BooksBarbecue
Back The Last Christian
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. Other Books by This Author
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Prologue
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. Author’s Note

Cleary shook his head. “What—did she bring it with her from New Guinea?”

Pape didn’t answer. Cleary motioned for him to take one of the posh seats. “Let me get you a towel so you don’t bleed all over the plane.”

“I’ve already stopped the bleeding.”

Cleary looked at the leg once more. “Right. Well, we can get you some medical attention in DC.”

“Why DC?”

“Ms. Caldwell is heading there tonight.” He looked Pape in the eye. “I trust you haven’t given up on this assignment.”

Pape eyed him back without expression. That was all Cleary needed to know.

29

Our plane landed at Washington Reagan. We grabbed our personal items and stepped from the plane onto the jet bridge.

“It’s hot here,” I commented to Abby. Just like Dallas.

We walked down the jet bridge. I glanced ahead as we rounded a turn. The person standing in the concourse doorway froze me in my tracks.

“Hello, Abigail. Professor.”

Abby answered for us. “Lauren. How did you—”

“I take it you decided to come early to do some sightseeing, Professor?” Her eyes bored into mine.

I tried to look as innocent as possible. “Yes. I thought this might be Abby’s only chance to do some exploring up here.”

“Really? Well, you can fit in plenty of sightseeing in three weeks, can’t you?”

“Maybe you can recommend some sights.” I wasn’t fooling her a bit.

“Maybe my assistant can. Let’s retrieve your luggage, shall we?”

She turned and walked down the concourse. We followed. My mind raced. How did she know we were coming immediately to DC? Was she merely ensuring our safe stay until the hearings, or—

“Fortunately,” Lauren said over her shoulder, “we have two spare bedrooms.” She glanced at Abby. “Unless you prefer one, that is.”

“No,” Abby replied quickly. “Two is good.”

I spoke. “We didn’t intend to impose upon you, Congresswoman.”

“‘Lauren’ is fine. Shall I call you ‘Creighton’?”

I nodded. “We planned to secure our own accommodations. We can still do that if—”

“No. You’ll have to stay at my place. That’s the deal I made with the attorney general. Abby has permission to remain here until the hearings. After that, she will have to leave the country.”

Abby and I looked at each other but kept on walking. We took the escalator down to the baggage claim area and waited silently until our luggage came, then walked toward the airport exit.

“Lauren,” I finally said, “Abby needs to see a doctor.” I didn’t see any choice but to involve her at this point.

“My assistant can make arrangements for that tomorrow.”

“No, tonight.”

She stopped. “What’s the emergency?”

I glanced around to make sure no one was close by. “Abby was shot.”

“Shot? With a gun?” She gently grabbed Abby by the shoulders and looked her up and down. “Where? Are you all right?”