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

Chapter Eighteen: Al, Saturday

"She's divorcing her husband, but that's another matter." Sunny took a deep breath and said, "She needs a criminal lawyer first."

"What?" Mom breathed. "Why?"

"I'm afraid I can't go into that, Mrs. Mackenzie," Sunny said. "All I can say is that she herself hasn't done anything wrong."

"Well, I suppose that's a relief," Mom said. "If you'd like a word with Rachel in private, I'll step out and catch up with Agnes."

She was already out the door before Rachel or Sunny could say anything. Al wanted to protest, because she hadn't confirmed or denied his suspicions about his father yet. He could tell, though, that she was desperate to leave so that she wouldn't have to answer him, and he couldn't bear her discomfort, so he let her go for now.

Sunny waited until the door closed again before turning to Rachel. "She needs to hide out from her husband, and he knows where her parents live."

"Richmond, right?" Al asked.

Sunny looked to him. "You remember?"

"Only that they live in Richmond. I never went there, because Agnes never brought me around; her parents never knew we were dating."

"I can't imagine you being the boy she wouldn't take home to her parents," Rachel said, smirking. 

"I didn't tick their boxes, that's all. I was a perfect gentleman, otherwise."

"I'll bet." 

"Anyway," Sunny said, "she's implicated her husband in a serious crime, and could end up being a witness for the prosecution if charges are laid. I want her somewhere safe, where he can't find her, at least until we sort this out. She claims he never touched her or their kids, but if he becomes cornered, who knows?"

"That fucker," Al growled. "What's he done?"

"Al, don't think you're getting up out of that bed to defend her honour," Rachel said. "For one thing, you probably need physiotherapy before you're able to walk five paces on your own. For another thing, do I need to remind you you're married to me?"

This was an interesting thing for her to say. The whole time Al witnessed her and Agnes together, Rachel had exhibited more signs of jealousy than she had in all the times she was with him and Lauren, and Lauren had copulated with him in her presence. His relationship with Agnes ended fourteen years ago.

"No," he said, smiling. "You don't. I still care for her, though. We need to help her." 

Rachel's mouth tightened, but she nodded. He hated putting her in this position; he would much rather have been able to do just what she'd said, get out of this bed and get going, but he was as weak as a kitten.

Rachel turned to Sunny and said, "Our new place. We could offer that for now. It should be occupied, anyway; it's no use to anyone just sitting empty."

"This is why I love you, Rachel," Al said, suddenly feeling sleepy. "You always do the right thing, even when it hurts. You know, when I was having that dream about Poplar Island, Sparky was there with you."

Rachel's face crumpled, and she furiously wiped her eyes. "Damn it, Al, you always know how to disarm me."

"What's this about Poplar Island?" Sunny asked, confused.

"Oh, he dreamed we were adults but also our thirteen-year-old selves," Rachel said. "We were rowing there like pirates to get treasure, or something."

"You were in your Luke Skywalker costume, with a real lightsaber," Al said.

Sunny's eyes lit up, and he grinned his trademark grin. "Cool! Darth Vader didn't happen to be there, did he?"

Al shook his head, fighting off the urge to sleep as much as answering Sunny's question. "No, but there was Emperor Trybek."

Sunny's smile disappeared, and he nodded soberly. "I get it. Your brain was processing memories while it was rebooting, as the doctors said. I imagine part of it was this kind of thing, lionizing us to fight a past threat, which symbolized your present-day struggle to wake up from your coma."

"I like that," Rachel said. "Al was recruiting us to help him fight his way back to the waking world."

"Yeah," Al said, and his lids fell, only to pop back up. Damn it! He was enjoying this conversation! Why couldn't he stay awake a little longer?

"Dude, your eyes are looking pretty heavy," Sunny said. "Do you want to sleep for a while?"

"I better," he said. "Need to be up for the MRI later."

"We'll be back later, okay?" Rachel said. "We're not going anywhere."

"Do what you have to do," Al said. "Emma and Logan need you at home, too, remember. I'll be fine."

Rachel didn't look convinced. He didn't blame her; he'd been anything but fine since the accident, which was still not coming back to him, for some reason. Still, she nodded and bent down to kiss him on the lips. "Have a good sleep."

He nodded and watched them leave the room. Within minutes, he was out.

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