The Reckoning (23 page)

“Well, I guess that makes some sense about the access.”

Butch took a swig of his beer. “What do you mean?”

“The general is in town, and when I shook his hand, I saw him on the phone, and he mentioned
Lydia
’s name.”

“Mike, I read the file you gave me.” Thompson tilted his head. “What the hell is going on?”

The door to the patio swung open, and
Elizabeth
walked out and took a seat in Mike’s lap. She put her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. “Dinner is ready, and they sent me out to get you. ”

Mike kissed her back before he glanced at the guys. “We’ll finish this talk later.”

All of the guys stood and left Mike and Elizabeth out on the patio. Mike let his hand slid up her bare thigh.
Elizabeth
gave Mike a quizzical look. “What were you talking about?”

His hand stilled. Mike kissed her forehead and pushed up from his seat taking a step away from her. “Nothing to worry your pretty little head over.”

Elizabeth
put her hands on her hips and tilted her head. “So, it’s like that?”

Mike stepped back over to
Elizabeth
and pulled her into his arms and, this time, pressed a long lingering kiss to her lips. “Just for now, baby. When I have some answers, I’ll tell you everything.”

That answer wasn’t going to appease his little doctor, but it would have to do for now. He didn’t have another answer, only a ton of questions. There were more pressing things to worry about that required a bit more of his attention. The girls weren’t going to be too happy with him before the night was over.

Mike put his arm around
Elizabeth
’s shoulders and walked toward the door; pulling it open for her. 
Elizabeth
glanced up at him as she walked through the threshold. “Abby was right, you know.”

“About what, Doc?” Mike asked as he followed behind her.

“Kissing to shut us up just delays the inevitable.”
Elizabeth
pulled her chair out and took a seat. “You might want to reconsider your tactic. It might come back to bite you in the butt.”
Elizabeth
picked up her wine glass. “One day you’re going to need some information I have, and I’m just going to kiss you and give you the same line and see how you like it.”

Mike leaned over and whispered in
Elizabeth
’s ear as he took his seat next to hers. “I can think of other more pleasurable ways to get information from you, baby.”

A pretty shade of pink traveled from
Elizabeth
’s neck to her cheeks, and she placed her glass down.

Mike had taken the last sip of his beer when
Elizabeth
leaned over and whispered back, “Don’t underestimate me, Detective. I’m capable of that and so much more.”

Abby covered her ears with her hands. “Too much information. You’re making my ears bleed.”

Mike chuckled at his little sister and reached for the dressing, adding some to
Elizabeth
’s plate before adding two helpings to his own. The conversation around the dinner table grew comfortable; everyone was laughing and carrying on. The only missing adults were Briggs and John. Little Lily was tucked away in her crib, enjoying a late evening nap. The atmosphere, although comfortable, held a bit of apprehension beneath it.
Lydia
kept glancing at Claire as if in silent conversation, and at one point, Claire laughed out loud. The damn woman was reading thoughts again. He just hoped she stayed out of his own.

Emma had strategically placed Thompson next to
Lydia
. The closer he leaned toward her, the farther she leaned away. Sitting on the edge of her seat, she looked as though she might fall from her chair at any minute. They finished eating and cleared the table. Emma left at some point and returned with Lily in her arms, pulling a bottle from the fridge. He’d never seen his sisters as happy as he did that night. Things were going to change when he broke the news, but he’d hold his breath and hope for the best.

They all sat around sipping coffee when the cleanup was done. Mike leaned over and whispered, “Get your medical kit. It’s about to get ugly.”

Elizabeth
grabbed his arm and shook her head violently. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

Mike patted
Elizabeth
’s hand that held his arm. “It’s going to be fine, Doc.”

Mike cleared his throat and waited until all eyes were on him. “We have an update on Winters.”

The people in the room fell silent.

Mike pushed back from his chair, stood, and started to pace the kitchen. He made two passes before he stopped and turned toward the table. “The FBI has come into information that indicates Winters is a doctor at the hospital.”

“What did they find?”

Thompson leaned forward. “They found dates, times, and packing shipments that were send from the hospital to the professor. It has to be someone that is on staff, that has access to your letterhead and packaging.

“Did you dust it for finger prints? I’d like to get a hold of the evidence you’ve got and run my own tests on it.”

Mike patted Abby on the shoulder. “Slow down squirt. I’m sure they’ll let you get your chance.”

The tension reverberating in the room said more than any words could have.

Mike glanced from sister to sister before his gaze landed on
Elizabeth
. Her lips were slightly parted, and her eyes grew huge. Each of his sisters held the same look. All except for
Lydia
, who stared back at him from behind the coffee cup she was sipping and winked before she nodded, as if telling him it was okay to continue.

Emma sat the baby bottle down and repositioned Lily on her shoulder, lightly patting her back. “Well, don’t leave us in suspense. Who is he, and have they arrested him yet?

Mike shook his head. “They don’t have a name yet.”

Claire leaned back into her chair. “Well, tell us what they do know.”

Mike’s heart dropped to his stomach. “Claire, I’m afraid the FBI believes that Winters is going to be at the benefit tomorrow night.”

Claire crossed her arms over her chest. “Again, really?”

Mike nodded. “I’m afraid so.” Mike pointed around the table. “So I don’t want you girls anywhere near there.”

Claire pushed back from the table and stood. Butch did the same, following beside her. He placed his arm around her shoulders.

“Now, Michael Bennett, I know you aren’t suggesting that I not attend my own benefit.” Claire narrowed her eyes. “That wouldn’t be very wise of you.” She glanced up at Butch. “And you should choose your words carefully, if you ever hope to have sex with me again.”

Butch held up his hands and glanced at Mike. “Dude, I’m on her side. I’ll be responsible for keeping her safe.”

Mike ground his teeth together and rubbed his jaw.

Abby pushed away from the table. “I know you aren’t telling me what to do.”

Sam stood beside Abby. “Now ,Abby baby, this guy they’re after is dangerous. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be there.”

Abby gave him a slight elbow in the stomach. “Ye of short memory. Who saved your ass when there was a serial killer on the loose?” Abby pointed to Mike. “There is no way in hell I’m staying at home and letting Mike deal with this by himself. Hell no.”

Sam reached up and rubbed his stomach. “He won’t be by himself, baby. All of us guys will be there, and so will the FBI.”

Abby lowered he eyes and shook her head before lifting her head and meeting Mike’s gaze. “Not good enough. I’m a better shot than either of you.”

Sam stern voice broke the staring match he was having with Abby. “Now, Abby, there is no need for you to be there.”

“Like hell. When have you ever told me what to do and I actually listened?”

Sam raised his brow. “Uh, never.”

Abby threw her hands up in the air. “And I’m not starting now.”

Emma leaned down and kissed Lily before she did the same to Jake. “Jake honey, you know I’m going too.”

Jake nodded. “I figured as much. That’s why I’m going too.”

Mike ran his hand through his hair. “Unbelievable. You’re all whipped.” He turned toward
Elizabeth
. “You won’t be there, so you can get that out of your head right now.”

Elizabeth
laughed. “I don’t take orders from you, Detective. Short of being locked up in jail, I have every intention of being there.”

Mike placed his hands on
Elizabeth
’s arm. There had to be a way to talk her out of going. His heart was already breaking that his sisters planned on being there, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. “Doc, you can’t be serious. Why would you do that?”

Elizabeth
slid her hands up Mike’s chest and put them around his neck. “Because, Detective, you and your sisters would do it for me.” She batted her eyelashes and stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his. “Besides, the way you guys get hurt, you’re going to need me there, and not only that, but wouldn’t it look suspicious if I don’t show up? I’m a member of the hospital staff, not to mention your girlfriend.”

Mike closed his eyes. This wasn’t turning out how he expected any of it. Not only was he going to have to be on the lookout for Winters, assuming that Ted came through for them, but now, he had to guarantee his sisters stayed out of harm’s way.

Mike glanced over at
Lydia
. “What about you?”

Lydia
walked over to Claire and took her hand. “Let’s just say, I’m able to take care of myself. No one is going to hurt me, and besides, your sisters want me there, so I’m going.”

Mike glanced at Elizabeth who just smiled sweetly and patted him on the arm. “It’s okay, big guy. I’ll explain it later.”

“I’m not sure what they are working on, but I can tell you what we’re doing.” Mike took his seat.

CHAPTER 20

Elizabeth
arrived home in a more somber mood than when she’d left. She kissed Mike at the door, said hi to her dad, and walked to her room to change into some comfortable sleeping clothes. For the first time in a long time, she’d felt safe. The weight of her stress from two years of always looking over her shoulder was finally gone. She stood at her bedroom door with her hand on the knob and pulled in a deep breath before she opened it and went in search of her father. The least she could do, is give the same relief to Mike and his family. The constant not knowing and not having all of the clues would have killed lesser people. She would help anyway she could and there was one man that had the answers and held the clue; her daddy.

Elizabeth
found him in the kitchen. She put on a pot of coffee while he sat reading the paper.

“How was dinner, honey?”

Elizabeth
glanced over her shoulder. “Fine.”

The General put down the paper and lifted the beer to his lips. “Is that all? Fine? Did Bennett do something to make you mad?”

Elizabeth
poured her coffee and pulled out a chair across from her father. “No, General, Bennett was a complete gentleman.”

“Then why so glum, baby?”

Elizabeth
took a sip of her coffee and contemplated her words. She’d never tried to get information from her father, so she had no idea how this was going to go. “Daddy, why are you here in Southall?”

The General set his beer down. “To see you, Lizzy.”

Elizabeth
let her head fall forward, and she let out a sigh. Her dad wasn’t telling her the whole truth. If he was keeping things from her now when it mattered the most, when else in her life had he only given her a half-truth? She lifted her gaze to his. “The whole truth, Daddy. I heard you tell Mike you were here on official business.”

The General lowered his head before meeting her gaze. “I can’t tell you, Lizzy. It’s classified.”

Elizabeth
narrowed her eyes.She wasn’t a child anymore. His need to protect her and pick and choose her battles for her had stopped a long time ago.
Elizabeth
let her facial expression relax, and she chose a different tactic, one that she knew would work.

“Daddy, did you know that one of Mike’s sisters told him where to find me when the professor had me at gunpoint?”
Elizabeth
took another sip of her coffee and shook her head, adding, “Yep, if it hadn’t been for her, both of your daughters would be dead right now, and you wouldn’t be sitting here reading the paper, visiting with me. You’d be planning my and Gracie’s funerals.”

The General leaned his elbows on the table. “What are you getting at,
Elizabeth
?”