and distrust. Gillum and Ward would be ruined if the truth came out that they had covered it up. Wood just needed the proof to do it. That explains why he wanted to see Gillum. He had no intention of turning it over. He wanted to let him know he had it.”
“I’m thinking we have two options. We either have to tell them where it is, provided they didn’t see it from the drone, or put it somewhere they won't find it,” Mel said, back in lawyer mode.
“If Wood doesn't trust the Navy, I’d say he has good reason. I know he can be an ornery old coot, but he’s got good sense. I’ve never known him to be paranoid.” He thought for a minute. “There’s some nuclear waste facilities I know about. A lot of compaction testing equipment has nuclear cores. We had to service and disable a few of them. I can look up what we did with the core material. Maybe just have to divide it up so no one gets suspicious. Aside from the primer, which I can probably disable, the rest is just a hunk of metal. We can take it and dump it somewhere deep.”
“I’m with you, except that we don’t know how stable it is,” she said. “The last thing we want is for that thing to blow while your messing with it and take half the Keys with it.”
“What about the Navy? They’re not just going to go away. I have a mind to go down there and confront them about that drone anyway. Spying on US citizens is not cool. I can turn this into a Federal suit, get the kind of attention this whole drone thing deserves. I can go down there and record the whole thing on my phone. Maybe get some kind of confession out of him.”
Mac choked. “We’ve got a live nuke out there and your worried about a case? Come on, girl, get some perspective.”
The ringtone from her phone halted the conversation. “Local number, maybe it’s the hospital,” she murmured, glancing at it.
She answered, listened, and asked a few questions. Then she hung up and sat back in relief. “He’s awake and asking to get out of there. That means he’s ok. We need to head over there before he causes any trouble. You know how he can get.”
Chapter 22
The humidity was taking a toll on Mel. She was acclimated to DC’s high humidity, but the Keys raised the bar on that index. She was thankful as the automatic door opened, letting out a hint of the air conditioning about to encompass them as they entered the hospital. She looked at Mac, not even sweating.
“Let me see him alone for a minute.” She went for the door. His eyes opened as she entered. The closest thing to a smile that anyone had seen on his lips showed on his face.
“Mel.” His voice was raspy from the ventilator.
“Dad, don’t talk, it’s ok.” She took his hand.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither knowing how to go from there. There had been a glint of happiness when they first saw each other, but as the minutes passed, the old uneasiness built.
Finally Mac entered and broke the silence for them. “How are you feeling? Glad to see you’re still tough as nails.”
Wood gave them a thumbs up. “My side hurts like hell, but I’m ready to get rid of this.” He looked at the IV.
Mel gave him a disapproving look. “You are going to do what the doctor says, exactly. You’re not going to pull your usual crap and decide for yourself. Do you have any idea how serious this is?”
“Good to see you too.” He looked at Mel. “That damn fool doctor won’t give me a direct answer if it would save his own life.”
She teared up, “I’m sorry. I was really scared you weren’t going to pull out of it. I’ll find the doctor and use my lawyer skills on him.”
“Why don't you just smile and look nice? May get you further than that lawyer crap.”
The automatic closer slammed the door behind her as she left.
***
Mac looked at Wood, trying to evaluate his condition. “You clear headed enough to talk about the bomb?”
“Yeah, can’t feel half my body, but I hear
“I’m thinking we have two options. We either have to tell them where it is, provided they didn’t see it from the drone, or put it somewhere they won't find it,” Mel said, back in lawyer mode.
“If Wood doesn't trust the Navy, I’d say he has good reason. I know he can be an ornery old coot, but he’s got good sense. I’ve never known him to be paranoid.” He thought for a minute. “There’s some nuclear waste facilities I know about. A lot of compaction testing equipment has nuclear cores. We had to service and disable a few of them. I can look up what we did with the core material. Maybe just have to divide it up so no one gets suspicious. Aside from the primer, which I can probably disable, the rest is just a hunk of metal. We can take it and dump it somewhere deep.”
“I’m with you, except that we don’t know how stable it is,” she said. “The last thing we want is for that thing to blow while your messing with it and take half the Keys with it.”
“What about the Navy? They’re not just going to go away. I have a mind to go down there and confront them about that drone anyway. Spying on US citizens is not cool. I can turn this into a Federal suit, get the kind of attention this whole drone thing deserves. I can go down there and record the whole thing on my phone. Maybe get some kind of confession out of him.”
Mac choked. “We’ve got a live nuke out there and your worried about a case? Come on, girl, get some perspective.”
The ringtone from her phone halted the conversation. “Local number, maybe it’s the hospital,” she murmured, glancing at it.
She answered, listened, and asked a few questions. Then she hung up and sat back in relief. “He’s awake and asking to get out of there. That means he’s ok. We need to head over there before he causes any trouble. You know how he can get.”
Chapter 22
The humidity was taking a toll on Mel. She was acclimated to DC’s high humidity, but the Keys raised the bar on that index. She was thankful as the automatic door opened, letting out a hint of the air conditioning about to encompass them as they entered the hospital. She looked at Mac, not even sweating.
“Let me see him alone for a minute.” She went for the door. His eyes opened as she entered. The closest thing to a smile that anyone had seen on his lips showed on his face.
“Mel.” His voice was raspy from the ventilator.
“Dad, don’t talk, it’s ok.” She took his hand.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither knowing how to go from there. There had been a glint of happiness when they first saw each other, but as the minutes passed, the old uneasiness built.
Finally Mac entered and broke the silence for them. “How are you feeling? Glad to see you’re still tough as nails.”
Wood gave them a thumbs up. “My side hurts like hell, but I’m ready to get rid of this.” He looked at the IV.
Mel gave him a disapproving look. “You are going to do what the doctor says, exactly. You’re not going to pull your usual crap and decide for yourself. Do you have any idea how serious this is?”
“Good to see you too.” He looked at Mel. “That damn fool doctor won’t give me a direct answer if it would save his own life.”
She teared up, “I’m sorry. I was really scared you weren’t going to pull out of it. I’ll find the doctor and use my lawyer skills on him.”
“Why don't you just smile and look nice? May get you further than that lawyer crap.”
The automatic closer slammed the door behind her as she left.
***
Mac looked at Wood, trying to evaluate his condition. “You clear headed enough to talk about the bomb?”
“Yeah, can’t feel half my body, but I hear
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