Chapter 14.

I drove back into town and parked in front of Boomer's. "Time for you to meet Christopher's mother," I told Chase and Thirteen as I got out of the car.

They followed me into the bar and grill. This time I took a table instead of sitting at the bar. Ellie was waiting on a table at the other end of the place but I suddenly realized the man and woman at that table were Giordano and Nina. As I watched, Ellie placed their food in front of them. Giordano said something to her that made her frown, but she excused herself and left to wait on another table.

Eventually she made her way over to us. She handed us menus and I told her, "These are two members of my team, Robert Chase and Remy Hadley." If they were surprised that I used their full names, they didn't show it.

"Have you been out to see Chris?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes, and we got a sample from your father," I told her.

Ellie nodded. "Good."

"Jess Giordano came out to meet Christopher while we were there," I informed her just to see her reaction.

Ellie smiled. "I'm glad."

"What did Senior want?" I indicated the table where he sat with his other daughter.

She shook her head. "He just said the food better be hot."

"Nothing about Christopher?" Chase asked.

"No," she replied.

"What about Nina?" Thirteen asked.

"She didn't say anything, but she keeps staring at me," Ellie said. She sighed and finally asked, "What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have a coffee," Chase said.

"Same for me," Thirteen added.

"I'd better have the same," I told her. The beer she'd drawn me earlier had been good, but for once I wanted a clear head.

Ellie was back in a couple of minutes with our coffees. "Are you ready to order?" she asked.

We ordered burgers all around, and she took our menus before leaving again. Once she'd turned our orders in, she stopped to talk to a few of the customers, making sure they had everything they wanted. I noticed she avoided the Giordanos. They soon finished their food and stood to leave. I guess when you own the place you don't wait for the bill.

I was surprised when Giordano approached our table with Nina trailing behind. "Didn't I tell you to stay away from my daughters?" he asked.

"I'm sitting here, and you and Nina were in another part of the restaurant," I objected.

"But you sent that one to talk to Jess," he said, indicating Chase. Obviously neither of his daughters had reported to him about the blood draws at Nina's dress shop earlier.

"And your point is?"

"Stay away from my kids, and stay out of my restaurant," he said in his imposing raspy voice.

"I like the food here," I said. "And the service."

"And stay out of my town!" he added, ignoring my comments.

"I'm a doctor and I have a patient here. You can't deny that patient my services," I insisted. "You may think because you own more than half of this town that you get to call all of the shots, but you're mistaken."

"Dad, let's go. We really can't deny service to these people, and we can't force them to leave or stay out of town," Nina said.

He gave her a scathing look, but walked away.

"He can be...difficult," she tried to apologize.

"At least he's allowing Ellie to work here," I said.

Nina smirked. "She's a good waitress and she brings in business, that's all he cares about."

"And you?" Chase asked.

She shook her head. "I've been trying to get him to take an interest in his grandson. Maybe if he met the boy he'd be more likely to help you with your efforts to diagnose him."

"And you?" Thirteen echoed Chase. "Are you planning on meeting him?"

"What?" Nina said it as if the thought had never entered her mind.

"He's here in Dorsey, just down the road," Thirteen pointed out. But she didn't add that Jess had already been out to the Cleary home to meet their nephew.

"I...I'll think about it," Nina said. "I suppose I'll be seeing you all again," she said, and then left.

We watched her go. She was still a gorgeous woman, but my initial attraction to her was rapidly waning. Maybe it was her attitude, or maybe my increasing interest in her nephew that totally trumped any sexual attraction to a woman.

Ellie brought our food and said, "I heard Mr. Giordano."

"You couldn't avoid it."

"Well, he had no right to talk to you like that," she said.

"It doesn't bother us," Chase told her. "Don't let it bother you." He was studying her.

She tried to smile. "Well, enjoy your dinners and let me know if you want anything else. Mr. Giordano may own Boomer's but Jake says you're always welcome here."

"Interesting cast of characters," Thirteen said, watching Ellie walk away. "I can see why you're intrigued by these people."

"I'm not intrigued," I protested. "I just want to find out what's wrong with Christopher."

"We know you better than that," Chase said. "But it doesn't matter why you keep coming back here. We're with you as long as it takes."

I looked at the two of them and smiled. It had been a good decision to bring them in on the case. Aside from the fact that Foreman would have stuck out like a sore thumb in this lily white town, and Taub would have been chasing after Nina, Jess and Ellie by now, I knew Chase and Thirteen could be more discrete than the other two.

"We really should take the baby back to the hospital," Thirteen said.

"Are you going to be the one to convince Ellie of that?" I asked. Then I sighed. I knew she was right. All signs pointed to something seriously wrong with Christopher and we really needed the hospital facilities to thoroughly examine him. "Maybe our tests will give us a good reason to insist on bringing him in."

Thirteen put her fork and napkin down on her plate. "Well, that was good, but I'm stuffed. I guess we're through here for today," she said.

"We'll take all the samples back to the hospital and rush the analyses, then return as soon as possible."

"And what about Petey and Petey's father?" Chase asked. "Do we still need samples from them?"

"It would help, but I think we can manage without them."

We finished with our meal and paid, leaving a big tip for Ellie, and left. I no longer felt the need to talk to Jake. I'd gotten all I could for the day.

We were all quiet on the ride back to Princeton, caught up in our individual thoughts.