Part One
Disclaimer: UC: Undercover and its characters do not belong to me, nor do other characters who make appearances, particularly characters from ER, Deuce Bigelow, and Adventure Inc. I may even be evil, and involve characters from Due South if they cooperate. Characters who do belong to me are as follows: Joanna Donovan, Alicia Donovan, Aurora Donovan, Marina Donovan, the entire Masters family, and Valencia Cordoba.
The day he met Frank Donovan's wife was one Jake Shaw would never forget. In some ways, it would rank with September 11. . .not an inappropriate analogy, considering both days turned his world upside down. Over time, Jake saw a gradual thaw in Donovan's reserve. They still didn't know why the man beached himself, but Monica insisted that he was protecting someone. Funny, how she would never specify who that someone was, but Jake's instincts told him it was the Giovanna he went to see during the Chen case.
The UC team, and their leader, had a rare three day weekend. Donovan was in an unusually good mood, and told the team to take four days. And to enjoy themselves, because that was exactly what he planned to do. In those exact words, and Jake remembered Monica smiling, right before she thwacked Cody in the back of his head for opening his mouth. That was yet another clue that his teammate knew more about their boss than what she was letting on.
Instead of spending time at the church, with the kids, Jake opted to spend it alone. He was sitting in front of his tv, watching an old Western, when the phone rang. The undercover operative reached over and picked up the phone, without bothering to check the caller id, and Monica said breathlessly, "Jake, it's me. We've got to get over to County, double time. Donovan's been shot."
What????? Jake's feet hit the ground with a thud, and Monica continued, almost rambling, "I just got the call from his friend Tom, you know, the one who brought the Armando case to us." Jake remembered. He remembered too much, but there was no time to tell Monica that, for she went on, "He was at the park with his family, and he was shot." Now the anguish was clear in her voice. He heard the struggle in her voice, heard her regain composure, and she added, "I've already called Alex, Cody is next."
"I'll do that. . .Monica, what do you know about his family?" Jake asked. His gut instinct, based on Donovan's own actions and reactions during the Chen case, told him that this Giovanna who gave Cody such an earful was either Donovan's wife or his fiancee. Jake Shaw trusted his instincts. Those same instincts were now telling him that Monica knew a lot more than what she was telling. He was proven correct only moments later. . .and he found himself wishing he was wrong.
Monica took a deep breath, then replied, "He's married, Jake. His wife saw him shot down. He's married, and he has two little girls. . . six and two. They were there, Jake, the six year old saw her daddy shot!" Jake closed his eyes. He remembered Keller's death. Keller was an agent, just like Donovan. But he and Alex were agents as well, federal agents, who knew this was a possibility. They were adults. Donovan's little girls were hardly more than babies.
"Donovan's made a lot of enemies, Monica. The chances are good one of them tried to take him out. . .which also means he might go after Donovan's family next. We'll just have to make sure this freak leaves them alone. I'm on my way, Monica," Jake replied. She assented, hanging up the phone. Jake dialed Cody's number next, saying when the computer expert picked up the phone, "Cody, don't say a word, just listen. I'm on my way to pick you up. Donovan's been shot, he's at County." The other man started to speak, but Jake cut him off, "Cody! He was shot at the park, in full view of his six year old daughter! Get ready, I'll be there in half an hour to pick you up. We've got work to do!"
"Donovan. . .has a daughter?" Cody squeaked. Jake rolled his eyes. He should have known Cody would focus on that. His inability to track down information about their boss was something Cody took personally. He was on the point of telling his teammate to worry about Donovan's family ties later, when Cody snapped into professional mode, saying, "Right. I'll have my laptop ready, just in case the little girl saw something."
There was a pause, then Cody muttered, "Donovan has a kid. I'll be damned, he's human after all!" Jake rolled his eyes, then hung up the phone. Monica called Alex, he called Cody. Everyone was accounted for. . .and once they were at County, getting the details, the investigation would begin. Shaw wondered briefly about bringing Sonny into this, or Carlos Cortez. They would have contacts, ways of getting information that they didn't.
Cortez was iffy, but Sonny believed in protecting the innocent. That was why he hesitated to open his heart to Carly. . .she, however, had her own ideas about that. Sonny might be a possibility. Especially if Jake told him that a little girl saw her father shot while she was at the park. Later. He would deal with that later. Right now, he had work to do. And as he made his way downstairs, Jake Shaw quietly promised that whoever was responsible would pay dearly. He made one other promise. . .the UC team would not lose another leader.
He told Cody he would be there in half an hour, but Jake made it there in fifteen minutes. Cody, thankfully, was waiting for him, laptop tucked under his arm. The other man slipped into his car without a word, which told Jake just how this whole situation was affecting his colleague. The ride to the hospital was passed in silence. Jake let Cody out, then proceeded to look for a parking space. From his rearview mirror, he saw his three teammates congregating at the doors.
Once the car was safely parked, and just as safely locked, Jake joined his teammates, intent on getting answers. However, if he thought it would be easy, he was quickly re-educated. Jake located a tall, black- haired doctor who kinda reminded him of Donovan, though his hair was longer, and said, "I'm Agent Jake Shaw, and these are my teammates, we're looking for information about our colleague, Frank Donovan."
The dark-haired doctor turned his green eyes on the small group, then said with an accent Jake couldn't identify, "I'm sorry, but that's up to the family." The man nodded in the direction of a woman sitting nearby. Jake's heart turned over. From what he could see, she was in her late twenties, though the dark, curly hair falling around her face made it difficult to be sure. She held on her lap a sobbing toddler, and a small girl was tucked against her side, her head burrowed against her mother's shoulder.
The doctor paused, then continued, "I would suggest that you start your investigation with Dr Chen. . .she was there at the time." He nodded in the direction of a pretty Amerasian woman. Jake cast a look toward Donovan's wife and girls, and the doctor moved between them and Jake's line of sight. There was more than a little ice in his voice as he added, "Leave them be. When they are ready, they will talk to you."
Jake almost told the man where to go. Almost told him that he was interfering in a case involving the attempted murder of a federal agent. But Monica touched his arm and said very softly, "Jake, his first priority is Donovan, and his family. He is only protecting them, and he gave us a place to start. Back off." He didn't want to back off. The initial shock was giving way to rage, and Jake wanted a target for that rage.
But he had to focus on Donovan right now, and this guy looked like he could lay him out flat. Jake gave a curt nod, and Monica added, addressing her remarks to the doctor, "Thank you, Dr. . .Dr Kovac." The doctor nodded his acknowledgement, then Monica said quietly, "We'll talk to Dr Chen. And when she's ready, we'll talk to Donovan's wife. We gotta handle this carefully, Jake, because if we push her. . ." Jake nodded his understanding. Yeah. He knew.
. . .
Joanna Masters Donovan felt like she was living in a nightmare. As the wife of a cop, she knew her husband might be shot in the line of duty. She knew that, and accepted it. It was something she learned as a ten year old girl, when her father took her and her mother to Italy to protect them from someone with a grudge against him. It only worked partially. . .for while Joanna's life was saved, her mother and father both died.
Yes, she knew all about being a cop's wife, because before she married Francis Sebastian Xavier Donovan, she was a cop's daughter. She knew these things were possible. She even knew that she wasn't entirely safe, and had a scar from a bullet wound in her upper chest to prove it. But this. . .she couldn't grasp this. She and her husband were at a park, for God's sake, they were on a family outing! Joanna ignored the little voice in her head that reminded her that her brother died while at work.
Frank was pushing their six year old daughter Alicia on the swings, while Joanna tended to two year old Aurora. She was their new beginning, their second chance. Their dawn of a new day, and for that reason, she was named Aurora. Joanna was shot while pregnant with Aurora, and for a time, Frank Donovan believed he would lose his wife and child. He did not, and in thanks for that second chance, his highest priority was the protection of his wife and children.
Which was why he was shot. Instead of confronting the source of his unease, he stopped the swing and told his older daughter to get down. He chose to save his little girl, rather than leave it to a random chance. Alicia told her mother that. She told her that Daddy said it was time to stop, and told her to lie face down on the ground. . .Alicia did so, fearing the strangeness in her father's voice. A half second later, a shot rang out, and Joanna's world turned inside out.
Now she sat in Chairs of County Hospital, waiting while the doctors fought to save her husband's life. He was in good hands, she knew that. Elizabeth Corday was an excellent surgeon, and Dr Jing-Mei Chen was at Joanna's side, as soon as the only gunshot faded. She put pressure on the wound in Frank's chest, and prevented him from bleeding to death. The young doctor gave her husband a fighting chance, but Joanna was terrified.
Thank the Goddess for Luka. When they arrived at County, Kerry Weaver, the ER chief of staff, took one look at the traumatized family and called for Luka. Joanna didn't know why she did that. Kerry Weaver, while a decent person, usually didn't do things without expecting some sort of payment. Joanna was a professor of mythology. . .she wasn't anyone powerful, and Kerry wasn't the sort to ask cops to avoid doing their jobs or look the other way.
She would worry about that later. Joanna had her hands full, between her fear for her husband and her worries for her daughters. Among the fear and grief, rage started to peek through. She was angry. She was so angry. It was bad enough that she witnessed the deaths of her parents, more than twenty years earlier, but that her daughters were going through this? That was intolerable, and once she knew Frank would be alright, Joanna would make someone pay for that. There was, after all, a reason why they said payback was a bitch.
Revenge would come later. Joanna's top priority was her daughters right now. She just had to keep reminding herself of that. Right now, she was all they had. Aurora cried herself out, and now snuffled into Joanna's t-shirt. She didn't fully understand what was going on. She just knew there was a loud noise, Daddy wasn't playing when he fell down, and Mommy was scared. And Alicia. . .Alicia seemed permanently attached to Joanna's hip. She noticed the four people talking to Luka, but didn't really pay attention, though one of them looked familiar.
After a while, they wandered off, and Luka walked back to her side. He knelt in front of her, his green eyes focused only on her face. Was this, she wondered, bringing back memories? He lost his wife and children in Croatia. He spent time in war-torn countries. What was he thinking right now? It was, of course, none of her business. But, at the same time, thinking about such things distracted her from her fears, and she didn't think he would begrudge her that. The doctor said softly, "I will check on your husband's surgery. The other doctors will be keeping an eye on you and the girls. If there's anything you need. . ."
Joanna managed a weak smile and asked, "Yeah, tell me why you're making such a fuss over us?" Luka smiled, gently caressing Alicia's cheek. She didn't think they usually were so protective, even of a cop's wife while the cop was in surgery. Something else was going on, and she wanted to find out. To say she was frightened for her husband was an understatement, but at the same time, she didn't want to be taking Luka, or anyone else, away from someone who needed them. She couldn't live with that guilt. There was enough of that already.
"Because you are my friend, Joanna, and you always make me laugh. Because your husband has two beautiful daughters who need him, a wife who has already lost too much, and because I will not give up on a patient without a fight," Luka replied, giving Alicia's cheek one last caress, before running his hand over Aurora's black hair. Black, like her father's hair. Luka cupped Joanna's own face in his hands, smiling faintly.
The last reason was most acceptable to Joanna. Especially coming from Luka, who lost his wife and children. That, she could understand. That, she could accept. She closed her eyes, blinking back tears. Luka asked softly, "Have you called your mother-in-law, to let her know what's going on?" Joanna nodded. That was one of the first things she did, while Dr Chen was driving her and the girls to the hospital after the ambulance.
Looking back now, she could hardly believe she even had the presence of mind to do that. Luka kissed her forehead, whispering, "Everything will be all right." He smiled at her one last time, then rose to his full height. Gawd, he was taller than Frank. That never really registered with her. The same way his good looks never really registered with her. Sure, she knew he was attractive. He just. . . wasn't Frank.
Joanna smiled back at him, albeit weakly, then Luka returned to work. She saw him stop off at the desk, say something to the receptionist there. They both looked back at her, then the girl nodded. She looked to be about the same age as most of Joanna's students. A half smile teased the young professor's mouth. She looked at young adults in one of two ways. . .either the same age, roughly, as her students, or close to hers and Frank's ages.
Her eyes turned toward the newcomers once more, and her hackles rose. They were spooking her with the way they were looking at her. She wasn't the only one. Alicia asked in a small voice, "Mommy, why are those people looking at you? I don't like that!" Joanna wrapped her arm around her older daughter a little more tightly, rubbing her hand up and down Alicia's small arm, from her shoulder to her elbow.
"I don't know, baby, I. . ." Joanna began. One of the women turned toward her, giving Joanna her first good look at her face. The words died right away as the two women made eye contact with each other. The woman from the restaurant. The one Joanna talked to inside the restroom. She worked with Frank. What was her name? Monique. . .no, it was Monica. Monica, that's right. Frank told Joanna her name in the car, not sure if he should be angry or amused. Right now, she felt the same way. Monica Davis was looking at her with an almost pleading expression, though Joanna wasn't sure what was being asked of her. Was it information on Frank's condition, on how this happened? Joanna couldn't figure that out.
Was that the rest of his team? That would stand to reason. Frank told her a little bit about the other members of his team. There was another woman, with dark blonde/light brown hair, around Joanna's own age. That would be Alex Cross, if Joanna's memory served. Two men. She knew that Jake Shaw, in physical appearance, could pass for Frank's younger brother. (Although, Frank admitted, they were around the same age) And then there was Cody, who made the comment about her husband when he called his cell phone. Using her husband's descriptions, she identified each of the four.
But they ceased to matter when a woman emerged from surgery, removing her mask. Dr Elizabeth Corday. . .Greene? Was that her married name? Joanna thought so. She remembered Luka mentioning her in the past. She smiled wearily at the anxious wife and frightened children, saying softly, "Your husband came through surgery. He's not out of the woods, but he's fighting hard. If you like, you and your girls can go up to the recovery room in about half an hour, then he'll be moved to a private room."
Private? Could they afford that? Oh. The Bureau would probably cover this. She wouldn't worry about it, then. Cops took care of their own. She knew that. She was a cop's wife, a cop's daughter. And in time, she might even be a cop's mother. Joanna looked at her two daughters, Aurora held against her chest, Alicia clinging to her hand. Her older daughter was staring at Elizabeth Corday Greene with a combination of fear and defiance. But the mother replied, "Thank you, Dr Corday. C'mon, girls. Let's wait upstairs for your gramma."
"Okay, Mommy. Thank you, Dr Corday," Alicia said, mimicking her mother. She wasn't entirely sure why she was thanking the lady doctor who talked different, but if Mommy did it, then so would she. Joanna smiled at her daughter as Elizabeth told her that she was quite welcome. Without a backward glance, the mother and two daughters headed upstairs to the recovery room. She didn't ask the way. It wasn't necessary.
. . .
She remembers me. Of that, there was no doubt in Monica's mind. She remembers me, but right now, her first focus is on her husband. That was how it should be. Monica Davis learned, quite by accident one night, just how much Frank Donovan loved his wife Joanna, his Giovanna. . .and how much she loved him. She saw it in their faces, and heard it in Joanna's voice when they encountered each other in the bathroom.
Cody said, oblivious to the way Joanna Donovan quietly observed them, "I dunno. She doesn't look old enough to be Donovan's wife. 'Sides, she doesn't exactly seem his type. Seems too much of a homebody to me."
Monica looked at her teammate, wondering how Frank would react if she gave Cody a brainduster. Of all the stupid ass things to say, that was one of the prize winners! Monica glared at him and Cody said, raising his hands, "What? All I'm saying is that if I could see anyone with Donovan, it would be some high-class socialite, not somebody who's a Suzie Homemaker." Unfortunately for him, the doctor who warned them to leave Joanna Donovan alone heard that.
Monica saw some similarities between him and Donovan. Both tall, dark-haired, good-looking men with unidentifiable accents. There was another similarity. Their hearing was uncanny. The doctor walked over and said in a low voice, "I can assure you, that is Professor Joanna Donovan. She has been married to Agent Donovan for eight years, and they have two daughters. I've treated both children in the ER. And I would ask you to remember that woman saw her husband shot during a family outing at a park. . .show a little sensitivity."
Now Alex did give Cody a brain duster. Not that it was particularly necessary, as Dr Luka Kovac was currently looming over Cody. Jake asked, before Cody could be turned into computer geek dust, "Did you say she's a professor? She teaches, like in college?" Both Monica and Alex shot death glares at Cody, warning him exactly what would happen if he opened his big mouth right now.
"Yes. You will be informed when you may see Agent Donovan. Assuming, of course, that Joanna allows you anywhere near her husband. She is. . .ferociously protective of him, and he of her," Dr Kovac replied. For the first time, Monica realized that he pronounced the young woman's name as 'Yo-hanna.' Usually, she would have picked up on that much sooner, but she was more concerned with her boss than with honing her people-watching skills.
"We understand," Alex cut in before either of the males could push the doctor any further. There were two Alpha males here, and right now, they were in Dr Kovac's territory. The man nodded as a woman exited from one of the operating rooms. The surgeon approached the small family, and Alex asked, "Do you know how long ago our boss was brought in?" They only found out about the shooting about an hour earlier. . .but for the first time, Monica wondered if there was a delay in reaching them.
"About four hours ago. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere," Dr Kovac told them. At the same time, Monica saw Joanna Donovan lead her daughters in the direction of the elevators. Logic told her that Frank was out of surgery, probably headed for the recovery room, at least until a room was found for him. Monica knew from previous visits to the hospital that the recovery room was on one of the upper levels. She also knew that they would need to be very careful when they approached Joanna.
With that in mind, Monica turned to face the other three, saying, "Listen. We gotta start checking into this. There's a chance that the shooting at the park was a random accident, but I'm not willing to take that chance." She knew she was taking the lead, but after working with Donovan for such a long time, she knew how his mind worked. While his past remained a mystery, she knew exactly what he would tell her in the situation. Yes, their leader was down, but they still had a job to do. She wasn't the only one thinking that way.
"Right. I'll check out the park, see what the locals have. You know the Bureau, this is gonna be high priority. And I wanna give Frank some good news when he wakes up," Jake said. He looked at Monica, adding, "You know the most about his family. I figure his wife will be less likely to come out swinging if she encounters you. Cody would probably put his foot in his mouth all the way up to his hip."
Cody looked indignant and started to protest, but Monica said, "Cody, think. Donovan's wife is named 'Joanna.' And 'Giovanna' is the Italian equivalent of 'Joanna.' You don't have a great track record with that." It took Cody about two seconds to figure out what Monica was saying. Jake and Alex were both nodded, as if to say, 'that's right.' However, Monica finished, "You've already pissed her off once. I don't think you'd wanna do it twice!"
Alex added, "And I don't know about Mrs Donovan, but I'd be pissed if I heard you say things like that about my man." Monica thought they already knew how pissed Joanna was. She suspected the professor was putting on an act for Cody's benefit. Alex continued, "I'll see what I can find out about the bullet. Cody, you're with me. Monica, you want to take care of Mrs Donovan and the babies?"
Monica nodded. The others didn't know about her chance meeting with their boss's wife, after the Chen case. They didn't need to know. It wasn't really any of their business that Frank Donovan loved to dance with his wife in a restaurant, or that Joanna Donovan kicked off her shoes when she did dance with her husband. Nor was it their business that their boss took his wife out to dinner for no special reason.
Donovan would tell them that when he was ready. Until that day, Monica would keep his secrets. She still didn't know what mistake almost cost Joanna her life, but she had a gut feeling it had to do with Donovan's tendency to keep them at arm's length. He told her, in not so many words, but that wouldn't be good enough for the others. No. No, they would have to hear it from the lady herself.
The team split up. Once they had more information, they would return to the Nest to start the research. But for right now, Monica knew her place was here. She watched the rest of the team disperse, then headed upstairs to the recovery room. Instead of taking the elevator, however, she took the stairs. It would take longer, and give Joanna Donovan time to see her husband and collect herself.
As she walked, Monica was disconcerted to realize she was profiling the other woman, based on the little information she had. She knew that Joanna Donovan was in her early thirties, a professor of mythology at a local university. At least, she assumed it was local, if she could meet Donovan at the Avalon within the thirty minute timeframe he established when he called her during the Chen case.
From her brief conversation at the restaurant, Monica knew that Joanna was a little on the shy side. She offered Monica a faint, albeit genuine, smile when they met in the ladies' room, and Monica instigated the conversation.
From Luka Kovac, she knew that the couple was married for eight years. She also knew from Tom that they had two children, six year old Alicia and two year old Aurora. Monica stopped and thought about that. Aurora was two. It was about two years earlier that Donovan beached himself for six months. And he beached himself because one of his mistakes almost resulted in his wife's death. Wife, and child?
It was something to consider. Monica opened the door to the level where the recovery room was, only a little winded. She took notice of where Joanna sat with her two daughters, no doubt waiting to see her husband, and chose to walk past her. That would give Monica a good position to watch over the woman without crowding her. However, she never counted on one thing. As Monica passed the small family, Joanna Donovan said in a soft, but clear voice, "Hello, Agent Davis. . .are you the guardian we're not supposed to know about?"
. . .
"Hello, Agent Davis. . .are you the guardian we're not supposed to know about?"
Helluva way to make contact with a member of your husband's team, but Joanna wasn't in any mood to be clever or witty. She was sure there was a more creative way to say what needed to be say, but she had not the energy to use or the powers of concentration to think one up. Besides, it got the message across, and Agent Monica Davis paused as she walked toward a far bench. She turned to face Joanna, saying, "You know who I am."
"Of course," Joanna replied, "Frank told me after dinner that night." Her companion simply nodded, as if to say, 'yes, I should have realized that.' Joanna paused, then continued, "Why did you do it? Why. . .?" She shook her head in frustration. She was a college professor, a relatively popular one among her students, but right now, she was having one helluva time verbalizing what she was thinking.
She didn't want to spend the energy on anything but Frank right now. Frank and their girls. Focusing her attention on her husband was her only way of staying sane at the moment. She couldn't focus on the shooting, because if she did that, she would drive herself insane. Monica Davis knelt in front of her and the girls, saying softly, "I wasn't following you, if that's what you're asking. You were just. . . there. And I couldn't resist the temptation to speak to you, when I saw you, and realized who you were."
She shook her head, saying softly, "You have to understand. Ever since Frank took over the team, he's. . .we know next to nothing about him. You're his wife. . .the solace of his soul. His sanctuary, and I couldn't resist the temptation to find out more about you."
Fair enough, Joanna supposed, but as she raised her eyebrows questioningly, Monica Davis immediately figured out what she was asking. The agent continued, "And I did learn more about you, like I wanted. But I ended up getting more questions, especially after meeting you. Why does he shut us out. . .why won't he tell us about himself?" Joanna sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of her older daughter's head.
"Mommy, I don't gotta be scared of this lady? Even though she was lookin' at you funny?" Alicia questioned in a tiny voice and Joanna turned her attention to the little girl. Alicia was staring at her with those big brown eyes of hers, the eyes she inherited from Frank. She looked so much like him sometimes, it took Joanna's breath away. Alicia was such a beautiful child. And so earnest.
"Oh, honey. . .I would never do anything to hurt you, or your mama, or your little sister. My name is Monica, and I work with your daddy," the agent replied. She was telling the truth. Joanna could see it in her eyes. She was here to watch over them. From Frank, Joanna learned that while Monica's primary purpose in the team was that of researcher, she could handle a gun. She wasn't comfortable with the weapons, but she was competent with them.
"You're gonna find the bad man who shot my daddy? I was real scared, Miss Monica. Daddy made the swing stop, and told me it was time to get down, but I had to lie down on the ground. And then there was a big boom sound, and Daddy fell over. It scared Aurora, too," Alicia said earnestly. It scared them all. If Joanna closed her eyes, she could almost imagine she was back at the park, huddled over her younger daughter protectively.
But Monica's voice drew her back from the park, from the horror of seeing her husband lying so still, with a bright red flower blossoming on his chest. She didn't want to think of flowers and blood together. The agent was saying softly, "I bet it scared you, honey. And I bet it scared your daddy, too. I don't have any little girls, but I think it would scare me, if I saw whatever your daddy saw to make you lie down on the ground."
Joanna had to think her way through that one, but after a moment, she nodded, seeing that it made sense. In a weird sort of way, but more and more, it felt like Joanna's brain was disconnected. Nothing which made sense earlier made sense now, and things which made sense now made no sense earlier. Her world was turning upside down and inside out, and Joanna had no idea how to put the pieces together. She felt a bit like Humpty Dumpty, if you really wanted the truth. Which most people didn't.
Aurora shifted in her arms, snuffling a little. Poor kid didn't understand any of this. Hell, Joanna didn't understand any of this, and she was supposed to be the adult! How in the bloody hell could she explain to her two year old daughter what was going on, when she didn't understand? Joanna swore under her breath, using phrases that a Southern lady shouldn't know. At the same time, Monica Davis was telling Alicia something, making her laugh. The sound was out of place in a hospital, but Joanna didn't correct her daughter. Goddess knew when she would have a chance to laugh again, Joanna wouldn't take this away from her little girl now. Then Alicia said, "Miss Monica, you're so pretty, can I make my face look like yours?"
That brought Joanna out of her daze. She looked at her daughter, trying not to smile. Her valiant efforts to keep her composure went by the wayside when Joanna noticed Monica's stunned expression. She looked even more stunned when Alicia leaned forward and patted the agent's face. Joanna shook with suppressed laughter, telling the other woman, "She asked the same thing of our next door neighbor in Washington DC. Mrs Raeford. Mrs Quy Raeford, originally from Saigon, Vietnam."
Monica's jaw dropped, then her eyes widened, and her surprise was followed a moment earlier by a broad grin. She turned her attention back to Alicia, saying softly, "Sorry, honey, but you gotta be born this way. You look a lot like your daddy, you know that?" This was said with some surprise, as if Monica Davis just noticed that. Joanna would have rolled her eyes, but she remembered that not everyone knew her family.
Alicia bobbed her head, looking sad when Frank was mentioned, and said, "Mommy says I look just like Daddy, and she's happy 'bout that. She's glad both 'Rora and me look like Daddy." Oops. She had to be a little more careful about what she said. Sometimes she forgot little ears were listening. Alicia continued, "Daddy says that we're beautiful, 'cause we look like Mommy. I think they're both silly."
Joanna couldn't see her daughter's face, but she could just imagine Alicia's expression. She was probably rolling her eyes in exasperation at the silliness of the adults. That bit of normalcy almost made Joanna forget why she was here. Almost. And Alicia said in the very next breath, sounding almost fearful as she looked from Monica to Joanna, "Mommy, Miss Monica, I forgot Daddy was shot. . .I'm bad!"
Joanna said firmly, "No, Alicia, you are not bad. Daddy doesn't want you to be. . .baby, do you remember right before Aurora was born, and I was hurt? Do you remember how Daddy wanted you to laugh and smile for him?" She knew about this, from Frank himself and from Mama Marina, who moved in with the young couple while Joanna was recovering. That, of course, didn't stop Frank from driving himself to the point of exhaustion.
Alicia nodded, and Joanna continued, "If he wanted to you to be like that while I was hurt, don't you think he would want the same for him now?" Alicia thought about that, and when she saw her daughter's expression reflect the answer, Joanna said softly, "That's right. Yes, you do need to be quiet in a hospital, because people are sick and hurt, and need to rest. But they also need to see smiles and sunshine, and you've got both, baby."
"Your mommy's right, honey. My job is to take the bad guy who shot your daddy. Your mommy's job is to take care of your daddy and you. And your job, sweetheart, is to smile for us all," Monica said quietly. She looked up at Joanna, her dark eyes showing a question she wouldn't ask in front of Alicia. But it was there, nonetheless. About Joanna's statement, regarding her injury before Aurora's birth.
Monica Davis was no fool. She could see for herself how old Aurora was, and she knew Frank beached himself for six months before taking the UC job.
She could make an educated guess why Frank beached himself, or at least, where Joanna and the girls fit into it. But she wouldn't ask the question, not yet. And it became a moot point when Alicia asked thoughtfully, "If your job is to catch the bad guy who shot my daddy, and Mommy's job is to take care of us and Daddy, and my job is to be happy. . .then what's Daddy's job? Does Aurora have a job as well?"
Joanna tried not to smile at that. . .or at the consternation currently decorating Monica's face. But after a moment, Monica smiled once more. Her smile was sad as she answered softly, "Yes, sweetie, your little sister does have a job. It's the same as yours. You two just have to be yourselves, and that's your job. Your daddy? He has the most important job of all. He has to get better, because we all need him so much."
In those words, Joanna Angelica Masters Donovan heard many promises. A promise that Monica Davis and her teammates would find those responsible for this. Joanna was denied the chance to see her brother's murderers pay. She was denied the chance to see her parents' killer pay. Not this time. Never again. Monica was also promising that she would allow no harm to come to Joanna or her daughters. Yes. She was their guardian angel.
. . .
The last thing Alex Cross felt like was an angel of any kind. Unless it was an angel of death. John Keller died in her arms. Carlos Cortez almost died because of her. And now, Frank Donovan was fighting for his life. It angered her, though she knew it was the job. The job. She hated the job sometimes. It was a necessary job, she knew that. But there were times when she was afraid the job would devour her whole. Times when she was afraid Teddy C was right.
She strode through the halls of the hospital, Cody struggling to keep up. But as she walked, she thought about the job and all the risks it meant. You expected to die on the job. It was part of the package. Something you kept in the back of your mind, at all times. You weren't supposed to be shot while you were at a park with your wife and two little girls. With the words came an image of Donovan's wife and daughters. Joanna Donovan couldn't be much more than thirty. She looked even younger, though. And her daughters. . .God, they were just babies! And the six year old saw her daddy shot?
What the hell kinda world was this, where a six year old child saw her father shot while they were at the park? It was personal. It had to be personal, with a federal agent. A cop or a criminal of any sort. Where did she start? Where did they start? Donovan was usually the one who coordinated these things, gave them ideas of where to start. But it was Donovan who was fighting for his life, and parts of his past were blocked.
He never talked about his wife. Never talked about his daughters. And yet, that doctor knew a great deal about him. About the entire family. Why? Alex quietly reviewed what Kovac told them. Wait. He said something about treating the girls in the ER. Yes. He told them that, when Cody expressed his doubt that the young woman was Donovan's wife. Said that he treated the two little girls in the past.
She wondered if the same was true of all the doctors in the ER. The other doctors. Alex asked Cody, "Have you ever been here before?" Cody shook his head, and Alex muttered, "Me, neither. All right, we need to find out who the chief of staff is." Cody looked at her blankly, and Alex explained, "Dr Kovac said that Joanna Donovan has often brought her daughter to the ER. If he knows a lot about them, maybe other doctors do as well. It's a starting place, at least until we can get the bullet retrieved during surgery."
"They might not be willing to talk to us. Kovac wasn't," Cody rightly pointed out. Alex nodded her agreement. She knew that entirely too well, and Cody added with a sigh, "Then again, it's a place to check. Okay, let's go find the chief of staff, or someone who can answer our questions." The first place to check, of course, was at the admissions desk, where a young girl was reading a magazine and chewing gum.
"Excuse us. . .could you tell us who the chief of staff is for the ER? Or someone in the hospital who knows the Donovan family?" Alex asked. The young girl barely looked up from her magazine, and instead, pointed in the direction of a slight, red-haired woman with a cane. Alex smiled at the girl, who still hadn't looked up, and said, "Thank you." She started to walk away, Cody ogling the girl, when a noise attracted her attention. Alex turned to find the receptionist now staring at her intently.
"Are you a member of his unit?" the girl asked, and Alex nodded. The young receptionist looked around, then motioned her forward. Intrigued, Alex returned to the desk, and the girl leaned forward, saying in a low voice, "Don't tell the dragonlady, she'd have my job, but I know Professor Donovan pretty good. She's real nice, always talks to me when she comes in with her girls. I'd never met him, though. I didn't realize he was so cute!"
Alex raised her eyebrows at that, as she never really noticed, and Cody made a strange noise in his throat. The girl glared at him, and continued, "Anyhow, the name of the surgeon who operated on him is Dr Corday. She's probably saved the bullet for you, since it's part of a criminal investigation." She pronounced the words with glee, but her eyes darkened as the petite red-head indicated as the chief of staff headed in their direction.
The girl lowered her voice, saying, "She'll probably be checking on him for the post-op, since she's already talked with Professor Donovan. But be careful, because I know Luka's real protective of Professor Donovan. I guess he kinda sees her as a little sister." Yes, Alex got that impression. The girl said in a louder voice, as if trying to divert attention away from herself, "Like I said, Dr Weaver is the one you wanna talk to." Then she returned her attention to her magazine. Alex turned to face the approaching woman, who was shooting some rather nasty looks at the girl behind the desk.
The undercover operative said, "I'm Agent Alex Cross and this is my colleague, Cody Forrester. We were told you could give us information." The woman's eyes flickered over first Alex, then Cody, then her eyes shifted back to Alex. The female agent continued, "Our boss was shot today at the park, ma'am, we're investigating that shooting. Any bit of help you can give us would be useful."
"I'm Dr Kerry Weaver. I'm not sure what I can tell you, but I will cooperate as far as I can. There is an issue of patient/doctor confidentiality here," the woman replied. She began walking away from the desk, forcing Alex and Cody to keep up with her. Alex caught up within just a few strides, wondering if this was some kind of test. Dr Kerry Weaver went on after a moment, "The bullet will be turned over to you as soon as possible, along with all other pertinent medical information. Have you spoken with Dr Chen yet?"
"No, not yet. And I do understand about doctor/patient confidentiality. Have you ever met Agent Donovan before today?" Alex asked. To her surprise, the red head bobbed in confirmation, and Alex asked to cover her surprise, "What was the nature of that meeting, or would that violate doctor/patient confidentiality?" At her side, amazingly enough, Cody was writing things down.
"No, it wouldn't. Frank came in a few weeks ago, while his wife was out of town. If I remember correctly, Jo was at a conference for her specialty, and the girls remained with Frank. The younger child, Aurora, tried to swallow a lifesaver whole. . .without sucking on it first. Dr Kovac treated her. . .although I'm sure you've already met him," Dr Weaver answered. Alex froze. A few weeks earlier. . .a few weeks earlier, Donovan received a call that visibly upset him, near quitting time, and he sent them all home early.
Cody murmured, obviously thinking the same thing she was, "That was why he left early a few weeks back. . .he said there was something he needed to do, and the rest of us were to go home." Alex nodded, and Cody asked, "Dr Weaver, you seem to be well-acquainted with the entire family. . .how would you characterize the relationship between our boss and his wife?" Alex rolled her eyes, noting the way Cody stumbled over the word 'wife.'
"She's very protective of him. They're very protective of each other, I should say instead. Wait a minute. . .you. . .you can't possibly think that Jo had something to do with this? That's ludicrous! She adores him, and he worships her!" Kerry Weaver said sharply. The woman shook her head, adding, "Look, I realize you probably don't know her. . .or him, for that matter. . .and I don't know her that well, either. We've talked a few times, but she really didn't let me in. But there is no way Jo would ever do anything to hurt Frank. Ever."
"We have to ask, Dr Weaver, to eliminate all suspects. Technically, we shouldn't even be on this case. . .we should be allowing the local authorities to handle it. But he's our boss, and we take care of our own. None of us are very good at just waiting. . .and this is our job. I'm sure you know that in many homicides, the spouse is responsible in some way. We're just making sure all the bases are covered. As you say, we don't know Professor Donovan, and the person who does know her best, Dr Kovac, won't talk to us," Alex explained.
The woman sighed, "You're right, of course. I'm sorry. But I'm a doctor. I see patients and their families on a daily basis. I know the genuine article when I see one. And Jo Donovan was a basketcase when they brought her husband in a few hours ago. Besides, it doesn't make sense for her to hire a gunman to kill her husband at the park, when her daughters might get caught in the crossfire." Alex nodded her acknowledgment of that point.
"Another doctor was mentioned by Dr Kovac, an eyewitness to the shooting. Could you tell us where to find her?" Cody asked. Kerry Weaver frowned, but nodded, and Alex guessed that Dr Chen was making her rounds, or doing something equally important. The red-haired woman pulled something out and wrote on it. Alex resisted the impulse to look at what the woman wrote. . .she would find out soon enough.
"Yes. I keep forgetting that she was an eyewitness. She's doing her rounds right now, but I can arrange for you to have a few hours of her time," the doctor answered. Alex nodded her agreement. Yes, she wanted to talk to Dr Chen, and she would want to talk to Dr Corday next. Weaver added, "Please, follow me."
. . .
Once upon a time, many years ago, a little girl named 'Marina' received a letter from a little girl named 'Anne.' It seemed Anne received Marina's name through a pen pal service, and Marina was very happy to hear from Anne. It was just after World War II, and Marina was very curious about the United States. She wanted to know what Americans, aside from their soldiers, were like. She didn't mind answering Anne's questions, because she knew there was far more to Italy than Benito Mussolini, and she was proud of her country.
Over the years, against all odds, Anne and Marina remained friends, and in the end, it wasn't anger or apathy that ended their friendship. No, they remained friends through both their marriages and the births of their children. It was death that ultimately ended their friendship, on a rainy night in 1980. Anne, along with her husband Gregory, were coming to Italy with their ten year old daughter Joanna.
Gregory was a police officer, who recently made some people very angry. These people were very powerful, and they threatened Anne and Joanna. To protect his wife and daughter, Gregory brought them to Italy to stay with Marina and her American husband, an Army officer stationed in Italy. The mother and daughter would stay with Justin and Marina for a while, until things cooled down in the States. However, it didn't work out that way. It never did. Gregory and Anne didn't live long enough to see the house where Marina lived, to meet her husband or her own ten year old son, Francis.
Instead, as Marina fussed around the house for the thirteenth time that day, her husband Justin sent Francis out to keep a watch out for the Masters family. It was his way of making sure Francis had a job to do, because the child wanted so badly to help. Francis was a good boy, and did exactly what he was told to do. In fact, he did more. When he saw the car crash, he ran inside to tell Marina and Justin, then ran right back out and down to the car crash. For the rest of her life, Marina would never be able to make up her mind if her son did the right thing.
She didn't think he should have left poor little Joanna to fend for herself, but she was worried that the cause of the accident might have seen her son. And that would have been disastrous. Both Greg and Anne were dead. Only Joanna survived, and Francis found her wandering outside the car, in the pouring rain, in an absolute daze. Francis took her wrist and led her to the house. The poor child was in shock, and Marina snapped into her mother mode while Justin got in touch with the proper authorities. From that horrific night, seeds of a new friendship were planted, between Anne's daughter and Marina's son.
In time, friendship turned to love. When they were twenty-four years old, Francis married Joanna, and two daughters were born to that union. Marina's granddaughters. Justin died shortly after his son's marriage, but Marina was grateful for that favor at least. He lived long enough to see his son married to a good woman, the daughter whom Marina and Justin always wanted, but with whom they were never blessed.
Now, as Marina hurtled toward the hospital, she faced losing her child. She knew it was a possibility, of course. He was a federal agent, after all, and there was that possibility. The same possibility that she would lose her husband, as he was a soldier. But in the end, she lost her husband not to war or training exercises, but to cancer. Still, it made her wonder how her mother-in-law coped when Justin told her that he was going into the Army.
Marina knew little of what was going on. Her daughter-in-law told her that Francis was shot at the park. In full view of their babies. Joanna, her Giovanna, was barely holding herself together. Marina knew her daughter-in-law, she could hear the strain in Giovanna's voice. She was second-guessing herself. . .wondering what she could have done differently. Wondering if she could have prevented the shooting.
Marina understood about that all too well. She understood about the 'what ifs,' and the 'what might have beens.' She fought against them now. Was God punishing her because she was so proud of her son, when her late sister, God rest her soul, wasn't nearly as fortunate as she? Marina loved both of her nephews, both Gian and Antoine. And if she was honest with herself (which she usually was), she could admit Antoine was her favorite nephew. But he only settled down in the last year, and Francis was much more stable than his wild, lookalike cousin.
Was she being punished for taking such pride in her federal agent son? Antoine was wild for so many years, and even now had a fierce temper. On the other hand, his temper was only unleashed now when someone was foolish enough to insult or threaten his wife and child. Clarissa was a dear girl, from the emails Marina received from her nephew's wife. . .she was sure that Giulia would have loved her.
Just as she loved her Giovanna, who called her 'Mama Marina' long before Francis finally had the sense to marry his childhood friend. Marina was proud that she was able to give the young girl some sense of stability after Giovanna witnessed the murders of her parents. And now, Giovanna needed her again. They all needed her. Her husband, Marina's son, was shot, right in front of his own children.
She blinked back tears as she pulled into the parking lot for the hospital. Marina knew that there was a young doctor here who often cared for her granddaughters when her son or daughter-in-law rushed the girls to the hospital. What was his first name? It sounded Italian, but he wasn't Italian himself. She would know it when she saw him. . .that was just how her memory worked, and damn if she could understand why.
"Mrs Donovan?" that young doctor said now, and Marina looked around. He was a tall young man, with black hair and green eyes. A very nice looking young man, though it was questionable if he was as handsome as her Francis. The young doctor gave her a half-smile, continuing, "I'm Dr Kovac. Your son has been sent up to the recovery room. Yohanna and your granddaughters are already up there."
Kovac. . .his name was Luka. Yes. And she smiled at how he called her daughter-in-law, 'Yohanna.' Yet another nickname to add to the list of names for her daughter-in-law. She smiled up at him, thanking him in Italian, then went to the elevators. She spent some time here as a volunteer. Somehow, though, it was different when you were coming to see a member of your family. Very different, very strange, very surreal.
She should have remembered that from when Justin was dying. By that time, they were living in the States, and Francis was starting his career. Marina closed her eyes very tightly as the elevator made its slow, torturous climb to the floor holding the recovery room. It took almost three years for the cancer to run its course in her husband's body, and it broke her heart to watch that once-strong man shrink into himself.
There was a time when Marina believed that assisted suicide was a mortal sin, but after watching her beloved husband waste away, after watching him suffer through those three years, she wasn't sure. What was the greater sin. . .ending pain or doing nothing to alleviate it? She didn't know. She had no answers, save one. . .she wasn't sure if she could watch this all over again. Losing Justin hurt terribly. . .but if she lost Francis. . .
Stop that, she ordered herself, thinking in her native Italian, just stop it! Francis is young and strong and healthy. He has everything to live for. . .this is not like Justin's death. She kept telling herself that, hoping that she would believe that. But she came to hate hospitals, and not even her volunteer work in the hospital eased that hatred. There was too much pain associated with these places. . .joy tinged with sorrow even with childbirth.
When Justin was dying, she went upstairs to the neonatal ward once, to cheer herself up. What could possibly be more joyful than the promise of new life? Watching young mothers cradle their newborns, and young fathers make faces at their children?
It was a terrible mistake, however, for the neonatal ward was on the same floor as the geriatric. Even the joy of new life was muted. Then Marina's mind was turned away from the past as the elevator doors opened. She stepped out onto the floor, hating anew the smells and the lights of the hospital. However, that was driven away by the sight that lay before her. Her daughter-in-law almost hunched over in a chair. Alicia was snuggled against her mama's side, and Aurora burrowed into her chest.
There was a fourth person there, someone whom Marina didn't know. A pretty, dark-skinned girl, who looked up as Marina approached. She wasn't the only one. Alicia looked up, her eyes filling with joy as she cried out, "Nonna! You came!" She catapulted away from her mother's side, running to throw her arms around Marina's legs. The grandmother didn't even stop to think. . .just bent over and scooped the little girl into her arms, holding her tightly.
"Of course I came, my angel. . .where else would I be?" Marina whispered. Her daughter-in-law got to her feet, the dark girl shadowing her every move. As if she was protecting Giovanna, and Marina wondered if this girl was a member of her son's team. She hoped so. Giovanna approached her, Aurora still clinging to her, and Marina shifted Alicia onto her hip. With her granddaughter secure, Marina held out her free hand to her daughter-in-law, pulling Giovanna into her arms as well. They were all together now, and with all of his women present and accounted for, Francis wouldn't think of leaving them. He simply wouldn't.
Disclaimer: UC: Undercover and its characters do not belong to me, nor do other characters who make appearances, particularly characters from ER, Deuce Bigelow, and Adventure Inc. I may even be evil, and involve characters from Due South if they cooperate. Characters who do belong to me are as follows: Joanna Donovan, Alicia Donovan, Aurora Donovan, Marina Donovan, the entire Masters family, and Valencia Cordoba.
The day he met Frank Donovan's wife was one Jake Shaw would never forget. In some ways, it would rank with September 11. . .not an inappropriate analogy, considering both days turned his world upside down. Over time, Jake saw a gradual thaw in Donovan's reserve. They still didn't know why the man beached himself, but Monica insisted that he was protecting someone. Funny, how she would never specify who that someone was, but Jake's instincts told him it was the Giovanna he went to see during the Chen case.
The UC team, and their leader, had a rare three day weekend. Donovan was in an unusually good mood, and told the team to take four days. And to enjoy themselves, because that was exactly what he planned to do. In those exact words, and Jake remembered Monica smiling, right before she thwacked Cody in the back of his head for opening his mouth. That was yet another clue that his teammate knew more about their boss than what she was letting on.
Instead of spending time at the church, with the kids, Jake opted to spend it alone. He was sitting in front of his tv, watching an old Western, when the phone rang. The undercover operative reached over and picked up the phone, without bothering to check the caller id, and Monica said breathlessly, "Jake, it's me. We've got to get over to County, double time. Donovan's been shot."
What????? Jake's feet hit the ground with a thud, and Monica continued, almost rambling, "I just got the call from his friend Tom, you know, the one who brought the Armando case to us." Jake remembered. He remembered too much, but there was no time to tell Monica that, for she went on, "He was at the park with his family, and he was shot." Now the anguish was clear in her voice. He heard the struggle in her voice, heard her regain composure, and she added, "I've already called Alex, Cody is next."
"I'll do that. . .Monica, what do you know about his family?" Jake asked. His gut instinct, based on Donovan's own actions and reactions during the Chen case, told him that this Giovanna who gave Cody such an earful was either Donovan's wife or his fiancee. Jake Shaw trusted his instincts. Those same instincts were now telling him that Monica knew a lot more than what she was telling. He was proven correct only moments later. . .and he found himself wishing he was wrong.
Monica took a deep breath, then replied, "He's married, Jake. His wife saw him shot down. He's married, and he has two little girls. . . six and two. They were there, Jake, the six year old saw her daddy shot!" Jake closed his eyes. He remembered Keller's death. Keller was an agent, just like Donovan. But he and Alex were agents as well, federal agents, who knew this was a possibility. They were adults. Donovan's little girls were hardly more than babies.
"Donovan's made a lot of enemies, Monica. The chances are good one of them tried to take him out. . .which also means he might go after Donovan's family next. We'll just have to make sure this freak leaves them alone. I'm on my way, Monica," Jake replied. She assented, hanging up the phone. Jake dialed Cody's number next, saying when the computer expert picked up the phone, "Cody, don't say a word, just listen. I'm on my way to pick you up. Donovan's been shot, he's at County." The other man started to speak, but Jake cut him off, "Cody! He was shot at the park, in full view of his six year old daughter! Get ready, I'll be there in half an hour to pick you up. We've got work to do!"
"Donovan. . .has a daughter?" Cody squeaked. Jake rolled his eyes. He should have known Cody would focus on that. His inability to track down information about their boss was something Cody took personally. He was on the point of telling his teammate to worry about Donovan's family ties later, when Cody snapped into professional mode, saying, "Right. I'll have my laptop ready, just in case the little girl saw something."
There was a pause, then Cody muttered, "Donovan has a kid. I'll be damned, he's human after all!" Jake rolled his eyes, then hung up the phone. Monica called Alex, he called Cody. Everyone was accounted for. . .and once they were at County, getting the details, the investigation would begin. Shaw wondered briefly about bringing Sonny into this, or Carlos Cortez. They would have contacts, ways of getting information that they didn't.
Cortez was iffy, but Sonny believed in protecting the innocent. That was why he hesitated to open his heart to Carly. . .she, however, had her own ideas about that. Sonny might be a possibility. Especially if Jake told him that a little girl saw her father shot while she was at the park. Later. He would deal with that later. Right now, he had work to do. And as he made his way downstairs, Jake Shaw quietly promised that whoever was responsible would pay dearly. He made one other promise. . .the UC team would not lose another leader.
He told Cody he would be there in half an hour, but Jake made it there in fifteen minutes. Cody, thankfully, was waiting for him, laptop tucked under his arm. The other man slipped into his car without a word, which told Jake just how this whole situation was affecting his colleague. The ride to the hospital was passed in silence. Jake let Cody out, then proceeded to look for a parking space. From his rearview mirror, he saw his three teammates congregating at the doors.
Once the car was safely parked, and just as safely locked, Jake joined his teammates, intent on getting answers. However, if he thought it would be easy, he was quickly re-educated. Jake located a tall, black- haired doctor who kinda reminded him of Donovan, though his hair was longer, and said, "I'm Agent Jake Shaw, and these are my teammates, we're looking for information about our colleague, Frank Donovan."
The dark-haired doctor turned his green eyes on the small group, then said with an accent Jake couldn't identify, "I'm sorry, but that's up to the family." The man nodded in the direction of a woman sitting nearby. Jake's heart turned over. From what he could see, she was in her late twenties, though the dark, curly hair falling around her face made it difficult to be sure. She held on her lap a sobbing toddler, and a small girl was tucked against her side, her head burrowed against her mother's shoulder.
The doctor paused, then continued, "I would suggest that you start your investigation with Dr Chen. . .she was there at the time." He nodded in the direction of a pretty Amerasian woman. Jake cast a look toward Donovan's wife and girls, and the doctor moved between them and Jake's line of sight. There was more than a little ice in his voice as he added, "Leave them be. When they are ready, they will talk to you."
Jake almost told the man where to go. Almost told him that he was interfering in a case involving the attempted murder of a federal agent. But Monica touched his arm and said very softly, "Jake, his first priority is Donovan, and his family. He is only protecting them, and he gave us a place to start. Back off." He didn't want to back off. The initial shock was giving way to rage, and Jake wanted a target for that rage.
But he had to focus on Donovan right now, and this guy looked like he could lay him out flat. Jake gave a curt nod, and Monica added, addressing her remarks to the doctor, "Thank you, Dr. . .Dr Kovac." The doctor nodded his acknowledgement, then Monica said quietly, "We'll talk to Dr Chen. And when she's ready, we'll talk to Donovan's wife. We gotta handle this carefully, Jake, because if we push her. . ." Jake nodded his understanding. Yeah. He knew.
. . .
Joanna Masters Donovan felt like she was living in a nightmare. As the wife of a cop, she knew her husband might be shot in the line of duty. She knew that, and accepted it. It was something she learned as a ten year old girl, when her father took her and her mother to Italy to protect them from someone with a grudge against him. It only worked partially. . .for while Joanna's life was saved, her mother and father both died.
Yes, she knew all about being a cop's wife, because before she married Francis Sebastian Xavier Donovan, she was a cop's daughter. She knew these things were possible. She even knew that she wasn't entirely safe, and had a scar from a bullet wound in her upper chest to prove it. But this. . .she couldn't grasp this. She and her husband were at a park, for God's sake, they were on a family outing! Joanna ignored the little voice in her head that reminded her that her brother died while at work.
Frank was pushing their six year old daughter Alicia on the swings, while Joanna tended to two year old Aurora. She was their new beginning, their second chance. Their dawn of a new day, and for that reason, she was named Aurora. Joanna was shot while pregnant with Aurora, and for a time, Frank Donovan believed he would lose his wife and child. He did not, and in thanks for that second chance, his highest priority was the protection of his wife and children.
Which was why he was shot. Instead of confronting the source of his unease, he stopped the swing and told his older daughter to get down. He chose to save his little girl, rather than leave it to a random chance. Alicia told her mother that. She told her that Daddy said it was time to stop, and told her to lie face down on the ground. . .Alicia did so, fearing the strangeness in her father's voice. A half second later, a shot rang out, and Joanna's world turned inside out.
Now she sat in Chairs of County Hospital, waiting while the doctors fought to save her husband's life. He was in good hands, she knew that. Elizabeth Corday was an excellent surgeon, and Dr Jing-Mei Chen was at Joanna's side, as soon as the only gunshot faded. She put pressure on the wound in Frank's chest, and prevented him from bleeding to death. The young doctor gave her husband a fighting chance, but Joanna was terrified.
Thank the Goddess for Luka. When they arrived at County, Kerry Weaver, the ER chief of staff, took one look at the traumatized family and called for Luka. Joanna didn't know why she did that. Kerry Weaver, while a decent person, usually didn't do things without expecting some sort of payment. Joanna was a professor of mythology. . .she wasn't anyone powerful, and Kerry wasn't the sort to ask cops to avoid doing their jobs or look the other way.
She would worry about that later. Joanna had her hands full, between her fear for her husband and her worries for her daughters. Among the fear and grief, rage started to peek through. She was angry. She was so angry. It was bad enough that she witnessed the deaths of her parents, more than twenty years earlier, but that her daughters were going through this? That was intolerable, and once she knew Frank would be alright, Joanna would make someone pay for that. There was, after all, a reason why they said payback was a bitch.
Revenge would come later. Joanna's top priority was her daughters right now. She just had to keep reminding herself of that. Right now, she was all they had. Aurora cried herself out, and now snuffled into Joanna's t-shirt. She didn't fully understand what was going on. She just knew there was a loud noise, Daddy wasn't playing when he fell down, and Mommy was scared. And Alicia. . .Alicia seemed permanently attached to Joanna's hip. She noticed the four people talking to Luka, but didn't really pay attention, though one of them looked familiar.
After a while, they wandered off, and Luka walked back to her side. He knelt in front of her, his green eyes focused only on her face. Was this, she wondered, bringing back memories? He lost his wife and children in Croatia. He spent time in war-torn countries. What was he thinking right now? It was, of course, none of her business. But, at the same time, thinking about such things distracted her from her fears, and she didn't think he would begrudge her that. The doctor said softly, "I will check on your husband's surgery. The other doctors will be keeping an eye on you and the girls. If there's anything you need. . ."
Joanna managed a weak smile and asked, "Yeah, tell me why you're making such a fuss over us?" Luka smiled, gently caressing Alicia's cheek. She didn't think they usually were so protective, even of a cop's wife while the cop was in surgery. Something else was going on, and she wanted to find out. To say she was frightened for her husband was an understatement, but at the same time, she didn't want to be taking Luka, or anyone else, away from someone who needed them. She couldn't live with that guilt. There was enough of that already.
"Because you are my friend, Joanna, and you always make me laugh. Because your husband has two beautiful daughters who need him, a wife who has already lost too much, and because I will not give up on a patient without a fight," Luka replied, giving Alicia's cheek one last caress, before running his hand over Aurora's black hair. Black, like her father's hair. Luka cupped Joanna's own face in his hands, smiling faintly.
The last reason was most acceptable to Joanna. Especially coming from Luka, who lost his wife and children. That, she could understand. That, she could accept. She closed her eyes, blinking back tears. Luka asked softly, "Have you called your mother-in-law, to let her know what's going on?" Joanna nodded. That was one of the first things she did, while Dr Chen was driving her and the girls to the hospital after the ambulance.
Looking back now, she could hardly believe she even had the presence of mind to do that. Luka kissed her forehead, whispering, "Everything will be all right." He smiled at her one last time, then rose to his full height. Gawd, he was taller than Frank. That never really registered with her. The same way his good looks never really registered with her. Sure, she knew he was attractive. He just. . . wasn't Frank.
Joanna smiled back at him, albeit weakly, then Luka returned to work. She saw him stop off at the desk, say something to the receptionist there. They both looked back at her, then the girl nodded. She looked to be about the same age as most of Joanna's students. A half smile teased the young professor's mouth. She looked at young adults in one of two ways. . .either the same age, roughly, as her students, or close to hers and Frank's ages.
Her eyes turned toward the newcomers once more, and her hackles rose. They were spooking her with the way they were looking at her. She wasn't the only one. Alicia asked in a small voice, "Mommy, why are those people looking at you? I don't like that!" Joanna wrapped her arm around her older daughter a little more tightly, rubbing her hand up and down Alicia's small arm, from her shoulder to her elbow.
"I don't know, baby, I. . ." Joanna began. One of the women turned toward her, giving Joanna her first good look at her face. The words died right away as the two women made eye contact with each other. The woman from the restaurant. The one Joanna talked to inside the restroom. She worked with Frank. What was her name? Monique. . .no, it was Monica. Monica, that's right. Frank told Joanna her name in the car, not sure if he should be angry or amused. Right now, she felt the same way. Monica Davis was looking at her with an almost pleading expression, though Joanna wasn't sure what was being asked of her. Was it information on Frank's condition, on how this happened? Joanna couldn't figure that out.
Was that the rest of his team? That would stand to reason. Frank told her a little bit about the other members of his team. There was another woman, with dark blonde/light brown hair, around Joanna's own age. That would be Alex Cross, if Joanna's memory served. Two men. She knew that Jake Shaw, in physical appearance, could pass for Frank's younger brother. (Although, Frank admitted, they were around the same age) And then there was Cody, who made the comment about her husband when he called his cell phone. Using her husband's descriptions, she identified each of the four.
But they ceased to matter when a woman emerged from surgery, removing her mask. Dr Elizabeth Corday. . .Greene? Was that her married name? Joanna thought so. She remembered Luka mentioning her in the past. She smiled wearily at the anxious wife and frightened children, saying softly, "Your husband came through surgery. He's not out of the woods, but he's fighting hard. If you like, you and your girls can go up to the recovery room in about half an hour, then he'll be moved to a private room."
Private? Could they afford that? Oh. The Bureau would probably cover this. She wouldn't worry about it, then. Cops took care of their own. She knew that. She was a cop's wife, a cop's daughter. And in time, she might even be a cop's mother. Joanna looked at her two daughters, Aurora held against her chest, Alicia clinging to her hand. Her older daughter was staring at Elizabeth Corday Greene with a combination of fear and defiance. But the mother replied, "Thank you, Dr Corday. C'mon, girls. Let's wait upstairs for your gramma."
"Okay, Mommy. Thank you, Dr Corday," Alicia said, mimicking her mother. She wasn't entirely sure why she was thanking the lady doctor who talked different, but if Mommy did it, then so would she. Joanna smiled at her daughter as Elizabeth told her that she was quite welcome. Without a backward glance, the mother and two daughters headed upstairs to the recovery room. She didn't ask the way. It wasn't necessary.
. . .
She remembers me. Of that, there was no doubt in Monica's mind. She remembers me, but right now, her first focus is on her husband. That was how it should be. Monica Davis learned, quite by accident one night, just how much Frank Donovan loved his wife Joanna, his Giovanna. . .and how much she loved him. She saw it in their faces, and heard it in Joanna's voice when they encountered each other in the bathroom.
Cody said, oblivious to the way Joanna Donovan quietly observed them, "I dunno. She doesn't look old enough to be Donovan's wife. 'Sides, she doesn't exactly seem his type. Seems too much of a homebody to me."
Monica looked at her teammate, wondering how Frank would react if she gave Cody a brainduster. Of all the stupid ass things to say, that was one of the prize winners! Monica glared at him and Cody said, raising his hands, "What? All I'm saying is that if I could see anyone with Donovan, it would be some high-class socialite, not somebody who's a Suzie Homemaker." Unfortunately for him, the doctor who warned them to leave Joanna Donovan alone heard that.
Monica saw some similarities between him and Donovan. Both tall, dark-haired, good-looking men with unidentifiable accents. There was another similarity. Their hearing was uncanny. The doctor walked over and said in a low voice, "I can assure you, that is Professor Joanna Donovan. She has been married to Agent Donovan for eight years, and they have two daughters. I've treated both children in the ER. And I would ask you to remember that woman saw her husband shot during a family outing at a park. . .show a little sensitivity."
Now Alex did give Cody a brain duster. Not that it was particularly necessary, as Dr Luka Kovac was currently looming over Cody. Jake asked, before Cody could be turned into computer geek dust, "Did you say she's a professor? She teaches, like in college?" Both Monica and Alex shot death glares at Cody, warning him exactly what would happen if he opened his big mouth right now.
"Yes. You will be informed when you may see Agent Donovan. Assuming, of course, that Joanna allows you anywhere near her husband. She is. . .ferociously protective of him, and he of her," Dr Kovac replied. For the first time, Monica realized that he pronounced the young woman's name as 'Yo-hanna.' Usually, she would have picked up on that much sooner, but she was more concerned with her boss than with honing her people-watching skills.
"We understand," Alex cut in before either of the males could push the doctor any further. There were two Alpha males here, and right now, they were in Dr Kovac's territory. The man nodded as a woman exited from one of the operating rooms. The surgeon approached the small family, and Alex asked, "Do you know how long ago our boss was brought in?" They only found out about the shooting about an hour earlier. . .but for the first time, Monica wondered if there was a delay in reaching them.
"About four hours ago. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere," Dr Kovac told them. At the same time, Monica saw Joanna Donovan lead her daughters in the direction of the elevators. Logic told her that Frank was out of surgery, probably headed for the recovery room, at least until a room was found for him. Monica knew from previous visits to the hospital that the recovery room was on one of the upper levels. She also knew that they would need to be very careful when they approached Joanna.
With that in mind, Monica turned to face the other three, saying, "Listen. We gotta start checking into this. There's a chance that the shooting at the park was a random accident, but I'm not willing to take that chance." She knew she was taking the lead, but after working with Donovan for such a long time, she knew how his mind worked. While his past remained a mystery, she knew exactly what he would tell her in the situation. Yes, their leader was down, but they still had a job to do. She wasn't the only one thinking that way.
"Right. I'll check out the park, see what the locals have. You know the Bureau, this is gonna be high priority. And I wanna give Frank some good news when he wakes up," Jake said. He looked at Monica, adding, "You know the most about his family. I figure his wife will be less likely to come out swinging if she encounters you. Cody would probably put his foot in his mouth all the way up to his hip."
Cody looked indignant and started to protest, but Monica said, "Cody, think. Donovan's wife is named 'Joanna.' And 'Giovanna' is the Italian equivalent of 'Joanna.' You don't have a great track record with that." It took Cody about two seconds to figure out what Monica was saying. Jake and Alex were both nodded, as if to say, 'that's right.' However, Monica finished, "You've already pissed her off once. I don't think you'd wanna do it twice!"
Alex added, "And I don't know about Mrs Donovan, but I'd be pissed if I heard you say things like that about my man." Monica thought they already knew how pissed Joanna was. She suspected the professor was putting on an act for Cody's benefit. Alex continued, "I'll see what I can find out about the bullet. Cody, you're with me. Monica, you want to take care of Mrs Donovan and the babies?"
Monica nodded. The others didn't know about her chance meeting with their boss's wife, after the Chen case. They didn't need to know. It wasn't really any of their business that Frank Donovan loved to dance with his wife in a restaurant, or that Joanna Donovan kicked off her shoes when she did dance with her husband. Nor was it their business that their boss took his wife out to dinner for no special reason.
Donovan would tell them that when he was ready. Until that day, Monica would keep his secrets. She still didn't know what mistake almost cost Joanna her life, but she had a gut feeling it had to do with Donovan's tendency to keep them at arm's length. He told her, in not so many words, but that wouldn't be good enough for the others. No. No, they would have to hear it from the lady herself.
The team split up. Once they had more information, they would return to the Nest to start the research. But for right now, Monica knew her place was here. She watched the rest of the team disperse, then headed upstairs to the recovery room. Instead of taking the elevator, however, she took the stairs. It would take longer, and give Joanna Donovan time to see her husband and collect herself.
As she walked, Monica was disconcerted to realize she was profiling the other woman, based on the little information she had. She knew that Joanna Donovan was in her early thirties, a professor of mythology at a local university. At least, she assumed it was local, if she could meet Donovan at the Avalon within the thirty minute timeframe he established when he called her during the Chen case.
From her brief conversation at the restaurant, Monica knew that Joanna was a little on the shy side. She offered Monica a faint, albeit genuine, smile when they met in the ladies' room, and Monica instigated the conversation.
From Luka Kovac, she knew that the couple was married for eight years. She also knew from Tom that they had two children, six year old Alicia and two year old Aurora. Monica stopped and thought about that. Aurora was two. It was about two years earlier that Donovan beached himself for six months. And he beached himself because one of his mistakes almost resulted in his wife's death. Wife, and child?
It was something to consider. Monica opened the door to the level where the recovery room was, only a little winded. She took notice of where Joanna sat with her two daughters, no doubt waiting to see her husband, and chose to walk past her. That would give Monica a good position to watch over the woman without crowding her. However, she never counted on one thing. As Monica passed the small family, Joanna Donovan said in a soft, but clear voice, "Hello, Agent Davis. . .are you the guardian we're not supposed to know about?"
. . .
"Hello, Agent Davis. . .are you the guardian we're not supposed to know about?"
Helluva way to make contact with a member of your husband's team, but Joanna wasn't in any mood to be clever or witty. She was sure there was a more creative way to say what needed to be say, but she had not the energy to use or the powers of concentration to think one up. Besides, it got the message across, and Agent Monica Davis paused as she walked toward a far bench. She turned to face Joanna, saying, "You know who I am."
"Of course," Joanna replied, "Frank told me after dinner that night." Her companion simply nodded, as if to say, 'yes, I should have realized that.' Joanna paused, then continued, "Why did you do it? Why. . .?" She shook her head in frustration. She was a college professor, a relatively popular one among her students, but right now, she was having one helluva time verbalizing what she was thinking.
She didn't want to spend the energy on anything but Frank right now. Frank and their girls. Focusing her attention on her husband was her only way of staying sane at the moment. She couldn't focus on the shooting, because if she did that, she would drive herself insane. Monica Davis knelt in front of her and the girls, saying softly, "I wasn't following you, if that's what you're asking. You were just. . . there. And I couldn't resist the temptation to speak to you, when I saw you, and realized who you were."
She shook her head, saying softly, "You have to understand. Ever since Frank took over the team, he's. . .we know next to nothing about him. You're his wife. . .the solace of his soul. His sanctuary, and I couldn't resist the temptation to find out more about you."
Fair enough, Joanna supposed, but as she raised her eyebrows questioningly, Monica Davis immediately figured out what she was asking. The agent continued, "And I did learn more about you, like I wanted. But I ended up getting more questions, especially after meeting you. Why does he shut us out. . .why won't he tell us about himself?" Joanna sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of her older daughter's head.
"Mommy, I don't gotta be scared of this lady? Even though she was lookin' at you funny?" Alicia questioned in a tiny voice and Joanna turned her attention to the little girl. Alicia was staring at her with those big brown eyes of hers, the eyes she inherited from Frank. She looked so much like him sometimes, it took Joanna's breath away. Alicia was such a beautiful child. And so earnest.
"Oh, honey. . .I would never do anything to hurt you, or your mama, or your little sister. My name is Monica, and I work with your daddy," the agent replied. She was telling the truth. Joanna could see it in her eyes. She was here to watch over them. From Frank, Joanna learned that while Monica's primary purpose in the team was that of researcher, she could handle a gun. She wasn't comfortable with the weapons, but she was competent with them.
"You're gonna find the bad man who shot my daddy? I was real scared, Miss Monica. Daddy made the swing stop, and told me it was time to get down, but I had to lie down on the ground. And then there was a big boom sound, and Daddy fell over. It scared Aurora, too," Alicia said earnestly. It scared them all. If Joanna closed her eyes, she could almost imagine she was back at the park, huddled over her younger daughter protectively.
But Monica's voice drew her back from the park, from the horror of seeing her husband lying so still, with a bright red flower blossoming on his chest. She didn't want to think of flowers and blood together. The agent was saying softly, "I bet it scared you, honey. And I bet it scared your daddy, too. I don't have any little girls, but I think it would scare me, if I saw whatever your daddy saw to make you lie down on the ground."
Joanna had to think her way through that one, but after a moment, she nodded, seeing that it made sense. In a weird sort of way, but more and more, it felt like Joanna's brain was disconnected. Nothing which made sense earlier made sense now, and things which made sense now made no sense earlier. Her world was turning upside down and inside out, and Joanna had no idea how to put the pieces together. She felt a bit like Humpty Dumpty, if you really wanted the truth. Which most people didn't.
Aurora shifted in her arms, snuffling a little. Poor kid didn't understand any of this. Hell, Joanna didn't understand any of this, and she was supposed to be the adult! How in the bloody hell could she explain to her two year old daughter what was going on, when she didn't understand? Joanna swore under her breath, using phrases that a Southern lady shouldn't know. At the same time, Monica Davis was telling Alicia something, making her laugh. The sound was out of place in a hospital, but Joanna didn't correct her daughter. Goddess knew when she would have a chance to laugh again, Joanna wouldn't take this away from her little girl now. Then Alicia said, "Miss Monica, you're so pretty, can I make my face look like yours?"
That brought Joanna out of her daze. She looked at her daughter, trying not to smile. Her valiant efforts to keep her composure went by the wayside when Joanna noticed Monica's stunned expression. She looked even more stunned when Alicia leaned forward and patted the agent's face. Joanna shook with suppressed laughter, telling the other woman, "She asked the same thing of our next door neighbor in Washington DC. Mrs Raeford. Mrs Quy Raeford, originally from Saigon, Vietnam."
Monica's jaw dropped, then her eyes widened, and her surprise was followed a moment earlier by a broad grin. She turned her attention back to Alicia, saying softly, "Sorry, honey, but you gotta be born this way. You look a lot like your daddy, you know that?" This was said with some surprise, as if Monica Davis just noticed that. Joanna would have rolled her eyes, but she remembered that not everyone knew her family.
Alicia bobbed her head, looking sad when Frank was mentioned, and said, "Mommy says I look just like Daddy, and she's happy 'bout that. She's glad both 'Rora and me look like Daddy." Oops. She had to be a little more careful about what she said. Sometimes she forgot little ears were listening. Alicia continued, "Daddy says that we're beautiful, 'cause we look like Mommy. I think they're both silly."
Joanna couldn't see her daughter's face, but she could just imagine Alicia's expression. She was probably rolling her eyes in exasperation at the silliness of the adults. That bit of normalcy almost made Joanna forget why she was here. Almost. And Alicia said in the very next breath, sounding almost fearful as she looked from Monica to Joanna, "Mommy, Miss Monica, I forgot Daddy was shot. . .I'm bad!"
Joanna said firmly, "No, Alicia, you are not bad. Daddy doesn't want you to be. . .baby, do you remember right before Aurora was born, and I was hurt? Do you remember how Daddy wanted you to laugh and smile for him?" She knew about this, from Frank himself and from Mama Marina, who moved in with the young couple while Joanna was recovering. That, of course, didn't stop Frank from driving himself to the point of exhaustion.
Alicia nodded, and Joanna continued, "If he wanted to you to be like that while I was hurt, don't you think he would want the same for him now?" Alicia thought about that, and when she saw her daughter's expression reflect the answer, Joanna said softly, "That's right. Yes, you do need to be quiet in a hospital, because people are sick and hurt, and need to rest. But they also need to see smiles and sunshine, and you've got both, baby."
"Your mommy's right, honey. My job is to take the bad guy who shot your daddy. Your mommy's job is to take care of your daddy and you. And your job, sweetheart, is to smile for us all," Monica said quietly. She looked up at Joanna, her dark eyes showing a question she wouldn't ask in front of Alicia. But it was there, nonetheless. About Joanna's statement, regarding her injury before Aurora's birth.
Monica Davis was no fool. She could see for herself how old Aurora was, and she knew Frank beached himself for six months before taking the UC job.
She could make an educated guess why Frank beached himself, or at least, where Joanna and the girls fit into it. But she wouldn't ask the question, not yet. And it became a moot point when Alicia asked thoughtfully, "If your job is to catch the bad guy who shot my daddy, and Mommy's job is to take care of us and Daddy, and my job is to be happy. . .then what's Daddy's job? Does Aurora have a job as well?"
Joanna tried not to smile at that. . .or at the consternation currently decorating Monica's face. But after a moment, Monica smiled once more. Her smile was sad as she answered softly, "Yes, sweetie, your little sister does have a job. It's the same as yours. You two just have to be yourselves, and that's your job. Your daddy? He has the most important job of all. He has to get better, because we all need him so much."
In those words, Joanna Angelica Masters Donovan heard many promises. A promise that Monica Davis and her teammates would find those responsible for this. Joanna was denied the chance to see her brother's murderers pay. She was denied the chance to see her parents' killer pay. Not this time. Never again. Monica was also promising that she would allow no harm to come to Joanna or her daughters. Yes. She was their guardian angel.
. . .
The last thing Alex Cross felt like was an angel of any kind. Unless it was an angel of death. John Keller died in her arms. Carlos Cortez almost died because of her. And now, Frank Donovan was fighting for his life. It angered her, though she knew it was the job. The job. She hated the job sometimes. It was a necessary job, she knew that. But there were times when she was afraid the job would devour her whole. Times when she was afraid Teddy C was right.
She strode through the halls of the hospital, Cody struggling to keep up. But as she walked, she thought about the job and all the risks it meant. You expected to die on the job. It was part of the package. Something you kept in the back of your mind, at all times. You weren't supposed to be shot while you were at a park with your wife and two little girls. With the words came an image of Donovan's wife and daughters. Joanna Donovan couldn't be much more than thirty. She looked even younger, though. And her daughters. . .God, they were just babies! And the six year old saw her daddy shot?
What the hell kinda world was this, where a six year old child saw her father shot while they were at the park? It was personal. It had to be personal, with a federal agent. A cop or a criminal of any sort. Where did she start? Where did they start? Donovan was usually the one who coordinated these things, gave them ideas of where to start. But it was Donovan who was fighting for his life, and parts of his past were blocked.
He never talked about his wife. Never talked about his daughters. And yet, that doctor knew a great deal about him. About the entire family. Why? Alex quietly reviewed what Kovac told them. Wait. He said something about treating the girls in the ER. Yes. He told them that, when Cody expressed his doubt that the young woman was Donovan's wife. Said that he treated the two little girls in the past.
She wondered if the same was true of all the doctors in the ER. The other doctors. Alex asked Cody, "Have you ever been here before?" Cody shook his head, and Alex muttered, "Me, neither. All right, we need to find out who the chief of staff is." Cody looked at her blankly, and Alex explained, "Dr Kovac said that Joanna Donovan has often brought her daughter to the ER. If he knows a lot about them, maybe other doctors do as well. It's a starting place, at least until we can get the bullet retrieved during surgery."
"They might not be willing to talk to us. Kovac wasn't," Cody rightly pointed out. Alex nodded her agreement. She knew that entirely too well, and Cody added with a sigh, "Then again, it's a place to check. Okay, let's go find the chief of staff, or someone who can answer our questions." The first place to check, of course, was at the admissions desk, where a young girl was reading a magazine and chewing gum.
"Excuse us. . .could you tell us who the chief of staff is for the ER? Or someone in the hospital who knows the Donovan family?" Alex asked. The young girl barely looked up from her magazine, and instead, pointed in the direction of a slight, red-haired woman with a cane. Alex smiled at the girl, who still hadn't looked up, and said, "Thank you." She started to walk away, Cody ogling the girl, when a noise attracted her attention. Alex turned to find the receptionist now staring at her intently.
"Are you a member of his unit?" the girl asked, and Alex nodded. The young receptionist looked around, then motioned her forward. Intrigued, Alex returned to the desk, and the girl leaned forward, saying in a low voice, "Don't tell the dragonlady, she'd have my job, but I know Professor Donovan pretty good. She's real nice, always talks to me when she comes in with her girls. I'd never met him, though. I didn't realize he was so cute!"
Alex raised her eyebrows at that, as she never really noticed, and Cody made a strange noise in his throat. The girl glared at him, and continued, "Anyhow, the name of the surgeon who operated on him is Dr Corday. She's probably saved the bullet for you, since it's part of a criminal investigation." She pronounced the words with glee, but her eyes darkened as the petite red-head indicated as the chief of staff headed in their direction.
The girl lowered her voice, saying, "She'll probably be checking on him for the post-op, since she's already talked with Professor Donovan. But be careful, because I know Luka's real protective of Professor Donovan. I guess he kinda sees her as a little sister." Yes, Alex got that impression. The girl said in a louder voice, as if trying to divert attention away from herself, "Like I said, Dr Weaver is the one you wanna talk to." Then she returned her attention to her magazine. Alex turned to face the approaching woman, who was shooting some rather nasty looks at the girl behind the desk.
The undercover operative said, "I'm Agent Alex Cross and this is my colleague, Cody Forrester. We were told you could give us information." The woman's eyes flickered over first Alex, then Cody, then her eyes shifted back to Alex. The female agent continued, "Our boss was shot today at the park, ma'am, we're investigating that shooting. Any bit of help you can give us would be useful."
"I'm Dr Kerry Weaver. I'm not sure what I can tell you, but I will cooperate as far as I can. There is an issue of patient/doctor confidentiality here," the woman replied. She began walking away from the desk, forcing Alex and Cody to keep up with her. Alex caught up within just a few strides, wondering if this was some kind of test. Dr Kerry Weaver went on after a moment, "The bullet will be turned over to you as soon as possible, along with all other pertinent medical information. Have you spoken with Dr Chen yet?"
"No, not yet. And I do understand about doctor/patient confidentiality. Have you ever met Agent Donovan before today?" Alex asked. To her surprise, the red head bobbed in confirmation, and Alex asked to cover her surprise, "What was the nature of that meeting, or would that violate doctor/patient confidentiality?" At her side, amazingly enough, Cody was writing things down.
"No, it wouldn't. Frank came in a few weeks ago, while his wife was out of town. If I remember correctly, Jo was at a conference for her specialty, and the girls remained with Frank. The younger child, Aurora, tried to swallow a lifesaver whole. . .without sucking on it first. Dr Kovac treated her. . .although I'm sure you've already met him," Dr Weaver answered. Alex froze. A few weeks earlier. . .a few weeks earlier, Donovan received a call that visibly upset him, near quitting time, and he sent them all home early.
Cody murmured, obviously thinking the same thing she was, "That was why he left early a few weeks back. . .he said there was something he needed to do, and the rest of us were to go home." Alex nodded, and Cody asked, "Dr Weaver, you seem to be well-acquainted with the entire family. . .how would you characterize the relationship between our boss and his wife?" Alex rolled her eyes, noting the way Cody stumbled over the word 'wife.'
"She's very protective of him. They're very protective of each other, I should say instead. Wait a minute. . .you. . .you can't possibly think that Jo had something to do with this? That's ludicrous! She adores him, and he worships her!" Kerry Weaver said sharply. The woman shook her head, adding, "Look, I realize you probably don't know her. . .or him, for that matter. . .and I don't know her that well, either. We've talked a few times, but she really didn't let me in. But there is no way Jo would ever do anything to hurt Frank. Ever."
"We have to ask, Dr Weaver, to eliminate all suspects. Technically, we shouldn't even be on this case. . .we should be allowing the local authorities to handle it. But he's our boss, and we take care of our own. None of us are very good at just waiting. . .and this is our job. I'm sure you know that in many homicides, the spouse is responsible in some way. We're just making sure all the bases are covered. As you say, we don't know Professor Donovan, and the person who does know her best, Dr Kovac, won't talk to us," Alex explained.
The woman sighed, "You're right, of course. I'm sorry. But I'm a doctor. I see patients and their families on a daily basis. I know the genuine article when I see one. And Jo Donovan was a basketcase when they brought her husband in a few hours ago. Besides, it doesn't make sense for her to hire a gunman to kill her husband at the park, when her daughters might get caught in the crossfire." Alex nodded her acknowledgment of that point.
"Another doctor was mentioned by Dr Kovac, an eyewitness to the shooting. Could you tell us where to find her?" Cody asked. Kerry Weaver frowned, but nodded, and Alex guessed that Dr Chen was making her rounds, or doing something equally important. The red-haired woman pulled something out and wrote on it. Alex resisted the impulse to look at what the woman wrote. . .she would find out soon enough.
"Yes. I keep forgetting that she was an eyewitness. She's doing her rounds right now, but I can arrange for you to have a few hours of her time," the doctor answered. Alex nodded her agreement. Yes, she wanted to talk to Dr Chen, and she would want to talk to Dr Corday next. Weaver added, "Please, follow me."
. . .
Once upon a time, many years ago, a little girl named 'Marina' received a letter from a little girl named 'Anne.' It seemed Anne received Marina's name through a pen pal service, and Marina was very happy to hear from Anne. It was just after World War II, and Marina was very curious about the United States. She wanted to know what Americans, aside from their soldiers, were like. She didn't mind answering Anne's questions, because she knew there was far more to Italy than Benito Mussolini, and she was proud of her country.
Over the years, against all odds, Anne and Marina remained friends, and in the end, it wasn't anger or apathy that ended their friendship. No, they remained friends through both their marriages and the births of their children. It was death that ultimately ended their friendship, on a rainy night in 1980. Anne, along with her husband Gregory, were coming to Italy with their ten year old daughter Joanna.
Gregory was a police officer, who recently made some people very angry. These people were very powerful, and they threatened Anne and Joanna. To protect his wife and daughter, Gregory brought them to Italy to stay with Marina and her American husband, an Army officer stationed in Italy. The mother and daughter would stay with Justin and Marina for a while, until things cooled down in the States. However, it didn't work out that way. It never did. Gregory and Anne didn't live long enough to see the house where Marina lived, to meet her husband or her own ten year old son, Francis.
Instead, as Marina fussed around the house for the thirteenth time that day, her husband Justin sent Francis out to keep a watch out for the Masters family. It was his way of making sure Francis had a job to do, because the child wanted so badly to help. Francis was a good boy, and did exactly what he was told to do. In fact, he did more. When he saw the car crash, he ran inside to tell Marina and Justin, then ran right back out and down to the car crash. For the rest of her life, Marina would never be able to make up her mind if her son did the right thing.
She didn't think he should have left poor little Joanna to fend for herself, but she was worried that the cause of the accident might have seen her son. And that would have been disastrous. Both Greg and Anne were dead. Only Joanna survived, and Francis found her wandering outside the car, in the pouring rain, in an absolute daze. Francis took her wrist and led her to the house. The poor child was in shock, and Marina snapped into her mother mode while Justin got in touch with the proper authorities. From that horrific night, seeds of a new friendship were planted, between Anne's daughter and Marina's son.
In time, friendship turned to love. When they were twenty-four years old, Francis married Joanna, and two daughters were born to that union. Marina's granddaughters. Justin died shortly after his son's marriage, but Marina was grateful for that favor at least. He lived long enough to see his son married to a good woman, the daughter whom Marina and Justin always wanted, but with whom they were never blessed.
Now, as Marina hurtled toward the hospital, she faced losing her child. She knew it was a possibility, of course. He was a federal agent, after all, and there was that possibility. The same possibility that she would lose her husband, as he was a soldier. But in the end, she lost her husband not to war or training exercises, but to cancer. Still, it made her wonder how her mother-in-law coped when Justin told her that he was going into the Army.
Marina knew little of what was going on. Her daughter-in-law told her that Francis was shot at the park. In full view of their babies. Joanna, her Giovanna, was barely holding herself together. Marina knew her daughter-in-law, she could hear the strain in Giovanna's voice. She was second-guessing herself. . .wondering what she could have done differently. Wondering if she could have prevented the shooting.
Marina understood about that all too well. She understood about the 'what ifs,' and the 'what might have beens.' She fought against them now. Was God punishing her because she was so proud of her son, when her late sister, God rest her soul, wasn't nearly as fortunate as she? Marina loved both of her nephews, both Gian and Antoine. And if she was honest with herself (which she usually was), she could admit Antoine was her favorite nephew. But he only settled down in the last year, and Francis was much more stable than his wild, lookalike cousin.
Was she being punished for taking such pride in her federal agent son? Antoine was wild for so many years, and even now had a fierce temper. On the other hand, his temper was only unleashed now when someone was foolish enough to insult or threaten his wife and child. Clarissa was a dear girl, from the emails Marina received from her nephew's wife. . .she was sure that Giulia would have loved her.
Just as she loved her Giovanna, who called her 'Mama Marina' long before Francis finally had the sense to marry his childhood friend. Marina was proud that she was able to give the young girl some sense of stability after Giovanna witnessed the murders of her parents. And now, Giovanna needed her again. They all needed her. Her husband, Marina's son, was shot, right in front of his own children.
She blinked back tears as she pulled into the parking lot for the hospital. Marina knew that there was a young doctor here who often cared for her granddaughters when her son or daughter-in-law rushed the girls to the hospital. What was his first name? It sounded Italian, but he wasn't Italian himself. She would know it when she saw him. . .that was just how her memory worked, and damn if she could understand why.
"Mrs Donovan?" that young doctor said now, and Marina looked around. He was a tall young man, with black hair and green eyes. A very nice looking young man, though it was questionable if he was as handsome as her Francis. The young doctor gave her a half-smile, continuing, "I'm Dr Kovac. Your son has been sent up to the recovery room. Yohanna and your granddaughters are already up there."
Kovac. . .his name was Luka. Yes. And she smiled at how he called her daughter-in-law, 'Yohanna.' Yet another nickname to add to the list of names for her daughter-in-law. She smiled up at him, thanking him in Italian, then went to the elevators. She spent some time here as a volunteer. Somehow, though, it was different when you were coming to see a member of your family. Very different, very strange, very surreal.
She should have remembered that from when Justin was dying. By that time, they were living in the States, and Francis was starting his career. Marina closed her eyes very tightly as the elevator made its slow, torturous climb to the floor holding the recovery room. It took almost three years for the cancer to run its course in her husband's body, and it broke her heart to watch that once-strong man shrink into himself.
There was a time when Marina believed that assisted suicide was a mortal sin, but after watching her beloved husband waste away, after watching him suffer through those three years, she wasn't sure. What was the greater sin. . .ending pain or doing nothing to alleviate it? She didn't know. She had no answers, save one. . .she wasn't sure if she could watch this all over again. Losing Justin hurt terribly. . .but if she lost Francis. . .
Stop that, she ordered herself, thinking in her native Italian, just stop it! Francis is young and strong and healthy. He has everything to live for. . .this is not like Justin's death. She kept telling herself that, hoping that she would believe that. But she came to hate hospitals, and not even her volunteer work in the hospital eased that hatred. There was too much pain associated with these places. . .joy tinged with sorrow even with childbirth.
When Justin was dying, she went upstairs to the neonatal ward once, to cheer herself up. What could possibly be more joyful than the promise of new life? Watching young mothers cradle their newborns, and young fathers make faces at their children?
It was a terrible mistake, however, for the neonatal ward was on the same floor as the geriatric. Even the joy of new life was muted. Then Marina's mind was turned away from the past as the elevator doors opened. She stepped out onto the floor, hating anew the smells and the lights of the hospital. However, that was driven away by the sight that lay before her. Her daughter-in-law almost hunched over in a chair. Alicia was snuggled against her mama's side, and Aurora burrowed into her chest.
There was a fourth person there, someone whom Marina didn't know. A pretty, dark-skinned girl, who looked up as Marina approached. She wasn't the only one. Alicia looked up, her eyes filling with joy as she cried out, "Nonna! You came!" She catapulted away from her mother's side, running to throw her arms around Marina's legs. The grandmother didn't even stop to think. . .just bent over and scooped the little girl into her arms, holding her tightly.
"Of course I came, my angel. . .where else would I be?" Marina whispered. Her daughter-in-law got to her feet, the dark girl shadowing her every move. As if she was protecting Giovanna, and Marina wondered if this girl was a member of her son's team. She hoped so. Giovanna approached her, Aurora still clinging to her, and Marina shifted Alicia onto her hip. With her granddaughter secure, Marina held out her free hand to her daughter-in-law, pulling Giovanna into her arms as well. They were all together now, and with all of his women present and accounted for, Francis wouldn't think of leaving them. He simply wouldn't.