Chapter 29

Alex left him alone. She could see no good reason to risk disturbing his sleep. So she went home, tidied up, took a bath, and went to bed. At 3:30, her phone rang.

"Eames," she mumbled. Two words, and she was wide awake. "Where? I'll be right there."


At 6:30, Goren's phone rang. He slid out of bed and checked the screen: EAMES. "Yeah?" he answered.

She sounded upset. "Bobby, my Dad's in the hospital. He fell and hurt his ankle. We don't know yet if it was another stroke."

"Oh, Alex! Do… do you want me to do anything for you?"

"Just… I'll call you later."

"Okay. Keep me posted."

She hung up before remembering to say "I love you." She pondered calling him back for a minute, then decided that would be silly. She walked down the hall, where her brother Johnny wrapped an arm around her.


Bobby sent flowers to the hospital, and hit the corner drugstore to look for a gift for Cisco. He settled on an art set, and went home to wrap it. No wanting him to feel left out, Bobby got Felipe a little metal car. After wrapping the gifts, he headed over to Bella's.

"Bobby!" The boys yelled, almost knocking him over with hugs. Bella took the gifts from his hands so he could steady himself. He greeted the boys and followed them inside.

"Wanna see my cake?" Cisco asked.

"Sure."

"I decorated it!" Felipe announced.

Bobby went into the small kitchen and looked at the sheet cake. Felipe had poured an entire bottle of sprinkles on one half of the cake. "That's a nice looking cake," he said.

Mrs. Kohl shooed them into the living room and brought Bobby a glass of iced tea. He laid his jacket over the back of the couch before he sat down. Cisco came and sat beside him, leaning against him and playing with some kind of action figure. Bobby put his arm around him. Felipe came and sat on Bobby's lap, happy to watch his brother's toy.

Bella smiled at him. "Your friend?"

"She couldn't make it. Uh, her father… he's in the hospital."

"Oh!" Bella's face was full of compassion. "Do you need to…?"

Bobby shook his head. "She has family with her."

"Well, thank you for coming." She nodded to her boys, content snuggled against him. "I don't have to tell you what it means to the boys."

"Bobby?" Felipe asked. "Did you catch some bad guys this week?"

"Mostly my partner did. I only helped. We've just started looking for a new bad guy, though."

"Your partner must be smart."

Bobby grinned. "She is."

"Your partner's a GIRL?!" Both boys looked over at him in shock.

Bobby smiled even wider. "Yes. She's the best cop I know. She's smart, and she's very tough."

"I don't like girls," said Felipe.

"You won't say that forever," Bobby said, giving Bella a knowing look. The doorbell rang and she went to answer it, leaving Bobby to talk with the boys while Mrs. Kohl finished up in the kitchen.

Bobby was very aware that she stepped out into the hall rather than inviting the person in. Now, even through the door, he could make out the muffled sounds of an argument. He took Felipe off his lap and stood up.

He could hear their voices, louder as he came closer. "You're not welcome here!" Bella said loudly.

Bobby looked through the peephole, to see the man hovering in Bella's face as he snarled at her. Bobby dug his badge out of his pocket and opened the door.

He flashed the badge. "You need to leave," he said quietly, stepping between the man and Bella. Something in his expression reminded him of Cisco.

The man's face reddened, and he spat in Bella's direction. "You slut!"

Bobby stepped in closer, and the man wised up and turned to walk away. Bobby stayed in the hall until he was gone, waving to Bella with one hand to go back inside.

As he came back in, he dropped his shield in his pocket. She was in the kitchen with Mrs. Kohl, talking quietly. He tousled the boys' hair as he walked by, and Mrs. Kohl stepped out.

"He's their father?" He asked her quietly.

She nodded, and tears slipped silently down her face. "I haven't seen or heard from him in years," she choked. "He can't just…demand to see them, can he?"

"Look, I'll…I'll see if I can find a lawyer to talk with you. Uhm, look… It's Cisco's day." He stuffed his hands in his pocket and watched her dry her eyes on a tea towel and regain her composure.

"Martha, bring the boys to the table! It's time for cake!" She stuck the candles in the cake and lit them. As she carried it into the room, they all sang "Happy Birthday."


"This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard," John Eames complained. "A stroke? I sprained my ankle. I just tripped, that's all."

"Dad, you know they just have to be sure," Alex said.

"I want to go home."

"I know." Alex sank into the visitor's chair beside him. "Look, Dad, it's only for tonight. We'll take you home tomorrow."

"I want a cigarette." Liz rolled her eyes and marched to the window, shaking her head.

"You know that's not going to happen here," Alex said quietly.

"Then take me home!" he demanded.

"All right, Dad, that's enough," said John junior. "You're not getting a cigarette and you're not going home tonight. Now suck it up and quit giving the girls a hard time."

The father looked at the son, who stood his ground. At last, John senior picked up the remote and flipped channels on the tv until he found a football game. "Patriots are terrible this year," he grumped.

"I heard that," Johnny agreed.

Alex smiled at her father and gave her brother the chair. She walked over and took her sister's hand. "C'mon," she said, and Liz followed her out.

Liz dabbed at tears as they walked together down the hall. "Stubborn old goat," she complained.

Alex smiled. "Yes, he is."

"Doesn't he know we're scared to death?"

"I think he is, too," Alex said.

Liz looked into her eyes for a moment, then nodded. She leaned into Alex, who wrapped a strong arm around her.

"I hate this," Liz said.

"Me, too," Alex agreed. "Hey, why don't you go home. I can stay here tonight."

"Don't you have to work in the morning?"

"Bobby can cover for me for a while."