Tough Cookie

“Of course he can.”

Arch’s smile was joyful. He adored company. Then he hrumphed and raised an eyebrow at me. “Jack’s in there with her, too. Crying, crying, like a big baby. And he’s not even a family member.”

“Well, hon …” I couldn’t think of what to say.

Tom came to my rescue. “I’d love a hug.” He wrapped me in his arms. The relief of his company was exquisite. “The priest was in a counseling session and couldn’t come. But I promised I’d call the church phone with updates.” I murmured that that was fine. With Eileen conscious and being cared for, I wasn’t quite so panicked.

“Hey, Arch, old buddy,” Marla interjected. I’d almost forgotten she was beside me. “I’ve spent so much time here in Lutheran Hospital I know the location of every place where candy, cookies, and soda pops are sold. What’s more,” she added as she drew her leather change purse from a pocket and jangled it, “I have the means of entry. I do need company, however.”

With little success, Arch again tried to hide a smile. “All right.” To Tom and me he announced, “I’ll bring Todd something, too.”

As soon as they left the waiting room, I ran Marla’s theory about the accident by Tom.

He pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Did you think Barton was aiming for Jack?” I mumbled that I did not know enough about the dynamics of snowboarding. Tom drew his cellular out of his pocket and punched buttons. Jail, he mouthed to me. While he was on hold, a large Hispanic family entered the waiting room. All looked desperately nervous and worried. I counted the number of kids and adults and matched it to the available seats—an old caterer’s habit—and realized not all of them would be able to sit down while awaiting the fate of their loved one, because Todd and Arch had left their books, schoolbags, coats, and other paraphernalia all over the place.

Since Tom was still on the phone, I moved the boys’ stuff. Whether the two of them would do any school- work while we were here was extremely doubtful. When I tried to lug the huge load over to our couch, the cursed quantum mechanics spattered-cookie-sheet experiment crashed from a bag, spewing thousands of bits of dried frosting all over the waiting-room carpet. A stray chunk pelted the eye of a twentyish male member of the Spanish- speaking family, and he cried out. I snagged some tissues and hurried over to his side, mumbling one of the few Spanish phrases I knew: “Lo siento, lo siento.” I’m sorry. He grinned and wiped his eye. My Spanish was very rusty, but it seemed the rest of his family was reprimanding him for overreacting, clucking to each other that Diego was such a crybaby. I told him again that I was sorry, and Diego announced in perfect English: “No problem. I was just surprised.”

Oh-kay. I returned to where the cookie sheet was perched beneath a mountain of school equipment. When I tried to extract it, Arch’s Spenser book toppled from his bag, pulverizing several hundred of the hardened icing pieces. I stomped to Tom’s side and savagely threw the remaining books and bags onto the couch. Except for Diego, the Hispanic family watched open-mouthed, certain, I was sure, that I had a relative in emergency psychiatric care.

Amused and still on hold on the telephone, Tom gave a silent clap to my temperamental performance until he finally reached the person he was seeking. He asked about the location and duration of incarceration for Jack Gilkey and Barton Reed. He drew out his spiral notebook and jotted down something, thanked the person providing the information, then disconnected.

“Four years ago,” Tom told me in a low voice, “Canon City was already running well over capacity. That’s when Reed began serving his fraud conviction. Because there was no room for him at the state prison, he was incarcerated at the Furman County Jail. And you already know that when Gilkey was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide two years ago, he was also sent to the county jail. They were in the same section, on the same floor, as John Richard Korman.” He flipped his notebook closed. “So you have to figure Gilkey hadn’t just heard a story about Reed being denied parole. He knew the story because they knew each other. When Jack was granted parole, I bet it didn’t go over too well with the former champion snowboarder.”

“Darn it,” I grumped, as frustrated by this information as I was with the schoolbook mess. “If only the Furman County cops could get evidence to see if Portman was dirty. The guy must have kept records. Well, maybe not. But if Barton Reed had some information about Jack Gilkey, or Doug Portman, that we could get out of him, it sure would answer a lot of questions.” And deal with the early-morning innuendoes from Reggie Dawson, I added silently.

Tom raised his bushy eyebrows. “Our guys are going through forty-six boxes of military memorabilia, Miss G. Lotta stuff in there, lotta places to hide things like files or computer disks.”

“I know, I know. But the more I try to figure out what happened with Doug Portman, the more questions come up. What’s the truth about the death of Fiona Wakefield?” I looked out the waiting- room window. Dark, silver-edged clouds did not spell anything but more snow. “Who triggered the avalanche that killed Nate? Or was it even triggered by a person? If it was, where is that person? Why did Barton Reed try to kill somebody today? And exactly whom did he try to kill? Doggone it!”

Tom shook his head. “I forgot to tell you, that collage lady called you today. Boots Faraday. Wants to see you the next time you come to Killdeer. You’re supposed to give her a call.”

“Oh, peachy. I can’t wait.” I thought for a minute. “Have your guys talked to Barton Reed?”

“Not sure.”

“May I visit him? Am I allowed to?”

Tom pursed his lips and considered. Finally he said, “You can visit him. But he’s got a badly broken leg, he’s lost some blood, and he’s in pretty bad shape. He’s immobilized and can’t hurt you. I don’t want you hurting him, though.” I gave him a sour look. “If Reed gets better, he may face criminal charges for assault,” he told me, then paused. “There’s a Jeffco deputy at his door. Room ten-nineteen. The deputy knows me, just tell him you’re my wife. The only person I’ve told him not to let in is Jack Gilkey.”

I didn’t need prodding. Tom promised he’d take care of Arch and Marla, and especially Todd, when they returned.

At the door of 1019, I identified myself to a young Jefferson County deputy and asked to see Barton Reed. The deputy inquired about ID, meticulously scrutinized my driver’s license, then told me to go on in. I knocked gently. From within came a groan.

If Reed didn’t want company, I would leave immediately. Even aggressively snowboarding convicts deserved hospital privacy. I pushed open the surprisingly heavy metal door.

A single small light illuminated the form in the bed. Barton Reed’s right leg was thickly bandaged and suspended. His head and left arm were also swathed in gauze. Flecks of dried blood clung to his forehead and cheek. All of his jewelry had been removed; tiny dark holes freckled his ears. The earrings lay in a dish on a metal bureau. On top was a silver cross on a tarnished chain.

“Barton?” I whispered.

He was breathing heavily. “Henh?”

“Do you want me to leave? I’m just here to visit.”

He mumbled something that sounded like, “Who you?”

“Goldy Schulz,” I replied. I moved closer to the bed so he could see me. One of his eyelids was blackened, swollen shut. The other eye—clouded and blue— opened and regarded me blearily. I went on: “I first saw you last summer. At Aspen Meadow Health Foods. You were getting an herbal cancer treatment.” He shook his head, and I wondered how much painkiller they’d given him. “And I was at Killdeer today. I saw the accident.”

His groan was deep and guttural. “You from … the church?”

The question took me back. “The church?”

His face was sheened with sweat. “I’m gonna die.”

“Of course you’re not,” I said, panicked. “Let me call a doc—”

“Nah.” The sole blue eye assessed me. “Why’re you here?”

“I just wanted to see you—”

He sighed. “Is she dead?”

I swallowed, then said, “Who?”

“Lady I hit.” His bulging eye questioned me.