The Twelfth Of Never: A suspense mystery romantic thriller (8 page)

CHAPTER 7

Jenny busied herself going over reports, fine-tuning the last
minute additions Steve had suggested. Then she verified all the figures and,
once done, leaned back in her chair savoring the quiet and solitude the morning
offered. Jenny stood up, walked over to the window, and looked down at the
constant movement of colors as students scurried to their next class while
others sat on blankets, using the time to study. She envied them their carefree
lives before they had to go out into the harsh real world.

Slowly the door opened. Jenny turned and was taken aback by
the perky blonde standing in the doorway. The white uniform made her pale
complexion tan by comparison. Jenny shrugged her off as a student nurse wanting
last minute changes in a fall schedule that was already cast in stone.

"Can I help you?" Jenny asked.

"I'm looking for Jenny Hamilton. The lady down the hall
said to come in here."

"What can I do for you?"

"I was asked to give you this message," Cindy said.
She walked into the room and reached in her pocket for the wrinkled note. Cindy
handed it to Jenny, and then stepped back. Her task accomplished, all she
wanted was to go home now.

Jenny stared at the RN insignia, realizing the young woman was
no longer a student. She glanced down at the slip of paper but did not
recognize the handwriting. Jenny's heart raced while reading the words.

"Is this a joke?" Jenny snapped while looking up.
She just stared for what seemed like an eternity.

For a moment Cindy thought the woman in front of her would
faint. Cindy was tired. She'd just come off a twelve-hour shift and all she
wanted was a hot bath and eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. She did not have
time to play question-and-answer games with the woman standing in front of her.

"He just asked me to do him a favor, that's all."

"Where is he?"

"He's a patient at New York Hospital, where I work."
Cindy shook her head, but then remembered she had not mentioned that to Jenny
yet.

"How long has he been there?" Jenny asked.

"They brought him in yesterday, it's been in all the
papers."

"What's been in all the papers?"

"The attempt on Ambassador Wayne's life, he was there. I
guess he helped save the Ambassador."

"I worked late last night, I didn't hear the news."

"They have guards posted outside his door."

"Why are you telling me?" Jenny asked.

"Only nurses and doctors are allowed in. Absolutely no
visitors, were the orders given to us."

"How did he think I could get in to see him then?"

"I don't think he thought about it."

Jenny studied the note. The handwriting definitely was not
John's. But who would play such a cruel joke on her? She glanced up at Cindy,
and then asked, "Would you please help me?"

"It could mean trouble," Cindy said defensively at
first.

"Then why did you bother bringing me this note?"
Jenny held up the note while staring at Cindy.

"I didn't read it. If I had, I certainly would have told
him about our orders." Cindy regretted coming now. She looked for an
excuse to leave, but Jenny would not let her go so easily.

"If someone wanted to get in and talk to him, how would
they go about it? Without raising suspicion, that is."

The young woman shrugged her shoulders. She sheepishly smiled
as she pointed down at her uniform. It had not even occurred to Jenny how
easily the whole thing could be pulled off.

"I could drop one off for you. We're about the same
size," Cindy said with a gleam in her eye, then quickly added, "You
have to promise to return it?"

"I promise. When can I get it?" Jenny pleaded. Her
heart raced at the idea of seeing John again.

"This morning, I guess. I'll be back in about an
hour."

"Good. I would like to talk to him as soon as
possible."

Cindy left the University and took the bus to West 12th
Street, where she shared an apartment with Kelly McFlory. She was too tired to
walk the six blocks, and when she saw the tiny shoe shop below her apartment,
she almost changed her mind about returning to the University. Her feet hurt,
and she could not stop yawning. But as she stepped off the bus, she knew in her
heart she could not disappoint Jenny Hamilton, like she could not say no
earlier to the patient at the hospital.

"Morning, Cindy," Mr. Bernstein said as he rolled
down the canopy above his shop.

"Looks like it's going to be a beautiful day, Sal,"
Cindy replied looking up at the clear sky. It was an exchange they had every
morning. Cindy would be ending her day when the old merchant started his. It
never bothered her, the clatter of noise from below. Even when Sal worked in
the back on shoe repair, it was not enough to disturb the tired nurse.

"Weatherman says rain later," Sal quickly added.

"Wouldn't you know?" Cindy said with a frown.

"I'll try to keep the noise down this morning."

"Don't worry, I have to go out anyway."

Cindy left Sal, quickly walking up the flight of stairs. Once
in the apartment, she tiptoed around the pop and beer cans that were scattered
about the living room floor. Bowls of popcorn and chips filled the tables, with
open containers of dip. Cindy looked around the room, almost in tears from
exhaustion. Her body ached. She was upset that John Hamilton had played on her
sympathy, and angry with herself for not saying no to Jenny.

Cindy went to the closet and pulled out a uniform still
wrapped in plastic from the cleaners. Then she walked over to the dresser, took
the RN pin with her name and tucked it in the pocket of the uniform. It would
do no good to have the uniform without some form of ID. Cindy quickly put her
extra nursing shoes in a brown paper bag. Looking around she almost changed her
mind about the whole adventure, but then left the apartment and caught the bus
back to the University. It was a trip she'd made many times before when she was
a student there. She glanced at her watch. It was almost nine thirty and if she
hurried she would make it back to her apartment before Sal would go in the back
to do shoe repairs.

Cindy tapped lightly on the office door before entering. Jenny
was working at her desk near the window. Her soft hazel eyes glanced up, and a
smile crossed her face at seeing the neatly pressed uniform on the hanger.

"I was hoping you wouldn't change your mind," Jenny
sighed.

"I gave my word."

"You don't know what this means to me," Jenny
replied. She had not been able to think of anything else since Cindy left
earlier.

"There's one of my RN pins in the pocket. You have to
promise to return all of this," Cindy said, looking sternly at Jenny.

"Don't worry. Leave your name and address and I'll get it
back to you after I see him."

Cindy turned to Jenny. "Promise you'll be careful."

"You say it like there might be trouble."

"I just don't want you getting caught using my
nametag."

Jenny glanced at her for a moment. "I never thought about
the trouble I could cause you."

"It wouldn't be the first time, but I've kept my nose
clean in recent years," Cindy replied. She was getting nervous, and the
more she stood talking to Jenny the more anxious she was about the whole
situation.

"What kind of trouble were you in?"

"Mostly antiwar demonstrations," Cindy replied
finally. She walked over to the window and glanced at the park. "It was
down there."

"I remember the demonstrations," Jenny said.

A cold chill crept up Jenny's spine. It was the month after
John had left. The campus was under siege with protestors against the war.
Jenny found herself torn with being against the war and being ripped apart by
guilt. Although she did not actually participate in the protest, the desire to
do so had been there.

"Three arrests don't look good on a job application, if
you know what I mean. Now, I've got a meticulous record at the hospital and I
don't want to jeopardize my job."

"I'll be careful."

"He seems so lonely," Cindy said and then stopped
when she saw the expression on Jenny's face.

Jenny's heart raced, thinking about John. It had been five and
a half years since the two men from the Army stood in her office and told her
he was missing in action. And now she was faced with the possibility that he
was indeed alive. That maybe he’d chosen not to come back to her. Jenny's eyes
glassed over.

Cindy walked away from the window and was about to leave, but
before she opened the door, she turned to Jenny. She had to know. Up until then
Cindy assumed Jenny was a long-lost sister. But there was something in Jenny's
mannerisms that told her there was a lot more to it.

"What's your relationship to John Hamilton?"
Cindy asked finally.

"He's my husband."

Cindy just looked at Jenny. All she could muster up to say
was, "I'm sorry."

"No need to be."

Cindy did not say more, she found it impossible to say
anything to the woman who was facing the worst pain of her life. She walked out
of the office while Jenny went back to her desk. Sitting down, she stared at
the uniform on the coat rack.

As the door opened, Jenny quickly wiped away the tears and
breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Steve. He looked at the uniform and then
turned to Jenny.

"You change careers?"

"No, a friend is letting me borrow it for the day."

"Why would you need a uniform? It's not even close to
Halloween?"

Jenny picked up the note, and then handed it to Steve. She
watched the expression on his face. Steve set the note down. He looked up to
see the pain in Jenny's eyes.

"You're not seriously thinking of going, are you?"
he asked.

"Why not?"

"This could be a prank."

"Then I'll find out, won't I?"

"Who was the girl?"

"She works at the hospital. John is a patient they
brought in yesterday."

"Do you trust her?"

"I have to. She was just doing a favor for a patient. She
doesn't even know John, or me for that matter."

"Then why bother?"

"Like I said, she was doing the man a favor."

Steve glanced at Jenny. "Who in their right mind does
favors in this city anymore?"

"She's sincere. What would she possibly have to gain by
coming here?"

"Why the uniform then?"

"He's in protective custody because of some mess
yesterday. She didn't think I could get in to see him otherwise."

"And you, like a fool, are going to waltz into that
hospital room pretending to be a nurse." Steve shook his head before
turning back to Jenny. "You could get in serious trouble."

"I want answers. He is claiming to be John. If he is, I
want to know why he didn't come back."

Steve thought for a moment. He did not want to say what was
really on his mind. He inched his way over to the uniform.

Jenny feared for a moment that he would take it so she could
not use it. "What are you going to do?" she asked.

Steve turned, "I have a friend who works at Social
Security. Why don't I give him John's number, I'll see if he's filed a tax
return in recent years?"

"Why do that?"

"If he has, then maybe the man is John. But if he hasn't,
you know John didn't return."

"Can you do that?" Jenny asked.

"Sure, he won't be able to tell me anything more than a
simple yes or no."

Jenny got up from her desk; she paced the room before finally
turning to Steve. "I can't believe he returned and didn't come back to
me."

"I can't either. That's why I don't think it wise for you
to meet this man."

"He's in protective custody. I should be safe."

Steve shook his head. "I still don't like it."

Jenny looked at Steve with pleading eyes. "Just have your
friend check the information for me."

"I wish you'd rethink this."

Jenny ignored his request. "Could I have the afternoon
off?"

Steve shrugged his shoulders. "Of course, you have the
time coming."

Jenny stared at Steve. She wanted desperately for him to
understand. "I have to do this. If it is John, he has some explaining to
do."

"And if it isn't? Then what?" Steve asked.

"I'll face that when I get there." Jenny replied as
she forced a smile. "How long will it take your friend to get the
information?"

"Give me an hour." Steve walked over to the door.
Before leaving, he turned to Jenny. "I could come with you."

Jenny cut him off quickly. "This is between the two of
us."

As the door shut, Jenny looked down at the note again. She was
certain the writing was not John's, but that still did not answer the nagging
question. Who was it in that hospital bed, and why did he want to see her?

Jenny tried busying herself with work, but it was impossible
to concentrate on the figures, all she had on her mind was the man across town.
The minutes ticked away slowly. Steve returned about eleven, and when he walked
into the office the look on his face told her the news was not good.

"What is it?" she asked.

Steve avoided looking at Jenny as he walked over to his desk.
He took a deep breath and turned to her. He could not lie. She had to know the
truth.

"John's filed tax returns for the last four years."

"That can't be," Jenny whispered. She had herself
convinced the man was not John, but now with what Steve said. Jenny was faced
with the fact that John did not love her after all.

"Maybe you shouldn't see him today."

"I have to," Jenny snapped. Five and a half years
had been spent waiting in limbo. She would not let another day pass without
answers.

"Benjamin could go with you."

"Don't call him. He has enough on his mind with the show
coming up. Besides, this is between John and me," Jenny said firmly. She
would get this matter cleared up before getting anyone else involved.