Trixie Chapter 5

All three of them stared after him and Charlie mouthed to his father, 'what happened."

"Asked him." Alan said looking at Don pointedly went to the chair and took the sling and gave it to Charlie.

Charlie raised his eyes to his father; his father tilted his head towards Don's direction.

Amita looked at both father and son and the other son on the sofa, gave a sigh and went to Charlie, took the sling out of his hand and went over to Don.

She sat beside him and touched his shoulder, said softly,"Don, come let's get this on. You don't want to move that shoulder too much."

"Ok, thanks." Don said and let Amita help him put it on.
"We've brought some wanton soup with noodles; you want to have some now while it's piping hot?"
"Wonton and soup, no noodles, please." Don said.

Amita looked over to the other two still standing and gawking, she rolled her eyes and said, "Why don't you two bring over the chairs and we will all eat together?"

They all sat down and it was a quiet meal, Amita did most of the talking telling Don about the seminar she and Charlie attended. Don added in a question or two.

Alan noticed that Don usually get along well with Amita and why not, she's going to be his sister in law soon. She's gonna be the much missed female presence in the household of all male Eppes. One down and one to go, Alan thought to himself.

Alan held his breath when Amita asked Don,"So Don, how was your day, just heard Alan said that something happened?"

Don started telling them about the accident victims that were related to his case. He told them about all of them being were sent to this hospital and that he had met one of them, a little girl and he also said with a laugh that the kidnapper that they caught was also being treated in this hospital and this brought a gasp to Alan.

'Oh, Donnie…' Alan thought.

"Donnie, you mean that little girl Trixie was one of the accident victims?" Alan asked looking at Don.

"Yes and that little episode that I had, the irony of it. The father thought I was taking the girl away instead of sending her back to her room. I don't blame him at all. He's being the father after all.

Trixie was in the car his wife was driving when they were hit by our kidnapper during the chase by LAPD. She's still in a serious condition."

"What did he do to you?"

While they were talking, they didn't notice that a nurse came to open the door and pointed to where Don was sitting.

"I'm sorry but I heard what you asked." A tall man a bit older than Don came into the room.

He was Cameron, Trixie's father, the man who had slammed Don into the wall.

"I am very sorry Agent Eppes, I heard my daughter shrieking and I thought of the worst. You know with what's just happened to my wife and such, I was not myself, I was worried because I cannot find Trixie in her room and my mother didn't remember her going out. I am so very sorry."

Don spoke, "It's alright Mr. Cameron, I would think of the worst too if…."

Suddenly a little whirlwind came into the room and ran to Don. She stood in front of Don and Don held out his hand and she came to Don and wrapped her hand on Don's neck.

Don looked at Cameron and he had looked ashamed, he told Don,
"She refused to come in with me until I had apologized to you."

Amita moved aside to let Trixie sit next to Don. Trixie turned to her and said,
"Thank you."
And she turned back to Don and pointed to his head,"I'm sorry that you hit your head. It was my fault too, I didn't want to go back to the room, that's why I took the longer route, if I had taken the shorter one, we'd be at my room and daddy won't find me missing. And…and.."She started to sniffle.

"Hey, none of that, remember what I've said?" Don asked tilting her chin towards him.

"Yes….. Does your head hurt?" she asked pointing again at the growing bruise on his forehead.

"No, as long as you don't poke it."

She giggled, 'What about your bad shoulder?"

"Ummm yes, a bit. Not too much."

"Yes, umm… a bit? At the scale of 10, which level is your pain?" she asked, suddenly in a serious tone.

Don, taken back stared at her and that seemed to break the tension and silence, everyone laughed.

Alan looked at his son and asked," Yes, Don do tell."

"4?" Trixie shook her head.

"OK, you win, "5".

"You're sure?"
Don nodded.

"Do you want Goofy to stay with you tonight?"

Cameron and Alan smiled and Charlie asked 'Who's Goofy? Your dog?"

Trixie laughed and said, "No! He's my teddy bear!"

Alan looked at Charlie and said, "A very big one." And that made Don turned slightly red.

Amita stared at Don, this is the side of the future brother-in-law she has not seen, and she'd seen the big strong no-nonsense FBI man at work, the Fun Don with his friends, the joking brother at home, the loving son and now the new side, all softie side with this little girl. He'll be the best father yet.

Alan looked at Cameron and said, "I'm sorry, where are my manners?"

"Hello, I'm Alan Eppes, my boys Don and Charlie and this lovely young lady who will soon be my daughter in law is Amita, Charlie's future wife."

"Hello, I'm Matthew Cameron and as you know my one and only jewel in the crown, my impish daughter Trixie. Trixie say hello."

Trixie stood up and put out her hand to Amita, "How do you do Ahmeeta'"
Amita smiled at her and said, "I'm fine, thank you and how are you Trixie?"

"I'm OK now, but I will feel much, much better if mummy gets better soon." Trixie told Amita.
"She will, Trixie."

Trixie nodded her head and she turned to Charlie, "How do you do Charlie?"

"I'm fine thank you and very nice to meet you." Charlie said shaking her hand.

"Er.. Excuse me; you're Matthew Cameron the Third of Three Gen Technology?
Charlie asked.

"Yes, you have connections with my Company?" Cameron asked.

"No, but my friend who is a Professor of Physics is into your designs and latest technology, heard you're doing a project for China?"

"Yes, I flew back the day my wife and kid had the accident."

"I'm sorry, how is your wife?"

"She came out of coma but still in a very bad way, Trixie could be out of hospital but my mother cannot manage her and she will be staying in this hospital until I find an alternative.

Sorry, if you folks will excuse us, I need to get back to my wife, I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Shanghai, sort of handing over to my second in command before I come back here and look after my family."

"Don't you have anyone at home beside your mother to look after Trixie?' Alan asked and Don stared at him.

Alan was apologetic and put out his hand, "Sorry forgive an old man for being inquisitive. I see that Trixie can look after herself very well."

"Yes, but she always does her disappearing act and my mother cannot manage her. My mother is staying with her brother, my uncle. They are both old and Trixie does not want to stay with them and I cannot make her. So she stays here for a bit longer . My mother will come in the daytime to keep her company."

"That's not really good for the girl." Alan said.

"Yes, that's why I'll be coming back here."

'What about her schooling."

"They are having their first term holidays, luckily."

He once again offered his hand to Don and Don shook it.

"Trixie, come along, your Nana will be getting anxious."

Trixie got up and then went to Don and hung him again and whispered in his ear, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Don looked at her and said, "No, you stay put, I'll come and get you and we'll sit in the garden. This time tell your Nana?"

Trixie giggled and waved goodbye to all of them.

"Don, have you thought of what I said earlier? Her family's mighty rich." Alan laughed.

"What's that?"

"Dad!" Don stared at his dad.

"Do tell us, Alan." Amita said laughing at Don's discomfort.

"OK, let me sit at the other side."

"What? You're scared of Don? Charlie asked.

"No, but to be on the safe side."

A little while, laughter was heard in the room with Charlie hooting away.

All was quiet in the room, Amita quietly clearing away their leftover dinner and Alan sat in the chair doing his crossword. Don had pulled Charlie aside.

"Charlie, you know our case and we have caught the kidnapper?"

"Case closed isn't it?" Charlie asked Don.

"Just got new information that our kidnapper is diabetic and this information was not in any of our files we have on him. So we are thinking that there might be two of them."

"Are you sure? Twin or someone pretending to be him, Logan, I mean." Charlie asked.

"No really sure, can you get in touch with Megan as soon as possible, there's a theory we want to work on. Well, not really, I just thought of it."

Don was quiet for a while; Charlie had to wave a hand in front of his face to get his attention.

Don swatted his hand away, "Thinking…. Just trying to remember what David said, he said," last week…. last week he and Colby nearly got him cornered? They were chasing him and suddenly lost him and another report said that he was at another place near the ATM machine?"

"So he was seen at two places around the same time?" Charlie concluded for him.

"Yes, Charlie, that's it, that clued us in when I told Megan and David this morning of what Dr. Stewart told me.
Eh.. I know you're busy with the seminars and such but can you do your magic numbers and see if it's feasible for him to get to the other place in the very short time?"

"Magic Numbers? Oh now I'm the magician and not the Mathematician."

"OK alright sorry, Professor Mathematician, can you please help?"

"You'd know I'll help no matter how busy." Charlie looked at Don.

"Yes, I know, thanks, can you get the files and reports whatever you need from David or Megan?"

"I gather you want it by yesterday?" Charlie asked Don.

"Yes, you know since that Logan is here, we were afraid that…."

"Oh, I see, the other one might come and spring him?"

"Yes and they are molesters and kidnappers of children?"

"Can't they do something and send him off the Prison hospital?"

"This, I have no jurisdiction, I could call Merrick and let him on to the problem. Nothing much could be done there, if the prison hospital cannot take him in, that's it, he be kept here until such time they can move him. Prisoners' right and such don't want to mess with those." Don sighed.

"Hey, it's getting mighty late, why don't you all go home. I'll need my medication soon and then I'll be out like a light." Don said looking at his father.

"Donnie, one of us will stay with you." Alan said.

"No, dad, we've been through this before. You all go home. You needn't come tomorrow too, I don't need a babysitter, and I'm mobile. If I'm going to be discharged by tomorrow, I'll give you a call to come and pick me. Alright?"

Alan was adamant, he said he will come in the morning; he will bring breakfast for Don. Don nodded his head and after all the goodnights and kisses were exchanged, he stood at the door and saw them off.

Tbc..