own personal money helps to keep you here?”
And once again it was like all the stuffing had drained out of him. He just sat there, tired and upset, trying to figure out what his world had come to. He shook his head. “That should never have happened.”
“No, it shouldn’t have. But medical care is expensive, and, when the insurance didn’t cover everything required, she’s the one who dipped into her savings.”
Chapter 8
Lilianna hoped Katie was at the front desk. She walked down the hallway, her mind churning and guilt eating her up. The trouble was, guilt wouldn’t get her anywhere.
What she really needed was answers, and she needed them fast. The fact that her father was awake and appeared to be cognizant was an unbelievable miracle. It made her feel all the guiltier that he hadn’t been this way for the last two years. She understood his initial problem had been grief, but would he have come out of that with some better medical assistance? Particularly in the last four months?
He was definitely struggling to throw off the effects of whatever it was he’d been under. And his body was weak. But inside she was so damn proud of him. He was awake; he did appear to be aware, and, if nothing else, he was back to being the father she hadn’t seen in a long time.
Tears came to her eyes. She brushed them away as she walked up to the reception desk. She glanced around and said, “Is Katie still here?”
Katie peeked around the wall and smiled. “Lilianna, what can I do for you?” Then she cocked her head. “Are you crying? What’s the matter?”
From the alarm in Katie’s voice, Lilianna realized Katie thought something bad had happened. Lilianna gave her a watery smile. “Something very good. My father is much, much better. He’s talking. He’s cognizant. He knows who I am. He appears to be pulling out of whatever funk he was in.”
Katie’s face lit up. “Oh, my God! That’s fantastic. I’m so happy for you.”
Lilianna nodded. “He’s gotten up, showered and shaved. And now we’re looking for his clothes. He says he doesn’t feel like himself wearing pajamas.”
Katie nodded. “Isn’t that the truth? It just seems to make us feel more invalid when we’re in pajamas.” She frowned. “But I’m not sure where his clothes are. Did you check his room?”
Lilianna shrugged. “I gave it a cursory look, but it’s likely been a couple months since he dressed.”
“Oh, dear. Well, all his personal belongings should be in a locker. Let me check in the back.” She disappeared around the wall.
“I sure hope he’s got something to wear,” Lilianna muttered, her mind already racing, figuring out how she could get her father’s clothing back. Because what she didn’t know was what Brianna might have done with all her father’s belongings in his house. Regarding her sister, Lilianna had this burning anger inside. That somebody could willfully do something to hurt her father, and be a family member, his own daughter, was just beyond comprehension.
Her mind ran out of options. There were only so many excuses she could make for Brianna
. Lilianna didn’t want to think Carlos was involved. But, then again, at one point she had trusted him with her body and her future. And he had betrayed both. How the hell was she supposed to deal with that? If he could do that, there was no end to the things he could do.
Just then Katie came back with a paper bag. She held it up and said, “This is all I have.”
Her father’s name and a date were written on the outside. It was from several months ago. Lilianna reached for the bag and opened it. “It appears to be pants and a shirt, so that might be enough to get us started. If you find anything else, let me know.”
Katie nodded. “I’ll leave a note for the girls. I was supposed to be off an hour ago, but my replacement hasn’t shown up yet.”
Lilianna nodded. “Oh, poor you. The night shifts are long enough without having to stay late.”
“Sure enough,” Katie said. “But it is what it is.”
Lilianna turned, then realized just how many things had been wrong lately. “Who is supposed to replace you?”
“Maria,” Katie said with a big smile. “She’s been here for about six months.”
“Is she good?” Lilianna asked. “But then I would presume so if she is on the day shift.”
Katie chuckled. “She’s very good, and it’s awesome to have more staff. And, since Maria speaks Spanish, that’s another huge help. In a place like this, having as many languages spoken here as we can get is the best. Of course …” She frowned, then leaned forward. “She’s the nurse who put in the complaint about your father.”
“Is she? Now I really want to speak with her.” Filing away that tidbit, Lilianna headed toward her father’s room. She knocked on the door and pushed it open. Her father was on the bed with his eyes closed. She rushed forward. “You’re doing too much too fast,” she scolded.
He smiled and waved her off. “I’m fine. What did you find?”
She held up a paper bag. “This is what they had.”
He sat up slowly, looking at the bag with interest. “Let’s see what’s in there.”
She took out a pair of pants and a shirt and a golf tee. The pants were a khaki brand he used to favor.
He looked at them and smiled. “Well, that’s a really good start.” There was a pair of underwear and socks. “At the bottom are my shoes. I was hoping those were inside with the weight.”