please.”
“Hold on,” he said. I heard him enter her room and walk across the floor, then retrace his steps back into the hallway. “Everything’s fine, sir,” he reported. “She’s breathing easy and seems quite comfortable.”
“Okay , l isten up. I’ve received a call from Reuben Henderson and he has as much as said he’s going to be making an attempt on her life. I need you to be extra vigilante. Trust no one. Is that clear?”
He seemed unfazed. “Of course, sir. You can rely on me .”
“Thank you, Officer. Please don’t let me down.”
“ Right , sir. Everything’s under control.”
I waited until I knew Tom Kilborn would be at his desk and phoned him. “Jack,” he said, coming on the line. “I know what you’re calling about.”
“You know he called me?”
“We have a tap on your phone. I thought you knew that. Anyway, you can rest easy. The call was made from Arizona. We’ll---”
“Arizona ? ! Jesus, Tom ! M y parents live in Sun City, a suburb of Phoenix! You have to get some people there now!”
“ Shit . Give me the address.”
I did.
“ Okay. We’re on it.” He hung up.
I phoned my parents number. It rang until the answering machine came on. I told them their lives might be in danger, that they should leave the house, go somewhere safe immediately, no matter what time they received the message .
All I could do now was await the call from either my parents or Kilborn .
It didn’t take long. Within ninety minutes my phone rang .
The moment I heard his voice I knew the news was bad. “Jack, don’t panic. There’s been ---”
“Oh, God, no. Please don’t tell me ---”
“ Y our mo ther suffered a mild heart attack from all the excitement. That’s all. She’s at Phoenix General now. Henderson did show up at their home but luckily a neighbor happened to spot him before he was able to do anything. ”
“Where’s my dad?”
“We’re trying to locate him now. Apparently he’s out of town with some golfing buddies. They’re in the Palm Springs area – planning on playing several different courses.”
I felt like I was about ready to have a heart attack myself. “I’ll ge t a flight out there as soon as I can. Meanwhile, for Christ’s sake, watch over Callie.”
“I’ve already been in touch with Ocala P.D. - they’re going to double up on the guard station. And hospital security has been fully apprised of the situation.”
“I’ve got a cell phone now that I’ll keep with me.” I gave him the number. “Call me if anything happens. Anything.”
“I will, Jack. And I can’t tell you how sorry I am for everything that’s happened.”
“Yeah.”
2 4
I got a quick flight to Phoenix by catching a connector out of Jacks onville, Florida, to Dallas. By noon the next day I was at my mother’s side. She was resting comfortably and smiled weakly when she saw me. She held out her hand. “Mom, I’m so sorry,” I said.
“Hush,” she said. “I’m
“Hold on,” he said. I heard him enter her room and walk across the floor, then retrace his steps back into the hallway. “Everything’s fine, sir,” he reported. “She’s breathing easy and seems quite comfortable.”
“Okay , l isten up. I’ve received a call from Reuben Henderson and he has as much as said he’s going to be making an attempt on her life. I need you to be extra vigilante. Trust no one. Is that clear?”
He seemed unfazed. “Of course, sir. You can rely on me .”
“Thank you, Officer. Please don’t let me down.”
“ Right , sir. Everything’s under control.”
I waited until I knew Tom Kilborn would be at his desk and phoned him. “Jack,” he said, coming on the line. “I know what you’re calling about.”
“You know he called me?”
“We have a tap on your phone. I thought you knew that. Anyway, you can rest easy. The call was made from Arizona. We’ll---”
“Arizona ? ! Jesus, Tom ! M y parents live in Sun City, a suburb of Phoenix! You have to get some people there now!”
“ Shit . Give me the address.”
I did.
“ Okay. We’re on it.” He hung up.
I phoned my parents number. It rang until the answering machine came on. I told them their lives might be in danger, that they should leave the house, go somewhere safe immediately, no matter what time they received the message .
All I could do now was await the call from either my parents or Kilborn .
It didn’t take long. Within ninety minutes my phone rang .
The moment I heard his voice I knew the news was bad. “Jack, don’t panic. There’s been ---”
“Oh, God, no. Please don’t tell me ---”
“ Y our mo ther suffered a mild heart attack from all the excitement. That’s all. She’s at Phoenix General now. Henderson did show up at their home but luckily a neighbor happened to spot him before he was able to do anything. ”
“Where’s my dad?”
“We’re trying to locate him now. Apparently he’s out of town with some golfing buddies. They’re in the Palm Springs area – planning on playing several different courses.”
I felt like I was about ready to have a heart attack myself. “I’ll ge t a flight out there as soon as I can. Meanwhile, for Christ’s sake, watch over Callie.”
“I’ve already been in touch with Ocala P.D. - they’re going to double up on the guard station. And hospital security has been fully apprised of the situation.”
“I’ve got a cell phone now that I’ll keep with me.” I gave him the number. “Call me if anything happens. Anything.”
“I will, Jack. And I can’t tell you how sorry I am for everything that’s happened.”
“Yeah.”
2 4
I got a quick flight to Phoenix by catching a connector out of Jacks onville, Florida, to Dallas. By noon the next day I was at my mother’s side. She was resting comfortably and smiled weakly when she saw me. She held out her hand. “Mom, I’m so sorry,” I said.
“Hush,” she said. “I’m
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