Gypsey Blood (13 page)

“They’ll send us a report if they find themselves in agreement with our department about what happened. The Chief is pissed. Anyway, thank God it’s over. Be back in a bit. I’ll bring juice.”

“Thanks for being here for me, and for everything.”

“Get outta here, girl. Am I your best friend, or what?” Della winked and disappeared around the curtain.

Dragus pulled his chair close to Rita and reached for her hand. The dark circles under his eyes emphasized his pallid face and the long night he had spent waiting in the hospital. “Matt weak, but he
tell
me to stay close to truth. I think of flower place. He say to tell about fake rifle, too. They never find it.”

“I helped kill her.” Rita’s voice broke. “I shouldn’t have thrown the crystal ball.”

“No.” Dragus held a finger in front of his lips. “Not dishonor mother by taking blame. I tell you all now. Sister know she die soon.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Sister
know
?” Sister sounded strange,
then
Rita remembered their Romany taboo of speaking the dead person’s name aloud for the year it would take the soul to reach Heaven.

Dragus rubbed at his stomach and glanced over his shoulder. They were alone in the emergency bay. “Hush, little one. Listen. When sister start dreaming of wet blanket around her and bad smells, she tell me death stand next to her.”

Rita struggled with her uncle’s words. She remembered the weird dreams her mother had mentioned, had intended to pry further, but this case had occupied her mind. She clutched the blanket in her fists. “Why didn’t you tell me right away? We could have done something.”

“No. No. She
make
me speak solemn promise. Even you or my
sister not stop
death when it come, Rita. Could she stop our mama’s or poppa’s death? Your
da’s
?

Rita bunched the blanket tighter and glared at him. “And did she say how or when she was going to die? What would kill her? How long she may have had to live yet?”

He shook his head. “She just
tell
me death blow cold breath on her neck.”

“Damn you,” Rita cried out. “You two should have warned me. She was my mother.”

“No,” Uncle whispered harshly. “She
know
best.
Sister know
that you worry, try to stop her death and not win. She
have
power of gift.” Dragus gripped her fist in his broad fingers and squeezed. A flush spread over his broad face, his voice rose. “You think I want her die? I love her, too.” He shook his head and put a hand over his heart. “I hurt bad inside like you.” His big frame shuddered, and he thumped his chest. “You think it not make me cry, cut my heart? I want to die for her, but she
say
it not for me now.” Uncle rose and paced in front of the bed. “When we learn from crystal ball it Lucien, she look to me, her brother. I know then she
choose
how to meet her destiny, not wait for it. We know old ways, like she say.”

Rita thought back to that odd look that passed between Uncle and her mother before they left for the mansion.

“When we outside big house, she tell me plan. She
want
to be next to Lucien after she eat poison powder and say spell. I supposed to throw ball when she die in chair, then Lucien burn in ancient flame. I think poison powder too old, not work fast enough. When Lucien take her, all go wrong. I lay on floor not able to move.”

“So, that’s why Ma had the ball with her? Asked me to throw it instead, realizing she was dying?”

 
Dragus nodded. “She say spell. To give one of us power to kill Lucien with her death.”

“But the red power was supposed to protect Ma.”

“Ja.
Sister not die
in van with Lucien. She
die
from poison. Power
protect
her from burning with Lucien.”

 
“Damn it!” Rita smacked down on the mattress. “You should have told me the sacrifice wasn’t superstition like Ma said.”

“Not be mad at us.” He wedged his hip on her bed. “Please, I beg.” His shoulders shook as he sobbed. “Sister
see
her destiny.”

Rita crumpled, and she pulled Uncle Dragus to her. When they hugged, she felt his grief raging through his very being as strong as hers. The steel band squeezing her heart eased a bit. Dragus let her go and wiped his eyes and nose with the bottom of his shirt. She rubbed her temples. The incessant beeps of monitoring equipment nearby, the telephones ringing outside the bay, wore on her frayed nerves. A swinging blob in front of her eyes captured her attention.

“Here, I hold amulet when they take you to tests last night. I clean best I could.”

She eyed the crystal. “Did you see the light coming out of it last night, in the foyer?”

“No. Not see light come out.”

“Lucien backed away from it.” She tilted her head, reached out to touch the star crystal. “I think it may have blinded him somehow.”

“Ja.
Amulet protect
you, like always. It
hold
great power of ancestors.”

Rita leaned forward. Uncle Dragus snapped the clasp. The familiar weight of the crystal against her skin gave her little comfort today.

“Doctor let you go home soon. Della
take
you. I go make plans for funeral and call vurma in
New York
.
Marta only one who know how to find and tell all our people.
I stop in Tea Room, take good rest upstairs,
then
I come your house tonight. We eat dinner,
Ja
? Talk more.”

She nodded and lay back on the pillow. “Are you in pain? You keep rubbing your stomach.”

“Ja, all black and blue from fight.
Doctor
say
no ribs break. Lucky I have much fat.” Uncle bent over, kissed her cheek, and left.

Lucien was dead. That should have given her some satisfaction. It didn’t. Ma knew she’d die soon and didn’t tell her. That hurt. Uncle knew and never warned her. He had made a promise. All she wanted to do was to go home, curl up in a dark corner, and hide from the knives slicing into her heart.

Chapter Sixteen

The doctor signed the release forms, and a nurse went over the home care instructions.

Della wheeled Rita into Matt’s room. “I think this guy is a bit anxious to see you. Take your time. I’ll wait in the hall.” She squeezed Rita’s shoulder and left.

Matt’s color had returned to normal. An IV hung from a pole attached to his bed. The steady ping of Matt’s heart monitor was the only sound in the room. He motioned to her, his smile weak, his eyes shadowed with sadness. “Come closer, Cheri.”

She wheeled the chair to the head of the bed. His hand felt warm, comforting, holding hers.

“I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am about your mother. Dragus told me what happened. She had guts. Her daughter has them, too.”

Rita bowed her head, fighting the tears threatening to fall. “I’m going to miss her so much.” She lifted his palm, kissed it and held his hand to her cheek. “You saved my life, Matt.”

“Hey.” He tipped her chin. “It’ll be okay. I got lucky, again. The glass missed my vital organs.” He took a deep breath, grimaced in pain. He pressed a hand over his wound and gazed at her. “When I get out of here, would you mind if I finish recuperating at your house for a while? If not, a motel will do. I’ll understand if you want to be alone. By the time they release me, I’ll be able to fend a bit for myself.”

“Matt, shush.” She put her fingers over his lips. “Of course you can stay with me.”

He kissed her hand. “I want…no, I need to be near you.”

A strong urge to curl up on the bed beside him, feel his arms around her, and cry her heart out overwhelmed Rita. She gave herself a mental shake to ward off the impulse. “I have a spare room. I’d like very much if you would use it, for as long as you think it’s necessary.”

“Thanks.” His expression turned serious. “Did you talk to Dragus about our report?”

“I heard what he told Lipisnski. Is it really over?”

“Yeah.
Dragus told me what happened. Lucien burned in the explosion.” He stroked her cheek.

She nodded. “I’m worried someone will find the weapons we left at the scene and start asking questions.”

“As soon as the chief spoke to my director last night, he called and left a message with the nurse. He said my boys are with the sitter, meaning, he sent in a local clean-up crew. They’ve been taken care of. No doubt he sent the same crew out to the railroad tracks, too.”

“Yeah.
Supposedly Homeland Security.
He’s fast. That’s a relief. We’ll stick with the story then.”

He sighed. “Go home, get some rest. Della’s going with you?”

“Uh-huh.
Couldn’t talk her out of it.
It’s only eleven in the morning, and she’s already being bossy, telling me what kind of light meals she’ll make according to the doctor’s orders. I’m to rest on the couch, and she’ll cater to my every whim.”

“I have fond memories of that couch.” His eyes lit with humor.

“Hmm, yes, it does have its uses.” She smiled. “I’ll be in to see you tomorrow. You get some rest, too.”

“Hey, my Gypsy Woman, can I have a kiss before you leave?”

Matt rolled on his side a bit and propped himself up. She leaned in to touch his lips with hers. His were soft and full of promise.

An hour later, Rita got out of Della’s car, unlocked her front door, and headed straight for the couch. She stacked the pillows behind her and drew the afghan up to her chest, wanting nothing more than to sink into the safe, familiar surroundings. Minutes went by and Della stood next to her, waiting to place a tray on Rita’s lap. She sat up straight and eyed the food, torn between hunger and nausea.

“You eat some of this chicken soup, and these crackers, or you’re gonna be wearing ‘em,” Della said.

“Yes, ma’am.”
Rita nibbled at a cracker, and it stuck to the roof of her mouth. She washed it down with sips of sweetened tea.

Della tugged her turtleneck sweater in place and sat in the chair opposite the couch. She kicked off her sneakers and wiggled her toes. “Aah, feels good to be out of that hospital. I hate those places. Reminds me too much of when my mom died, and I sat there every day watching the cancer eat at her.”

Crumbling the other crackers into the bowl, Rita stirred at them absently.

“Girlfriend,” Della leaned forward, “I know you’re hurtin’ bad right now. You feel like you stepped into a black hole. But, one day, just like me, you’ll realize that your mom didn’t want you to wither and die with her. She loved you. That love is planted deep, and it wants you to grow. To make a life and nurture your own dreams of a future.”

Rita forced a smile. “You are a very wise woman, Madam Della. Thanks.” She finished the bowl of soup and handed the tray back. “Can I have my pain pill now, pretty please?”

Della shook the brown plastic bottle and gave her a pill. “You rest now, get some sleep. I’ll camp upstairs in your office with your computer or curl up with a book. Yell if you need something.”

“Sounds good.
I’m whipped.” Rita yawned, and let her bones melt into the couch.

Della had promised to fix dinner, and Uncle was stopping by later. Rita had to let her bruised body heal. God, she ached all over.

The Tea Room would run smoothly with Millie and the rest of the staff while Uncle tended to matters and caught some sleep. Making funeral arrangements was her job, too, but she had promised to listen to the doctor and rest.

Soon, her eyes grew heavy. Sweet darkness swept her into oblivion.

* * *

Rita woke with a start and elbowed upright. She switched on the lamp on the end table. The clock on the mantle showed almost six. She had slept nearly five hours. Her heart lurched as it all came back.
Ma.
Matt. Lucien. She wished she could sleep for a week. At least when she was sleeping, her mind stayed blank.