“Jesus,” Wainwright said, his expression going slack.
Emily’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at his face.
“I’m okay,” Louis mumbled.
Wainwright took his arm and led him toward the ambulance. The paramedics hurried to get the stretcher out, but Louis waved them off and they opened the door for him.
An officer in a Fort Myers raincoat came rushing up. “Chief, the coast guard says they found a body onboard the Miss Monica.”
“Who is it?” Wainwright asked.
“They don’t know. It was down in the hold, wrapped in a blanket. Looks like it had been there for a while. The face has black paint all over it, but it looks to be a white male, about sixty.”
Louis shut his eyes briefly, then looked at the officer. “Tell them to look at his left hand,” he said slowly. “Ask them if there’s a finger missing.”
The cop stared at Louis for a moment, then keyed his radio. A moment later, he heard the reply come back.
“That’s affirmative. Left pinkie missing.”
“It’s Lynch,” he said softly.
Emily turned away. Louis closed his eyes.
He heard a siren and opened his eyes in time to see a Lee County sheriff’s car swing into the lot. Mobley climbed out and hurried toward Heller as they were lifting him into the ambulance.
Wainwright watched him. “He’s too late again,” he said. “My guys have him in custody. It’s our collar.”
Louis nodded, grabbing the edge of the door to climb into the ambulance. Another siren made them turn.
Candy’s ambulance was moving. Louis watched it until it pulled from the lot.
“He’ll make it, Louis,” Wainwright said. “You get in there and I’ll see you at the hospital. I’ve got to go ride with Heller.”
Louis nodded.
“I’ll go with Louis,” Emily said quickly.
“Good,” Wainwright said.
The paramedics helped Louis into the ambulance. He didn’t protest as they strapped him into the stretcher and started an IV. The doors closed, the sirens wailed.
Emily sat hunched across from him, her wet hair plastered to her head, her eyes locked on him. She took off her glasses to try to wipe them dry. He saw the tears in her eyes.
“Farentino, I’m going to be all right,” he said softly. “It’s over.”
“I feel like this is my fault,” she said.
He saw the guilt etched in her face. He knew it would be a while before it would fade.
Chapter Forty-six
Louis woke to the smell of strong coffee. He grimaced as he sat up, and looked down at his hand.
The tips of his fingers protruded from a thick bandage. His palm still throbbed. His forearm was bandaged in thick gauze. He hurt everywhere.
He slid his legs gingerly over the side of the bed and looked at the clock on the nightstand. Four-fifteen. Jesus, he had slept almost all day.
He used the bedpost to stand. Issy was curled in the covers at the foot of the bed. Someone had left an old plaid robe on the bedpost. He slipped it on and shuffled to the kitchen.
Dodie jumped up from his chair. “Here, lemme help you, Louis.”
He put a hand on Louis’s arm, pulling out a chair. Louis sat, letting out a sigh that rippled through his bruised muscles.
“Coffee?”
Louis nodded. He pulled the newspaper over to him.
Heller was being arraigned today. He saw his own picture on the bottom of the page. He pushed the newspaper away as Dodie came back with the coffee. Margaret was on his heels.
“You shouldn’t be up,” she said.
“I’ve slept for two days,” Louis said. The pain in his jaw began to pound again. He sipped at the coffee, but it burned the cuts on his lips.
“You hungry? I can fix you something,” Margaret said.
Louis shook his head. He wasn’t sure he could chew.
“Scrambled eggs,” Margaret said. “Soft scrambled eggs.”
She disappeared.
Louis’s eyes flicked to Dodie sitting across the table. He was staring at him.
“I’m okay, Sam.”
“Just checking.”
The smell of eggs filled the kitchen. It made Louis’s stomach churn.
“Oh, Louis,” Margaret said, “Emily Farentino called. She came over yesterday but you were asleep. She has to leave today and she wants to say good-bye. She said you could reach her at Dan’s office till five tonight.”
“Thanks, Margaret.”
Dodie was staring at him again. “You decide yet what you’re going to do?” he asked. “I mean, after you heal up and all.”
“I don’t know. Go home for a while, I guess.”
“Why? You can’t work there.”
Louis tried another sip of coffee. “I have applications out, Chicago PD, Cleveland. I’ll find something.”
Dodie stirred his coffee.
“Besides, my car’s up there,” Louis said.
“Go get it.”
Louis sighed.
Margaret returned with the eggs. She started to tuck a napkin into Louis’s pajama top, and he let her, too tired to argue. He started to eat slowly.
“You could find work here, Louis,” Dodie said.
“Sam’s right,” Margaret added quickly.
He looked up at them. “I’m not a PI.” He looked away, shaking his head. “It wouldn’t work.”
“Well, what about Dan?” Dodie pressed.
Louis shook his head again.
“Dan could find something for you, Louis. Lord knows he could use a good man and-”
Margaret put a hand on Dodie’s arm. “Sam, you’ve been chewing on his ear for two days now about this. Let the man be.”
Dodie sat back in his chair. Margaret moved back to the stove.
Louis felt something rub his leg. He looked down to see Issy. The cat looked up at him, then trotted off toward the laundry room. Louis glanced up at the wall clock. It was after four-thirty.
He took another bite of eggs, then slowly rose.
“Where you going?” Dodie asked.
“To say good-bye to Farentino.”
Emily was sitting in the chair facing Wainwright when Louis came in. They were laughing. Wainwright sobered when he saw Louis at the door. Emily turned.
“You still look like shit,” she said.
“You should see me from this side,” Louis said. “What were you two laughing about?”
“Mobley,” Wainwright said. “He’s still pissed he didn’t get the collar.”
“He’ll live,” Louis said. He eased into a chair and looked over at Emily. The briefcase was sitting next to her chair. She saw him looking at it.
She shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe I’ll write my memoirs someday,” she said.
He studied her face. She looked like she hadn’t slept well. Or maybe like she wouldn’t ever truly sleep well again. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want her to leave, but he didn’t know what to say that could keep her here any longer. She hadn’t been a partner, at least not in the real sense. But he knew he was going to miss her. He’d miss her energy and dedication, the way her mind worked. He smiled slightly. Shit, he was even going to miss her balls.
She was looking at him. “Well, I’ve got a long drive ahead,” she said. She hesitated, then held out her hand to Wainwright.
“Thanks, Chief,” she said. “It’s been. . an education.”
Wainwright stood up and took her hand. “For both of us.”
She turned to Louis and extended her hand. “Hey, Kincaid.”
He held up his bandaged hand. She smiled and shook his thumb.
“Hey, Farentino,” he said.
“Drive careful,” Wainwright said.
She picked up her green rain slicker and started to the door.
“Farentino,” Louis said.
She turned.
“Got time to go get some coffee or something?”
She smiled. “Sorry. Got a date with Vinny. Later, guys.”
She left.
Louis turned to look at Wainwright. “Vinny?” he asked.
“Vince. The ME,” Wainwright said.
Louis shook his head, smiling.
“I went to see Candy this morning,” Wainwright said. “He was asking about you.”