Chapter 206

Chapter 206

word count 1123

"Gee, thanks, mister!" Elliot shot the Mormon a toothy grin. He was so hungry, and now he could eat.

"Think nothing of it, little man! Always glad to help someone in need."

Elliot chuckled. "What did you call me? 'Little dude' or something?"

"'Little man'--I'm sorry if you took offense..."

"Nah, but geez, you talk funny." He observed Enos closer, looking him over, head to toe. "You dress funny, too."

Enos was taken aback, but on thinking on it, why shouldn't the boy find his speech and attire strange? He shrugged it off and continued. "Would you like to join me and my friend? You're by yourself. No one likes to eat alone."

Elliot eyed the other man, then shrugged his shoulders. "Sure," he mumbled.

Once seated with the two, he wondered what to talk about. The guys were so strange, he didn't know where to begin.  As it turned out, he didn't need to worry.

"This is my fellow missionary, Jacob," Enos said, "We were on our way to a mission in Indonesia when we got...er...delayed."

Elliot nodded hello to Jacob as he stuffed chips from their bag into his own mouth, grabbing them in greedy handfuls. "Why did you get delayed?" he asked, speaking with chip dust accumulated on his lip.

Enos and Jacob exchanged awkward glances. Could they tell the boy about the gem that came gliding across the terminal floor and right into their grasp? Enos nodded to Jacob that it was okay. He was just a boy. It would be like a fairytale to him.

"Well, we were at the airport preparing to board our flight when out of nowhere a beautiful diamond ring came gliding across the floor and right into Jacob's hand."

"Out of nowhere? Like magic?"

"Yes, just like magic. And so, of course, that distracted us, and we missed our flight."

"So why didn't you get the next flight? What are ya doin' here?"

H'm, mused Enos. This boy is more clever than I thought. “Well, I think the ring had a curse of it, because it took Jacob to a terrible place in the city with bad men and awful women. He was barely able to escape, and in the end we wound up at the police station. That's when we gave the jewel to them. They can worry about it now. Good riddance to it!"

"Yeah, but you might have been rich. And it was magic, dude! MAGIC!"

Jacob shot the boy a thoughtful glance, "Yes, but in our religion, we shun greed and wastefulness. It is better we relinquished the jewel."

"Humph!" Elliot said while finishing the last few crumbs in the Mormon's chip bag. His eyes widened as his thoughts wandered away to the memory of a diamond ring he and his brothers found at the local junk yard. It sure was pretty. But their parents made them turn it in just like these guys. But the guys' was magic, and a magic ring was a magic ring. They may have given it up, but he bet it would find its way back to them. Magic jewels were like that. He could hang around these guys and see theirs when it came back.

"Hey guys, can I come with you to the mission? Or at least just stick around with ya for a while?"

* * *

Hank and Gil floated into Stephanie's hospital room, lost in conversation until Hank spotted her smiling face. He raced toward her.

"Steph! How are you feeling, hon?" He planted a kiss right on her lips.

Gil nodded from the sideline. It was great to see them so happy. Hank had been a long time mourning his late wife. In bemusement, Gil hoped he and Tory would be happy together like that someday. Whoa, what was he thinking...to marry Tory? His heart skipped a few beats in trepidation. He looked again to the other couple. They appeared happy, sublimely happy. But taking the "Gil machine" out of circulation? He didn't know.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. A scent tickled his nose...familiar...something he had smelled recently...Tory...it smelled like Tory...her perfume...like roses.  What a coincidence, he mused.

"You are coming to the wedding, aren't you?" It was Stephanie speaking to him, breaking into the reverie.

"Uh, yeah! Yeah! I'm going to bring Tory!" he replied.

A glib, satisfied smile passed over Stephanie's face.  Before he had time to think about it, a chubby, red-haired nurse bustled into the room, pushing the men aside to get to Stephanie.

"Dr. Jennings wanted me to change your dressing," the nurse blared out. "You gentlemen should wait outside.” She shooed them and away and drew the privacy curtain.

The two guys waited beyond the drape. They had been removed so quickly Gil had to think twice about what the nurse had said, "Dr. Jennings." That was Tory's last name. What a coincidence.

* * *

Inside the privacy of Winnie's room, she and Algie lay side by side in bed, exhausted from their lovemaking.

"Algie, I didn't know you had it in you," Winnie murmured.

"I'm guessing jealousy has inspirational qualities, my dear, sort of like Viagra." He chuckled.

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad," Winnie replied..

Algie shot her a troubled glance. "Winnie, dear, we rushed into this so fast, I didn't get to tell you what happened about the gem."

"I figured something happened when I didn't hear from you. Why do you think I was messing with that damned commissioner? I got him to tell me. When I found out the police confiscated the diamond, I figured I'd keep him close at hand. Keep your enemies close, as they say."

"You mean you don't find him attractive or any of that rut?"

"Of course not, dear! Of course, I must say I wish you were jealous more often. There are certain, shall I say, pleasurable benefits." She yawned. "I think I'll sleep a little longer," she said, rolling over, her back to Algie.

I can't bear to tell him I've been sleeping with Commish for weeks, she thought. He might do something stupid.

* * *
Commissioner Pete Peterson smoothed his raven hair back off his forehead, brushing it flat against his head, He checked his chin and cheeks, no five o'clock shadow yet. He  could have used a shower after that workout with Winnie, but he had needed to get back here to the precinct to finish some paperwork. How about that Buzz Miller, shocked to find him, the police commissioner, all high and mighty, in his very own house? Well, get used to it, Buzzy boy. I'm going to be around quite a bit, he mused.