should go instead of Alex. Alex couldn’t give a real reason, but she wanted to make sure that no one came in to hurt the two men—just in case everyone hadn’t gotten the word that the plot was over.
When Susan got back with the food, they shoved the curtain aside that divided the two men and sat between their beds, whispering about the events of the day as they ate.
Pete awoke first. When the first word out of his mouth was Susan, she popped up out of her chair, her hamburger in her hand, to answer him. She explained that he and David were out of danger.
“And David? Is he okay?”
Alex answered him. “He’s fine. He’s still asleep over here beside you.”
Pete pushed up on his elbows to see for himself. “Are you sure he’s okay?”
Alex took David’s hand and squeezed it. “David? Can you wake up? Pete wants to know you’re all right.”
It took a minute, but David finally opened his eyes. Alex kissed his cheek. “Good job, David. Pete was worried about you.”
“Where’s Pete?” he immediately asked.
“Over here,” Susan said. “How are you, David? I’m glad you’re all right.”
“Thanks, Susan. What are you doing here?”
“I…I….”
Alex leaned over to whisper, “She came for Pete.”
“Oh.”
“David,” Susan began, “Jim said he was your brother.”
“Yeah, is he here?” David asked, glancing around the room.
“No, but he was,” Alex said. “He managed to help the police solve the crime. Apparently, the owner of Carey & Company went off the deep end because he was going bankrupt—unless he got the bid you were both going for.”
“Damn,” David said.
“Yes, and Jim said since you were safe, he’d go on home, because Carrie was waiting for him. But he said he’d see you tomorrow at lunch.”
“Good,” David said, relaxing against his pillow.
“Your dinner should be coming soon. Are you hungry?” Alex asked.
“Not very. I’m not sure I can manage to eat.”
“I’m going to feed you, David. That’s what I stayed for,” she assured him with a smile.
Pete said, “I’m hungry. Are you going to feed me, Susan?”
“If you don’t mind,” Susan said.
Alex wanted to tell Pete he’d have another hit in the head if he disappointed Susan. She’d suffered all day long.
Fortunately, Pete was in no danger. “I’d love that.”
With perfect timing, the door opened and a woman brought in a tray to Pete. Then she returned with a tray for David.
“Are you going to feed ’em?” the woman asked.
“Yes, we will,” Alex said.
She uncovered the plate and found a large serving of meat loaf, some mashed potatoes and carrots. “I think they cooked your favorites, David,” she teased.
“What is it?”
“Meat loaf.”
“Woulda been better if it was a steak.”
“You should stick with the meat loaf until you’re well.”
“When do I get to go home?” David demanded.
“Yeah,” Pete agreed. “I feel well enough to go home tonight.”
“Neither of you is going home tonight. Pete mightget out tomorrow sometime. I’m not sure about you, David, but you’ll stay until they say you’re ready, and not a minute before!” Alex insisted.
“Who died and made you king?” David demanded.
“Jim left me in charge. You can argue with him.”
“Aw, that’s not fair,” David protested.
“Take a bite,” Alex ordered.
Susan began feeding Pete, so conversation faded.
Alex noticed David tiring as they’d finished about half of his meal. “David, have you had enough to eat?”
“Yeah. Would you ring for the nurse?”
“What is it? Can’t I help you?”
“No, you can’t. I need to go to the bathroom!”
“But I could help you to the door and—”
“No! I need to preserve my dignity!”
Without another word, Alex leaned forward and rang for the nurse.
When the nurse reached the room, she asked David what he needed.
David’s cheeks turned red. “Don’t you have any male nurses?”
The nurse rolled her eyes. “Not
When Susan got back with the food, they shoved the curtain aside that divided the two men and sat between their beds, whispering about the events of the day as they ate.
Pete awoke first. When the first word out of his mouth was Susan, she popped up out of her chair, her hamburger in her hand, to answer him. She explained that he and David were out of danger.
“And David? Is he okay?”
Alex answered him. “He’s fine. He’s still asleep over here beside you.”
Pete pushed up on his elbows to see for himself. “Are you sure he’s okay?”
Alex took David’s hand and squeezed it. “David? Can you wake up? Pete wants to know you’re all right.”
It took a minute, but David finally opened his eyes. Alex kissed his cheek. “Good job, David. Pete was worried about you.”
“Where’s Pete?” he immediately asked.
“Over here,” Susan said. “How are you, David? I’m glad you’re all right.”
“Thanks, Susan. What are you doing here?”
“I…I….”
Alex leaned over to whisper, “She came for Pete.”
“Oh.”
“David,” Susan began, “Jim said he was your brother.”
“Yeah, is he here?” David asked, glancing around the room.
“No, but he was,” Alex said. “He managed to help the police solve the crime. Apparently, the owner of Carey & Company went off the deep end because he was going bankrupt—unless he got the bid you were both going for.”
“Damn,” David said.
“Yes, and Jim said since you were safe, he’d go on home, because Carrie was waiting for him. But he said he’d see you tomorrow at lunch.”
“Good,” David said, relaxing against his pillow.
“Your dinner should be coming soon. Are you hungry?” Alex asked.
“Not very. I’m not sure I can manage to eat.”
“I’m going to feed you, David. That’s what I stayed for,” she assured him with a smile.
Pete said, “I’m hungry. Are you going to feed me, Susan?”
“If you don’t mind,” Susan said.
Alex wanted to tell Pete he’d have another hit in the head if he disappointed Susan. She’d suffered all day long.
Fortunately, Pete was in no danger. “I’d love that.”
With perfect timing, the door opened and a woman brought in a tray to Pete. Then she returned with a tray for David.
“Are you going to feed ’em?” the woman asked.
“Yes, we will,” Alex said.
She uncovered the plate and found a large serving of meat loaf, some mashed potatoes and carrots. “I think they cooked your favorites, David,” she teased.
“What is it?”
“Meat loaf.”
“Woulda been better if it was a steak.”
“You should stick with the meat loaf until you’re well.”
“When do I get to go home?” David demanded.
“Yeah,” Pete agreed. “I feel well enough to go home tonight.”
“Neither of you is going home tonight. Pete mightget out tomorrow sometime. I’m not sure about you, David, but you’ll stay until they say you’re ready, and not a minute before!” Alex insisted.
“Who died and made you king?” David demanded.
“Jim left me in charge. You can argue with him.”
“Aw, that’s not fair,” David protested.
“Take a bite,” Alex ordered.
Susan began feeding Pete, so conversation faded.
Alex noticed David tiring as they’d finished about half of his meal. “David, have you had enough to eat?”
“Yeah. Would you ring for the nurse?”
“What is it? Can’t I help you?”
“No, you can’t. I need to go to the bathroom!”
“But I could help you to the door and—”
“No! I need to preserve my dignity!”
Without another word, Alex leaned forward and rang for the nurse.
When the nurse reached the room, she asked David what he needed.
David’s cheeks turned red. “Don’t you have any male nurses?”
The nurse rolled her eyes. “Not
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