He was head over heels and was unlikely to get out of the shit - Smith understood this with desperate anger, but he was not going to give up so easily. The people he hired to get dirt on Bancroft, Sullivan, and Pitsy spent their money in full - on the table lay a small flash drive that could have the effect of an exploding bomb. And she could become a guarantor of security for Senator Smith. Accounts, schemes of financial fraud, lists of objectionable persons who were eliminated by order of the mafia, with which they were on a short leg - information could cost not only an armchair, but also freedom for each of the three entrepreneurs. But for some reason, as soon as she was at Alexander's, peace was gone completely. He was afraid they would find out. He was afraid that they would be punished, and above all - through Laura.
Alexander Smith completely lost his sleep, and now all that remained was to get drunk in his empty luxurious house, trying to figure out what to do next: to give the USB flash drive to the feds, or to save it for himself, hoping that the information would never be useful.
Laura waited for Monday morning with mixed feelings: on the one hand, she was afraid to meet with Chris, because a slight feeling of shame still made her insides clench. On the other hand, much more the same insides contracted at the thought of meeting, and Laura did not want to deceive herself at all: she wanted to see him. What will he say, how will he react, does he really care? Now that Dominic's shadow was gradually receding, I wanted to start living again. Of course, choosing your own bodyguard as therapy after a divorce was not a good idea, but who says that he will remain her bodyguard when the divorce and elections remain behind her? Therefore, Laura approached the choice of wardrobe today with special care, changing trousers to a skirt, then a skirt to a dress, and putting on trousers again. Satisfied nodding to his reflection glanced at her watch - there were forty minutes left before Chris arrived. Why did time pass so slowly? It was all the more surprising to hear the call - Chris had already arrived.
While he was getting up, Laura pressed her palms to her flushed cheeks, just not to betray the excitement that gripped her, and hurried to the door, but stopped in the corridor, deciding that it would be too much to wait for him with the door wide open. The lift arrived, the sound of its steps - the heart seemed to be about to tear the blouse, jumping out. Smoothing her already perfectly styled hair, Laura took a quick glance in the mirror, stuck her tongue out at the reflection and, waiting for the bell, turned the key in the lock.
Chris froze as he surveyed her with a quick, attentive glance. There was a deep crease between his eyebrows, his lips curled into a regretful smile. He nodded, Laura stepped aside, letting in, feeling how the air instantly ends in his lungs, as if someone was pumping it out with sharp movements. Chris sighed and suddenly put his hands on her shoulders. The body flashed through with a wave of heat, burning and bright. Laura exhaled noisily, but Chris, contrary to expectations, was not going to kiss her. On the contrary: he looked intently, attentively, as if collecting his thoughts.
— Have you seen today's news? He finally spoke. Laura shook her head, and the warmth swiftly faded away, displaced by the icy chill of foreboding. Chris sighed again and squeezed her shoulders tighter, as if afraid she was about to break free. “Laura, please listen to me carefully. An attempt was made on your father's life tonight ...
It darkened in her eyes for a moment, Laura twitched, intending to run, right now to run there, to him, but Chris held on tight. He even shook it a little, drawing attention.
— Marcus called me - he was injured. I asked you not to come, but I know that you won't listen, and if I don't take you, you will catch a taxi. And now it's too dangerous for you to be alone.
— How is he? Laura asked quietly. My throat was dry, my lips were hardly moving, only my heart was pounding so loudly that it drowned out all the sounds around.
— He is now in the hospital. In your hospital.
— Then why the fuck are we still standing here? - Laura soared, throwing off his hands.
— He didn't write to you, didn't he call you today?
— No one called me, ”she snapped, grabbing her bag, and turned in the doorway. - You
are you coming or not?
She only spoke again in the car when they drove away from the house.
— How did this happen? - the voice sounded calm and focused. She lost her mother, but she did not even let the thought that she might lose her father close to her. Everything will be fine. It will definitely be good, it cannot but be. Yet it is just beginning to improve!
— Marcus was on duty with him today. He heard a noise in the office and went downstairs to check. He received three bullets, called from the ambulance.
— What happened to dad? - Now Laura's voice rang dangerously, she could hardly contain herself so as not to scream. Why doesn't Chris tell her? What is he hiding? Daddy, where did you get in? ..
— Both of his hands were nailed to the table: his own Parker was drawn from one palm, a pencil from the other. Laura winced and swallowed. “They cut off his ear. A tie was pushed into his mouth so as not to shout. - Chris spoke dryly, dispassionately, looking straight ahead at the road. He didn’t want to look in her direction, he didn’t want to become a witness of hysteria, which certainly cannot be avoided when she learns about all the injuries received by Alexander Smith. - They tried to strangle him, but Marcus interfered. And then the neighbors, awakened by the shots, called the police.
— How ... - Laura coughed, trying to hold back the tears that filled her eyes. - How is he now? ..
— In reanimation. - A hospital appeared ahead, and the car stopped at a traffic light. Chris turned and looked straight into the eyes, demanding, confident, involuntarily infecting with his calmness. - Please promise that you won't run away from me. You won't go anywhere. I'll park now, we'll go out and go to the hospital together. Do you understand me?
Laura nodded dully.
— Say it out loud.
— Got it.
The list of injuries inflicted on the Pope ran through my head. She unwittingly began treating him, wondering what she would do first while Chris parked. He opened the door, stretched out his hand, squeezed her hand tightly and did not let go as they walked towards the doors, as they passed through the hall. Without stopping, without responding to numerous words of support, Laura, like a robot, followed Chris, almost without feeling her legs under her. If not for his hand, she would have fallen, fell and crawled to the elevator to find out that Dad was doing well.
Police were looming in the intensive care unit, and their bright, dark blue uniform stood out as a foreign stain at the door of one of the wards. Forgetting about everything, Laura released Chris's hand and rushed forward, pushing aside the crowd at the window.
— Ma'am, you can't go there. - She was stopped by one of the plainclothes police officers, probably a detective, diligently wiping from the door. - Now there are doctors.
— I'm a doctor too! Let me see him! - Laura exclaimed, trying in vain to make out at least something over his shoulder, but the tightly closed blinds did not give the slightest chance to even guess what was happening there.
— This is Eleanor Reeds. - Chris walked over, stood beside her and gently took her by the elbow, pulling her closer to him, away from the detective. - Senator Smith's daughter.
— Mrs. Reeds! - the detective's voice immediately acquired a tinge of sympathy and sadness. - We need to talk. Could you take a few minutes for me?
— Not until we know about the senator's condition, detective, ”Chris replied calmly, and Laura looked at him gratefully - she certainly couldn't talk to the police right now.
— And who are you, actually? The detective looked at Chris with obvious dislike.
— I'm her bodyguard, Christopher Labert. I repeat, Mrs. Reeds will gladly answer all your questions when we learn of the senator's condition.
— Okay, - the detective gave in reluctantly, with a displeased click. - Don't go far.
Laura snorted nervousl
y at the phrase, and the detective was embarrassed, realizing how stupid she sounded. After muttering something under his breath, he returned to the policemen, and Chris, hugging Laura by the shoulders, took her to the waiting room, dispersed the policemen who had packed there.
— Thank you, ”Laura replied quietly, clutching his hand, realizing that she simply could not bring herself to release it.
— Laura, listen to me carefully and try to remember, ”Chris insisted, leaning right over her ear. From the outside it might have seemed that he was comforting her, but the voice sounded excited and tense. - Did your father definitely call you at night?
— Why does this interest you so much? - She raised her feverishly shining eyes to him.
— Marcus said that someone turned him in. I handed over your father. Chris almost touched her temples with his lips, breath burning his ear. - They were looking for something, what exactly is unknown. But Marcus insistently said, even repeated twice: not to trust anyone. Do you understand? Someone from close, trusted people betrayed the senator - leaked information to those who came to kill him.
— That is, - Laura said in a wooden voice, turning slightly to him, - the detective could also be among the suspects?
— May be. “Now he was so close that you could see every dot on the brown iris. Laura swallowed carefully and whispered:
— And you, Chris? Can I trust you?
— And what do you think? - he answered her tone.
For a short moment, it seemed to Laura that she was standing still, and the world was rapidly flying away somewhere, taking with it everything except Chris, his lips that almost touched her, his eyes, in the depths of which dark green lights smoldered, his smell, tart, barely noticeable, but filling all the lungs. He also froze, only now realizing how close he was to her. Her gaze frantically slid across his face, every now and then freezing on his lips, and the desire to kiss her right now echoed with almost physical pain. “Very in time,” - bitterly flashed through his head, but Chris could not bring himself to move away, continuing to hold his shoulder, unconsciously stroking him, imagining how he would turn her towards him, lifting her chin, how he would touch her lips, slightly parted, and she will give in to meet him, wrapping his arms around his neck ...
— I believe you. - She came to herself first. She smiled faintly, gently pulled away, walked over to one of the chairs, sinking into it. Chris blinked, resisting the urge to close his eyes tightly and test the strength of the nearby wall with his fist. With a curt nod, he walked over to the window, shoving his hands into his pockets, and swayed from heel to toe.
— Check your phone - it turned out drier than you wanted, but the voice refused to obey, betraying excitement in a barely noticeable hoarseness.
— He didn’t call me, ”Laura shook her head, but realizing that he didn’t see her, she exhaled irritatedly and reached into her bag. - I would have heard if he called, I am lightly asleep, and ... Wait! - Chris in a second was next to him, sitting down on the next chair. - Look, here is the voice, he ... Lord! He sent it at three o'clock in the morning ... Chris, - Laura looked up at him with a confused look. - What if this is the last thing he said to me? ..
He squeezed her wrist encouragingly, nodding at the phone. An inner voice prompted, but no, literally yelled that the senator would not call his daughter in the middle of the night, just to say that he loved. The instinct of self-preservation screamed desperately that it was worth putting this in the hands of the feds. Let them investigate and rummage in Senator Smith's dirty linen, but something inappropriately awakened, which Chris resigned to christened sympathy, prevented Laura from leaving alone. At least not now.
Laura looked around and, making sure they were alone, clicked on to audition. There was a loud sigh, as if the speaker was holding the phone directly to his mouth, and then a muffled voice spoke up in a muffled voice:
— Laura, baby, forgive me ... your old man ... he, you know, ... damn! - the sound of a broken glass was heard - and to hell with it! Laura, listen to me carefully, this is important. This is really important, because ... - The pause dragged on for several seconds, heavy breathing was heard, interrupted by rare sobs. But, apparently, then Senator Smith pulled himself together and quickly continued, articulating the words clearly: - They will kill me today, baby. Sorry to get you into this shit. I am very, very much to blame for you and my mother. Forgive me. Remember one thing, remember clearly: Hawaii has the pinkest sunset. Remember? Love you, honey. I really, I love you madly.
Quiet click, recording cut off. Laura continued to squeeze the phone, not noticing the tears streaming down her cheeks, dripping onto the extinct screen.
— Laura, - a blonde familiar to Chris, with whom Laura argued on the day of the operation with the Siamese twins, appeared in the doorway.
Laura lifted her head, raised herself, but immediately fell back into the chair. The phone fell out, palms darted to his mouth, drowning out the howl rushing out.
— I'm sorry, Laura. - The doctor came up and put his hand on her shoulder. - Two stops, we could not start it.
Biting her lip, Laura nodded, sighed intermittently, and looked up at him with a hard, feverish glare.
— Thanks, Roni. I know that you did the best you could.
— I'm really, really sorry. Accept my condolences.
— Thank. Laura shook his hand, took it off her shoulder and stood up. - When can I see him?
— Wait, you can come in in a couple of minutes. - The doctor looked sideways at Chris, nodded dryly and hurried out.
— It's some kind of bad dream, ”Laura said slowly. “Only in the morning everything was fine, but now…” She grinned. - Do you think the state will pay for the funeral?
There were no more tears, on the contrary: Laura was seized with numbness, as if all feelings were locked under a lock, putting the key aside. She calmly entered the ward, went to her father, touched her bandaged hand, squeezed it and, nodding, left. Here she had more to do
there is nothing. A detective immediately appeared in the corridor, and Laura, nodding in agreement at his request to talk, went to the window, without losing sight of Chris. No, my father didn't call. No, I didn't leave anything. No, in the middle of the night he wrote some drunken nonsense about what he loved. No, it cannot show - deleted the message. Yes, he understands that the house is not yet allowed - investigators are working there. Yes, the funeral will be scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Of course, it would be grateful if the detective came.
A short conversation with the head physician of the hospital, Spencer Lockwood, - a two-week leave - to prepare everything, bury his father and recover.
— You have enough time off for a month, - the chief doctor rubbed the bridge of his nose. - I can't say that I will be delighted with your absence, but if you feel that you need it - please, tell me straight. Okay?
— Thank you, Spence. Laura smiled. No, she doesn't need these days off. There would be an opportunity - tomorrow I would return to work, if only not to see these feigned sympathizers of distant relatives and colleagues of my father, among whom is the one who is guilty of his death.
— Are you okay? Chris asked quietly when they finally left the hospital. The day was just gaining momentum, barely past eleven, and it seemed like a week had passed, no less.
— I don’t know, ”Laura answered honestly. - I really don't know. I have to go to the funeral home, then to the church - agree to say goodbye.
The day flew by unnoticed by moving around the city, during which Chris felt the familiar itch between his shoulder blades several times - his tail hung behind them. But understand who exactly monitors per movements Laura, not succeeded. Telephone Laura was torn from those wishing to express sympathy, and after the tenth ring she simply turned off the sound. Chris, on the other hand, was glad that Denise and Mark with their children had gone to a camping for a few days, deciding to spend a vacation far from civilization - otherwise she would have called long ago. By evening, he was ready to in
sist on staying, but Laura was so exhausted that she simply silently brought out the bedding and a pillow and disappeared into the bathroom. Chris barely slept at night, listening to the muffled sobs behind the wall. Several times he got up and went to the door, wanting to come in, lie down next to him, hug and say that everything will be fine. But as soon as hand nearly concerned door pens, is he made myself return on sofa. The manifestation of feelings, even if friendly, was now completely out of place.
Barely waiting for morning, following Laura with a short glance, as she walked into the bathroom, disheveled, with puffy, red eyes, Chris slipped out onto the balcony and dialed Tony.
— West Point! - the friend's voice sounded sympathetic. - I heard what happened there. Gave Tony a job, huh? You, I hope, do not hold evil?
— Not. Chris even smiled as he imagined Tony making his eyes sweetly. But then he became serious. “Listen, Tony, can you find out more about what happened?
— Zhmur happened there, what else, - Tony muttered. “Wouldn’t you go there, West Point. There are such guys spinning that neither your officer's training, nor our connections will help if they come to you.
— They won't come out. And if they do, they won't know about you, you know me.
— That's just the point, I know, ”Tony sighed. “I don’t want to eat lasagne at your funeral later.” - If you bring lasagna to my funeral, I will personally rise from the grave!
— Okay, okay, I remember that you are not a fan of delicious food here. Tony paused and
added seriously: - I'll try to find out what and how, but don't expect much.
— Thank you, - thanked from the bottom of my heartChris. - I owe you.
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