Hidden in the Blood: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 5)

Chapter Seventeen: Agnes, Saturday

That just made her cry harder. Rachel placed an arm around her shoulder and said, "Babe, let's get you some air."

"Your husband must be bored sitting in your car," Mrs. Mackenzie said, rifling in her purse. She pulled out a set of keys and said, "Why don't you go with him to bring Samson back to my house, and then you can come back and see Al again before we all go." 

Lauren wiped her eyes and gave Mrs. Mackenzie an offended look for a second, as if Mrs. Mackenzie had somehow intuited something unsaid here; the way the older woman purposely reminded her she had a husband didn't escape Agnes' notice. Once Lauren thought about it, though, she nodded and took Mrs. Mackenzie's keys. "You're right. It's a little crowded in here, anyway."

Rachel read out Mrs. Mackenzie's address, which Agnes vaguely remembered because it used to be Al's, for Lauren to input into her phone and get directions. "Come back as soon as you're done," Rachel said as she opened the door for her. Once Lauren was out, she turned back to Al. "Sunny and Tej are both waiting to say hi to you too."

"Everyone's here?" he said, smiling.

"Don't get a big head about it. It's mostly been me and Emma visiting, and your mom. The others came when they could."

"Emma!" Al exclaimed in alarm. "Is she okay? Where is she?"

"At home with the rest of the kids, relax. This is an adults only day."

He grabbed Rachel's hand and said, "I think I saw you once. You and Emma."

Rachel laugh-cried and said, "You did. You opened your eyes once, but you went back under pretty quick."

"Once when Joanie and I were here, you opened your eyes too," Mrs. Mackenzie said, as if this was a competition.

Al suddenly turned back to Agnes. "How are you here? I still don't understand."

Agnes shrugged sheepishly. "I moved back from the Okanagan. I got a job at VPL."

"You did?!" he asked, and the happy grin on his face tugged at her heart.

"Yeah. As soon as I was able, I looked for you, hoping you were still there. Your colleagues told me you were here and... well... I was lucky enough to meet these people, the old friends from Queensborough you told me about."

Al stared at her open-mouthed for a little longer than was decent. She flushed and looked at Rachel. "Well, maybe I should make room for Sunny and Tej to say hello."

"Thank you. That would be great."

"Good thinking bringing Samson. It seemed to do the trick."

"It did," Al said in awe. "I felt his purr, and I felt him clawing my chest. It's too bad he couldn't stay. I haven't seen him in a while."

"If you move into your new house, maybe you can have him back," Mrs. Mackenzie said, but she didn't look happy about it.

"Oh, yeah," Al said. "We're still at Joe and Lauren's."

Agnes squeezed his arm one last time and left the room. She found Sunny and Tej in the waiting room and said, "You can go in and see him now."

Sunny smiled and said, "You'll stay here, won't you? Then we can talk."

"Of course."

After they went inside, she wrapped her arms around herself and sat in one of the chairs, staring blankly at the news on the TV. This day was tearing her to pieces. When Al first saw her, she was sure he was horrified, and it had nearly destroyed her; but then, after they'd established that he thought he was still in his comatose state and she was an element of that state, the misunderstanding was cleared up and he seemed happy to see her, if a little incredulous. That was a good sign, right?