Last Rest Denied
Part 5
There she was before him, his Queen. Soft white skin, pale as the moon's face, rose petal lips breathing his name. He plunged his hand into fire gold hair, longing to caress her soft scalp again. After ten centuries the images had not faded in their intensity.
"My husband, my love, and my king," she breathed, opening her arms to him.
"Ah Gruoch, how I have missed thee," he sighed.
Green eyes lifted to his, the green of the forests of Scotland. He didn't even bother to question how his black armor had changed into 11th century tunic and leggings... complete with the sigil of Moray around his neck, and the gold crown upon his brow. Its weight was a welcome friend, as was the feel of his sword at his hip again.
How lovely she looked in that emerald gown, which draped over her form in all the right places! He blushed to think of thinking such thoughts. Yet she blushed when their hands touched, and fingers intertwined. Small light hands with long fingers enmeshed in his large strong hands. Perhaps it was just as well he had tarnished with age from the Bargain, for she would grow old, as he remained unchanged.
"You had bid me farewell, husband," she looked up to him.
"Aye, but ye wouldna mind if I had the pleasure of enjoyin yer company again... would ye?"
"Not at all," she breathed. "But you are mistaken, I am very much here..."
Coyly she smiled up at him, her arched brows lifting teasingly. Beside his powerful frame she was delicate, but strong in her own way. Silent and gently fingering his silver thick hair. Abandoning any further questions of how he arrived here, MacBeth wrapped her close in his muscled arms. Her rose petal lips hungrily found his.
"My love..." she whispered, reaching for the fastenings on his cape. Slowly it drifted to the floor. They were at Castle Moray, its banners and stone walls comforting and cool. Sad to think it would be devoured in flames, which made it all the more miraculous that it existed now! Her tongue traced along his earlobe gently shivering him to another deep kiss. MacBeth unfastened her cloak, then continued to run his hands down to her chest, and she laughed softly. Lips formed into a knowing smile as her fingers pulled gently at his swordbelt. The weapon clattered to the floor, atop her discarded cloak.
"And I thought ye were the shy one," MacBeth chuckled, stroking her chin.
"Me?" she laughed, her hands slipping under his tunic. His fingers unfastened the sash about her waist. Gently he tugged her gown down around her shoulders. Their lips met in a fierce hungry kiss, Gruoch ripping his tunic from his shoulders. Her fingernails buried into his silvery hair, tunneling over to his scalp. With a mighty laugh he scooped her up, carrying her effortlessly to their bed. He pulled the gown off completely, as she helped him shed the remainder of any hindering garments.
He kissed a path down her breasts to her stomach, as she kissed her own path to his chest. Hands stroked over his powerful shoulderblades, and over her smooth sculpted ones. Grey eyes widened as he felt her hands tracing downwards boldly. Laughing they rolled over till she was beneath him, a contented smile on her face. She struggled to mold her soft body into his strong one. They spent much time caressing and holding each other, till their mutual need could no longer be denied.
"I must be one with you again!" she panted, pressing gentle kisses to his ear, nibbling his bearded cheek.
"As you wish, my queen," he sighed with delight. He was lost in her hair when he felt her pleading to take her then and there. Fortunately he was already up to the task
"Take me now, my husband!" she cried, fingernails digging into his back. It had been too long, she murmured, devouring his firm mouth. Under his lips hers were soft and warm, sharing their life's breath. Her body was a gentle cushion that greatly desired his weight. Writhing in ecstasy beneath him she moaned, sweat soaked hair slipping through his fingers.
"Ah my Gruoch... my queen..."
"MacBeth... my one and only love..." she shrieked to the heavens.
"Lennox, Madre de Dios!"
"What?" he gasped, hearing her voice, but the words were strange. How would Gruoch know his modern moniker? Shocked, he straightened up, still firmly inside her. Confusion spread when his hands were immersed in curly locks, black and resilient, instead of Gruoch's silken mane. Against his skin hers was a few shades of caramel cinnamon.
"Oho! Mmmmm!" purred her voice as she was wrapped in his arms, in the throws of passion. "What a nice surprise..."
MacBeth blinked again, and glanced around at the room. Gone were the castle walls of Moray, yielding to modern ones covered in gilt. A fire still burned, though dying down a bit in intensity, yet still enough to see the hues of dark eyes glancing up at him with deep love and affection. She was sturdy and strong, not as slender as Gruoch but graceful. A name faltered on his lips, as he still straddled her hips. Carmel breasts curved underneath a black lace teddy, which had slipped up to the verge of her stomach.
"Who is Gruoch anyway?" she grinned.
"Lucia..." he gasped, shifting to withdraw from her in an awkward panic. "I must apologize..."
"Hey senior, I'm not complaining," she wrapped her arms around him invitingly, holding him firmly in place. "I've heard of people walking and talking in their sleep. This is the first time I've had someone making love in their sleep!"
"But to take you in your sleep..." he stammered.
"Shh," she kissed away his protests. "I trust you. And umm... it's delicious... don't you dare stop now!"
MacBeth sighed with relief, realizing that one, she wasn't scared, and two he was too aroused to find any other reason not to continue where his dream left off. But to his dismay his wandering mind had a rather adverse affect. Lucia noticed, but made no comment, and said, "Tell me about your wife... what was she like?"
"What do... ah... ye wish t' know?" he asked, as she kissed him softly.
"You haven't given me much to go on. Like what did she look like, for instance?" She asked, touching his nose with her finger. MacBeth had to admit this was the most bizarre place and time he'd even had a conversation quite like this one. Halfway in the throws of passion, speaking about his beloved Gruoch to the woman he was planning to marry in this time.
"Hmm... Well..." he sighed, a dreamy look in his eyes. "Lovely. Such a gently creature. With eyes like the forest in spring... face white as the cheeks of the moon... hair as spun fire and gold..." His voice lowered, sultry and accented as it ensnared Lucia in its spell.
She smiled, feeling his gentle caresses. "You must have loved her very much... to remember her after so much time..."
"Aye," he nodded, feeling the firmness coming strong again. "Strange... I'd be thinkin' of her nau!"
"I bet..." she giggled.
"Ye dinna... mind that I spoke her name..." he said softly, as she rested her head on his chest.
"I think it's romantic," she sighed, relaxing beside him. Lennox reached for her, and they picked up where his dream had left off.
"I'm sorry... lass," he lifted his head to look at her, stroking her cheek after they were done.
"No, it's okay," she kissed him lightly.
"But I shirked in my responsibility..." he started again.
"It was mine this time..." she assured him. This brought a look of surprise from him. Lucia's voice tapered off into the dark, and she lay there for a good amount of time. Had she fallen asleep from his ministrations? He moved up beside her, as she began to pant from his weight pressing down on her. "Lass, what is on yer mind...?" he asked, tracing a finger along her earlobe. "Ye seem... a bit preoccupied... are ye not happy here?"
"Well, your wife... when you described her..." she began. "It made me think..."
"About what?" he asked, a bit concerned.
"That mirror..."
"Mirror?"
"Titania's mirror. I need to see it again... to answer a question that's been bugging me..."
"Such a powerful item is not a thing t' be trifled wi," he cautioned, his voice taking on the schoolmaster's tone.
"That's why... I want you to look at it with me..." she said glancing up at him.
"Why is it important t' ye lass?"
"I saw things in there... and you had said it was a window to the past, present and future..."
"As well as other realities," he added.
"I have to know, MacBeth," she glanced up at him. "Who that woman I saw in the mirror was..."
"All right then, we do it together," he nodded, knowing she wasn't going to get any sleep otherwise.
MacBeth took her hand in his, leading her through his home with an ease that defied explanation. Before, she had blundered into the room by accident. Lights flickered, and the power had died out... even his backup generation seemed to be failing. Yet he clutched a candle in hand, reverently as they approached the chamber.
Both wore bathrobes about their forms, his a deep blue velvet, hers the crème satin one he'd given them after their first night of passion. She realized later he had someone from his house staff take the trouble to go out and buy it shortly after he'd arrived. So it would be waiting for her the next morning when she woke.
Vine wrapped pillars and sculptures cast odd shadows. The room was along one corridor, which wrapped around the upper level of the central area. Three floors, and the high stained glass windows shone under the radiance of a full moon.
She had to admit she was scared, but his hand gripped hers protectively. Somewhere out of time and space they seemed as he opened the door, and walked in. He told her to stand to one side, as he took a silver wand, and whisked the tarp off. He handed her the candle, bidding her to hold tightly to her crucifix.
A Latin phrase tumbled from his lips, as his hand moved. It was a ward of protection he'd learned against enchantments. Lucia glanced into the mirror, as he came to stand just out of view.
"What do ye see..."
"Only... myself..." she shook her head, and looked harder. In the flickering candlelight her gown seemed to glow around her naked form. Beside her, MacBeth stood powerful and strong, his face not visible for he stood to one side.
The image blurred slightly, and she gasped in fear. Macbeth's hand clamped down on her shoulder, biding her to be brave. She saw the image of a woman, hair whitened with age as she staggered about in a blazing inferno. Then a specter of death seemed to float just above her shoulder.
"Madre de Dios!" she shrieked, and made the sign of the cross as she jumped into his arms. Protectively he held her close, as she shook.
"I'm here my love," he whispered, quieting her with shushing noises. "But ye must face it..."
"I..." she gasped, then stopped. For the image had changed. Again she saw the King, mighty and strong as he held someone close in his arms. A rich red cape dripped from his shoulder, the gold glistening at his throat and brow. MacBeth stood before the mirror, releasing her gently as he beheld his own reflection there. Oddly he realized that was exactly how he was garbed in the dream. Perhaps late in his reign.
"Incredible," she said, glancing at him. "That was you... but what century..."
"Perhaps the tenth year of ma reign," he said casually, turning his head this way and that. Somehow his casual approach gave her courage.
"Y' see... lass... it is safe..." he urged. "Come... stand before it..."
At his side a woman, dressed in green stood. Lucia saw her hands moving at the same time as her white satin sleeved arm. A red headed beauty stood next to the King, a veil covering her head and shoulders with a golden crown, much in the style of a European monarch.
"Dear God," MacBeth gasped, as Lucia shook her head. He lifted his hand, and the King did the same. Lucia shivered, hugging herself, and the woman in the mirror also did the same.
"That's her!" she pointed, and the red headed queen pointed back. "But she looked younger when I first saw her... The Lady in the mirror. MacBeth, who is she?"
"My wife," he answered, dumbfounded.
Shock hit Lucia, and she almost lost her footing as he held her close. "What... does this mean... I'm no redhead... I can't be..."
"Do ye believe in reincarnation, lass?" he asked her.
"There's no way... I'm a Christian... I don't believe that a soul is reborn..."
"Nevertheless the Mirror doesn't lie about this. For plain enau I was King, and that was the very image of me..."
"You mean that I was... once... with you in Scotland... in 1035?" Lucia glanced at him. "I've never had any of those crazy past life... this is impossible..."
"I know it's frightening," he gripped her close. "But don't you see... it explains everything!"
" Did you have any idea?" she demanded, gripping his robe.
"No," he said. "Not at first. But you and I... so comfortable together. When ye first saw me, did ye feel any sense of recognition?"
"Well I've always been... into history. I used to have dreams of being in the Middle Ages... but I thought it was my imagination... I can't believe I'm saying this... its madness!"
Silence passed between them, and their mirror selves shared the look of confusion and shock. "Is this...why you fell in love with me perhaps?" she asked him. There, it had been said. The relationship stated clear for them both.
"I had no idea..." he shook his head. "But would it matter now? I bade her goodbye, so that I could love you now..."
"Are you sure?" she turned his question back on him.
"The woman you are now I love," MacBeth said. "Whether you are my Gruoch or not. You are Lucia Dominguez now, and the woman I love..."
He leaned down and kissed her softly, and she stood on tiptoes to accept the delicious kiss. Around her his arms folded protectively, and she relaxed, knowing that she was where she wanted to be. However in their latest kiss she glimpsed an image forming in the mirror out of the corner of her eye. She pulled away from MacBeth with a cry of alarm. "Are ye allright…"
"Lennox… look!" she pointed.
Within the mirror they suddenly glanced something very disturbing. Lucia grabbed his hand as she pointed and let out a cry of shock. MacBeth pushed her next to him, reaching for the cloth to throw it back over lest something pop out. Images blurred and shifted, and they saw fire, and smoke burning deeply.
"Good God, what is that?" Lucia whispered.
"Future or past," MacBeth muttered. They saw his estate, his place here and now, but there was hot searing heat that radiated from the mirror, and their reflections were but a dim cast on the surface. Neither wanted to look, yet neither dared not, for something told MacBeth he had to see this.
Their images blurred again, and standing in Lucia's place was a woman that resembled her exactly, save her skin was wrinkled with age, and her hair was streaked with white. Instead of the long white gown, she wore a long cloak that half hid her body. Next to her MacBeth stood, arrayed in the armor that Lucia had discovered in his private armory. The armor that she knew he had donned to attack the Quarrymen when Carlos was in the hospital those months ago. Never had she seen him wearing it before her, but she saw the menacing look it presented.
"That's you… and…"
"You've never seen me such," he murmured, both ashamed and curious at her wide eyed expression seeing him standing there in long black coat, holstering a lightning gun and accepting the armaments the woman was handing him. They seemed anxious, and as the MacBeth image stepped back, he saw many others in the room, standing there. MacBeth's eyes widened as he saw what appeared to be gargoyles, those of the Manhattan clan clustered about, buckling on weapons that were identical to his in design.
"What is all this?" Lucia asked. "You said you'd hunted Gargoyles… the one known as Demona only…"
"I've never hurt them deliberately. Only used them as a means to get to Demona… but now… this is something that has never happened," MacBeth shook his head and clutched Lucia's hand as he pulled her back. He wanted to chant some dispel that would banish the images, but he dared not. So far all he'd seen was himself getting armed and ready.
"Is that me…" she pointed to the older woman, and saw the flash of white armor, identical in design to MacBeth's. The entire scene suddenly rattled and shivered in ripples, stone and smoke obscuring it. They saw the terror on the faces of all those huddled inside, and flashes of fire without sound.
Back and forth ran unfamiliar and familiar gargoyles and humans, tossing weapons and kicking out windows to place their guns in them and open fire on some unseen enemy. Lucia saw her older self, rushing to throw controls and pick up modern weapons that she had seen in his armory, only far more formidable. Shoulder mounted versions of the small 'lightening gun' he'd shown her as part of the arsenal when she'd asked.
Another black coated figure raced across that was not MacBeth, but identically dressed. Armor was dark green, disappearing under a similar long coat. His stature and stance was identical, but as his face came into view, she saw MacBeth stare in horror. His face blanched white as if he'd seen a ghost.
Features much like MacBeth's were framed with dark brown hair and a goatee in the style of Xanatos rather than himself. Grey blue eyes were the identical steely flashes of his, but the skin was dark and the same shade as her own. In some ways he was a younger version of the man who stood before her, but not exactly.
"Luach, but it's impossible," MacBeth mumbled as he saw the man. "It cannae be…"
"He looks exactly like you," she whispered. Before they could see any more the man folded both of them to him in an embrace, before rushing to the side of an ebony skinned gargoyle with ruby red hair. Then out of the mess, MacBeth saw his old enemy, in golden battle armor, toting a gun and appearing to be rushing him and the future Lucia away from bits of falling masonry. Roof collapsed, and the images dissolved into smoke and fire.
MacBeth felt his blood run cold, and quickly threw the cloth over the mirror. He wanted to see no more of this nightmare vision that made no sense. Besides it was terrifying Lucia, who clung to him tightly with wide eyes. He led her slowly away; taking her hand and backing towards the door with his hand tightly enclosed around hers.
When he had pushed her out, he closed the door firmly. Lucia turned to him, trembling as she saw the horror on his face, and put her hand before her mouth. She opened her lips to say something, but found she had no question to express the sheer dumbfoundedness she experienced.
"I have no idea what that is," he whispered finally as they stood apart, both lost in their shock.
"You said it could be past and future. Could that be OUR future?" she asked, swallowing hard. "It looked like World War III… and that man who looked like you… you called him Luach…"
"He looked exactly like my own son so many centuries ago," MacBeth closed his eyes in pain. "The one who became King when I was 'killed'. When I lost her…"
"Madre," Lucia whispered as she walked over and hugged him tightly. "But that isn't the past… could that be your son… our son?"
"I'm not capable of giving ye children," MacBeth said softly. "Not now…"
"That doesn't matter, but don't you see… it COULD happen… because he looked sort of like me…" she whispered, rocking him. "If that WAS what may yet come to pass…"
"There is no way to be certain, my love," whispered MacBeth as he urged her to walk away from the chamber, and down to the second floor staircase that led to their bedroom. He wanted to put as much distance between that confusing vision and themselves as possible. In space as well as time.
"All those gargoyles and humans in your house... that was your living room… and that armor I was wearing…"
MacBeth shivered and took her hand tightly. "I need to show ye something," he said with a dry mouth.
"What?" she asked. "Lennox… could it happen that there'd be a time when we'd all be fighting for our lives like that? They were all in pain, and that gargoyle with the blue skin… she was Demona…"
"Aye, and she was in my home, our home," MacBeth whispered. "Not as an enemy, but as an ally. And the woman we met… the Demona…"
"Is this the reality she comes from?" asked Lucia with a sad shake of her head as she followed MacBeth through the empty house, past rooms and bookcases towards his sparring chamber. Here the large cases with weaponry and antique armor were apparent, and she saw as he switched on more lights, and pressed a button to reveal several panels that turned around. She'd seen the armor there, hanging that very first night she'd seen him. The lightening guns and stealth weapons… the net gun.
"It must be," he said.
"I've seen this all before. All of this… was in that image we saw. And that Demona was the Lina we know now… it DID happen. We were seeing her world… and our place in it," Lucia whispered. However MacBeth had disappeared into a closet, and brought out something else, wrapped in protective cloths. He began to lay it out on the table nearby, and Lucia rushed over.
"I've been making something. Long before any of this happened. When Cesar hurt you I started on it," he said, reaching his hand out to her. Lucia saw the gleam of white kevlar, and her blood ran cold. It was a full suit of armor, identical in design but made for a woman. She reached out to pick up the gloves and run them through her hands.
"This is… this is…"
"I'd made ye a suit of armor, since I'd promised t' teach ye to defend yerself. Ever in the event that something happened. I'd not meant ye to ever fight as I do, but t'would be for yer own protection if you ever came with me… and seeing as ye are spirited you'd insist I'd take you…" his voice trailed off. Lucia felt a knot in her throat as he threw a cloth over it, and turned away.
"You were thinking of me, together with you in every way," she whispered.
"I can understand if ye'd think me mad. And if ye'd want nothing to do wi' this aspect o' my life. I have no business exposing ye t' such dangers… I fear that Castaway… Canmore is out there. And he means t' harm yer friends, my students. And I cannae allow him t' do that… but I cannae allow ye to come to harm."
"Lennox… MacBeth," she whispered as she moved over and hugged him from behind. "That vision of the future, or her reality… there was hope. That man… was our son… and if it should come to pass in whatever form, I was at your side then. And I'm at your side now…"
MacBeth turned to her, and caught her up in his arms. Their lips met in a hard kiss, and he gripped her tightly, fearing she'd slip away if he let go.
Chavez early the next morning brought her new charge into the station to answer the inevitable questioning surrounding the bombing. All of the employees glanced up at the dark hared captain walking alongside the redheaded woman. They could swear she looked familiar.
"Look at that, I could swear I've seen that face," Officer Morgan muttered as Matt Bluestone walked by with a morning cup of joe.
"Give me a break I'm still waking up," Bluestone waved him off.
"No, I'm serious. She looks familiar…"
"Oh her? You mean that Dominique Destine lookalike?" Matt said as he blinked at her. "Seems like there are more people that look alike the longer we're in the business. Get used to it…"
"But…"
"Morgan, leave my partner alone and let me have a turn bugging him ok?" Elisa said as she got up from her desk and saw Matt Bluestones irritated look.
"All yours Detective," he said. "Later…"
"Thanks," Matt mumbled as he plunked down his mug on the desk opposite Elisa's and flopped equally inelegantly into his chair. He caught the edge of the table to stop from shooting back with the force of his landing.
"I owed you one… you look like hell…"
"I feel like hell," Matt mumbled. "I've been taking statements till 2 in the morning from everyone in that dorm… what's YOUR excuse for looking all bright eyed and bushytailed?"
"Some efficient night work," Elisa winked.
"Don't tell me that THEY helped you. That's NOT fair," he mumbled.
"Let's just say our hacker friend made things a whole lot easier. That, and a phone call from one of our other friends…"
"Who?" Matt mumbled, contemplating the chocolate donut that sat in the bag on his desk from yesterday. It would only be a tad bit stale, and food was food. A flash of his mom nagging him about finding a nice girl to take care of him echoed momentarily, and he grabbed the waxed paper bag to interrupt it.
"Lu's roomate," said Elisa as she sat down, and ran her fingers over the keyboard of her computer. A few message windows popped up, and Matt heard the 'ding' indicating a new message.
"She finally woke up?" asked Matt.
"Yep, and looks like the caseloads shifted so we can talk to her… providing we get through questioning that kid who got picked up and put in the holding tank," Elisa said. "He hasn't sung yet, has he?"
"Nope. I got a memo from the Captain waiting for me to come in and soften him up till you came in… you think we can get him to crack?"
"I dunno, but I'm anxious to talk to this Molly O'Keefe… something's mighty strange about it. She saved Lucia's life in the middle of an explosion… and that's just not…"
"Normal?" Matt chuckled, biting into his half stale donut, too ravenous to care. "Since when was THAT the case?"
"I talked to Goliath," she said as she leaned over. "He sounded quite interested when I filled him in… and asked if they'd seen anything strange beforehand… on patrol the night before… and then last night I got Lex to do some background checks on all the dorm buddies. Molly's a member of the Pit crew, and she spoke against Cesar in Lu's case… and the hospital said she wanted to talk to me."
"How did she know you…" he got out, stopping in mid chew.
"She asked for me. Detective Elisa Maza. I thought that was weird. So I asked Lex to run a make on her. Turns out that she didn't exist in any database before coming here to the US. Interpol shows some spotty records, but the birth registry, everything was lost in some big computer crash."
"In other words she doesn't exist?" Matt winced.
"Yeah. And I'm thinking this is TOO convenient."
Captain Chavez wandered out of her office, headed straight for them. She seemed extremely disturbed, even more so than both of them normally saw her. Both had a feeling they knew the reason. "What's up Chief?" Elisa asked.
"There you are… you need to get over to the hospital right away and interview that witness. She asked for you…"
"Captain, I've got that session with the suspect you wanted me to…"
"Let Bluestone handle it. You go to the hospital and see Ms. Dominguez roomate. I think you need to hear what she has to say. And after that, I'll meet you by Professor MacDuff's place…"
"Professor MacDuff?" Bluestone grinned.
"Something funny, Bluestone?" Chavez tossed a sharp look at him. "There's a guy in holding cell B who's looking for a breakfast date…"
"Um yes Ma'am… but I thought that Molly O'Keefe already spoke to you…"
"Hop to it, see what he knows. I want those people responsible for this explosion. And I want them now. That man's our only link…"
"Right!" he nodded and scrambled out of his seat, grabbing his coffee and a donut as he rushed over to get out of range of the Captain, who was leaning intently over Maza's desk.
"Captain, I understand you want us to nail them, because of what's going on, but I don't see why talking to Ms. O'Keefe's gonna…"
"I know there's a few things that you and I don't dare discuss outside of here, Maza," said Chavez in a low murmur. "And you need to be in on this thing. I don't have much time to explain, but it explains why Lucia survived. And maybe she can be of some help in the case. I'm getting nowhere with THAT trash," she nodded in the direction of the holding cell.
"You interrogated him, huh?"
"Kid's an arrogant punk all right. No respect for authority, unless I scream at him. I want you and Molly O'Keefe working together. Her talents… might be useful to get this guy to sing… but I need you totally in on this… and that's why you need to talk to her…"
"Captain, I'm not following you. This woman has no past…"
"And you'll find out why, Maza. I'm hoping Matt can get this kid to sing. He's got some inside track on making people confess… especially Quarrymen in training…"
"I'm not even gonna ask how or why," Elisa muttered, guessing the reason. Most of the Quarrymen knew her as a 'gargoyle lover' from their runins. Having Elisa on interrogation was a sure-fire way to get them to keep quiet. Whereas Matt had a few lines from his Illuminati friends who had a few secrets that might cause their student suspect to be more enthusiastic… Realizing she wasn't going to get Chavez to drop it about the Molly girl, she excused herself and walked out the door.
No sooner had she left than the phone jangled, and interrupted them both. Matt grabbed it before Chavez could, and said, "Talk to me… Bluestone… yes… she's here… yeah… who is this? Mac?"
"Who?" Chavez asked.
"Some guy named MacDuff. That professor you brought in who got charged with aggravated assault…"
"Let me speak to him," said Chavez. Bluestone handed her the phone, and she spoke in a friendly tone to the man on the other end. Not bothering to question this, he returned to the task of finishing his morning coffee.