Choosing Rena (24 page)

He shrugged, as Ethan sat back down.
“Well, it pays to be on the condo board.”

“Why do I keep forgetting you live in
the same condo building as Jude?”

“No clue.” Jackson reached for the
report. “Let me see that.” Skimming the document, he sighed.
“There’re no names on here out of the ordinary, but that doesn’t
mean anything.”

Jude sighed. “Damn I wish we did the
security for the building. Then we’d be able to question the guards
on duty and find out how the hell the perp got past building
security.”

“Unless it’s someone on the payroll
who did it.” Ethan stroked his chin. “Didn’t you tell me for safety
purposes Star Security had spare keys to each apartment in case of
a fire, along with the security codes to the apartment’s individual
systems?”

Jude nodded. “Yeah, but since we
installed our own private security system monitored by Larson
Securities, they didn’t have the code for our place. But I wasn’t
worried about a fire or medical emergency because the police would
be on the way anyways.”

“You mean you were being too damn
stingy to give it out.” Ethan retorted. “You don’t want anyone
other than Micah, Olivia, or yourself having unfettered access to
your condo.”

Jackson froze. “That’s it. It would
explain how the person got in without any sign of forced entry, but
still managed to set off the alarm. It had to be one of the
guards.”

“But didn’t you tell me, Ethan, it was
the balcony door alarm that went off?”

“Yes, but…” His fingers flew over the
keyboard next to him. “…that’s what I thought. According to the
alarm log, the main door alarm went off several minutes later. The
switchboard assumed it was us entering the home.”

Jude shook his head. “No, I entered
the code when I walked in.” He scowled. “What the fuck is going on?
We have more questions than answers still. It reeks of an inside
job, but there’s too many variables.”

Jackson rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Let me talk to Rena. Her brother-in-law still works for Star
Security. Maybe he can shed some light on the guards who worked
that night. He’s supposed to be some high-ranked management. I’m
sure he’ll give Rena the down low on who was working if she
asks.”

Ethan nodded. “Okay. Let’s move onto
the vandalism. The police report implies the attack was gang
affiliated…”

As Ethan continued to read
aloud from the report, Jackson squeezed the bridge of his nose.
More than anything he wanted to hold Rena in his arms and forget
about this whole mess.
But until I can
guarantee it’ll be safe, I’ll just have to be satisfied with phone
calls. Man, life fucking sucks.

Chapter
Twenty-Two

Rena was in the midst of showing Hank
around her apartment, after they’d stopped by his home to grab a
bag, when her cell rang. Smiling at him, she left him in her guest
bedroom to put away his lone suitcase. It hurt her to think one
suitcase was all he had to show for thirty years of
marriage.

“Hello?” Holding the phone to her ear,
she was shocked when she heard her brother-in-law’s
voice.

“It’s time. We’re headed to the
hospital. Can you meet us there?” The slightly panicked tone didn’t
surprise her. Eddie was great with field operatives, but when it
came to his wife, he was a total basket case.

“Sure, let me get my guest settled and
I’ll meet you there.” She motioned to Hank as he came back down the
hall. “You’re still taking her to Prentice Women’s
Hospital?”

“Yes, but what about this guest?” The
sharp retort had her freezing.

“Aw come on, Eddie. I’m a grown woman
and if I want to have guests over I can. You need to worry more
about getting Keisha to the hospital than who I may or may not have
at my apartment.” This was a familiar refrain between them. No
matter how many times she told the fool, Eddie still thought she
couldn’t take care of herself. “Now get your butt in gear, make
sure you grab Keisha’s bag, and for the love of all that’s great,
drive carefully.” She snapped her phone shut and met Hank’s
eyes.

“How do you feel about taking a trip
to Prentice Women’s Hospital?” She arched a brow at him.

“About the same as the Grinch feels
about Christmas.” He held up his hands. “Hate hospitals – no way
are you getting me to go to one unless I’m dying.”

She shrugged. “Then how about dropping
me off there?” She batted her eyelashes at him. “Pretty please? So
I don’t get in trouble with my man for leaving the apartment
unescorted.”

A low chuckle rumbled free from Hank.
“Like you’re scared of getting in trouble with Jackson. I think you
live for it.”

She sighed. “You caught me. But
honestly, I do need a ride. It’ll take forever to ride the “L” and
Lord only knows if I’ll find a parking place close to the hospital.
All those city garages are usually full, especially at
night.”

Giving a ‘put out’ sigh, he finally
nodded. “All right. I’ll take you but you owe me one.”

Leaning up on her tiptoes,
she brushed a kiss across his cheek. “You’re the best, Hank. Just
to show what a generous girl I am, I’ll make you breakfast this
weekend. Which do you prefer, Baklava or P
ączki?” She could’ve laughed as the man’s eyes glazed over at
the mention of both types of Greek and Polish pastries.

“Can I have both?” he joked, his eyes
hopeful.

She tapped her chin. “Hmmm,
let me think about it…” She pursed her lips. “Throw in picking me
up later after the baby arrives, and it’s a deal.”

He crossed his arms. “You drive a hard
bargain.”

She gave him an impish smile. “But
it’s worth it. I make everything from scratch. No premixed doughs
or anything.”

He finally nodded. “All right but they
better be good. Or you’re getting the shit detail at
work.”

She giggled. “They’re worth
it, I swear.” Rushing from the front room, she grabbed her purse
out of the bedroom along with a small bag of necessities she might
need at the hospital.
Like ear plugs and
lotion.
The plugs would block out her
sister’s screaming and the lotion would be good to rub on Keisha’s
back if she was able to get within swinging distance without
getting hit. One just never knew with Keisha.

As she re-entered her living room, she
found Hank ready to go. In his hands was a book. She looked at the
book inquisitively. “Planning on reading in the parking lot? I’m
here to tell you first births are notorious for being
long.”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “No.
Planning on going to Navy Pier and watching the gulls for a while.”
He turned the book to face her and she wrinkled her nose as she saw
it was a bird book.

“Whatever floats your boat,
Hank.”

* * * *

Waving good-bye to Hank as he pulled
away from the curb, Rena took a deep breath, knowing she was going
to need it. The hilarity she and Hank had enjoyed on the way over
to the hospital was now pushed to the wayside. She had a duty here,
and it was to get her sister and brother-in-law through the birth
of their first-born child in one piece.

Entering through the revolving door,
she glanced around before approaching the receptionist/registration
desk. A pretty little blonde looked up as she approached, a ready
smile on her face. “Who are you here to see?”

“Keisha Johnson. Her husband, Eddie,
should’ve brought her in a little bit ago.” She shifted slightly to
squeeze a bit of the complimentary hand sanitizer into her hands
while the young woman looked up her sister in the
computer.

“Looks like she was brought in ten
minutes ago. Once we get her settled in you should be able to go
back and visit her.”

Rena smiled at her. “I’m her birthing
coach, so is it okay if I head back now? This is her first
time…”

The girl nodded. “Of course. She’s in
room 1003.” There was a clicking sound as the woman freed the
security door. “If you take the hall to the right, the elevators
are there – tenth floor - then it should be three doors down and on
the left.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Rena gave her a
short wave as she entered the birthing wing of the hospital. When
she left the elevator she’d only walked about forty feet when she
saw her brother-in-law pacing outside of the room. Sighing, she
moved closer.

“Hey Eddie, why are you out
here?”

He paused long enough to shrug before
continuing his pacing.

“Let me guess, Keisha kicked you
out?”

Giving her a weary grin, he nodded.
“Probably had something to do with me nearly decking the nurse who
was putting her I.V. in.” He sighed. “But you know me, I hate to
see her in pain, even one as momentary as putting a needle in her
arm.”

She wanted to groan. It was going to
be a long night. “Well then, hero, I suggest you stay out here
until they finish putting her epidural in.” She gave him a quick
hug. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll yell when they’re done poking
and prodding on her.”

He gave another nod before resuming
his pacing. “Thanks.”

She gave him a ‘thumbs up’ before
pushing the door open.

“But Rena?” She glanced over her
shoulder at him. “It doesn’t mean you’re off the hook about this
guest thing.”

More than anything she wanted to stick
her tongue out at him, but she refrained. Entering the room, she
pasted a smile on her face as she joined the nurse next to her
sister’s bed. “Hey kiddo. Ready to do this?”

Reclining in the hospital bed, dressed
in a hospital gown, Keisha panted through a contraction, then gave
a huge sigh of relief as it eased. She gave Rena a half-assed grin.
“Would it matter if I said I wasn’t?”

Rena laughed. “Nope. Sorry, Sis, but I
don’t think junior’s going to be talked into waiting.” She leaned
in and pressed a kiss against Keisha’s forehead. Leaning back, she
examined all the cords and leads running from her sister to the
monitors around the bed. “Damn, you’ve got more wires hanging off
you than an old switchboard at Ma Bell.”

The nurse gave Rena a grin. “You know
I’ve never heard anyone put it quite so eloquently, Rena, is
it?”

Rena held out her hand.
“Yep, I’m the pesky older sister and
official
coach for this pregnancy and
delivery.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m
Karen, and I’m going to be your sister’s nurse. So why don’t we go
over what happens next before Daddy comes back in and blows a
gasket?”

Even Keisha giggled. Karen definitely
had Eddie’s number.

* * * *

Several hours later found
Rena walking the halls with her sister, and an I.V. pole. It seemed
at the moment the only thing helping her sister was the continuous
walking. The moment she laid down in the bed, her contractions
would stop, so Rena had resigned to walking the halls. In fact, she
and Eddie had been taking turns. This particular turn was Rena’s.
As they paused once more in front of the nurse’s station, Rena’s
cell rang. The familiar tune of
1985
had her smiling. As she answered
it, she wondered what her Dom would think if he knew she’d assigned
such a rock-a-billy song as his ringtone.

“Hello?”

“Hey,
ma peekôn.
Still at the hospital with
your sister?”

Holding onto her sister’s elbow, she
helped her around the corner. “Yes. Let me guess - Hank called
you?”

A low masculine chuckle filled her
ear. “Of course. He wouldn’t be doing his duty as your guard if he
didn’t report in about you spending the entire night at the
hospital. How’s your sister doing by the way? Not running you
ragged, is she?”

Looking over at her sister, she
smiled. “Jackson wants to know how you’re doing? Should I tell
him?”

Keisha glared. “Ask him how he’d be
doing if something the size of a watermelon was trying to come out
an opening the size of a lemon.”

Rena sighed. “You really want to get
me in trouble with the man who likes to paddle my ass? And here I
thought I was the sadistic one.” She turned back to her phone as
Keisha paused once more for a contraction. Rubbing her hand across
the small of her sister’s back, she waited for it to pass before
returning to her call.

“Sorry about that. We’re walking the
halls. Every time we stop, her contractions stop, so I’ve probably
walked five miles already.”

“Well don’t wear yourself out, Rena.”
The stern admonishment surprised her.

“White Boy, I thought we agreed
outside the bedroom, we were equals…”

“We also agreed to have each other
backs.” His voice softened. “I don’t want anything to happen to you
because you pushed yourself too hard, baby.”

Her heart nearly melted. “I won’t let
it go too far. Eddie and I are taking turns walking
her.”

There was a sudden silence on the
other end of the phone. “Which reminds me. Do you think your
brother-in-law would mind looking into the guard logs for the day
of Jude’s break-in?”