Elena reached for a cup she had set down on the side table. “You can have the rest of my tea.” Jackie took it gratefully and finished it off in one pull, then looked over to Clay. “Would you mind a little company?”
Clay didn’t hesitate. “I’d appreciate it actually. Maybe we can unwind a bit before talking about that video... and the other stuff.” He shook his head and puffed out a breath.
“Yeah. I agree. Let’s see if we can get some food,” Jackie said as she stood and kicked all her tissues into a small pile.
“Yaaaay!” Elena exclaimed as she tossed her little handbag into the chair Jackie had been in and clambered up to sit on the edge of Clay’s hospital bed. Clay reached out and took her hand to help her situate herself. Elena reached out her arms for her bag. “Momma, can you hand me my bag please?”
“Sure, honey.”
Elena took it and dug around inside for her device, then set the bag to her side and leaned into the crook of Clay’s shoulder. “Look at this game Sean taught me about.” Clay lifted his hands slightly, unsure what to do with the little bundle of joy settling in next to him, then relaxed and asked, “What game?”
As Elena went into explaining it, Jackie’s heart melted a little at seeing Elena so relaxed around Clay. But she couldn’t help but feel slightly unnerved by the thought of her momentary attraction to a man who had been... occupied by the ghost of her fiancé. Setting that aside and determined to enjoy the moment, she pulled up the chair beside them and reached over to the nightstand for the room phone to see about getting some food.
𓂓
Michael pulled up in front of the precinct and put the police cruiser in park. “Hang here for a minute. I have to take care of something.”
Sean didn’t look up from his device. “Okay.”
Michael made his way inside and up the stairs to Detective Slade’s office. Relieved to find him in, Michael knocked on Slade’s door. “Got a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“I want to bring you in on this case,” Michael said.
“I was hoping you’d say that. How can I help?” Slade asked.
“I’m not sure. I need some eyes and ears, someone to have my back.” Michael paused, took a deep breath. “How could we keep a direct line of communication?” Michael paused before adding, “But... off the normal channels.”
Without hesitation, Slade turned, rummaged in a desk drawer, and pulled out a device and charging cable. He gave it a quick check and handed it to Michael. “Some relatively old tech.”
Michael looked at him doubtfully. “A flip phone?”
“Military grade. I keep it here as a backup in case my phone gets lost or broken,” Slade replied.
“How can this help?” Michael asked.
Slade leaned over and tapped the phone Michael held. “These have amazing battery life. I have it rigged so you can press this button on the side,” Michael turned the phone and Slade pointed to it, “and it simply calls my phone.”
Michael thought for a second. “So, I can keep this in a pocket and use the button to call you without taking it out, opening it, and dialing your number.”
“Right, clandestine. I can hear everything being said nearby, and what is happening. I can also track you while the call is active.”
Michael studied the flip phone. “Damn,” he said with a short chuckle as he looked up at Slade. “Should you be able to do that?”
Slade just shrugged but held eye contact.
Michael raised his eyebrows. “You’re right. This could be useful.” Michael turned and looked at the photo of his pregnant wife. So did Slade. Michael turned back and locked his eyes with Slade’s. “Just promise me one thing.”
“What?” Slade asked.
“You won’t come rushing in guns blazing to help us if it gets bad.”
“What am I supposed to do, sit back and watch? There’s gotta be something...”
“I’m sure there will be.” Michael turned and looked at Slade’s college degrees. “With a master’s in intelligence and analysis, you should be able to figure something out when the time comes.”
Slade let out a deep exhale, his shoulders dropping a bit.
“Look, everyone knows you want to get out there, see some action,” Michael said. “Your time will come.”
“Not soon enough,” Slade replied.
“I admire the go-getter attitude,” Michael replied. “But right now...”
“Right now, this is what you need.”
“You can do this, Mark?” Michael asked.
Slade straightened his spine, rolled his shoulders back, and lifted his chin. “Hell yeah, I can do that.”
“Good man,” Michael said. “Stay on it this evening. Something ain’t right. If you hear from me by text on my phone,” he took out his smartphone and shook it for effect, “then we’re good. But if you get a call from this relic,” he shook the flip phone, “then listen in, something is going down.”
“Got it,” Mark replied.
Michael nodded and left the room without another word.
𓂓
