'Why me?'
'C student, Andy. You wouldn't ask too many questions… or know the questions to ask. And you needed money. You wouldn't risk losing the fees. You were perfect.'
'I was stupid.'
'You were human. You needed money. I needed the girl. Will you talk to Frankie? For me?'
'Why should I?'
'Because you're my lawyer.'
'I was your lawyer.'
'Because I can help you.'
'I don't need your help.'
'Your father does.'
'How can you help him?'
'I can get him a new liver.'
'How?'
'A phone call.'
'You can do that?'
'Yes, Andy, I can do that. Fifteen billion dollars still means something in this world. I can make a call and move your father to the top of the waiting list. I can buy your father a longer life-if the girl will save Zach's life.'
Frankie said, 'What did Reeves say?'
Andy told her. When he finished, she said, 'So if he gets Jessie's stem cells, he'll get a liver for Paul?'
'That's what he said.'
'Do you believe him?'
Andy nodded. 'He's not a bad person, Frankie. He's just desperate. His son is going to die.'
'I'll talk to Jessie in the morning. It's her decision.'
Jessie rolled over and sat up.
'I'll do it. I'll do it to save the little boy. And Paul.'
'She'll do it, Russell,' Andy said into the cell phone. 'It's too late to come in tonight. Send Darrell and the limo out here in the morning. We're at the Blanco State Park. We'll meet him at the park store.'
'He'll be there at dawn. I'll have the doctors standing by. Thanks, Andy.'
'Russell, make the call. For my dad.'
They hung up.
'He'll save Paul?' Frankie said.
Andy nodded. He lay back in the warmth of the fire and stared at the stars above. Was it right to use Russell Reeves' money and power to save his father? To move him up the waiting list ahead of others who ranked higher? Was his father more deserving to live than the others? Was it cheating? Was it right? Or wrong? What would he do if he had Russell's money and could buy his father a longer life? What were the rules when it came to saving your father's life?
Or your son's life?
TWENTY-FOUR
Russell Reeves had changed Andy Prescott's life again.
He woke at dawn with a mane of hair across his face and an arm across his chest. But they didn't belong to Suzie or Bobbi or another Whole Foods girl. They belonged to Frankie. Of course, she was completely dressed, they had not gotten drunk at Qua the night before, and they had not had sex. She stirred and realized her position.
'Sorry. I must've gotten cold.'
But she didn't move. He looked at her; she looked for Jessie.
'She went down to the river.'
When she turned back, he kissed her. She started to kiss him back, then pulled away.
'Andy, I have to protect Jessie. I can't get involved. You're a good guy but-'
'But what?'
'But I've already got one child to raise. I can't take on another.'
'You mean me?'
'You're suffering deferred adolescence. Like Mickey did.'
'Is that a disease?'
'It was for me, living with Mickey. He refused to grow up. Like you, except you don't get drunk and beat up your wife.'
'I don't have a wife.'
'You wouldn't if you did.'
She removed her arm and sat up.
'I need coffee.'
Andy stood. 'I'll check up at the store. See if Darrell's here. You'll like him… about as much as a root canal.'
Andy took care of his restroom duties then rode the Slammer up to the store at the front of the park.
Frankie found Jessie down by a low dam on the river. The morning sun glistened on the smooth water that was almost white.
'Blanco means white in Spanish,' she said.
Jessie tossed a few rocks into the shallow river.
'Will it hurt?'
'Maybe a little.'
'But it might save the little boy?'
'Yes.'
'And his father will save Paul?'
'Yes.'
'I can do it.'
Frankie put an arm around her daughter.
'You've always been so brave.'
Andy arrived at the park store to find a black sedan parked outside. Not the limo. Not a Mercedes-Benz. And not Darrell.
Andy shifted the Slammer into gear.
A tall man got out of the passenger's seat. He raised his left hand. His right hand was tight to his leg. He was holding something. He called over to Andy.
'Andy Prescott?'
'Yeah.'
The man raised his right hand. He had a gun.
Andy gave the gas to the Slammer and spun it around. He ducked down and heard the gun discharge behind him. He sped down the dirt road.
Frankie turned at the sound of the motorcycle. She saw Andy driving fast toward the cabin and kicking up a cloud of dust. He was yelling.
'Come on.'
They ran back up to the cabin just as Andy skidded to a stop.
'Get on!'
'What's wrong?'
'Two men at the store. They're coming.'
'To pick us up?'
'I don't think so. They shot at me.'
