It was about half an hour after we got to the hospital that someone finally arrived. But it wasn't Billy or Francine.
"I'm glad to see you aren't giving the staff trouble this time, Lee."
Everyone in our group looked up at the newcomer.
"Harry!" Amanda exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"Mr. Melrose had an unexpected delay drop on him, and called me. It's a good thing he did, too." Reaching out his hand, he introduced himself to Dotty and Jamie. "Hello, you must be Amanda's mother? And son?"
"Well, I'm one of them..." Jamie answered hesitantly, as the two shook hands.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr..." Dotty prodded.
"Thornton, but I'd prefer 'Harry'-I'm trying to make up for that darned bald spot that's starting on the back of my head." Even with the situation, we all cracked a small grin. Then everything was serious again. "Billy was somewhat vague about what happened."
Amanda sighed. "Lee, the boys, Mother, and I had gone camping on the grounds just outside of Arlington. It was supposed to be an ice breaker to let them know about us being married. Well, we were going to tell the boys, because Mother had already figured it out, and it wouldn't be fair for her to know and not them. Anyway, we needed to leave early, and we were on the way home when..." She choked out. Tears were filling her eyes. "I can't..." Her composure was gone. The tears spilled. She was next to her mother, so the older woman put her arms around the younger one.
"I think we were about a mile away," Jamie continued, "when I saw a limo pull up next to us. I told Mom I thought the guy wanted to talk to her, but she was driving, so Lee and Grandma looked instead. Well, someone was in the back of the limo, wearing fancy-schmansy clothes and whoever it was shot at us. Lee warned us, so everyone ducked in time...except Phillip. When we sat up, the driver had already left the scene, and we were rushing Phillip here." That's when his eyes widened with a memory. "Oh! The license plate number! I saw it as the guy sped away!"
"Do you remember it, son?" Harry asked. Jamie rattled off the numbers, resulting in a frown from our friend—and myself, also. Amanda's face paled when she heard it. Harry was then silent for a moment. "I don't like this one bit."
"Mr. Thornton—I mean, Harry," Dotty started, with no little amount of irritation, "Lee already said that his and Amanda's employer could help prosecute whoever did this. Does that not apply now?"
"Yes, Mrs. West, it does apply, especially now. But now things are more than just complicated. And it has nothing to do with whether or not their employer will do anything. It depends greatly on whether or not they can."
"Excuse me!?"
"Oh, please, no..." came my wife's weak whisper.
I swallowed my pride before speaking. "I'm afraid so—whoever shot Phillip was in an IFF limousine."