Echo-Foxtrot (14 page)

“What happened, if you don't mind me asking?”

“Shark attack last year. Why?”

“She looks familiar. Of course, I only met this girl myself briefly and only the once, but I never forget a face. In my line of work you can't afford to.” He leaned on his cane. “I was injured in an explosion at the docks last year. I was trapped underwater for what seemed like forever. I thought I was going to die, but a young girl saved me. She pulled me and two of my colleagues from the wreckage of the police boat.”

Jim looked at him and felt a pang of guilt as he realized who this man was.

The man held out a hand. “Detective Inspector Steve Sutton.”

Jim shook his hand. “Jim Kirk. The mermaid is my best friend—Lou Benson. She's the one who rescued you. I was so mad at her for doing so. No offense, but we were leaving the country to find my parents and she'd stowed away. I thought she was going to get us caught.”

****

Lou reached the other end of the pool. She pulled herself up the steps and leant against the pool rail. She pulled on her toweling robe and slid her arms into her crutches. She looked at the man standing next to Jim. He looked familiar. She closed her eyes as a sudden flashback took her by surprise. Once again, she was under the water. A shark came rushing towards her. Flames surrounded her. A face under the water surrounded by wreckage.

“Lou?”

That was Jim's voice.

“Lou? Are you OK? There's someone wants to talk to you.”

She opened her eyes and forced them to focus on Jim. “I'm fine,” she said, to brush off the concern in his face. “Honestly.”

“Are you sure?” He didn't sound convinced, but that was him all over.

She nodded. “So who wants to see me?”

“One of the blokes you rescued from that boat explosion. Come on.”

She nodded and gripped the crutches firmly before following Jim across the poolside to where the man waited.

****

Jim walked with her. For a minute she'd been someplace else. Jack had warned him to watch Lou for flashbacks and he was convinced she'd just had one, even if she hadn't said as much. Honestly, he was surprised she swam as much as she did. There was no way he was going to get back in the water any time soon, and he wasn't the one who'd been injured by the shark.

She held out her hand. “Lou Benson,” she said.

“Detective Inspector Steve Sutton,” he replied, shaking her hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you properly at last. I was wondering if you and your friend would like to join me for coffee. I haven't thanked you properly for saving my life.”

Jim said, “I ought to go home and pack. Thanks for the offer though.”

“I'd love to,” Lou said. “Let me just go and get changed.”

“I'll meet you in the cafeteria.”

Jim went back up to the house. “I'm back,” he said, running up the stairs.

“Did that police officer find you?” Nichola asked.

“Yeah. He and Lou are having coffee.”

“What did he want?”

“He was one of the officers Lou saved from that explosion in the docks last year.” He glanced around the room. “How's the packing going?”

Nichola surveyed the mass of clothes strewn over the beds. “Slowly.”

“Is Jack meeting us at the airport?”

“I hope so. Assuming we ever get packed, that is.”

“I'll give you a hand.”

****

In the cafeteria Lou drank her coffee slowly, looking at the figure opposite her. His cane leaned against the table beside him. “How much do you remember?” she asked.

“Not much. Which is probably a blessing. I remember a loud bang, then nothing for a bit. Being trapped under the water, panic as I couldn't breathe or move, and you appearing like a dream. Nothing else until the hospital. Three months in there, learning to walk again.”

“That I can sympathize with.”

DI Sutton smiled at her. “How long were you in hospital for? Did they airlift you there?”

“Not exactly. By the time we were rescued, five months had passed since the attack. I spent six weeks in the infirmary on the airbase.”

“Do you remember much about it?”

Lou shuddered slightly. “Everything. I wish I could forget, but I can't. The flashbacks come when I least expect or want them.”

DI Sutton said, “If it were me, I wouldn't be in a hurry to get back in the water.”

“Swimming is part of my physio. I wasn't given a choice.” She put her cup down. “Are you back at work now?”

“Yes. Stuck behind a desk most of the time unfortunately, but hopefully not for much longer. I don't need the cane all the time now.”

“According to Dr. Andrews, I don't need the crutches,” Lou said. “I just don't trust the prosthesis totally yet. And I'm not old enough for a cane. No offense.”

“None taken. It wasn't my first choice, but my kids get a kick out of doing Dad impressions with it.”

She finished her coffee. “Thanks for that. I really ought to go and pack. We fly back tomorrow.”

“Where are you living now?”

“Guam. My mum's boyfriend is out there in the Air Force.” She stood up. “It was nice to meet you properly at last.”

“The pleasure is all mine.”

18

As Bill drove them to the airport the following day, it was still raining. “Shan't miss the weather,” Lou said.

Staci mumbled something incoherently, scribbling in her notebook.

“You OK, kiddo?” Jim asked.

Staci mumbled in response.

“You won't get a straight answer,” Lou told him. “She's had her head buried in that all night. Writing her life story, I think.”

Jim nodded. “I got away with calling her kiddo, so I know she isn't listening.”

Bill hugged Jim and Staci tightly as he dropped them off. “Be good. See you in a few weeks.”

Jim nodded. “I miss you already.”

Staci continued to write during the flight, and when she did sleep, she held the book so tightly that Jim couldn't even pry it from her grasp to read it. It was a long, tiring flight, almost twenty hours in total, not including the brief refueling stop.

Lou looked at Jim. “Sleep,” she told him. “Or you'll be too tired to even speak to Ailsa, never mind anything else.”

Jim shook his head. “I can't sleep on a plane,” he insisted.

Lou grinned. “Your funeral,” she quipped. “Because by the time we land, you'll have been awake for almost thirty-six hours straight and dead on your feet.”

At the airport in Guam, Jack and Ailsa were waiting for the plane. As the others came into the arrivals hall, Jack swept Mum off her feet into a bear hug and kissed her.

Lou looked at the others and grinned. “Yep. He missed her.”

Not to be outdone, Ailsa hugged them each in turn. “It's been a long two weeks,” she said. “I'm glad you're back.”

Jack put Mum down and hugged the others. “Welcome home,” he said. “How was England?”

“Wet,” Staci said decisively. “Wet and cold. Typical English summer really.”

“Be fair, Stace,” Lou grinned. “The rain was warm-ish.”

Jack took the luggage trolley from Jim. “This is heavy,” he said, pushing it. “You guys rob the Bank of England while you were there?”

Jim laughed. “Spent it, more like. It's what comes of going on holiday with a bunch of women,” he told him. “They always take too much stuff and buy more while they are there.” He broke off with a cry of pain as Lou and Staci hit him.

“That's enough,” Mum told them. “Wait until you get indoors.”

Jim looked at her in mock shock. “Don't tell them that. I don't want to be hit indoors either.”

Back at Jack's place, Mum was surprised to see how tidy it was.

“All Jack's own work,” Ailsa said as Jack carried in the last of the cases. “He wanted it looking nice for you.”

Jack shut the front door and put the last of the cases in the bedrooms. “That's the lot,” he said. He went through to the kitchen and put the kettle on.

Mum wandered through on her way to the laundry with a pile of washing.

Jack grabbed hold of her. “Leave the washing, Nicky,” he told her.

Mum looked at him. “There's masses of it.”

“Do it tomorrow. You look exhausted.”

“I am. It was a long flight.”

Lou grinned at them. “Can I give Jack his present now, Mum?”

“Present?” Jack asked. “Yes, you can give me my present now.”

Lou grabbed him. “Come on.”

Once the presents had been opened and admired and coffee drunk, Mum went upstairs to lie down for a while. Jack looked at Lou. “Can I have a word?” he asked. “Outside.”

“Sure.” Lou followed him outside onto the back porch. The early-afternoon sun blazed down strongly. She sat by the table and Jack sat next to her. “I need to ask you something,” he started awkwardly. “It's kind of difficult to put into words, but...”

“It's Mum, isn't it?” Lou interrupted.

Jack nodded. “I love her, Lou. I have since I first met her. Not having her here for the last two weeks has made me realize just how much I love her. She has turned this house into a home. You all have, but your mom most of all. What I am trying to say here is”—he paused and took a deep breath—“may I marry your mom?”

“You're asking the wrong person. Isn't it Mum you should be asking?”

Jack smiled. “I know it's traditional to ask the father for permission to marry his daughter, but in this case I thought I should ask you. Lou, it's a decision that will affect you as well. For a start, your mom will become my wife. She will move out of the guest room and into my bedroom. She'll take my name and become Mrs. Fitzgerald instead of Mrs. Benson. I hope I'll become the most important thing in her life, after you, and she'll be the center of mine. But I don't want you to think I'm replacing your dad. Robert will always be your father. Nothing can change that or the seventeen years your mom spent with him. I would be honored for you to become my daughter, but if you don't want me as a stepdad or sharing your mom, then I need to know...” His voice trailed off.

Lou smiled at him. “Jack, I would love to have you as my stepdad.” She threw her arms around his neck, taking him by surprise. “I couldn't ask for anyone nicer. I owe you my life. Besides, anyone can see how much you and Mum love each other. She glows whenever you are in the room or someone mentions your name. Go for it.”

“Thank you. Not a word now, till I've spoken to your mom.”

The phone rang a couple of times. Mum answered it and called, “Jack? General Merrick on the phone for you.”

“Coming.” Jack got up and went inside and took the phone. “Yes, ma'am?” He listened for a few minutes and then said, “Yes, ma'am. I'll bring him in now. Bye.” He put the phone down and turned to Jim. “General Merrick wants to see you now. I'll drive you in and then bring you back.” He looked over at Nichola. “Don't cook. I'll bring something back with me. You still look tired.”

“I'm fine. Don't be too long, otherwise we'll all be asleep.”

Jack grinned and he and Jim left.

Staci was still writing in her notebook and mumbling.

Ailsa asked, “What's with Staci?”

“Don't know,” Lou replied. “She's been at it for hours. Days even. Still, it takes her mind off food.”

****

Jim sat quietly during the drive to the base. He was tired and his eyes kept closing. It may only be 1400 here, but he was still on English time and it was 0500 this morning there. The drive to the base only took twenty-five minutes. He gave in and let his eyes stay shut.

Jim woke with a jump as the car stopped. “Lou,” he said.

“It's OK,” Jack said. “We've arrived at the base.”

“I was dreaming about sharks,” Jim said. “I've been having a lot of those recently.”

Jack locked the car. “If you want to talk, I'm willing to listen,” he said. “Any time.”

“I might just take you up on that,” Jim said as they went into the main building.

Jack led the way to the general's office. He knocked on the door. “Come in,” came the reply. Jack opened the door. He saluted.

General Merrick returned the salute. “Colonel,” she said. “Jim, how was your trip?”

“Good. Thank you, ma'am. Tiring though, but it was good to see places again.”

“Good. Have a seat, Jim.”

General Merrick nodded to Jack. He shut the door and, remaining in the office, stood just in front of the door.

Jim sat down, wondering what he had done.

General Merrick looked at him. “Colonel Fitzgerald told me some time ago of your desire to join the military.”

“Yes, ma'am. It's all I ever wanted to do.”

“I understand you favor the Navy.”

“That was my original choice, yes, but being in charge of a ship isn't all it's cracked up to be.”

“I see. So what would you rather do?”

Jim glanced across at Jack. Jack motioned with his hand and tilted his head towards General Merrick. Jim looked at her. “I'd like to join the Air Force.”

“The Royal Air Force, I assume?”

“I'd prefer the US Air Force, but I don't suppose that's possible, being British and all.”

“Why the US Air Force and not the RAF?”

“I want to give something back. We owe you our lives. Plus which, I've always wanted to be an astronaut, and you can't do that from the Navy.”

General Merrick smiled. “There's no guarantees of that from here either.” She picked up some papers from her desk. “Do you remember that exam you took two months back?”

“I haven't had the results yet.”

“That's because you took it here. The results were sent here. Ninety-eight percent—the best result out of all those who took it. Jim, how would you like to serve in the United States Air Force?”