Storm Surge - Part 2 (45 page)

"Huh?"

"I'm outta things to shock my mother with."

Dar chuckled faintly, and that was the last thing Kerry remembered before she let the room slip away.

Chapter Eighteen

CYNTHIA CROSSED THE lobby of the building and approached the front door. She paused, when she spotted Andrew Roberts entering. "Oh, Commander." She waved at him.

The tall ex-seal altered course and intercepted her. He had two overnight bags slung over his shoulder. "Lo."

"I just wanted to bid my farewell to you," Cynthia said. "I assume you are heading home as well."

"That's true." Andrew glanced around. "You want a cup of coffee fore you go? Ah just saw pictures of them people back at the exchanged and it's crazy there."

Cynthia hesitated, and then she nodded. "I could use a cup of coffee," she admitted. "There's a nice café, will you join me?"

"Sure." Andrew followed her over to one of the seats and they took over one of the tables in the little café to one side of the lobby. It was before lunchtime, so it was still quiet, and a waitress scooted right over to them when she saw them sit down.

Andrew set the bags down and exhaled. "Biggest cup of coffee you got," he told the girl, who nodded.

"Do you have tea?" Cynthia asked. "I'd prefer that, please."

"Sure, be right back." The waitress left, still scribbling.

"You look tired, Commander. I know it must have been a long week for you as well."

"Yeap," Andrew admitted. "Ah will be glad to get home to mah wife and mah boat, I will tell you. I do not regret coming here to help the kids out, but ah will be very happy to see that there airplane shortly."

"I do understand." Cynthia commiserated. "I didn't want to come here, you know. I wanted to stay in Michigan, dealing with the issues we have there. But I was told it would be highly unpatriotic if I did not come to support the city, so I did."

Andrew snorted. "Patriotism. Most these people round the gov'mint don't know how to even spell that word less what it means."

Cynthia studied him. "It's so interesting that you say that." She looked up as the waiter arrived, and deposited their drinks. "May I also have, perhaps, a tuna on croissant?"

"Sure." The waitress looked at Andrew expectantly.

"Ya'll got hamburgers?" Andrew asked.

"Sure."

"Have me one with cheese and some fries."

"No problem." The waitress whisked off, in a better mood.

Andrew took a sip of his coffee. "You going back home today?"

Cynthia sighed. "Probably tomorrow. As much as I am not enjoying this position I accepted, one does have to stand up for it, you know."

"Yeap."

"Though, I have to admit, I do not think it matters whether or not I go. I am not going to continue in this post, and therefore, the decision really should be mine."

"Yeap," Andrew agreed. "Thought I had to live up to stuff fore I almost lost everything I ever had for that. Don't go there no more." He shook his head. "Figured out I love my family more than my country."

Cynthia smiled. "That's so charming. And you know, I do think you're right. I believe I will change my itinerary, and leave this afternoon as well, since I have so much to do back in Michigan."

"Hear you got a wedding coming." Andrew sat back and sucked his coffee. "Glad that feller stepped up."

The woman across from him lifted her teacup in his direction. "Thank the lord," she said. "I was so disappointed with Brian, really. It's been very hard on Angela, though surely she had to take the same responsibility for her actions." She studied his scarred face. "I did think that was going to be quite awkward between Angela and Kerrison."

Andrew chuckled. "Kerry was some pissed at that boy. Thought he wasn't doing right by her sister."

"Oh," Cynthia said. "Well, yes, I suppose she would feel that way." She sipped her tea. "After all, she'd met Dar by then, hadn't she?"

Andrew smiled. "She done that." He allowed. "Dar said they got to be sweethearts right off."

They were both quiet, as the waitress came back and set their plates down, then left again to attend to the customers now coming in for lunch.

"That--ah, never bothered you, did it?" Cynthia asked.

"Naw." Andrew cut his burger in half and selected the left side of it. "Never had to worry about no feller coming by and doing her wrong while I was out there overseas, anyhow."

"Oh." Kerry's mother sounded surprised. "Well, I never thought of that." She picked her way through her tuna croissant. "At any rate, I am glad she's happy, and that she and Dar are so very fond of each other."

"Me, too." Andrew ate a fry. "Your kid's good people. I am damn glad she's part of mah family."

Cynthia smiled wryly. "I would imagine she feels the same," she murmured. "I know she's had a trying time with her own."

Andrew finished his burger. "Wall, ah think y'all will be all right in that way." He wiped his lips. "She's right fond of you all. Just take sometime. Y'all got that."

"Yes, we do." Kerry's mother smiled a little more easily. "As terrible as this past week has been, it has given me hope that my family can find a way to come together again. Kerry has invited me down to see their home and meet their friends."

Andrew chewed his fries as he considered this. "Got a nice place,"he finally said. "Ah like that little place they got down south better than the fancy one, but it's all right too."

"Do you mean the cabin? Kerry showed me pictures. It looks so charming." Cynthia sipped her tea. "I'm looking forward to seeing it. She even showed me photos of their pet."

"Hairball." Andrew chuckled softly. "Cute dog." He amended.

"Yes," his table companion said. "Kerry told me--" She hesitated. "I never actually knew what had happened with her little Cocker Spaniel."

Andrew merely grunted.

"I feel terrible now about it. Roger wanted to get her another one, and I convinced him not to." Cynthia said a pensive look on her face. "I just didn't want to have to deal with a puppy. All the mess--I just never knew how much it meant to her or what--"

"That feller who done that was a wrong-headed man," Andrew said quietly.

"Yes, he was," Cynthia said. "Do you know, the police finally closed that case they were investigating about it?" She watched his face intently. "They decided it was an accident after all."

Andrew lifted his eyes and met hers squarely. "That man got what was coming to him. Ah only wish it'd come to him twenty years b'fore then so he did not have no chance to do what he done to your daughter."

Cynthia took a breath, and released it. "Roger finally realized the things Kerry had said weren't lies." She lowered her voice. "It upset him so much. He sent Kyle away while he investigated, and the night he got so sick--it was after he finally spoke to Kerry's old doctor."

Andrew cocked his head slightly.

"You know, I had never seen him cry before," Kerry's mother said simply. "It astounded me. I had no idea why he was so upset, and then--well, then he had this meeting he had to go to and after that--it was too late and he couldn't tell me."

"Lord."

Cynthia wiped her lips slowly with her napkin. "Terrible," shemurmured. "I am glad Kyle died. It is not a Christian thing to say, but it's true." She watched Andrew slowly nod. "I do like to think he got what he deserved."

"Ah do believe he did," Andrew said. "Might be he even knowed that fore he died."

Cynthia exhaled. "May the Lord grant that he did."She reached over and patted his hand. "Commander, thank you for taking the time to have lunch with me. It's always lovely talking to you."

Andrew's eyes took on a humorous glint. "Ya'll be sure to let mah wife know when you're coming down our way. We can go have us some conch fritters together."

"I certainly will." She stood up, as the waiter came over. "Here, I believe this will cover it. Thank you." She handed the man a folded bill. "Commander, thank you for letting me buy you lunch. I hope you have a wonderful trip home."

"Same t'you."Andrew lifted a hand and waved it at her. "And call me Andy. I ain't in the Navy no more."

Cynthia smiled. "I will do that. After all, we're family, aren't we?"She turned and left the café, heading for the front door again.

Andrew shook his head and chuckled briefly. "Lord."

DAR WAS CONTENT to sit quietly on the couch providing a pillow for Kerry's sleeping form. The room had gotten crowded with both New York staff and their visiting team, and a pile of boxes had just been deposited on the conference table filling the air with the scent of cheese and garlic.

Kerry was oblivious to it all. Someone had brought a blanket up from the bus and she had it tucked around her, and around Dar's arm that was draped over her body.

Alastair came over with a plate. "Piece of pizza, Dar?" He offered her a slice. "Probably won't have much at the airport."

"Sure." Dar maneuvered the big slice with one hand, getting it folded between her fingers before she nibbled at the small end. It was hot, cheesy, and had a nice crisp crust that tasted a touch smokey. "Mm."

"Sometimes you like life's simple pleasures." Alastair took a bite of his own. "This is one of them."

Dar had to agree. "Bet your wife is looking forward to you getting home, huh?"

"Lady, you know it." Alastair settled back in his chair, balancing a can of root beer on the arm. "We can share a ride to the airport. Get a few minutes of private chat time."

Dar nodded. "You talk to the board?" She glanced up to see the door open and Hamilton appear. "Ah. Lawyer's in the house."

Alastair turned his head. "Hey, Ham, over here." He called out. "Grab yourself a piece of pie and sit down."

Their corporate lawyer complied. He laid two pieces on a paper plate and came over to join them. Atypically, he was dressed in jeans and a polo shirt rather than his usual suit, and he settled into the chair across from Dar with a weary grunt.

"Got your tickets?" Alastair asked.

"Hell yes." Hamilton answered. "I've had enough of the neighborhood to last me a coon's birthday." He bit into his pizza. "I'm on your flight back to Houston, Al. I've got so much paperwork to dig through I might as well take up your space to do it."

Alastair grunted and nodded.

"Where are we with all those government demands?" Dar asked.

"Don't go there, Maestro." Hamilton waved his pizza at her. "Do not ask about any of that. Just please go back to Miami and continue being brilliant and let me do my job."

Dar blinked at him. "Sure. All yours."

"Let's just say I had my hands full the last couple of days," Ham said"Al, you owe me a damned fine steak dinner out of this."

"No problem my friend." Alastair took a swig of his root beer. "That's a debt I'm glad to pay. We've got a lot of work ahead of us in the next few days."

"Got that right."

Dar could feel Kerry's gentle breathing under her hand, and she was reassured by the easy rhythm of it. She could sense a feeling of relief in the people around her, both the natives and the visitors, and even a few smiles from the New York staff as they joined their teammates in the pizza and drinks.

She wished she could go to sleep along with Kerry. The thought of going through the hassle at the airport and then the flight home was absolutely exhausting.

"Hey, Maestro."

Dar looked up at Hamilton. "Mm?"

"Good job." The lawyer toasted her with his soda.

"Thanks," Dar answered. "Was it worth it?" She indicated the television screen in the background that had CNN on. "Market's dropped how many hundred points?"

Hamilton shrugged. "My daddy, who I will tell you thought I was coming down in the world when I went to law school, advised anyone who would listen that only fools lost money in the stock market. Everyone else just recognized a fabulous buy opportunity when they saw it."

"Our stock's up," Alastair remarked dryly.

"Airlines are dropping," Hamilton added. "That's why I want to get my Louisiana lily white ass out of here before they go bankrupt and stop putting fuel in the tanks before they take off."

"Think they will?" Alastair asked. "People won't stop flying."

"Won't they?" Hamilton asked. "Who's to say it won't happen again. People don't like dying. It ruins their day, Al."

They all went quiet for a moment. "Well." Alastair half shrugged. "I'm not walking back to Houston so I guess I'll risk it. Bad enough I almost ended up having to swim from the Bahamas or get sailed in by Captain Roberts, here."

"What?" Hamilton stared at him.

"Oh, didn't tell you about that part, did I." Alastair rested his head on his fist. "So damned much has happened I'm losing track." He pondered that. "I need a vacation."

"C'mon down by us." Dar offered. "I'll teach you to scuba dive."

Hamilton chuckled. "I'd love to see that." He leaned back in his seat. "See some octopus chasing your ass around the ocean.

Alastair rolled his eyes. Then his cell phone rang and he set his pizza down to answer it. "Now what?" He opened the phone. "Hello?" He paused, listening. "Well, hello, Governor."

"Even if I had grits, I wouldn't let that cheap excuse for a catfish kiss them." Hamilton indicated the phone. "He's got nothing but everyone's worst interests in mind."

"Well, thanks, but we--No, I don't really think we've got the--ah,sure, but--" Alastair removed the phone from his ear and stared at it. "Well, good bye to you too." He studied the instrument, and then folded it and returned it to his pocket.

"And?" Dar asked.

"The governor has a list of things he wants us to do," Alastair said. "He's on his way over here with a group of something or other and intends on staging a press conference and setting up a task force center."

"Guess he figured out which side we were on," Dar mused.

"Guess he wants everything for free," Hamilton added dryly.

"Guess he can kiss my ass." Alastair stood up and put his hands in his pockets. "Ladies and gents, please listen up."

The room got quiet quickly and everyone turned to face him.