Good Tidings (17 page)

“
He just sat there and watched his partner die?” Sean asked, shaking his head. “What happened to him?”

Mary walked over and put her arms around her brother. “I don’t know, Sean,” she said. “But he’s not the same person he was when we were little.”

He nodded. “You’re right and now we need to bring him in,” he said. “But we have to be smart about it; we need to get evidence in order to make this stick.”

“
I think I need to go on a date with Kevin,” Mary said.

“
No!” Bradley and Sean stated emphatically.

“
Stop being such men,” Mary said. “He doesn’t know I can talk to ghosts. He doesn’t know we know about Jack. And he thinks he’s pulled one over on us.”

“
I’m going with,” Bradley said.

“
Stop! I am a trained police officer. I’ve done undercover. And, if you come, you’ll block me from seeing Maria,” she said. “I appreciate your concern, but really, this is the only way this can go down.”

“
I really don’t like this,” Sean said.

Mary smiled. “Yeah, you only say that when you know it’s the only way,” she said.

“
Do you have any undercover cops Kevin wouldn’t recognize?” Bradley asked Sean.

“
No, they’ve all worked Vice,” he said. “And even if he didn’t know them, a cop can recognize another cop a mile away.”

“
Damn,” Bradley ran his hand through his hair. “Isn’t there another way?”

Mary shook her head. “No, he’s done a really good job covering his tracks. Anyone who could have testified against him has ended up dead.”

“
You know, that wasn’t the thing to say to make me feel any better about this,” Bradley said, walking over to the window.

“
Yeah, sorry,” she said, and then turning to Sean added, “I’ll call him first thing in the morning and set it up.”

“
Okay, I’ll make sure there’s back-up close by,” Sean said. “Bradley, you want to ride with me?”

Bradley nodded, but didn’t turn and face him. “Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”

Sean stood and walked to the door. “Oh, just so you know. Your bed was moved into a private room in intensive care because you had a near-fatal reaction to some misadministered penicillin. You’re in a coma and not expected to survive.”

“
Well, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” Bradley said.

Sean nodded and left the hotel room.

The silence in the room was deafening. Bradley stood looking out into the night sky. Mary stood next to the couch her arms wrapped around herself.

“
I guess I’ll get ready for bed,” she said finally. She walked slowly to her room.

“
Mary,” he said, still looking out the window. “You’ll never get any sleep in there. We can share the couch again.”

“
But your shoulder…” she started.

He turned. The intensity in his eyes stopped her words.

I need to hold you tonight, Mary. Watch over you while you sleep.

“
I’ll be fine,” he said.

She nodded. “Thanks, that’d be nice.”

*****

Mary slowly opened her eyes. The sun had risen over the waters of Lake Michigan casting a dusty rose hue to the sky and gilding the blue waters with gold. The darkness of the hotel room was beginning to fade, replaced with warm light. She turned her head and gazed at Bradley’s face, propped against the cushions of the couch above her. His hair was brushed forward on his forehead and his mouth was relaxed in a smile that Mary adored.

She lifted her hand to brush the hair back when a movement across the room caught her eye.

The woman stood close enough to the window that the morning rays of sun passed through her and onto the carpeted floor. Mary recognized her as the same woman she had seen at the hospital. Had she too been a victim of Kevin’s actions?

“
Can I help you?” Mary whispered.

The woman smiled sadly and, once again, lifted her finger to her lips and faded away.

No sooner had she left than Mary felt Bradley’s arms tighten around her. She looked up and his eyes met hers.

“
Hi,” he whispered, “How did you sleep?”

“
I’ve never slept better,” she replied. “How are you? How’s your shoulder?”

“
What shoulder?” he asked with a smile.

“
The one that probably hurts like hell about now,” she said.

“
Oh, that one. It hurts like hell.”

Mary chuckled and sat up. “I’ll get your meds.”

She popped open the bottle of pain killers Sean had brought from the hospital and pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “About last night,” she began, as she walked back to him.

Bradley shook his head. “No, we really don’t need to go there,” he said. “You’re right. I hate it, but you’re right. The only way to catch him is to talk to Maria.”

She smiled and passed him the pills and water. He swallowed them and then slowly stretched. “Yep, hurts like hell,” he muttered.

She sat on the chair next to the couch. “And?” she asked.

“
And what?”

“
And what advice do you want to give me?” she asked with a smile.

He met her eyes with complete soberness. “Don’t take risks. Don’t do anything stupid. And if you get hurt, I’m going to kick your butt.”

She nodded and dialed her cell phone. “Hey, Kevin, am I interrupting you?” she asked. “Oh, that’s good. Hey, listen, can I redeem that rain check from the other night?”

She paused and listened for a moment.

“
Yeah, I need to get away, think about something else,” she said. “Bradley is in pretty bad shape, they don’t think he’s going to make it.”

Her breath caught and tears filled her eyes. She sniffed. “Sorry, I’m a little emotional,” she said. “Anyway, Sean is kicking me out of the hospital for a while to get some fresh air. I just wondered if we could do something.”

“
Yeah, that would be great,” she said. “Do you want me to meet you there or do you want to pick me up?”

She nodded. “Okay, I’ll be in the hotel lobby at eleven. Thanks, Kevin.”

She hung up the phone and took a deep breath.

“
Well, it’s done.”

Bradley shook his head. “No, it’s just beginning. Where is he…”

A knock on the hotel room door interrupted him. “Hey, it’s Sean,” he called from the other side of the door.

Mary got up and let him in. He was carrying a shopping bag from a local restaurant. “I thought I’d bring in breakfast,” he said. “And then we could set things up.”

He took a look around the room, noting the blankets piled on the couch and Bradley still stretched out on the couch. “Any problems last night?” he asked.

“
None,” Mary said. “I slept like a babe in arms.”

Bradley coughed to cover his laughter.

“
Something wrong?” Sean asked.

Bradley turned and looked directly at Sean. “No, as a matter of fact, we’re good,” he said. “Mary just made contact with Kevin and she was about to give me the details. So, you’re timing is perfect.”

Sean brought the bag over, pulled out two bottles of diet cola and handed them to Bradley and Mary with a smile. “I’m nothing if not observant,” he said.

“
You’re my hero,” Mary said, taking a long drink.

“
I second that,” Bradley said, mirroring Mary’s actions.

“
Kevin’s going to pick me up at eleven and we’re going to a Mexican place out near Loyola University,” she said. “Do you know the place?”

Sean nodded, “Yeah, I’ve been there with him. It’s a family-owned place. A hole-in-the-wall, but the food is great and at eleven it’s not going to be very busy.”

“
Can we get access to the hotel room next door?” Bradley asked.

“
Why? Kevin is going to pick me up in the lobby?”

“
You said you’d meet him in the lobby at eleven,” Bradley replied. “My guess is that he comes here, to the hotel room, at ten-thirty to get some alone time with you.”

“
Do you think he’s plotting something?” Mary asked.

“
Yeah, but it has nothing to do with murder,” Bradley answered. “He’s hoping to get lucky, Mary.”

“
Ohhhhhh,” Mary said, blushing. “Wait, how would you know he’d do something like that?”

“
Be very careful with how you answer that question,” Sean advised.

Bradley grinned. “Mary, you are a beautiful woman and he’s a ladies’ man,” he said. “Of course he’s going to try and push you.”

“
Good answer,” Sean whispered.

“
Sean, I heard you,” Mary replied.

“
Yeah, I know,” he grinned.

After Sean gained access to the room next door, they set up both listening devices and cameras throughout the suite. As Sean moved into Mary’s bedroom with a camera Bradley stopped him. “You’re not going to need one in there,” he said.

Sean was confused. “Why not?”

“
Because if he pulls her in there, I’m coming through the door and it’s all over.”

Sean studied Bradley for a moment, saw the steely determination in his eyes, and nodded. “Okay.”

By ten they were done getting the hotel room ready, just in case Bradley’s intuition proved correct. Mary excused herself to get ready for her date.

“
Where’s your car?” Bradley asked.

“
I have a rental today, no marks at all,” Sean replied. “I’ve got a portable siren in case we need it, but I didn’t want Kevin to spot us.”

Bradley nodded. “Good. How many minutes do we wait before we follow?”

“
I’ve got officers planted around the area,” he said. “They will inform us once they get into Kevin’s car. We also have cars situated along the route to confirm he brings her where he says he’s going.”

“
Okay, good. How close can we get to the restaurant?”

Sean shook his head. “Not real close,” he said. “That’s a problem. The place is really small and tucked in under the L-tracks. I’ve got a couple cops who go in there regularly who will just happen to be there for lunch when Kevin walks in - but you and I are going to have to stay back.”

“
Will someone be in the next room once we leave, in case he brings her back up here?”

“
My plan is that he doesn’t get that chance,” Sean said. “Mary will send me a text when she’s received the information from Maria. Then I’ll call her and tell her that you’ve taken a turn for the worse and she needs to get back to the hospital. I’ll tell her I’m on my way to get her.”

“
I like that,” Bradley said. “Get her away from him as soon as possible.”

“
Well, you might not like this. After this date, once Mary gets the information, I want you both out of Chicago,” Sean said. “We’ll handle the investigation.”

“
Yeah, you’re right, I don’t like it,” Bradley agreed, “but I get it. I can have us on the road within thirty minutes.”

“
I’ll have my guy in Freeport keep you up to speed,” Sean said.

“
Good, I want to meet your guy,” Bradley said.

Sean laughed. “Yeah, I bet you do.”

Mary stepped out of her room dressed in skinny jeans, a form-fitting black turtleneck and high-heeled half-boots. “Don’t you have something, I don’t know…looser, you could wear?” Sean asked.

“
Yeah, like sweats,” Bradley suggested. “You’ve always looked good in sweats.”

Mary shook her head. “What are you talking about?” she asked. “I wear this all the time.”

“
I’ve never seen it,” Bradley said.

“
You just don’t remember,” she replied.

Bradley studied her for a moment; the fabric hugged her curves and emphasized every feminine attribute. “No, I would have remembered,” he stated.

Mary blushed. “Well, I’m wearing it today, so get over it. Both of you.”

A few minutes later Sean and Bradley were in the room next door and Mary was waiting for Kevin’s arrival. As Bradley had predicted, a knock sounded on the suite’s door at ten-thirty. Mary answered it.

“
Wow, you look good,” Kevin said, inviting himself into the suite. “I thought I’d come by a little early just to see how you were doing.”

Mary smiled. “Thanks, that was nice of you. I’m doing okay. Sean said he’d let me know if anything changes with Bradley.”

Kevin took her hand and brought it to his lips. “The idea for this outing is to make you forget about Bradley,” he said. “So, first rule.”

He kissed the tip of her finger.

“
We don’t mention his name. Second rule.”

He kissed the next finger.

“
You only think about me. Third rule.”

He kissed another finger.

“
I only think about you. And fourth rule.”

He took her baby finger into his mouth and lightly sucked on it.