Chapter 10

…

Dembe looked in the rear view mirror to see a strange look on Red's face as he dialled the number he'd been trying yet again as Agnes moved around in his arms.

"Problem Raymond?"

Red looked up to see Dembe's eyes on him as he drove along the road.

"Lizzie isn't answering her phone."

"Maybe she's busy?"

"Mmmm, doing what I wonder?"

Dembe looked back towards the road as Red focused on the small child in his arms, smiling down at her.

"Your mother will be so happy to have to back Agnes, we all are." He whispered.

Dembe stopped at a stop sign, having a quick look at his cell while he waited to see a message from Liz. His eyes went wide when all it read was "She's alive."

"Dembe, you're keeping the traffic behind us waiting."

Dembe quickly put his cell away and began driving again, feeling Red's eyes boring in to the back of his head.

…

Liz sat with Aram drinking what must have been her third or fourth cup of coffee as they waited on news of Kate.

"This is taking too long, that can't be good right?" She asked.

"No news is good news right."

"God this is all my fault."

"You can't think like that."

"How can I not, she ended up like this because of me. If she hadn't helped me fake my death then none of this would have happened in the first place."

"She could have said no, she didn't."

"This whole mess has destroyed their relationship, Red will never trust her again and that's down to me, she doesn't deserve that, she didn't deserve any of this."

"She's a tough woman, she might just surprise us all."

"If she doesn't make it, I'll make sure he pays for what he's done to her. He won't get away with it."

Liz looked down when her cell rang yet again, taking it out to see Red's name flashing on the screen.

"Oh crap."

"What's up?"

"It's Red, give me a minute."

Liz got up and walked a few yards away to answer the phone.

"Hey." She said, trying to sound as normal as she could.

"Lizzie at last, I've been trying to contact you for a few hours now."

"Yeah sorry, it's been busy…work, you know."

"I see, well I have good news. You'll have your daughter back with you very soon."

"Oh my god…you have her, is she alright?"

"She's fine Lizzie, he didn't hurt her."

"Kirk?"

"He's dead, it couldn't be helped."

"Right…look I don't even care any more, just as long as Agnes is safe."

"Well don't worry she is, where are you, I'll bring her to you?"

Liz was about to respond when she stopped herself, panic suddenly filling her.

"Oh, I'm…I'm still on a case, could you maybe look after her until I can get away, I'll call you when I'm done?"

"Lizzie, is everything alright, you sound…odd."

"No of course not I'm just…."

"CAN WE GET MS NEMEC IN TO HER ROOM NOW PLEASE."

Liz froze when she heard the doctor yelling to a nurse walking her way, Lizzie trying to muffle the noise on her phone.

"Lizzie? Where are you?" He asked.

"I told you, on a case."

Red hung up and returned his attentions to Dembe who was looking back at him.

"Is there something you want to tell me Dembe?"

Dembe looked at him, trying to keep his expression as normal as possible.

"No Raymond."

Red dialled another number, Dembe watching him closely.

"Ahhh, Frank…it's Raymond Reddington. Yes I'm well, thank you, listen I need you to do me a favour. I need you to hack in to hack in to the hospital records, I'm not sure sure if it's St Margaret's or the western but I need you to check both and tell me if a patient by the name of Nemec shows up….yes Nemec. Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you."

Red looked up, seeing panic on Dembe's face, knowing right away what was happening.

"Secrets are a terrible thing Dembe, did you really think I wouldn't find out."

"Raymond I…"

"Take me back to my apartment for now."

"Raymond…"

"Just drive."

Dembe did as he was told as drove Red home, panic filling him as he began to wonder what would happen to Kate now.

….

To Be Continued…