"Hello, Mother Moffitt," Amy Payne said. "Jeannie."
"Hello, Amy," the younger woman replied.
The older woman flashed Amy a cold look, nodded, and said, "Miss Payne."
"It'sDr. Payne, Mrs. Moffitt," Amy said, and walked out of the room.
"Hello, Grandma," Matt said.
"Your grandfather, your father, and your Uncle Richard would be proud of you, darling," Gertrude Moffitt said emotionally, walking to the bed and grasping his hand.
"Hello, Aunt Jeannie," Matt said.
"I'm just sorry you didn't kill the man who did this to you," Mother Moffitt said.
"I apparently did," Matt said. "They told me he died half an hour ago."
"Then I hope he burns in hell."
"Mother Moffitt!" Jeannie Moffitt protested. "For God's sake."
"I have lost two sons to the scum of this city. I have no compassion in my heart for them, and neither should you."
"I'm just grateful Matt's not more seriously injured," Jeannie said.
"Chief Coughlin called and told me," Mother Moffitt said. "Your mother apparently couldn't be bothered."
"She was upset, for God's sake!" Jeannie Moffitt protested. "You, of all people, should understand that."
"No matter what trials and pain God has sent me, I take pride in always having done my duty."
Jeannie Moffitt shook her head, and she and Matt exchanged a smile.
"So, how are you, Matty?" she asked.
"Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"
Jeannie Moffitt laughed.
"What was that? I don't understand that," Mother Moffitt said.
"A little joke, Grandma," Matt said.
The nurse stuck her head through the door again.
"I'm afraid you'll have to leave now," she said.
"I just got here," Mother Moffitt said indignantly.
"Doctor's orders," the nurse said, and walked to the side of Matt's bed. "Mr. Payne needs rest."
"Officer Payne,thank you," Mother Moffitt said.
"Do you need anything, Matty?" Jeannie asked.
"Not a thing, thank you."
"I'll come back, of course, if Jeannie can find the time to bring me," Mother Moffitt said.
"Of course, I will. You know that."
"It's a terrible thing when the only time I get to see him is in a hospital bed with a bullet in him," Mother Moffitt said.
She bent and kissed his cheek and marched out of the room. The nurse went to the door and turned and smiled.
"Dr. Payne said to tell you, you owe her one," she said.
"Thank both of you," Matt said.
"There's some other people out here to see you. You feel up to it?"
"Who?"
"A Highway Patrolman, some kind of a big-shot cop named Coughlin, and a man from the district attorney's office. And his wife."
"The district attorney?"
"I think he saidassistant. And his wife. I can run them off."
"No. I'm all right. Isn't this thing supposed to hurt?"
"It will. When it starts to hurt, ring for a nurse."
"I'm also hungry. Can I get something to eat?"
"I can probably arrange for something," she said. "So you want to see them?"
"Please."
Chief Inspector Dennis V. Coughlin, Officer Charles McFadden, and Assistant District Attorney and Mrs. Farnsworth Stillwell filed into the room.
"Hey, Charley," Matt said. "Uncle Denny."
"I'm Farnsworth Stillwell, Officer Payne," the assistant district attorney said, walking up to the bed with his hand extended, "and this is Mrs. Stillwell."
"How do you do?" Matt said politely. He had previously had the pleasure of making Mrs. Stillwell's acquaintance. He not only knew her Christian name, but a number of other intimate details about her.
Her name was Helene, and the last time he had seen her, she was putting her clothing back on in his apartment, whence they had gone from the Delaware Valley Cancer Society's cocktail party.
"Hello," Helene said. "I'm a little vague about the protocol here. Is it permitted to say I'm so sorry you've been shot?"
"This is my first time too," Matt said. "I'm a little fuzzy about the protocol myself."
She walked to the bed and offered him her hand.
"I'm sorry you've been shot."
"Thank you. So am I," Matt said.
"Are you all right?"
"Just fine."
"We're all sorry you've-this has happened," Farnsworth Stillwell said. "And I must tell you, I feel to some degree responsible."
"Nonsense," Denny Coughlin said. "No one is responsible except the man who pulled the trigger."
"I'm sorry we didn't bring you anything," Helene Stillwell said. "But I didn't know who you were, what you would be like, and at this time of the morning-"
"It was good of you to come," Matt said.
Helene finally took her hand back.
"We wanted you to know that we were concerned," Stillwell said, " concerned and grateful."
"I think we should let Officer Payne get some rest, darling," Helene said.
"There are some members of the press outside who would like to have our picture together," Farnsworth Stillwell said. "Would you feel up to that?"
Matt looked at Denny Coughlin, who shrugged and then nodded his head.
"Sure," Matt said.
A photographer came into the room. He asked if the bed could be cranked up, and when it had, he suggested that Mr. Stillwell get on one side of him, and Mrs. Stillwell on the other. When they had done so, he suggested that they get closer to Matt. "It feels a little awkward, but the picture comes out better."
When they had moved into the desired positions, they had to swap sides, so that Assistant District Attorney Stillwell and Officer Payne could shake hands. Mrs. Stillwell, in order to get closer, put her arm behind Officer Payne's shoulders, a position that pressed her breast against his arm, and for a moment allowed her fingers to caress the back of his neck.
And then the flashbulb went off, Farnsworth Stillwell told Officer Payne that if he needed anything, anything at all, all he had to do was let him know, and they were gone.
"I don't like that sonofabitch," Denny Coughlin said, "but I wouldn't be surprised if he really does get to be governor."
"Really?" Matt asked.
"So how are you, Matty?" Denny Coughlin asked.
"Worried about my car," Matt said, looking at Charley.
"I got it downstairs," Charley said. "Aside from no radio, doors, or seats, it's okay."
"You'd better be kidding."
"I got it downstairs, all in one piece. Inspector Wohl asked me to ask you where you want it."
"In the garage under the apartment, please."
"You got it. You need anything else?"
"Can't think of anything."
"I'll come see you when I get off. But I'd better get going now. Quinn's sitting in the car about to shit a brick."
"Thanks, Charley," Matt said.
Dennis V. Coughlin closed the door after McFadden, and then exhaled audibly. He walked to the bed and sat down on it.
"Jesus, Matty, you gave us a scare. What the hell happened?"
This is more than a godfather, more than my blood father's buddy, doing his duty, Matt suddenly realized. This man loves me.
He remembered that his father, the other father, the only one he had ever known, Brewster C. Payne, had told him that he believed Dennis V. Coughlin had always been in love with his mother.
"Lieutenant Suffern let us out of his car in the alley behind Stevens's house-"
"You and O'Hara?"
"Yeah. We were waiting for the ACT team and the sergeant to bring Stevens down so Mickey could get a picture. Then I heard a noise, a creaking noise, like wood breaking. I think now it was Stevens coming over a fence. Anyway, all of a sudden, there he was shooting at us."