Nick gingerly tapped his cousin’s arm. “How are you doing?”
Tommy hobbled past Nick to Julie’s side and said, “Question is-how is she doing?”
Tommy wiped a tear from Julie’s cheek and patted her hand. Nick always suspected that his cousin had a thing for Julie, but now, watching him bend over her and listening to the soft exchange of words between them, Nick realized that he was wrong. Tommy never really wanted any more than to include Julie into the family. He coddled her like a little sister. Tommy said something to her that widened her eyes, then just as quickly returned with a wicked smile. She stretched out her hand and gently stroked the side of Tommy’s face, where the bandage covered up the scars.
Nick almost felt voyeuristic watching them. He turned and greeted his fellow agents that were there for support. He knew they were overloaded with assignments, so the gesture meant even more. A hand patted his back and he saw Dr. Morgan.
“Doc, thanks for coming. I know it means a lot to Julie.” Nick shook Dr. Morgan’s hand.
“I’m not just here for her, Nick. I’m here because I know you’re in trouble.”
Nick looked over his shoulder and caught Dave Tanner avoiding eye contact with him.
“I see,” Nick said.
“You must realize that I can’t help you, Nick, unless you want to be helped. And part of that desire for help requires a healthy aversion to stress.”
Nick nodded. “I’m closer than you think, Doc. I’ve only got one more obligation to fulfill.”
Dr. Morgan frowned. “I feel like you’re staring at the Grand Canyon and telling me that you only need one more day of practice before you can jump it.”
Nick smiled. “I’ll prove you wrong, Doc. I promise.”
Julie closed her eyes and it appeared to be the cue for Tanner and Rutherford to get back to work. They said their goodbyes to Nick, seemingly unsure whether it was for a day or a lifetime. Matt and Tommy followed them out. Dr. Morgan implored Nick to see him soon, and Nick agreed.
Sal Demenci lagged behind and Nick realized that the room’s evacuation was more a direct order than an act of politeness. Sal, flexing his muscle with a simple nod of his head. Once they were alone, Sal led Nick into a corner away from Julie’s deep breaths. They stood by a window that overlooked a grassy knoll in front of the hospital.
Sal looked Nick in the eye. “I have to tell you something, maybe it’s important to you.”
“Shoot.”
Sal looked over Nick’s shoulder, back at Julie. He spoke softly. “There’s something I haven’t never told you guys. Something I was saving in my back pocket, in case Fisk didn’t want to play ball.”
Nick suddenly remembered. He pointed to a park bench in front of the hospital. “Down there,” Nick said. “You never told Walt the entire story about the blasting caps. Someone in your crew shot a KSF soldier.”
Sal was shaking his head. “It don’t matter who shot who. What matters is where the shooting took place. I’d say that it’s important because this guy was buying a shitload of batteries. Like the kind they use in making time bombs. You know what I’m saying?”
“Give it to me, Sal. All of it.”
Sal held up his hand like a traffic cop. “Hold it right there. I want something for this information. I ain’t just givin’ it away for nothin.’”
Nick took a breath, “What do you want this time, Sal?”
“Hey, wait a minute. I’m offended by the attitude. I’m being all patriotic and everything and you treat me like I’m a schnook. Forget I said anything.” Sal began to walk away.
“Sal.”
Sal turned, “What?”
Nick swallowed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. Tell me what you want from me.”
Sal smiled. “That’s better.” He looked over his shoulder, then pulled Nick even further away from Julie’s bed. “All I’m asking for is an opportunity for revenge. That’s all. If I tell you where this shooting took place, I want a guarantee that I can send a few of my men to this place to sort of. . you know-” He pointed his index finger and cocked his thumb. “Take care of some business.”
Nick placed his hand over Sal’s protruding fingers. “Please, don’t point that thing at me.”
Sal laughed. “What are you worried about-it ain’t loaded.” Then his expression changed. His eyes narrowed to slits. “We’re talking about what they did to your cousin. Are you forgetting about that? And what about this?” He pointed to Julie, her head tilted to the side, in the midst of an exhaustive sleep.
“I’m not forgetting anything, Sal. That’s why it’s important that you tell me where the shooting took place.”
“Not until I get your word.”
“You know I need to get this approved.”
“Listen, Nick, your word is gold. You tell me what I want to hear, and I tell you what you want to hear.”
Nick stared at his wife. “All right. I promise I’ll take one of your men. Just one. But it has to be Silk.”
“You gotta let him stay with you. What you know, he knows. And he gets the whole immunity thing like we’ve been getting.”
Suddenly, the door opened. Matt walked up to Nick. “Walt called. He needs me. Take care of your sweetie over there.”
“Where are you going?” Nick asked.
Matt furrowed his brow, sneaking a sideways nod toward Sal.
“It’s all right,” Nick said. “You’re not going there anyway.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re going with me to. .” he looked at Sal and held out an open palm.
“Payson, Arizona,” Sal relented.
“Arizona? Why there?”
“Because,” Sal said, proudly, “that’s where we got rid of Rashid Baser.”
“What do you mean? Rashid Baser is dead?” Matt asked.
“Apparently,” Nick said. “And if it’s true. That’s where we’ll find the bomb-making facility.”
Matt glanced over at Julie. “What about her?”
Nick looked at the woman he loved, mangled in bandages and tubing. He still felt the chill that ran down his neck when she used the word kill in a sentence with only one other word in it. It was the subject of the sentence that bothered Nick, not the verb. If she wanted to kill time, or kill a volleyball, he didn’t have a problem. But ‘kill him?’” She was sleeping now, but he hoped that he was able to pull her out of her trauma, just like she did for him every day of their lives together. “The quicker I find Kharrazi,” he said, “the quicker she’ll begin the healing process.”
Matt nodded.
Sal said, “While you’re gone, you want maybe we give your wife a little. . you know. .” the finger gun returned, “protection?”
“What, you going to poke someone in the eye?” Matt deadpanned.
“Very funny Mr. G-man. You notice over in Sicily this kind of stuff doesn’t happen.”
“Don’t get me started, Sal.”
Nick stepped between the two men. “That’s enough. C’mon Matt, we’ve got to get going.”
“Don’t forget about Silk,” Sal said, reminding Nick of their agreement.
Matt followed Nick to the door. “Silk?”
As he passed Julie’s bed, Nick stopped for a moment to give her a peck on the bridge of her nose; the only bare spot between the tube in her nose and the bandage on her forehead.
She surprised him by whispering with her eyes shut, “Get him.”
Bending over her he said, “Just try and stop me.”
Chapter 24
As Kemel Kharrazi pulled up in his rental car, he could see the gravel parking area that stretched all the way
