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Better Late Than Never
Chapter 5
Melanie-Anne
Sydney sighed and stood up, walking across the room to close the door. "Well, let's hear it then."
"He wants us to kidnap 'Mrs. Gates' so . . ." Parker trailed off. The smile vanished from her face as she slowly got to her feet. "Lyle knows."
Broots looked from Parker to Sydney, his expression of confusion mirroring the older man's. "Uh, what does Lyle know?"
Parker stubbed out her cigarette. "He knows it's Jarod. He's setting us up."
"How could he know?"
"You know how anal Lyle is about being at the centre of the action. Why would he send us to kidnap someone when he could do the job just as well himself—"
"Unless he's waiting to catch you in an act of betrayal," Sydney finished.
Parker nodded. "So now we need to figure out how to get Jarod out of that hospital before Lyle gets hold of him."
"Uh, Miss Parker, if you don't mind. I have a suggestion . . ."
*
"I never thought I'd see the day where you got to be the getaway driver." Parker laughed, but there was no malice in her tone. Sydney smiled at her from the driver's seat.
"One could say something similar about you, Parker." He stepped out and closed the car door, looking around the hospital parking lot for any sign of the Centre. Parker smiled ruefully and tugged at the nun's habit that covered her from head to toe.
"I don't think my hemline's been this low since I was five."
Sydney chuckled softly and helped her adjust the wimple. "Broots is right, no one's going to look twice at you in this outfit."
"Yeah. Where did you come up with the idea anyway?"
Broots shrugged. "I was watching Nuns On The Run with Debbie the other day. You know, where the two crooks . . ." He caught Parker's look and trailed off. "It's pretty funny, you should see it."
Parker stepped back and turned around. "Well. How do I look?"
"Oh, I think you'll pass." Sydney smiled and handed her the gun. "You might need this."
"Thanks. You two ready?"
Broots and Sydney nodded.
"Okay. Let's get this show on the road."
Broots pulled on a baseball cap and headed towards the entrance. Parker followed a short distance behind, her head bowed slightly to hide her face. Broots stopped at the reception to ask a question. Parker kept walking until she reached the elevator. She pressed the arrow for 'Up' and waited. Broots came to stand next to her and they smiled at each other politely, as strangers would. It seemed an interminably long ride to the sixth floor. Broots let Parker step out first and followed her to Jarod's room. He closed the door behind them and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead.
"You're the prettiest nun I've ever seen. What do you think, Broots?" Jarod put down the comic he'd been reading and smiled.
"Answer that and I'll be the last nun you ever see. This is no time to be making jokes, Jarod." Parker helped Jarod into a wheelchair while Broots took a white coat out of his backpack.
"Why this whole rigmarole?" Jarod asked.
"I'm being set up. Somehow Lyle knows it's you and he's waiting for me to rush in and get you out."
"Which is exactly what you're doing."
"Well, I can't just leave you here. Besides, he'd never expect me to come here looking like this. And don't even think about commenting on that."
Jarod just smiled and looked at Broots. "Sister Parker and Doctor Broots. I never thought I'd see the day."
Parker just shook her head. Trust Jarod to find the humor in this situation. She looked out the window to check that Sydney was in position and turned back to Broots. "Okay, ready?"
"Ready."
She bent to kiss Jarod's cheek. "I'll be right behind you guys."
Broots pushed the wheelchair out into the hallway. Parker hid her hands beneath the habit, feeling the reassuring weight of her gun. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it, her wish short-lived as she saw Lyle and three sweepers step off the elevator. She motioned for Broots to go the other way, glancing over her shoulder as she followed him.
"Hey!" Lyle called. "Stop them!"
"Run," she urged. A gunshot echoed from behind her. She looked back; was Lyle crazy? There were innocent people here. Then again, she thought grimly, that had never stopped him before.
Breathless, they reached the service elevator. Parker fired a shot of her own, hitting one of the sweepers in his leg. The elevator doors slid shut just as Lyle reached them. Parker smiled sweetly at her brother and waved.
When they reached the bottom, it took a moment for Parker to orient herself. She looked left and right then picked a direction. "This way."
Broots followed without question and Jarod was surprisingly quiet. She glanced down at him as they hurried towards the exit. He was far too pale for her liking.
There were shouts of, "Stop them!" and "Don't let them get away!" as they reached the car. Broots climbed into the front seat while Parker helped Jarod into the back. He was sweating now. Parker put a hand to his forehead, almost slipping off the seat as Sydney sped away.
"How is he?" Sydney asked.
"I'm not sure. Things didn't exactly go according to plan." She tugged the wimple off and threw it to the floor. "So much for the disguises. Lyle was expecting us."
"Did anyone get hurt?"
"Just a sweeper, as far as I know. Occupational hazard."
"What do we do now?" Broots asked.
"Change of plan. Pull over, Syd. I'll drive." Parker leaned forward to pull open the glove compartment. There was a cell phone and another gun inside. "Broots, call Debbie. Tell her to be ready."
*
Six long hours later, Parker pulled up outside the house in Cape Charles. Tommy had left it to her and she'd managed to keep its existence secret from the Centre. It was the perfect place for the fugitives to hide. On the beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the nearest neighbors were a mile away on each side. Parker had only been here once after Tommy's death, and she had found the solitude peaceful and healing.
She stopped the car and turned to her passengers. Sydney was asleep in the front seat, his head lolling against the window, his mouth slightly open. Parker smiled, filled with affection for her friend.
Broots was behind Sydney, Debbie asleep in his arms. She smiled at him in the rearview mirror and looked at Jarod. He was looking better than he had earlier. She unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Broots extricated himself from Debbie's embrace and climbed out as well.
Parker climbed the steps to the front door, her muscles cramping in protest. She unlocked the door and flicked on the light switch.
Nothing. The power was off.
She went around to the back, telling Broots to stay where he was. She located the mains and smiled. So far, so good. Returning to the front, she hoped she'd left some clothes here. Otherwise, all she had was the nun's habit she still wore.
She woke Sydney up then went around to Jarod's side. "Hey, Wonderboy. We're here."
He mumbled something unintelligible. She sighed and gently shook his shoulder. He opened his eyes and yawned. She helped him to his feet and they slowly made their way into the house, him leaning heavily on her. Somehow they managed to make it all the way to the master bedroom upstairs. Jarod collapsed on the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
Parker found a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt in the closet. With a quick glance at Jarod, she stripped out of the habit and put the other clothes on. She combed her fingers through her hair and found a pair of sandals in the bathroom. Tucking her gun into the back of her waistband, she returned downstairs.
"There's an all-night market in town, if I remember correctly. Anyone up for a drive?"
"I'll go," Debbie said.
"I don't know. It's late." Broots looked at his watch, frowning.
"Aw, come on, Dad. It's not like I have to go to school tomorrow."
Parker met Sydney's eyes and chuckled. Debbie had clearly been spending far too much time with her.
"Let her come, Broots," she said. "You guys need your rest. There's another bedroom upstairs, one down the hall, and the couch folds out. Make yourselves at home."
Debbie smiled triumphantly.
"Deb, why don't you go see if Jarod needs anything. I'll meet you at the car." Debbie disappeared upstairs. "Syd, take a walk with me."
When they reached the car, Parker took the spare gun from the glove compartment and gave it to him. "No one knows about this place and I don't think we were followed. But just in case . . ."
She left the rest unsaid. Sydney nodded in understanding. "Why don't you go to the shop tomorrow morning?"
"It'll be empty now. I'd prefer to keep our presence secret for now."
"Jarod's asleep," Debbie said, coming to join them. "But Dad says he thinks Jarod would want PEZ."
Parker smiled. "That sounds right. See you later, Syd."
She held the door open for Debbie before going around to the driver's side. As they drove off, she saw Sydney silhouetted in the light from the open door, his hand raised in farewell.
Chapter 5
Melanie-Anne
Sydney sighed and stood up, walking across the room to close the door. "Well, let's hear it then."
"He wants us to kidnap 'Mrs. Gates' so . . ." Parker trailed off. The smile vanished from her face as she slowly got to her feet. "Lyle knows."
Broots looked from Parker to Sydney, his expression of confusion mirroring the older man's. "Uh, what does Lyle know?"
Parker stubbed out her cigarette. "He knows it's Jarod. He's setting us up."
"How could he know?"
"You know how anal Lyle is about being at the centre of the action. Why would he send us to kidnap someone when he could do the job just as well himself—"
"Unless he's waiting to catch you in an act of betrayal," Sydney finished.
Parker nodded. "So now we need to figure out how to get Jarod out of that hospital before Lyle gets hold of him."
"Uh, Miss Parker, if you don't mind. I have a suggestion . . ."
*
"I never thought I'd see the day where you got to be the getaway driver." Parker laughed, but there was no malice in her tone. Sydney smiled at her from the driver's seat.
"One could say something similar about you, Parker." He stepped out and closed the car door, looking around the hospital parking lot for any sign of the Centre. Parker smiled ruefully and tugged at the nun's habit that covered her from head to toe.
"I don't think my hemline's been this low since I was five."
Sydney chuckled softly and helped her adjust the wimple. "Broots is right, no one's going to look twice at you in this outfit."
"Yeah. Where did you come up with the idea anyway?"
Broots shrugged. "I was watching Nuns On The Run with Debbie the other day. You know, where the two crooks . . ." He caught Parker's look and trailed off. "It's pretty funny, you should see it."
Parker stepped back and turned around. "Well. How do I look?"
"Oh, I think you'll pass." Sydney smiled and handed her the gun. "You might need this."
"Thanks. You two ready?"
Broots and Sydney nodded.
"Okay. Let's get this show on the road."
Broots pulled on a baseball cap and headed towards the entrance. Parker followed a short distance behind, her head bowed slightly to hide her face. Broots stopped at the reception to ask a question. Parker kept walking until she reached the elevator. She pressed the arrow for 'Up' and waited. Broots came to stand next to her and they smiled at each other politely, as strangers would. It seemed an interminably long ride to the sixth floor. Broots let Parker step out first and followed her to Jarod's room. He closed the door behind them and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead.
"You're the prettiest nun I've ever seen. What do you think, Broots?" Jarod put down the comic he'd been reading and smiled.
"Answer that and I'll be the last nun you ever see. This is no time to be making jokes, Jarod." Parker helped Jarod into a wheelchair while Broots took a white coat out of his backpack.
"Why this whole rigmarole?" Jarod asked.
"I'm being set up. Somehow Lyle knows it's you and he's waiting for me to rush in and get you out."
"Which is exactly what you're doing."
"Well, I can't just leave you here. Besides, he'd never expect me to come here looking like this. And don't even think about commenting on that."
Jarod just smiled and looked at Broots. "Sister Parker and Doctor Broots. I never thought I'd see the day."
Parker just shook her head. Trust Jarod to find the humor in this situation. She looked out the window to check that Sydney was in position and turned back to Broots. "Okay, ready?"
"Ready."
She bent to kiss Jarod's cheek. "I'll be right behind you guys."
Broots pushed the wheelchair out into the hallway. Parker hid her hands beneath the habit, feeling the reassuring weight of her gun. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it, her wish short-lived as she saw Lyle and three sweepers step off the elevator. She motioned for Broots to go the other way, glancing over her shoulder as she followed him.
"Hey!" Lyle called. "Stop them!"
"Run," she urged. A gunshot echoed from behind her. She looked back; was Lyle crazy? There were innocent people here. Then again, she thought grimly, that had never stopped him before.
Breathless, they reached the service elevator. Parker fired a shot of her own, hitting one of the sweepers in his leg. The elevator doors slid shut just as Lyle reached them. Parker smiled sweetly at her brother and waved.
When they reached the bottom, it took a moment for Parker to orient herself. She looked left and right then picked a direction. "This way."
Broots followed without question and Jarod was surprisingly quiet. She glanced down at him as they hurried towards the exit. He was far too pale for her liking.
There were shouts of, "Stop them!" and "Don't let them get away!" as they reached the car. Broots climbed into the front seat while Parker helped Jarod into the back. He was sweating now. Parker put a hand to his forehead, almost slipping off the seat as Sydney sped away.
"How is he?" Sydney asked.
"I'm not sure. Things didn't exactly go according to plan." She tugged the wimple off and threw it to the floor. "So much for the disguises. Lyle was expecting us."
"Did anyone get hurt?"
"Just a sweeper, as far as I know. Occupational hazard."
"What do we do now?" Broots asked.
"Change of plan. Pull over, Syd. I'll drive." Parker leaned forward to pull open the glove compartment. There was a cell phone and another gun inside. "Broots, call Debbie. Tell her to be ready."
*
Six long hours later, Parker pulled up outside the house in Cape Charles. Tommy had left it to her and she'd managed to keep its existence secret from the Centre. It was the perfect place for the fugitives to hide. On the beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the nearest neighbors were a mile away on each side. Parker had only been here once after Tommy's death, and she had found the solitude peaceful and healing.
She stopped the car and turned to her passengers. Sydney was asleep in the front seat, his head lolling against the window, his mouth slightly open. Parker smiled, filled with affection for her friend.
Broots was behind Sydney, Debbie asleep in his arms. She smiled at him in the rearview mirror and looked at Jarod. He was looking better than he had earlier. She unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Broots extricated himself from Debbie's embrace and climbed out as well.
Parker climbed the steps to the front door, her muscles cramping in protest. She unlocked the door and flicked on the light switch.
Nothing. The power was off.
She went around to the back, telling Broots to stay where he was. She located the mains and smiled. So far, so good. Returning to the front, she hoped she'd left some clothes here. Otherwise, all she had was the nun's habit she still wore.
She woke Sydney up then went around to Jarod's side. "Hey, Wonderboy. We're here."
He mumbled something unintelligible. She sighed and gently shook his shoulder. He opened his eyes and yawned. She helped him to his feet and they slowly made their way into the house, him leaning heavily on her. Somehow they managed to make it all the way to the master bedroom upstairs. Jarod collapsed on the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
Parker found a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt in the closet. With a quick glance at Jarod, she stripped out of the habit and put the other clothes on. She combed her fingers through her hair and found a pair of sandals in the bathroom. Tucking her gun into the back of her waistband, she returned downstairs.
"There's an all-night market in town, if I remember correctly. Anyone up for a drive?"
"I'll go," Debbie said.
"I don't know. It's late." Broots looked at his watch, frowning.
"Aw, come on, Dad. It's not like I have to go to school tomorrow."
Parker met Sydney's eyes and chuckled. Debbie had clearly been spending far too much time with her.
"Let her come, Broots," she said. "You guys need your rest. There's another bedroom upstairs, one down the hall, and the couch folds out. Make yourselves at home."
Debbie smiled triumphantly.
"Deb, why don't you go see if Jarod needs anything. I'll meet you at the car." Debbie disappeared upstairs. "Syd, take a walk with me."
When they reached the car, Parker took the spare gun from the glove compartment and gave it to him. "No one knows about this place and I don't think we were followed. But just in case . . ."
She left the rest unsaid. Sydney nodded in understanding. "Why don't you go to the shop tomorrow morning?"
"It'll be empty now. I'd prefer to keep our presence secret for now."
"Jarod's asleep," Debbie said, coming to join them. "But Dad says he thinks Jarod would want PEZ."
Parker smiled. "That sounds right. See you later, Syd."
She held the door open for Debbie before going around to the driver's side. As they drove off, she saw Sydney silhouetted in the light from the open door, his hand raised in farewell.
