Page 32 of Suzanna's Surrender
“Lucky for me I’m immune to pygmy poison. If it’d been Ubangi poison, I would’ve been a goner. Where’s your sister?”
“In the greenhouse. Mom gave us seeds and stuff, but I got bored. It’s okay for me to come out here,” he said quickly, knowing how fast adults could make things tough for you. “As long as I don’t go near the street or knock over anything.”
He wasn’t about to give the kid a hard time. “Have you killed many customers today?”
“It’s pretty slow. ’Cause it’s Monday, Mom says. That’s why we can come to work with her and Carolanne can have the day off.”
“You like coming here?”
Holt wasn’t sure how it had happened, but he and the boy were walking among the flats of flowers, and Alex’s hand was in his.
“Sure, it’s neat. We get to plant things. Like, see those?” He pointed at an edging of multicolored flowers that sprang up beside the gravel. “Those are zinnias, and I planted them myself, so I get to water them and stuff. Sometimes we get to carry things to the car for people, and they give you quarters.”
“Sounds like a good deal.”
“And Mom closes up at lunchtime, and we walk down the street and get pizza and play the video games. We get to come almost every Monday. Except—” He broke off and kicked at the gravel.
“Except what?”
“Next week we’ll have to be on vacation, and Mom won’t come.”
Holt looked down at the boy’s bent head and wondered what the hell to do. “I, ah, guess she’s pretty busy here.”
“Carolanne or somebody could work, and she could come. But she won’t.”
“Don’t you figure she’d go with you if she could?”
“I guess.” Alex kicked at the gravel again and, when Holt didn’t scold, kicked a third time. “We have to go to somebody named Martha’s yard, with my father and his new wife. Mom says it’ll be fun, and we’ll go to the beach and have ice cream.”
“Sounds pretty good.”
“I don’t want to go. I don’t see how come I have to. I want to go to Disney World with Mom.”
When the little voice broke, Holt let out a deep breath and crouched down. “It’s tough having to do things you don’t want to. I guess you’ll have to look after Jenny while you’re gone.”
Alex shrugged and sniffled. “I guess. She’s scared to go. But she’s only five.”
“She’ll be okay with you. Tell you what, I’ll look after your mom while you’re gone.”
“Okay.” Feeling better, Alex wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “Can I see on your leg where they shot you?”
“Sure.” Holt pointed to a scar about six inches above his kneecap on his left leg.
“Wow.” Since Holt didn’t seem to mind, Alex ran a fingertip over it. “I guess since you were a policeman and all, you’ll take good care of Mom.”
“Sure I will.”
Suzanna wasn’t sure what she felt when she saw Holt and her son, dark heads bent close. But she knew something warm stirred when Holt lifted a hand and brushed it through Alex’s hair.
“Well, what’s all this?”
Both males looked over then back at each other to exchange a quick and private look before Holt rose. “Man talk,” he said, and gave Alex’s hand a squeeze.
“Yeah.” Alex pushed out his chest. “Man talk.”
“I see. Well, I hate to interrupt, but if you want pizza, you’d better go wash your hands.”
“Can he come?” Alex asked.
