Let's see how House and Nina approach all the problems they're facing.

Chapter 115.

Julio and I finally agreed that Jess and I could broach the plan we had with Ricky Locarno after telling him everything. There was always a possibility that he'd turn us down flat, but it was still our best option. Jess and I would drive to Ricky's office in the morning. Julio wanted to come with us, but if he did, he'd spend the time worrying about getting back in time for work.

That still left me with the problem of Jess and Nina's father. I'd promised Cuddy I'd take care of him, make sure he didn't rock the delicate balance at PPTH. It was to my advantage as well as everyone else's that I diffuse any threat he posed.

I had an idea, but wanted to run it by Jess before I went ahead with it.

"What's up?" she asked when I called.

"How would you like to have dinner with the two most important men in your life?"

"You and who else?"

"Your father."

She was quiet for a full minute. "I hope this has something to do with his bid to take over the hospital, and not my cockeyed idea about him starting a car business. The more I've thought about it, the more I think it's a bad idea."

"It does. I'm going to make him an offer he can't resist."

She laughed at my Marlon Brando imitation, but there was still hesitation in her voice. "I don't know what you can offer him that will stop him from trying to take charge."

"You'll see. And I agree with you on about the car shop. I think we'll go ahead with the original plan. There is a new wrinkle though." I told her about Molino's demand that Julio return to Italy, and what Julio and I feared he might be planning.

"Oh, no! Greg, we have to do something to protect Ricky. He's a nice guy and he didn't do anything wrong."

"I know. So you'll take another trip with me to Trenton tomorrow to warn Ricky? At the same time we can broach the subject of the car shop."

"You're hoping that the shop materializes, aren't you?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"I can think of several reasons, but I'm sure you'll shoot them all down."

I didn't want to hear her objections so I changed the subject. "How's the progress on the new business?"

"My sister has some ideas about a PR campaign. I told her to look into them. It's not my thing. Meanwhile, I've been talking to the restaurant owners about staffing. We'll use some of their trained staff, Ellie and Petey, and a few new hires. I might try an agency rather than do all the screening and interviewing myself."

"Sounds like you'll be pretty busy anyway."

"But it's a good busy. So, where'd you want to take my father tonight?"

"I suppose your uncle's place is out."

"That's an idea." She sounded surprised. "Let him see what the competition is like if he's starting his own restaurant."

I smiled to myself. "And how much time he'll have to devote to that to make it work. Maybe he won't have time to meddle at the hospital."

""Maybe he'll give up on the idea of staying in Princeton and just go back home. Okay, I'll call Uncle Johnny and warn him. I don't want a scene between him and my father."

"So who's going to warn your father?" I was afraid she was going to say that was my job.

"I guess I'll have to do that too, although it might not do any good. But if my uncle doesn't respond to anything Dad tries with him, that should diffuse any potential explosions."

It sounded almost frightening. "Or we can pick another restaurant and avoid any possibility of problems."

"As you often say, what would be the fun of that?" She chuckled. "I think you thrive on fireworks."

"Too true."

"So, let's do it. I'll call Uncle Gianni and make a reservation."

I stared at the phone after that call. Dinner would be interesting to say the least. Meanwhile, I had a couple of other things to arrange.

First I called Ricky's office. He was on another call, but his secretary promised he'd call back as soon as he could. While I waited, I did a search on portrait artists to find one who did work for the cops based on witness descriptions. There were three in the area who had good ratings. I knew those things couldn't be trusted, but it was a start. I called the first.

"Abel Sketchers."

"I understand you do sketches for the cops."

"Who is this?" The voice became suspicious.

"Oh, sorry. This is Dr. Gregory House, from Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. I need someone to capture a description of someone on paper." If he assumed it was for the hospital, so be it.

"I'm sorry, but our artists are completely booked for the next three weeks."

"Can you recommend someone we could use?"

"I couldn't do that, I'm afraid."

"Well, thank you for your time." I closed the connection. Before I could call the other two, the phone rang.

"Dr. House, I understand you called earlier." Ricky's curiosity was obvious in his voice.

"Yes. I have a proposition for you and wondered if you would be able to see Jess and me tomorrow morning." It was probable that he was already busy.

"I have an appointment at eleven, but if you can be here by nine-thirty, I could see you."

That would work perfectly even though it meant I'd have to get up at an ungodly hour of seven, but it would be worth it if Ricky went along with what we'd ask him. And we'd have the chance to warn him. I hoped I could get that sketch done before the meeting. "We'll see you then," I told Ricky, and then went back to scouting for an artist to do the job.

I hit gold on the next call. The woman who answered the phone, Janet Monroe, was much friendlier than the guy at Abel Sketchers. "I can meet with you at three this afternoon, or at two tomorrow."

"How long will it take?"

"It depends on the amount of detail the witness provides." She had a warm, friendly voice.

"We'll see you this afternoon. Is your address still the same as the one on your website?"

Janet confirmed her address. Next I called Julio. "I hope you can get away for an hour or so this afternoon to meet with the sketch artist."

"Wow, you set it up already? That's great. Sure. What time?"

I arranged to pick him up at the restaurant at two-thirty. It wasn't far to the sketch artist's storefront office.

Janet Monroe was waiting for us. She could have been mistaken for a twelve-year-old girl. She was short and slim, with dark hair cut in a pixy do and smooth clear skin. "Miss Monroe, this is Julio Curci. He's going to describe someone for you as well as he can."

She asked the obvious question. "Who is the man?"

"His name's Giancarlo Bernini." Julio looked around the woman's studio, filled with easels, art supplies and tables holding piles and piles of sketch books. I'd warned him about giving away too much concerning why we wanted the sketch.

Janet glanced my way, then turned to Julio. "Please have a seat." There were four wooden chairs around a large table. She took a seat at one end and opened a book. "Choose the face shape closest to his."

I'd never seen anyone do this, except on TV or in movies, but it was similar to that. She had him pick out the shape and features of the face, showed him the result and then went on to refine her sketch by asked about even more details. I watched silently.

"That's it!" Julio'seye's went wide, and he beamed. "That was amazing, the way you did that." He held up the completed drawing, studied it, then showed it to me. "That's him, Giancarlo."

"Good. How much do we owe you, Miss Monroe?" I pulled out my wallet. "And is there a way we can get a couple of copies?"

"That'll be fifty dollars including two copies. And I do take credit cards."

We left her office with the sketches. Julio kept a copy when I dropped him off at the Melting Pot, but I took the other two for Ricky and his uncle. I returned to the hospital for a short time, but at five I left for home.

Jess made a reservation for seven at Gianni's restaurant, so I had a little time. I was surprised that she wasn't home when I arrived, so I grabbed a beer and made myself comfortable on the couch, watching a ball game I'd recorded. Jess showed up ten minutes later carrying a garment bag. She grinned at me, then bent to kiss me.

"Looks like you decided this evening merited a new dress."

She shrugged. "I still want to impress my father. Did you get the sketches?"

I picked them up from the end table and waved them at her.

She looked at one. "He doesn't look like a killer."

"What does a killer look like? I believe what Julio told me about him. Now we have to convince Ricky that we're trying to save him."

"I'm sure we can. But first we have to get through tonight." She hefted the bag with her dress in it. "I'm going to change. Wanna come zip me up?"