You Know Who - Robin L. Deeter (books for new readers .TXT) 📗

form. Hesitantly she stepped toward him, afraid that if she moved too fast he would vanish. “I can’t believe it,” she said softly. “I’m afraid you’ll disappear.”
Ray longed to hold Jessie, to touch her and kiss her. “You can believe it.”
All of her anger and pain surfaced inside and showed on her face. Ray’s heart filled with compassion and he couldn’t blame her for the way she felt.
“How could you do that to me?”
“Do what? Leave? I didn’t have a choice, Jess.”
At this point Fraser jerked his head toward the door in a signal to the other Ray that they leave.
“We’ll be waiting in the car, Ray.” Fraser followed Kowalski outside.
“I’m not talking about that. Yeah, I was pissed but more at the Feds on your behalf, not at you, Ray.”
“Then what are you talking about?” he asked even though he knew. She needed to talk about it and he realized that he needed to explain his side of things. It was important to him that she understood where he’d been coming from.
“The letter, Ray, that damn letter.” She wrapped her arms around her midsection. “Why on earth would you write something like that? You shouldn’t have taken the risk of sending it in the first place and second you apparently don’t understand how I feel about you.”
Sighing, Ray hung his head then looked up at her, hazel eyes glowing with emotion. “I understand, Jess. I feel the same way about you.” Moving to stand in front of her he took her by the shoulders. “I thought about you every day, missing you like crazy.” His voice had become husky and suddenly he was kissing her, his mouth demanding, telling her how deep his feelings were.
Jessie gave herself over to him, no longer able to resist her need to be close to him, to feel his solidness and know that he was really there. When he drew away from Jessie, Ray felt a coldness that had nothing to do with the weather.
“Listen, I gotta go for now. There’s something we have to do, but you and I are gonna talk all of this out. I promise.”
“Alright. I’ll be waiting. I don’t care what time it is, come back.”
Ray nodded, kissed her quickly and left.

Chapter Thirteen

Somewhere after five a.m. Frannie called Jessie in tears. Jessie couldn’t understand her because Frannie was crying so hard.
“Ok, Frannie, calm down. What’s wrong?”
“It’s Ray. He’s been shot. He’s in surgery right now.”
A curious numbness set in as Jessie asked, “How bad is it?”
“We really don’t know yet.”
“Which hospital?”
“Memorial.”
“I’m on my way, Frannie.”
“Ok. Thanks.”
“No thanks needed.”
She hung up, took some deep breaths to ward off the impending panic she felt. Now was no time to fall apart. She needed to be strong for Ray and his family. Duke came to her, sensing that Jessie was upset.
“C’mon. Let’s go out.”
His ears perked up at the work “out” and Duke began to prance back and forth from her to the kitchen door while she put her coat on. She took the puppy out, made sure he had food and water and headed for the hospital. The sky was lightening as she parked her Taurus and made her way inside. In the lobby she ran into Fraser and Ray Kowalski.
“How is he?” she asked searching Ben’s face.
“He’s holding his own. I talked to him. He’s in and out. I’m sorry, Jessie, but we have to go. We’ll call to check in when we can.”
Jessie held on to him for a moment longer. “Whatever you and Ray are up to, please be careful. Please?”
Ben nodded and hugged her. Ray gave her a smile and a squeeze. As Jessie watched them run to the parking lot Jessie had the feeling that she wasn’t going to see them for quite some time. Fighting the sadness that thought brought her, Jessie hurried to the elevator. Upstairs on the fourth floor, she found the Vecchio clan. Frannie rushed to Jessie and they embraced.
“Is there any update?” Jessie asked as they released each other.
Shaking her head, Frannie said, “No. Just that the bullet is still in his right lung and they don’t want to attempt surgery because it’s too dangerous.”
“Is he awake?”
“Off and on. The nurse is in there now, but when she comes out you could go in. I know he’ll want to see you.”
“Ok.” Jessie went to sit beside Mrs. Vecchio who was worrying a tissue in her hand.
“Jessica, I’m so glad you’re here.” She gave Jessie a hug and kissed her cheek.
“Oh, Ma, I can’t believe this has happened, but he’s going to be fine. He’s stubborn.”
“He’s just like his father, bullheaded.”
At that moment, a middle-aged nurse came out of Ray’s room which was very close to the waiting room. “He can have one visitor at a time but don’t excite him, please.”
Ma pushed Jessie away gently. “You go. He’ll want to know you’re here.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to go?”
Shaking her head Ma replied, “I was in earlier. Go, Jessica.”
Jessie nodded and rose. She walked the few steps required to reach the door, took a deep breath and stepped inside. She’d expected Ray to be asleep but his eyes were open and he smiled faintly as she came to sit beside the bed. They reached for each other’s hand simultaneously. Jessie held his hand to her cheek. It was cold so she started rubbing it to warm it.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“Some. God, I’m glad to see you. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”
Jessie laughed. “I’m sure. I don’t even think I brushed my hair.” She attempted to smooth it down.
Ray squeezed her hand. “You’re beautiful.”
“Stop it,” she said blushing. “Is there anything I can get for you?”
“Just some water.”
Immediately Jessie retrieved the pitcher of ice water, poured some in a cup and helped him drink it.
“That’s better.”
“You should get some sleep.” Jessie fussed with his blanket, wanting to make sure he was warm enough. “But when you feel up to it, I’d like to hear how all of this came about.”
Ray captured one of her hands again. “Jess, sit still, ok? I can tell you what started it all in one word; Fraser.”
“Ben?” was Jessie’s confused reply. “I don’t get it.”
Ray started coughing and Jessie gave him more water. The spasms subsided and Ray lay back against the pillow, his eyes closed.
“Rest, Ray, please. We’ll talk later.”
“On one condition; you stay with me.” His fingers tightened around hers. He was becoming groggy, not surprising since he hadn’t been out of surgery very long. His body had sustained a lot of damage and he needed time to heal. He was just being stubborn, forcing himself to stay awake to talk to her.
“Ok. I’ll stay, but you have to go to sleep. You’re as bad as a baby who fights going to sleep.”
Ray gave her a lopsided smile, nodded slightly and drifted into slumber, apparently satisfied that she would stay. Jessie kept holding Ray’s hand, thankful that she could do so again but worried about the bullet they couldn’t get out. She wondered what the prognosis was for something like that. Ben had a bullet lodged in his back and seemed to be fine now, but a bullet in the lung was a different animal.
She stayed with Ray for fifteen minutes and then decided she should go to the waiting room so someone else could visit him. As she stepped out of the room, the emotions she hadn’t allowed herself to feel surfaced. Hot tears pricked her eyes. Snatching a couple of tissues from a table in the waiting room, Jessie sat, pressing them to her eyes as all of her worry poured forth. She felt an arm around her shoulders and knew that it was Ray’s mother. The older woman drew her close, rocking Jessie gently.
“That’s ok, Jessica. Let it out. You’ll feel better.” Ma Vecchio comforted Jessie until she was able to regain her composure.
“Thank you.”
“Do you feel better?”
“Yeah,” Jessie said with a small smile. “Do you know what happened? Ray said that Ben started it all.”
Ma chuckled. “Oh yes. I gave that boy a big kiss and hug for bringing my Raymundo back to us, even though he didn’t mean to do it.”
Frannie appeared. She’d gone to the cafeteria for coffee. Between her and Mrs. Vecchio they filled Jessie in on how Fraser had accidentally blown Ray’s cover. Jessie understood all too well how tenuous the situation must have been but couldn’t help to see the humor in it as well.
Ray’s sister also told her about the two Rays initial animosity towards each other. Jessie’s heart went out to Stan as they were calling him now, knowing he had to be feeling displaced. She couldn’t imagine what that would be like. Ray also must have been shell-shocked even though coming home was certainly a pleasant experience. She could understand why tensions would have been running high.
“Where were Ray and Ben going?”
“They’re going after the arms dealer, Muldoon. They went to intercept him and his goons at an airport, Trumble Field or something like that.”
A strong foreboding took hold of Jessie. Frannie saw the look of sadness that crossed her face.
“What is it?”
“Where is Muldoon heading?”
Frannie thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I have to get back to work. I’ll find out and let you know.”
“Ok.”
Frannie slipped into Ray’s room. She hated seeing her big brother hooked up to IV’s and other machines. He was sleeping soundly and she didn’t disturb him.
“I love you, bro. I’ll be back tonight,” she whispered. In the waiting room, she kissed her mother and Jessie goodbye and left for the 27th. She wasn’t sure how but she wanted to help bring this guy down.

The next day Ray’s surgeon decided that his condition had improved enough to move him to a different unit. He was upgraded from critical to stable. Ray continued to have coughing fits because the bullet was irritating his lung. Dr. Warner told him that eventually his body would form scar tissue around the bullet holding it still. In the meantime Ray informed the doctor that it was a real pain in the ass.
Despite the pain he was experiencing, Ray was restless, worrying about how this case was going. He became determined to leave the next day. No one could dissuade him from the decision and Jessie finally agreed to bring him fresh clothes. Since he was on painkillers Jessie drove him. She went back to work as well, glad that she could keep an eye on Ray to make sure he didn’t overdo it.
Once Ray figured out that the Bolt family was in on the deal with Muldoon, the lieutenant alerted Inspector Thatcher who