Chapter 36

Alex was still sick on Thursday night, and Bobby's new case was going to require a stake out. After he called her, he turned to his partner, who was picking at the last of his chicken alfredo.

"Look, uh, you don't mind if we stop by to see Jeremy, do you?"

Greg looked up. "What, now?"

"Yeah. I, you know, we see him every night, one of us, and Alex is still under the weather."

"Nah, man. Sure. I'd love to see the little guy again."

Jeremy was in the midst of a full-blown tantrum when they arrived. He was lying face down on the carpet, kicking and screaming and shouting "NO!" over and over again.

Diane's husband Jerry was standing near the boy, keeping an eye on him while she answered the door. Bobby gave her a concerned glance.

"He was supposed to pick up his building blocks, but instead he grabbed his airplane. We had to take the airplane away. He threw some things and then started doing this."

Bobby sighed and gave his partner a quick glance.

"Alex is still sick?"

"Yeah. She just can't quite kick it. This is Greg Washington, my partner."

"Hello, Greg." The adults had to speak loudly to be heard over the screaming, crying child.

"This is my husband Jerry," Diane said to Greg as Bobby squatted down next to Jeremy.

"Jeremy, what's wrong?" Bobby asked.

"No! No! No Bobby! No!"

"You don't want to talk to me?" The child kicked some more and kept screaming. "Jeremy, I was really hoping I could talk to you tonight."

"No! No! Mad!"

Bobby grinned and looked at his foster parents. "Jeremy is mad," Bobby said. "He doesn't want to talk to anybody."

Jeremy didn't say anything, but his sobs quieted a little.

"I guess I'll just draw a picture, then." Bobby held his hand out to Greg, who handed him the little notebook he kept in his suit pocket and a pen. Bobby started drawing, keeping the paper where the boy could see it if he bothered to lift his head.

Diane fixed herself a drink and went to stand by her husband who put his arm around her. They quietly discussed household business and let Bobby deal with Jeremy.

Jeremy was quiet now, except for the occasional whimper, but he still had not looked Bobby's way. Goren lifted the paper and showed it to Greg. "Do you think this looks like me, Greg?" he asked.

It was a simple stick figure, and Greg almost laughed, but he knew what Bobby was trying to do. "Absolutely. Except I think your ears stick out a little more."

Bobby gave him a sour look and added ears to the stick man. "And I'd like to draw Jeremy in my picture, too, but I can't see his face. I don't want to get it wrong."

Jeremy grunted angrily, but after a few minutes, he turned his head and tried to peek at the drawing. Bobby was busy adding details to it.

With a frown, Jeremy sat up and put his hand on Bobby's picture.

"Do you want to draw?" Bobby asked him.

Jeremy grunted at him.

"Here," Bobby said, and handed him the pen.

Jeremy drew a shaky circle and handed the pen back.

"Is that you?" Bobby asked him. He pointed to the picture. "This is me and that is you?"

With a tear in his eye, Jeremy nodded.

Bobby smiled at him and held out his arms. Jeremy climbed into his lap and Bobby hugged him, dropping a kiss on the boy's head. "Jeremy feels better?"

Jeremy was quiet, but he kept his head tucked against Bobby's chest.

"Jeremy has some things to talk to Diane and Jerry about." He glanced up at the couple, and Diane got down on the floor beside them. "Don't you, Jeremy?" Bobby said with a little nudge for the boy.

"Jeremy, can you look at me?" Diane asked softly.

Reluctantly, the child turned his head her way.

"I'm not mad, Jeremy. Can you see I'm not mad?"

He nodded.

"Are you still mad?"

He shrugged.

"Jeremy needs to pick up his toys."

He grunted angrily.

Bobby leaned down and spoke quietly into Jeremy's ears. "When you pick up your toys, you can play with me and Detective Greg."

Jeremy pulled back, looked into Bobby's eyes, then curiously glanced at Greg. He recognized him and hugged Bobby tighter.

Bobby's brow furrowed. He rubbed Jeremy's back. "C'mon, let's get your toys picked up. Maybe Miss Diane will let me help you."

She nodded at Bobby, and soon he had Jeremy bringing him blocks to put into a box. As soon as the last block was put away, Jeremy went back to Bobby and tugged on his tie.

"Axsh?" Jeremy asked.

"She's still sick," Bobby told him. "Do you want to call her on the phone?" He looked up at Diane, who dialed from the home phone and set it on speaker.

"Hello?" Alex said wearily.

"Hi, Alex, it's Diane. We thought we'd call and say hello."

"I'm glad you did. Is Jeremy there?"

"He's right here, and he's listening," Bobby told her.

"Hi Jeremy," Alex said. "I'm sorry I couldn't come tonight. I miss you."

"Axsh," the boy said. "Axsh sick."

Again, the adults in the room shared a silent celebration.

Bobby could tell Alex almost cried when she replied. "That's right, son, I am sick. But I'll be well soon and then I'll come and give you a big hug. I love you, Jeremy."

"Axsh wuv."

Bobby was about to burst with pride. He hugged the little boy. "Get some rest, Alex, I'll see you tonight," he said to the phone.

"Okay, bye, everybody," she said. The adults in the room said their goodbyes. "Bye bye, Jeremy."

"Bye," the boy replied.

Bobby played with Jeremy a few minutes longer, and he managed to warm up to Greg, as well.

When it came time to leave, Jeremy's fears resurfaced. "No!" he cried, hugging Bobby's neck. "Bobby wuv!"

"I love you, too, Jeremy," Bobby said. "But I have to go. Detective Greg and I have to go work tonight."

"No!"

After some coaxing, and some distraction, and finally a bribe of ice cream, Bobby was able to escape.

In spite of the struggle, Bobby was bouncing with joy as he walked to the car. He already had his phone to his ear. "Can you believe it?!" he said to her. "And he said 'mad, and love, and sick!' He's really talking, Alex!"

Greg just grinned as he unlocked the car.