Dr. Chambers formally shook Patrick's hand - the one without the intravenous line hooked to the bottle of clear colorless fluid suspended from the metal hook overhead.

"Have a good trip, buddy," he said.

"Okay," Patrick replied. "Do I still have to wear this thing?" He pointed to the plastic oxygen p.r.o.ngs secured below his nostrils with a strap around his head.

"Afraid so," said the kindly physician.

"That's part of the deal," added Tim, ruffling the child's chestnut hair.

"Where's Dad, Mom?" Patrick asked Laura.

She tried to smile as she lied, "He'll meet us at the hospital just as soon as he can, honey."

"'Kay."

As they boarded the MediJet that would take them to Philadelphia, Greg silently promised to call Celeste the minute they touched down.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX.

The minute Greg walked into his room at the Sheraton Hotel, located directly across the street from Children's Hospital in west Philadelphia, he phoned Celeste in Tampa. She'd said she'd be back by seven and it was already eight, yet her phone just rang and rang. He'd promised her the moon and the stars when they last spoke: c.o.c.ktails at her place, followed by dinner in Clearwater. They'd drive to Palm Harbor and spend the weekend at his place, waking up to the sound of the Gulf and a leisurely breakfast on the terrace. He'd been so determined to take the weekend off, to make up for lost time with Celeste.

Sitting alone on the edge of the king-size bed, he hoped he'd done the right thing by accompanying Laura to Philadelphia, and that Celeste would understand. As he tried her line again, he thought of the marquis-cut diamond he'd given her eighteen months ago, and of his utter elation when she'd accepted it. Yet they still hadn't set a wedding date. Could it be that she really didn't want to marry him? Maybe they both were too dedicated to their careers. Maybe marriage wasn't right for them? He knew he wanted a family, and she said she did too. But with her constant traveling and the intensity with which they both approached their work, was it possible? He promised himself that after the Nelson case, things would change. He'd promote both Rob and Carrie to senior partner and let them share his responsibilities.

As soon as he'd set the receiver down, the phone rang.

"Celeste?" He a.s.sumed that she'd been in the shower or stepped outside or something before he remembered that she didn't even have his phone number. Didn't even know he was in Philadelphia.

"No," a familiar woman's voice said. "Greg, is that you?"

"Yes."

"Greg, it's Carrie. You okay?"

"Hey, Carrie, I'm fine. Any news?"

"Wanted to bring you up to date on what's happening down here. Rob told me you were headed to Philly," she went on, "but I thought you were coming back -"

"Made a last minute decision. I was supposed to be meeting Celeste tonight, but I can't reach her. She was flying in from Atlanta for a beach weekend."

"Uh huh. Well, we just had one of those Tampa specials, you know, summer storm complete with booming sound effects and a spectacular lightning show. Her flight was probably delayed. It's okay out there now, but the streets are flooded, so she'll be late for sure."

"d.a.m.n. She takes a direct flight from Atlanta to Miami, then a small prop to Tampa. She hates flying in perfect weather, so a small plane in a storm -"

"I'm sure she's okay."

"But she doesn't know I'm stuck here," Greg went on. "She's got Betty's home phone, but I feel like a jerk for standing her up."

"Hey, she's a smart lady. Just keep trying her, she'll forgive you. Now what's going on with Laura and her son?"

"Well, I'd say she's about as well as can be expected what with a seriously ill son and a failing marriage. I need you to intensify your look into custody and jurisdiction issues in case Nelson really tries to take Mike and Kevin away from Laura."

"I don't know how she can deal with all this."

"I don't know that she can, to tell you the truth.

Carrie sighed. "So, are you planning to stay in Philly?"

"I don't know. I'll stay at least until the surgery on Monday. Carrie, they think the child has a tumor in his heart."

Carrie gasped. "Cancer?"

"They don't know, but they will on Monday. I can't really leave her. You won't believe what's happened. You and Rob have to know this, but I hope we can keep it away from the Tampa gossip machine."

He then related to Carrie the jarring scene with Dr. Chambers and Steve's reaction.

"It just goes from bad to worse. But I agree, you'd better stay with her," Carrie responded. "Did she give any explanation at all, I mean, about the child's father? I mean, how could that doctor be so sure?"

"Blood types. Genetics 101, I guess."

"But to find out now. Doesn't that seem, well, unreal?"

"You know, Carrie, she didn't say a word." Greg paused. "Nothing to her husband. Nothing to me. She certainly didn't deny it."

"What a horrible time for it all to come out. At least things are on the upside here. We've made good progress with Sandra Mulloy and the judge. We'll be working all weekend on the motion to dismiss. We want to set it up so the D.A. won't resist it."

"What more do we need?"

"Well, the D.A.'s office has jump-started an official investigation - the Organized Crime Task Force shaking down Ybor City."

"All eyes on Santiago."

"Who's nowhere to be found."

"Still, it's enough to get them to suspend charges. Good work, you guys."

"Best to thank Chuck. But," she went on, "I'm worried about security. Though the D.A. came through and had the Tampa police send an officer to the Palmers, they're still worried. Santiago's a mobster, for heaven's sake. What if word gets out that Molly Palmer can ID him? She could be in real danger."

"You've got a point. The D.A. has to keep her affidavit confidential, but with all the police involvement, there could always be a leak."

"We've got to get her better protection. Greg, I promised, that's how we got this far."

"I know. I think we should get the family out of Tampa." Greg was quiet for a moment, rubbing his forehead with one hand. "Got it. We can use Celeste's condo. It's on Amelia Island near Jacksonville. Chuck can set it up. They'll need an a.s.sumed name to start with."

"How does that work? What can I do?"

"Let Chuck handle it, he knows the drill. We used it once before as a safe house."

"Sounds good to me. So who'll talk to the Palmers?"

"You do that. Just be sure to emphasize that secrecy is critical.

They're to tell no one, absolutely no one, including the police. The only ones who know where they are will be Chuck and me. Just tell the Palmers that it's a safe, comfortable place a few hours away. Okay?"

"Okay, Greg. Makes me feel better, though I wonder if Sally Palmer can possibly keep a secret. In the meantime, Chuck's got people in the street here and in Miami after Santiago."

"Right. Carrie, here's what I've been thinking: how much danger could Nelson be in? I mean, Santiago did show up at his place, right? After he takes care of Connor, he's thinking that Nelson was Connor's confidant and that she told him things she shouldn't have. What'd he do then? Run it by Chuck, would you? I don't give a s.h.i.t about the b.a.s.t.a.r.d, but he's got Laura's two older sons."

"Will do. I've wondered about that too. I thought maybe he'd go after Steve Nelson right after it happened -"

"In a jealous rage," Greg finished her thought. "Wonder how much that had to do with Nelson trekking up to Michigan that night. How much, and what, did he know?"

"Exactly. I'll talk to Chuck about it, and about the Palmers. I'll go see them tonight and arrange for them to leave in the morning. And you'd better get over to the hospital with Laura," Carrie added. "Sounds like about now, you're all she has."

"Hey Carlos, it's Frankie. What's shakin' in Miami, man?" Frank Santiago had been waiting by the phone and finally made the call himself. He was barefoot and wore swim trunks with small gold-colored diamonds against a plum background and a matching top as he tried to lounge inside the beachfront cottage. He hadn't even been able to show off his stylish swimwear on the beach. It was Sat.u.r.day. Tomorrow would be three weeks since the Mexican heist and he was losing patience.

"No matter to you. You where you supposed to be," a heavily accented Hispanic voice rasped.

"Sweet f.u.c.king island, but I gotta get outta here. Sat.u.r.day night and I'm sitting here doin' f.u.c.king nothing. Got business to take care of."

"Too hot in Tampa," said Carlos Tosca. He sounded authoritative and annoyed.

For fifteen years Carlos had controlled the Cuban arm of the South Florida mob out of Miami. He was a self-made man, now sixty-three and thinking of his successor. He had three daughters that he'd sent to the Ivies - and that he'd kept isolated from the family business. He had no sons, and over the past year he'd been grooming his captains for the top job. Frank Santiago was one, and nine months ago, Carlos sent him up to Tampa to expand the Ybor City operation into the larger Tampa Bay area.

"They got a manhunt goin' down and you the man," barked Carlos from his mansion in Miami's South Beach. "Like I don't got nothin' better to do than cover your f.u.c.k ups. How many times I tell you. Just you and Ritchie, get to Tampa, do the job, don't make no stops, don't let n.o.body see you. And whaddaya do instead? Go chasin' after p.u.s.s.y, then you even off the b.i.t.c.h."

"Carlos, that's not what went down - but the job got done, right? That blow's raking it in now and I gotta -"

"Shut the f.u.c.k up," Carlos sneered. "Listen to me real good. I'm callin' the shots to keep your a.s.s outta the slammer. You stay outta sight, you hear me? Ain't anybody gonna find you there. Sanibel's a quiet, family-type island. Droppin' you by boat at night means n.o.body saw nothin' so long's you stay inside. You got that?"

"I'll go loco in this s.h.i.t of a paradise," insisted Frank. "I gotta get back to Tampa."

"Ritchie's takin' over."

"Ritchie don't know s.h.i.t. I got stuff all set up."

"Yeah, you're all set up. That why the pigs crawlin' through Tampa lookin' for you for buryin' that stupid b.i.t.c.h."

"s.h.i.t, I'm telling you that n.o.body can finger me."

"That the fact? Then why you got somebody singin' 'bout you, a.s.shole. Word is they gonna drop the charges on that lady doctor. That leaves you in a bad place, so you f.u.c.kin' stay put. Down the line we may hafta get you outta the country fast."

"Drop the charges? What the f.u.c.k -?"

"I'm hearing that someone saw you, Frankie. I know you've been like a son to me, but you're not leavin' me too many choices."

"I swear, n.o.body saw nothin'."

"I gotta go," rasped Carlos. "Ritchie'll stay in touch. He's in charge now, and you do what he tells you. No more f.u.c.k ups."

Santiago slammed down the phone, grabbed a beer, and walked out into the humid South Florida air, gazing with contempt at the aqua blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. He detested islands. They made him feel like he was in a prison. Especially this one, accessible only via a toll bridge connected to Fort Myers and, of course, by small boats. He needed to get back to business in Tampa and fast. Before that p.r.i.c.k Ritchie dug too deep in his business. Didn't everybody skim a little off the top? But if Richie ever found out, he'd go straight to Carlos. Frankie knew what would happen next. He'd sent his share of bodies to the bottom of Tampa Bay. He went back inside.

There wasn't much time. Frankie began to sweat. He stripped off his shirt. Forced himself to sit down on the bed. Forced himself to think. To list his problems. First, Ritchie. The kid was smart, as in mathematically smart. The money reported to Carlos was light by 3 percent - enough to get him iced. He had to get back before Richie figured this out.

Second, what Carlos said about that night? That somebody saw him at Nelson's s.h.i.thole? He'd been so f.u.c.king careful, parking his Caddy two blocks away. Left no prints. Took the back door out. But somebody musta seen something 'cause they were droppin' charges on the Nelson b.i.t.c.h. He knew the rule. Better to take a soldier out than let him sing inside the joint. Carlos already figured he'd iced Kim and was f.u.c.king p.i.s.sed. He could think of only one way to handle this mysterious witness - Manny Gonzolas.

Finally, there was Steve Nelson. Free as a bird out there. Frankie sank back against the pillows, reliving that night. Tears p.r.i.c.ked his eyes as they had off and on since he'd lost Kim. This weird sign of emotion confused him. Tears because he missed her? Or tears of sheer anger? How could she betray him for f.u.c.king Nelson? And what did Nelson know about his scheme? He had told Kim, hadn't he? Trying to impress her with how smart and how rich he was. So many pretty woman out there, and he'd finally chosen Kim to be his wife and she - Frankie wiped away the tears, his face hardening into a tight grimace. Had to be Nelson pointing the finger. Why else would they let his wife walk and the law be out looking for him? Pigs found her right there. Yes, Nelson had to be iced and soon. "And that will be my pleasure," Frankie said aloud as he stripped down to take a cool shower.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN.

Greg spent most of Sat.u.r.day at the hotel, either on the phone with Rob or Chuck, or riding up and down elevators to the lone fax machine in the so-called business office of the Sheraton. Laura was across the street with Patrick as the poor kid endured CAT scans, ultrasounds, and other torturous procedures that Greg had never even heard of.

Rob was in the office putting the finishing touches on the motion to persuade Judge Potter to dismiss the murder charge still officially pending against Laura. Sandra Mulloy had been informed, so that when the motion made it to the judge on Monday, the D.A. would not feel blindsided. They were so ultrasensitive to P.R. that Greg thought it best to give them time to evaluate their political options. When the judge dismissed Laura's charges, the D.A.'s office would have to publicly expose Frank Santiago as the new prime suspect. How they handled that would be their problem and that of the police to finally arrest the guy. But it did make Greg feel better that little Molly Palmer would be safely sequestered three hundred miles away on Amelia Island.

In between telephone marathons with Rob and Chuck, Greg had repeatedly tried to call Celeste. Alone in the hotel, he missed her terribly and still had not been able to explain his snap decision to go to Philly with Laura. He'd tried her townhouse in Tampa, his beach house, and then, the Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta just in case, but there was no answer at either residence, and no message waiting for him at the hotel. Although Greg knew that Celeste would not object to their using her place, he was anxious to let her know it was happening.

After meeting Laura for a quick dinner in the CHOP cafeteria, he returned to the hotel and headed to the bar. Nursing a gla.s.s of tawny port, he wondered whether Celeste's absence was a sign that he should have gone home instead. Sipping the second port, Greg finally begun to worry, not so much about Celeste's safety, but about their relationship. He didn't deserve her, and his decision to go to Philadelphia with Laura just proved it. Back in his room, he called her condo once again. No answer. Celeste had sacrificed her own professional goals to spend the weekend in Tampa with him and he'd stood her up. No wonder she wasn't answering the phone. These were Greg's thoughts as he'd tried to drift off to sleep long into the early hours of Sunday morning.

Around nine in the morning, Greg's phone rang.

"Carrie calling," she announced as he said 'h.e.l.lo.'

"Morning. What's up, Carrie?"

"Well, I need your opinion on something. It's important."

"Shoot."

"It's the Palmers. Chuck and I set it up to get them to the house on Amelia Island this morning as we discussed. The thing is, they want to take Elizabeth as a companion for Molly seeing they'll be so isolated. Don says it's up to me whether to let her go. What do you think?"

"I see." Greg paused. "Carrie, the truth is I really don't know what I'd do if I were you. She's your daughter, only you can decide. What I can tell you is that we'll make sure Chuck takes every conceivable precaution in terms of security, but in the end I guess it boils down to how you feel. Do you know?"

"I feel that I got Molly into this and that it wouldn't be right if I didn't let Elizabeth go with them. But still, I'm scared."