“Oh, hell no. The minute the ink is dry on this case I am back to my ho-humdrum life at Metro, and I can’t wait. I don’t need the glory. And I certainly don’t need the drama. Give me a simple, straightforward murder any day.”
He glanced at his watch. “Hey, I have to go. Let me know if you get sprung and want a ride back to D.C. I’ve got the JTTF plane, and I can get you on it. I’ll be here until tomorrow. You’ve got my number. Feel better, Xander.”
He stood, and a look passed over his face. It hurt him to see her with Xander, but she couldn’t help that. Sam got up and hugged him again, extra hard, and said, “I’ll give you a call.”
He just nodded and tipped his finger to his forehead, then left.
Sam watched his retreating back, then crossed her arms and looked at Xander.
“Unreal,” he said.
“Completely.”
“So, Sam. We were interrupted.”
“Xander, let’s get you mobile, first. Then we can talk. All right?”
He looked deep into her eyes, searching for some sort of sign that she wasn’t rejecting him. She smiled and kissed him, and for now, that was enough.
Chapter 52
Savage River
Dr. Samantha Owens Xander was discharged from the hospital on Monday, and they went back to Dillon until he was cleared to travel a few days later. Despite his parents’ protests, Xander was adamant. He wanted to go home.
They flew into National on a commercial flight and Sam drove them into the mountains, to the cabin in the woods. Thor was overwhelmed to see them, jumping and barking and turning in circles. Xander was gimping around on crutches, his arm wound making it difficult, but not impossible, to keep the weight off his leg.
It was hard to believe it had been less than a week since the attacks. Everything felt different. Not as innocent. Like her free time in D.C. was over, and real life was back. In another month, she’d start teaching at Georgetown, opening yet another chapter in her life.
Sam got Xander settled, and despite his protestations to the contrary, he was asleep within minutes. She walked Thor and enjoyed the feeling of freedom that came with this whole mess being behind them.
She sat on the porch and watched the sun traverse the sky. After a while, Xander woke and joined her, and they sat in a happy, contented silence, Sam swinging in the chair, Xander on his bench, petting Thor.
When the air began to cool, Sam shivered and said, “Let’s get away from all of this. From the mountains, from D.C., from everything.”
Xander gave her an amused look.
“You know you can’t run away.”
“I’m not talking running away as much as an escape. Something completely antithetical to everything. Someplace you’ve never been. Anywhere.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“I’d say the beach, but I can’t imagine you lying quietly in a chaise longue for more than a day without getting totally bored. So what about New York?”
“New York?”
“We can get lost there, Xander. Lost in the crowds, in Central Park, the museums. We can have a little vacation.”
“A vacation. In New York. With millions of other people looming over our shoulders. And me on crutches.”
“Consider it...desensitization.”
He smiled. “Let’s walk.”
He grabbed her hand, and she helped him up. He used her under one arm, and the other crutch in his good hand. They started walking, slowly, around the yard. It was the best way for him to regain his strength. She couldn’t believe she’d nearly lost him. She half wanted to run away, so it could never happen again, and half wanted to throw him to the ground, feel the grass under her legs and take him for her own.
After ten minutes, they started back toward the house.
“All right. I’ll be able to walk without these in a day or two. Let’s go to New York. Why not?”
“Why not, indeed.”
“I’ve never been, you know.”
“To New York? Seriously?”
“Just one of those things. I’d like to see Brooklyn. And the Bronx. Oh, and maybe a Yankees game?”
“Mets.”
“Yankees.”
“Uh-oh.” Sam laughed. “This may be an insurmountable issue.”
“Well, why don’t we just agree on the Red Sox, and be done with it.”
“Red Sox? My God, next you’re going to tell me you like the Cubs.”
“I do.” He held his right hand to his heart, and they were both laughing now. The sun began to slip behind the trees, and Thor bounded ahead of them, racing back and forth with a stick in his mouth. The scent of jasmine and pine grew heavy on the wind, and Sam sighed, deeply, completely and totally content.
They managed to get up the steps to the porch, and Sam stopped and turned to look down the mountain. Everything was in its summer bloom, coated with the dusky sunset, and she didn’t think she’d ever seen a prettier place.
“On second thought,” she said, eyebrow cocked. “We could just watch the games from bed. Though you’d have to buy a television.”
Xander pulled her hand to his mouth, lightly resting her skin on his lips. “You hussy. Teasing me with dreams of Yankee Stadium, then whisking them away.” But he kissed the inside of her wrist and, with the dog barking joyfully behind them, they went inside.
*