The cop cocks his head like he’s about to object, curses under his breath, and shouts out the door. “We need a medic in here.”
Grinning at me, she closes them pretty brown eyes, and moans some more until a woman in a white shirt with blue work pants runs in.
She drops to her knees beside my wife. “What happened?”
“I don’t know ma’am. One minute she was fine. Then, she just sort of collapsed.” I’m pleased I don’t have to lie.
“So much blood.” Sam holds her stomach and mimics someone about to puke.
“Do you need the hospital, honey?” I pat her hand.
“No, no. I’m okay now. Can you call Daddy? By now he’s heard and he’ll be worried.” She ventures a look at the cop in charge. “His home number is in my contacts. Inmyphone.”
“Sir, I’ll do it, if you like.” When I hold open my palm, at first he hesitates, but must realize how this situation could get out of hand.
Not wanting to talk to Police Chief Russo, who already hates me, I hand the Samsung to Sam who presses speed dial and smiles. “Hey Daddy. I was working a case and a couple of your men stole my pictures… Huh? Yeah. I’ll tell them.”
She catches the cop’s eye. “My father says to make sure everything is returned to me tomorrow.”
The officer in charge takes her phone and puts it in his vest. “I’ll have the technician’s make a copy of all your images. That good?”
“Sure, sure.” Rising on her elbows, her eyes roll up until the color almost disappears. “Shit. I don’t feel so good. Can you take me home, Suds?”
I point out at her car and then to the cop. “Can you ask someone to drive it home?”
The officer nods, probably thinking he got out of this mess unscathed but I feel sorry for him. When it comes to his only child, my father-in-law can be a mite unreasonable. This guy will end up writing parking tickets or pulling the midnight shift for a good long while.
He didn’t do nothing wrong but his attitude? Well, the tone could use some improvement. Confiscating her night’s work? Probably a bad idea. However, I may be able to save him from six months of job hell. I scroll through her cell phone’s pictures, proving they have no bearing on this evening’s fun and games.
“Mind if we take this? I’m sure her father would appreciate it.” I smile real nice-like and he hands me her Samsung.
“Whatever. Go ahead. Like I said, it was suicide unless she makes a stink.”
Sweet.I keep telling Sam honey catches more flies than vinegar. Leaning over, I scoop her up and lift when her arms wrap around my neck.
“Up we go.” My cock conjures all sorts of ideas but he needs to wait because I’m not done chewing her out.
“What the fuck? Following a dude into Bedford Stuyvesant without calling me?”Is she out of her mind?
“How was I supposed to know where he was going?” Now, if you never met my wife, you might think hers was a perfectly rational question but this is Calamity Sam we’re talking about.
As I drive around the block, waiting for an early commuter to leave for work, I take a deep breath and chill. I knew what she was like when I married her but some part of me believed her condition wasn’t permanent. No one can possibly find trouble every damn time they walk out the door, right?
Wrong.
That being said, even though it’s almost breakfast, I pour myself a beer and sit at our kitchen-conference room table.
“Babe, could you start back at the beginning?” My tone, full of goodness and light, works like magic as my wife smiles and sits down next to me.
“I did mention how Caitlin Gabrielli hired us to follow her husband.”
Catrina, hoping for more food, jumps onto my lap and purrs. Patting her silky head, my back teeth unclench as I try to recall the client. “A lowlife named Bobby?”
“Yeah. She thought he was cheating on her and she’s right. Last night, he went to see a hooker.” Sam’s pretty lips lower into a deep frown. “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?” My hand moves off my pet’s fuzzy head to my wife’s upper thigh.
“This month’s rent. It’s on the memory card.” Her distress makes me feel real bad because bodyguard jobs have been few and far between. Since COVID, people, even famous ones, still don’t feel comfortable in large gatherings.
