|
|
As on her earlier visits Brenda wore an outfit with a native American flavor. Today it included a bracelet and necklace of silver, with turquoise and some other gemstones, with a western-style shirt with some embroidery on the yoke. Cowboys and Indians? Guess it works. She gave both of them a warm hug and led them into her suite. "How's the memory doing?" she asked when they were seated. "Pretty well," Alex replied. "I guess. I don't know how to tell for sure. When I run into someone from my past, I usually don't remember them, but later I do remember things about them." "That's normal," Brenda said. "Sometimes it takes something to trigger it. Some things might take a while if something doesn't. I'm glad you're better. You look good." Brenda looks good too, is she married? Hate to see her get a bad man though, there's a lot of them around. "Alex?" Daydreaming again. "Sorry, got to thinking about something." "I brought a couple more bottles," said Brenda. "Probably you'll eventually have gotten as much benefit as you're going to, but you're doing really well. Would you like me to do another scan?" "Sure." "Sit in the recliner here and lean back, about halfway." Alex complied and closed his eyes, tried to blank his mind. He felt Brenda's fingertips on his temples. Smelled perfume. What's that? Dunno, come to think of it I don't know what Jessica wears. What... He opened his eyes. Jessica and Brenda were standing by the chair. "You can sit up now," Brenda said. "How long was I gone that time?" "Not long, about five or six minutes." "How do you do that? You didn't hypnotize me or anything." Brenda smiled. "Just something we learn." "Any dark stuff in there?" "You're a little tense. You seem to have something, a conflict between something... something that's a part of you and something external... I don't know." "Probably that damn hospital. We're about to have some kind of a conflict for sure." "How is that going?" "Uglier and dirtier," Alex replied. "Seems like the Mob is running things. What we're gonna do with what we have I don't know. But there's some bad people, and they're not gonna like being shut down. Which is what we're gonna do." "We've got people inside the hospital here," Jessica said. "And we've penetrated their computer network, a lot of information in there. We're going to see what Harry makes of it." "Harry?" "He's an investigator we're working with," replied Jessica. "He has a lot of experience, and connections. I guess we'll have to decide what to do with it, once we see what we've got." "Criminal?" "Very." "That sounds dangerous." "It is. But someone has to stop it. They're killing people." "I know the business is full of corruption," said Brenda. "The news is full of it, or maybe I notice it more, because of my work." "Oh, it is." said Jessica. "What we're dealing with is just one of... no telling how many. Wherever there's money, there are people who want it, and don't care how they get it." "I know. Be careful, if they're as corrupt as they seem to be, there's no way to predict how they'll react to being exposed. If they know who did it." "Maybe they won't. If we can get the information into the right hands, let the law handle it." "I hope you're able to do that. Alex has been close do dying at their hands already, you don't want them trying again." Neither do I. But if they do I'll see'em coming." "So do we. What to you say to lunch?" "Sounds good to me. Want to go to Ron's again?
The waitress had just set down a plate of appetizers when Jessica's phone chimed. Harry's the only one our phones use that sound for. Must be important. "I should check this," said Jessica. "It'll just take a minute." She took out her phone and looked at the message, then put it away. "Harry wants you to call when you have a minute," she said. "Not urgent." Bet it is. Doesn't want to alarm Brenda. Hour won't make any difference. I hope. Brenda noticed too, but didn't comment. Ron came over after they finished eating and chatted for a while before they drove her back to the hotel. "You guys be careful," she said as they parted. In the parking lot Alex immediately called Harry. |
|