Carrying on chapter 7
1 Hogan Place
Claire Kincaid and Adam Schiff, in the early evening hours, just before quitting time, in Schiff's office, going over all their current cases.
This week was looking to be a light one; which wasn't always the case
"Which way is Robey going to leap?" Schiff asked Kincaid.
"Think he's going to plead to Murder 2," Kincaid looked up from her notes. "Sally knows we've got him dead to rights."
"And Verbanski?"
An embezzler who had been caught red-handed by her employer. He had been the one to pay; with his life…
"She pled out too. She's doing Life."
"Good." Adam Schiff smiled, peering over the rims of his Reading Glasses.
Claire Kincaid smiled back.
The last four years had been an emotional roller-coaster; what with Jack McCoy having been traumatically injured by a hit-and-run driver.
The injury had left him in a coma, and Claire, his Second Chair…his lover…had been vaulted into sudden prominence as Adam Schiff's new Executive Assistant DA.
"How is he?" Business done for the day, Adam Schiff put all the briefs to one side.
"He's still…wherever he is…"
Sometimes, Claire Kincaid wanted to howl.
Jack McCoy was still in that coma, still…wherever he was…
Still in the Manhattan Neurology Intensive Long-Term Care Facility, still under Dr. Arthur Branch's care.
"Looking in on him after work?"
"Yes," Claire nodded.
"Tell him Ruth and I will visit tomorrow,"
"I will."
…..
Manhattan Neurology Intensive Long-term Care Facility
Claire Kincaid watched the therapist as he worked on Jack McCoy, manipulating the patient's arms and legs.
Emil Skoda was very good at his job. He also preferred to talk to his patients, and their caretakers.
Me…
Kincaid remembered the first time she had met Skoda; around two years ago…
"Mr. McCoy doesn't seem to mind me working on his arms," Skoda had said. "But he hates it when I work on his legs. Especially his knees; which is why I always do those first. To get it over with ASAP."
"How can you tell he hates it?"
Jack always looked the same to her, no matter what the therapist was doing at the time, no matter what anyone was doing around him.
Jack's my Sleeping Beauty…
If only I could awaken him with a kiss…
"Hold him," Skoda had suggested. "I'll do his legs, and you'll see…"
Kincaid gathered McCoy into her arms, held him close, his head resting on her shoulder. She sensed Skoda moving to the foot of the bed, heard the rustle as the bedding was pulled back.
"I'm starting now," the therapist said, as he set to work. And Jack McCoy's body stiffened in her arms.
Instinctively, Claire caressed McCoy's back, muttered wordless reassurances in his ear.
It didn't take long; maybe ten to fifteen minutes. Then, Skoda pulled the bedding back down.
And Jack McCoy seemed to relax in her arms.
"He really doesn't like it," Kincaid continued to rub the comatose man's back.
Ever since then, both she and Skoda had contrived to schedule Jack's physical therapy sessions for when she could be there to hold him.
After the therapy, Clair would lay Jack down, and tell him the news of the day. Then, she would go to her small, and desolately empty apartment, and go to bed…