088

SCOTT
"Nurse, can I see you a moment?" I asked.
"What is it, Mr. Rivers?"
"If Julia is moved from ICU, could you put her in a room with Lisa McManus?"
"Why?"
"They're lovers. It would mean a lot to both of them."
"Isn't she married to you?"
"It's okay. We're all lovers. It doesn't bother me in the slightest."
She watched me with a look of surprise on her face as I walked away.
Going back to the lobby, I saw the detective was still there, talking to Marcia. It looked like idle chat as opposed to questioning. His body language was much different, almost preening. I wondered if he realized she was married to the good looking man sitting down waiting. Sam was watching them with amused indifference, confident of where he stood in Marcia's life. I interrupted and asked if my house was available.
"Yeah, they're cleaning up now. They should all be gone by the time you get there."
"Have them lock up. I don't want unpleasant surprises when I get there."
He nodded and called it in.
To her I said, "You might as well spend the night, Marcia. I can make you and your husband comfortable."
I said it just to see how the detective took it. He looked crestfallen. If he knew I'd seen the gorgeous creature naked, I'm sure he'd be burning with jealousy.
"The social worker gave me your contracts back," Marcia said.
"Excellent. I want to thank you so much for dropping everything to help out. I can't repay you enough." I turned to Zoe and told her the same thing.
"It's no problem, Scott."
"Lucia, this is not the way we intended to welcome you into our home, but welcome to Fresno."
"It's okay, Mister Scott. I'm just happy both of your women were not more grievously hurt and your child is okay."
"We left in such a rush, I doubt anyone had a chance to eat. I know a great Italian place nearby called Luigi's. Let's eat, my treat."
"We had the food Chantelle packed," Sam said. "You forgot it in your rush. We'll come for a drink and dessert, though, while you and Marcia eat."
"Follow me."
Zoe and Lucia got in my truck, Marcia rode with Sam. I led them to Luigi's. I was glad to see Sharon was working tonight. I asked to be seated in her section. Sharon came to our table, surprised to see me without my two girls.
"Where are Julia and Lisa?" Sharon asked, eyeing Zoe rather sharply as she was sitting beside me.
"Unfortunately, the hospital. They were attacked while I was out of town by Lisa's ex-husband," I replied. "These are my friends who rushed to help me get here as quickly as possible. Sam and Marcia, the couple, Zoe, and Lucia, who will be staying with us while she's here on a medical issue." Seeing the look of horror on her face, I quickly added, "They're going to be okay. They're battered, but fine. They have to remain in the hospital overnight for observation. Marcia and I haven't eaten, so we'll be having supper. The others had a bite, but give them whatever they want. The bill is on me."
She took everyone's order. I was in the mood for comfort food and alcohol, so I had a drink in addition to lasagna. Zoe's pregnancy was apparently making her hungry. She had two appetizers, one shared with Lucia, in addition to a dessert and ice water. Sam had a salad instead of dessert and a cocktail. Marcia had chicken parmigiana and a glass of wine. Conversation was subdued, primarily about Julia and Lisa and what had happened to them.
"This is where we plan on having our bonding ceremony," I said. "I hope everyone of you will be able to come."
"I think we'd like that," Sam said. "As long as Marcia is off work at the time."
"Do you have a firearm in the house?" Marcia asked.
"Yes, I do," I replied.
"Do you know how to use it and can you hit anything with it?"
"I do."
"Do Julia and Lisa know how to use one?"
"Julia knows how to shoot, but not much about firearms, but I don't know about Lisa."
"Hopefully, they catch Jack quickly, but if they don't, both women should know how, where and when to shoot."
"I'll ensure both of them do. What about Lucia, since she's going to be staying with us?"
"Chantelle and I have been working with Lucia for over a year. Anyone who tries anything with her will be in for a rude awakening, if they wake up."
I looked at her, dark and slight, not more than five feet two inches tall. She looked so tiny. She seemed to grow bigger and harder as Marcia spoke, less dainty, as if her words made her toughen.
We went home after. The crime scene tape was gone, but there was still blood on the floors. Whose blood I didn't know.
"This must be where Lisa was," Marcia said. "Jack burst in on her at the door. This is close to the door. The smaller drops from her nose, the larger drops from where Jack was stabbed with the meat fork." She walked around the room. "This looks like where Marcia struck her head and fell. More blood; I'm guessing, mostly Jack's."
"Why didn't he die from being stabbed in the back?" I asked.
"Crime scene probably took the meat fork and knife. Would it have come from this knife holder?"
"Probably," I replied. "The easiest to lay hands on."
"This space is probably the meat fork. The other empty hole is from a broad bladed knife." She pulled out the other knives, looking at what was there, and what would seem to be missing. "Probably a seven to nine inch butcher knife. Good for slicing, not necessarily stabbing unless you're stabbing soft tissue. If Lisa attempted stabbing him in the back over his rib cage; a wider blade would get hung up on his ribs unless you turned it sideways. Knives look wicked, but unless you know what you're doing, hard to use. Most people don't know how to use them properly in a fight. They hold it wrong, they have the wrong blade. A thin bladed stiletto or switchblade is what you need for a knife fight. This bone carver would have worked better instead of the butcher knife, but you'll go for bigger if you don't know what you're doing. In our self defense training, they teach us that we need to be 21 feet from someone who knows how to handle a knife, or we will be cut. You can't draw and shoot your weapon before you're stabbed."
"Doesn't your body armor protect you?"
"There's a breast plate to help protect your heart against knives, but the kevlar doesn't stop knives, only bullets, and if they cut the femoral artery on your leg, you'll bleed out in minutes. I hate knives, especially in the hands of an expert. Women hate the thought of being cut, and I'm no exception."
"We can help you clean up, Master Scott," Lucia said.
"Not tonight. Let's all go to bed and tackle it tomorrow sometime. Lucia, I know where Julia planned on putting you. Let's get you settled. Zoe, why don't you sleep with her since it's strange surroundings for her."
"What about you, Master," Zoe said. "Will it comfort you to have company?"
"It wouldn't feel right sharing my bed with you while my slaves are in the hospital. I'm sure you understand."
"Of course, Master."
"We weren't expecting you two," I said to Sam and Marcia. "We'll probably need to put sheets on the bed."
"No problem. If you show us where the sheets and room is, Sam and I can make up the bed while you get everyone else settled."
I showed them the linen closet and their room.
"The bathroom's right down the hall. You'll share it with Lucia and Zoe. If you need any incidentals, we keep some on hand."
"I was able to pack what Marcia and I need. I don't know if Zoe got what she needed for an overnight stay," Sam said.
"I'm fine for a brief stay," Zoe reassured me. I left Sam and Marcia and led the other two down the hall.
"This will be your room then," I showed it to Lucia and Zoe.
Lucia found an envelope with her name on it placed on her pillow.
"Is this for me?"
"I'm sure it is if it has your name on it."
She carefully opened the envelope, almost if she were afraid some other Lucia would come in and claim it from her. When she read it, she started crying.
"What is it, Lucia?" Zoe said, putting her arm around her.
Lucia handed her the card. Zoe started crying too. "It's beautiful," Zoe said. "So thoughtful of them."
"What is it?" I asked.
Zoe handed the card to me. The note, kind, the picture of the two children holding hands, precious. I started tearing up too. I thought of how close I might have come to losing my own child, and I couldn't help it.
I reenforced Julia's greeting. "Welcome Lucia. I hope everything works out for you. I'll leave you two to it. Have a good nights sleep."