Stay in Touch
Chapter 50
Settling in on the couch next to Kate, Rick offers her a grape from the plate of fruit and cheese he put on the coffee table. "I'm sorry we couldn't go out tonight. The New Year's Eve party from the Poe Society is usually a blast. When those guys get a few glasses of Champagne in them, they start talking about all the stuff they had to cut from their books. It brings them down to the level of mere mortals. The band should be good this year too; I heard they got the one that opens for Springsteen. I bet they rock. But with Alexis getting over her strep throat I didn't want to leave her with a sitter and Mother has an event with her theater community tonight."
Kate leans her head against his shoulder. "Babe, it's all right. I don't need to be in a room with a lot of people getting drunk and waiting for midnight for an excuse to kiss someone. I don't need an excuse."
"Indeed you don't. My lips and any other part of me you'd like to explore are yours for the taking, but what would you like to do until the witching hour, or at least until Alexis is securely in dreamland, watch the celebration in Times Square or choose a movie?"
"Listen to music maybe, but not New Year's Rockin' Eve. I'm in the mood for Old Blue Eyes."
"I take it you're referring to Sinatra, not me."
"Yours are a much deeper color, but yes, I meant the chairman of the Rat Pack. You have him on vinyl, don't you?"
"I do. The records were Mother's. She bought them when she was married to her second husband. They're one of the few things he didn't steal from her, but after he took off with her life savings, she didn't want anything that reminded her of him, so she gave them to me. If you like them, her loss is definitely my gain."
"I love Sinatra. The way he sang, you not only understand every word but feel the meaning. You know what I mean?"
"As a fan of words actually conveying meaning, I agree entirely with your sentiments. And his voice wasn't bad either. So what's your favorite?"
"'My Way' is sort of my theme song."
"No argument there."
"But I think 'It Was a Very Good Year," would be appropriate to the occasion.
"It would at that, and the whole LP is great. 'I've Got You Under My Skin' is on it. If 'My Way' is your theme, that has to be mine. I'll put the album on the turntable."
The mellow music floats around Kate, and she leans back against Rick's chest and closes her eyes. As Rick gazes down at her while Sinatra croons "The Way You Look Tonight," it's as if Rick's very thoughts were captured in song. He leans in to whisper, "Would you like to dance?"
Kate sits up and offers her hand. "I'd like that very much."
Their feet barely move, as Rick holds Kate close, her hand at the nape of his neck. Their mouths are drawn together before Kate pulls back, her face flushed. "I wonder if Alexis is asleep yet."
"She should be. I made sure she took her antibiotic a couple of hours ago. She was reading in bed, but she already looked drowsy. I'll go see."
Rick takes the stairs two at a time and hurries back down moments later. "Dead to the world, but I checked, she's breathing. Her fever seems to be down, but I believe my temperature's rising by the minute."
"I think mine is too. We really should be in bed ourselves."
Rick scoops Kate up in his arms. "I agree completely."
Kate's cell buzzes with an alert just as Rick lays her down on the puffy comforter. "Damn!" She pulls it from her pocket and regards the screen. "A bomb went off at No Walls - that gay bar in the village. It's all hands on deck. I gotta go."
"Anything about how many people were hurt?'
"Nothing except the emergency call. There's probably something on the news, but I need to get to the precinct, now."
"Good thing we didn't open the Champagne early."
"Yeah." She grabs a quick kiss. "I'll call you when I can."
"Just be careful, Kate."
For a few moments, after Kate hurries away, Rick can't find anything on the television but coverage of New Year's revelry until a reporter appears as the breaking news banner flashes across the screen. She's young. Like Kate, she's most likely low enough on the totem pole to get stuck working holidays. "There has been an explosion at No Walls, a bar that was the site of a demonstration that energized the gay rights movement. The cause is thought to have been a bomb, but as yet we have no confirmation. There is no word yet about the number of casualties, but the bar was full of patrons celebrating the holiday. The fire department is on site, and the police are arriving in force. Stay tuned for further details as soon as we have them."
Rick closes his eyes shaking his head. No Walls was probably packed. A tragedy will be unfolding throughout the night with Kate on the scene. To say that the New Year is not starting off well is a gross understatement.
Rick springs awake in his chair when Kate drags in after dawn. "How bad was it?'
"Really bad. The bomb was an incendiary. No Walls was practically a fireball. A few people made it out, but when the firefighters got the flames knocked down, there were hundreds of bodies, maybe more than at Oklahoma City. And they were charred. If they can be identified, it will have to be by dental records and DNA. The gay community has already organized a vigil, but there will be protests too."
"Sounds like rightfully so. Any clue to who might be responsible?"
"That's above my pay grade, but there are probably already rumors flying. Homeland Security has been called in. They'll be treating it as a terrorist attack. There's going to be a full court press to uncover who's behind it, but until they're sure, they'll try to keep a lid on it. Pointing the finger at any group without solid evidence could touch off more violence."
"Is there anything civilians can do? Give blood? Raise money?"
Kate shakes her head. "The victims are way beyond needing blood, but as they're identified their families will need support. Right now it's too early to do much of anything."
"What can I do for Kate Beckett?"
"Right now I just want to sleep, but I'd do it better in your arms."
"My arms are completely at your disposal."
Mochlin George watches the early morning news with satisfaction. The perverted ones have learned about the wages of sin, and No Walls was just the beginning. The city is awash in evil. God's voice urged him to cleanse it with fire. Now he can hear the voice again. He will obey his master's commands. The Lord will guide his hand to make all the bombs he needs and place them where the most sinners will be dispatched to hell. He's tired. He's been up all night watching the aftermath of his holy labor unfold. But until His voice grants him rest, he will not falter in his obedience to His commands.
