Can't Say No (19 page)

“Why you...” Harvey had drawn back a fist and the only thing that kept it from connecting with Brunetti's pug nose was Audrey's iron-clad grip on his forearm.

“Would you care for a tip, Mr. Brunetti?” she said sweetly. He was too stupid to realize that her change in attitude was abrupt and insincere. “I've heard that the woman you're looking for left for the airport at dawn. I think Mr. Marshall plans to have her flown out of here in his private jet. He mentioned something about Las Vegas. You might want to check it out. Perhaps that's where they're having the wedding.”

Jake Brunetti's eyes lit up and he was practically licking his lips at the prospect of an international scoop. “You're sure about this?”

“Well, as sure as you can be with anything to do with Mr. Marshall,” she said with a little you-know-how-it-is shrug. “He's a man who makes up his mind in a hurry and changes it just as quickly. We never quite know what to expect.”

“You know him, then?”

“I work for him.”

“Thanks for the tip, lady.” He scowled at Harvey. “You ought to take a few lessons from her, Fielding. Cooperating with the press is a good policy. If you treat us right, we'll do the same for you.”

Audrey managed to contain her laughter until Brunetti was out of earshot. Then she and Harvey both started chuckling. “Very nice,” Harvey congratulated her. “Just one thing. What happens when he gets to the airport and finds that the plane is still on the ground?”

She widened her eyes innocently. “Is that what he's going to find?”

Harvey's laughter boomed through the morning air. “Right. I'll go call the pilot right now. He ought to be able to file a flight plan and hide the plane before the boy reporter can check it out.”

“Now can I go back and wish Blake luck?”

“Be my guest.”

She found Blake in the gondola offering tether rides to anyone willing to make a contribution to Mountain Rescue. A long line, mostly giggling teenagers and eager women, was queued up awaiting a turn. The minute he saw her, though, he landed the balloon and motioned her over.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Everything okay with Harvey?”

“He's doing just fine. He's busy making sure that the reporter will head for Las Vegas to try to pin down when and where you'll be married.”

“Not bad,” he said, his eyes lighting up. “Is there any truth to the rumor?”

“Why, Mr. Marshall, only you can answer that.”

“I don't think it's a bad idea, but I would need a bride.”

She gestured at the line. “There seem to be plenty of ladies here who'd probably volunteer.”

“I'm only interested in one particular lady.”

“I will get married in a Las Vegas chapel when pigs fly,” she said. Blake chuckled at her adamant tone.

“I'll have to come up with a better plan, then.”

“You certainly will.”

“Are you going to fly with me today?”

“I think one test of my courage in a weekend is more than enough, thank you. You have a good flight and win this thing, okay?”

“I'll do my best.”

Audrey brushed a kiss across his lips and patted him on the cheek. “Just try to keep your mind on what you're doing this time,” she said.

Blake scowled at her with feigned ferocity, as John hooted and the rest of the crew pointedly turned away to hide their laughter. “Why you little...”

“Careful, boss,” John cautioned with a dry chuckle. “I think you've finally met your match.”

Blake's eyes glinted with admiration as Audrey turned around and winked at him audaciously.

He shook his head at that and grinned. “I think you may be right.”

W
hen Audrey got back to the shelter, Harvey was raking his fingers frantically through his hair. Little tufts were standing up every which way. At the sight of her, an expression of relief washed over his face.

“Thank God, you're here. I was just going to come looking for you. Something terrible's happened. We have to do something.” His words were running together in a nervous rush.

Audrey's heartbeat slowed. She'd never, ever seen Harvey this agitated before. Excited, yes. But never uncertain. He was usually calm, to tally unflappable. She was almost afraid to say anything for fear he'd fall apart completely.

“What?” she said at last. “What's wrong, Harvey?”

“It's Kelly Marie!”

There were actually tears in his eyes and she felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. “Oh, no! Not the baby.” She grabbed Harvey's arm. “Has something gone wrong? She hasn't lost the baby, has she?”

“Not yet, but she's gone into premature labor. Joe's an absolute mess. He just called. He's all alone back there, no family nearby.”

“I thought Kelly Marie's mother was with them.”

“I did, too, but apparently she had to go home yesterday and can't get back right away. I'm worried sick about the poor kid. You should have heard him. What the hell do you do in a situation like this? You're a woman. You should know what to do.”

“Calm, down, Harvey,” she soothed, trying to think rationally in the face of Harvey's unexpected hysteria. “You go on back to California. Be there for Joe. Blake will understand. I can wrap things up here. There's not that much left to do anyway.”

Harvey looked at her as though she'd suggested he take up skydiving. “Uh-uh. Not me. I can't go. I won't know what to do. Joe will end up reassuring me.”

She was beginning to see the truth of that. In some ways, she found it endearing, a sign of the depth of his caring. “All he needs is a shoulder to lean on,” she told him. “Just be a friend.”

“But I'm no good at this stuff. I fainted in the delivery room every time one of my kids was born.”

She restrained a grin. “Harvey, you won't have to be in the delivery room. I promise.”

He squinted at her distrustfully and shook his head. “Audrey, I'm telling you Joe needs somebody who can handle a crisis.”

She could see there was no arguing him out of it. Without another instant's hesitation she said, “Okay, then I'll go. You make the arrangements and I'll get back to the motel and pack. Do you think Blake's pilot would be able to fly me back?”

Now that he had specific, familiar things to do, Harvey was back in control. “No problem. I'll take care of everything. You just get yourself to the airport. I'll have the pilot waiting. He should be out there already since I asked him to file that fake flight plan to throw off Brunetti. Call me as soon as you get to the hospital and let me know what's happening. If Joe phones again, I'll tell him you're on your way.”

It wasn't until she was in the air and caught sight of the balloons down below that Audrey realized she hadn't left a message for Blake telling him what had happened. Surely, though, Harvey would take care of it. At the very least, he'd have to explain to Blake why his plane was missing.

Exhausted by the tensions of the past few days, along with the long hours and unaccustomed activity, Audrey promptly fell asleep. When she awoke, the pilot was standing over her and they were on the ground in California.

“Miss Nelson, there's a driver waiting for you. Mr. Fielding said he was to take you straight to the hospital. Is that okay?”

“That's fine, thanks. And thank you for the smooth ride.”

He grinned at her. “I'm glad you were able to sleep through the storm.”

“Storm?” A shiver raced down her spine.

“It was pretty bumpy for a while, but I maneuvered around the worst of it. It took us a little longer that way, but it was safer.”

“I must have been even more exhausted than I realized,” she muttered gratefully as she hurried down the steps and into the waiting car.

When she reached the hospital, she found Joe even more frazzled than Harvey had been. He had dark circles under his eyes and a pile of discarded candy wrappers was on the table next to him. He was staring blankly up at the ceiling.

“Having a chocolate attack?” she murmured lightly. He glanced at her and gave her a faint smile that came and went in an instant.

“Thanks for coming.”

She sat down next to him and reached over to touch his tightly clenched hands. “How's it going?”

His fingers relaxed long enough to clasp hers in a painful grip. “They took Kelly Marie into the operating room a little while ago. They're doing a Caesarean.”

“Have they told you anything?”

“They said the baby might not make it because it's so early.”

Audrey closed her eyes, then forced herself to meet Joe's gaze. “You're not going to give up hope, do you hear me. This baby is going to be just fine. Lots of babies are premature and make it.”

“God, I hope so. Kelly Marie will never forgive herself if we lose the baby. That's all she's been able to talk about for the past week, ever since the trouble started. She thinks she must have done something wrong.”

“No matter what happens, she'll be okay as long as she knows you don't blame her. The two of you can get through anything, as long as you stick together.”

With nothing left to say, Audrey fell silent. The pile of candy wrappers grew. It seemed an eternity before a weary-looking doctor, still wearing his green scrub uniform, came into the waiting room. Joe's eyes widened with fear.

“Doctor?” he said hesitantly.

“You have a son.”

“He's okay?” Joe whispered, as though he hardly dared to hope for a miracle.

“So far,” the doctor said with a tired smile. “He weighs two and a half pounds and we've pulled them through smaller than that. I have every expectation he'll make it.”

Joe pumped the man's hand gratefully. “And Kelly Marie, can I see her?”

“She's still pretty out of it. Why don't you go home and get some sleep.”

Audrey could see the mutinous expression forming on Joe's lips and said, “Wouldn't it be okay if he just peeked in on her for a minute?”

The doctor smiled. “I don't suppose it would hurt. Just don't stay long. She's had a rough time of it.”

“And the baby?”

“Go down to the ICU and tell the nurse who you are. She'll let you get a look at him.” He put a hand on Joe's shoulder. “Let me warn you about something, though. He's in an isolette and there are a lot of tubes and wires. It horrifies some parents at first. Please, try not to let it upset you. Remember it's all there to give him the best possible chance to make it. If you think of it that way, maybe it won't seem so cruel.”

Audrey went with Joe to Kelly Marie's room and waited outside while he saw her. Then they walked to the newborn intensive care unit. The nurse showed them how to gown up, then led them to the isolette.

“He's so tiny,” Joe breathed.

Audrey had to swallow the lump that formed in her throat at the sight of the baby overwhelmed by all that equipment. “But you heard the doctor,” she said. “He's got every chance of pulling through. You hang on to that.”

They only stayed for a few minutes and when they were back in the hall, Joe said, “Audrey, thank you again for coming back tonight. I don't know what I would have done without you. I'm just so sorry about your vacation and everything.”

“Don't worry about it. This is what friends are for. You just promise me that I'll be on the top of the list of baby-sitters.”

“You've got it. Now, come on and I'll drive you home.”

It took twenty minutes for Joe to take her to her apartment, which seemed even lonelier than usual with middle-of-the-night shadows filling the corners. She tried to picture Blake lounging on the sofa or sitting at her desk. Even though he'd never been in her apartment, she found it was incredibly easy to envision him there. The image brought a smile to her lips. She wondered what it would be like to have him as a husband. Would he be there for her as Joe had been for Kelly Marie? She was sure of it. There was an reassuring aura of constancy and stability underlying his facade of recklessness.

Enough of this, she thought. She tried to put Blake, Joe and Kelly Marie out of her mind, but it took a warm bath and an hour of reading for her to unwind enough to go to bed. She had barely closed her eyes, when the phone rang.

Dear God, she prayed, not the baby!

“Hello.” Her voice was tentative.

“Where the devil have you been?”

It was Blake and, if it hadn't been for his impatient tone, she might have been very glad to hear from him. As it was, she immediately went on the defensive. Before she could open her mouth to tell him off, though, he hit her with another barrage of shouted, ill-tempered questions.

“Do you have any idea how worried I've been? What got into you just taking off like that without a word? I've been frantic. Couldn't you at least have left some explanation, a note, anything?”