Time of Fog and Fire by Rhys Bowen

Author:Rhys Bowen
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781466853379
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Nineteen

I blinked as a bright light shone down on me. I sat up, heart thudding, only to see that it was the morning sun, shining directly into my face. Memories of the night before came rushing back to me. I turned to look at the bed beside me. Daniel was not there. There was no indication he had ever been in the room. I began to wonder whether I had dreamed the whole thing. Whether it was my subconscious wanting him alive again. But then I noticed a strand of white hair against the red coverlet. I picked it up, cradling it in my hand. He had been here. He was real. Then I noticed that my lip tingled when I ran my tongue over it. So that part had been real too.

I got up, feeling energized and excited. I’d help Daniel in any way I could and then we’d go home. I washed, dressed, and went up to see Liam. How strange it was to have someone else taking care of him. When he was in my care at home I’d never have allowed myself to sleep late. His cries would certainly have awoken me if I had dared to sleep a minute after he had woken up. I found him up and dressed, being fed a boiled egg for his breakfast. He gave me a delighted grin as I came in.

“Look at you, eating like a big boy,” I said, going over to kiss the top of his head.

“He eat good,” Li Na said, nodding approval. “Soon he be big and fat and strong.”

“He has certainly taken to you,” I had to admit. Then saw her looking puzzled. “He likes you a lot,” I corrected.

She smiled. “I take him out again, all right?” she asked. “He like to run and feed birds.”

“Yes,” I said. “That would be fine.”

I left Liam to finish his breakfast and went downstairs to have my own. Ellen looked pleased to see me.

“You look better. I make breakfast for you?”

“Thank you,” I said, and went through to the dining room. The room had already been cleared of last night’s food and it struck me that someone must have stayed up very late or gotten up really early. I took a seat and with miraculous speed a pot of tea and an egg and toast appeared.

“I go shopping in Chinatown this morning,” she said. “I make you good chicken soup. Chinese soup. You like.”

I nodded that I probably would like it. I was still eating when I heard voices.

“You know why he’s here.” It was Bella’s voice, raised and strained. “There can be no other reason.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it. It will be all right. We’ve made it this far.” The other voice was Tiny’s.

I was surprised that Bella was up so early, but then I remembered that she had told Señor Garcia to call on her in the morning. I came out of the dining room to greet her. She started with a shocked look when she saw me.

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