Leopard's Baby

Epilogue

To say Olivia was bored would be an understatement. She’d been in the hospital for over a week and was hoping to get out the next day. The doctors had wanted to put a metal rod in her leg to support a shattered bone, but Olivia said she preferred to let it try and heal by itself. She couldn’t tell them her real reason was that she didn’t know how her body would react to a change with a foreign substance in it. The doctors were dubious at first, but when they saw how rapidly she was healing, they admitted she probably made the correct decision. The current problem was they didn’t want her to put any weight on her leg for fear of compromising her recovery, and with her broken arm, she couldn’t manage crutches. They eventually agreed to allow her to leave if she used a motorized wheelchair.

Olivia was playing cards with Carly, the bodyguard assigned by SF Security, when a knock came on her hospital room door. Senator Curtis Roberts and his daughter Karla entered. Carly, who was as bored as Olivia, excused herself to run some errands. She said she’d be back in a couple of hours.

“How are you feeling, Agent Selinson?” the senator asked.

“Olivia, please,” Olivia said. “I haven’t been an agent for quite a while. Considering that I’m laid up here, not to mention bored out of my mind, I’m fine.”

“Call me Curtis,” he said and hesitated. “This is awkward. I’m deeply ashamed and embarrassed about the actions of my late wife. I assure you I had no idea what she was up to. I’m doing everything I can to make amends. The director of the FBI is a friend of mine. I’ve asked him not to attempt to capture your daughter and he’s agreed. Even though it’ll cost me politically, I’ve given a statement to the press explicitly stating that the prenuptial agreement my wife presented to the courts was a forgery.”

“Yes, I saw that on the news,” Olivia said while thinking, You won’t be up for reelection for several years, so the political cost will be minimal. But maybe I’m just being cynical.

Roberts continued saying, “I’ve rescinded the reward proposal Jennifer put forward. I’ve seen to it that Merritt Covington is disbarred. He’s been fired from his law firm, and is doing everything he can to avoid being prosecuted. Primarily, that means laying the blame for everything on Jennifer. If you have a way to contact your daughter, you can tell her it’s safe for her to return home. I have to admit I have an ulterior motive. I’d like to establish a normal grandparent-grandchild relationship with my grandson. As long as Tamara is in the wind, that’s not possible.”

“With no one actively looking for her, Tammy could stay hidden for years,” Olivia pointed out. “She has contacts in Israel and could move there. I appreciate what you’ve done, Curtis, but it’s not enough.”

“I don’t know what else I could do.”

“The FBI may have no intention of arresting her, but the warrant is still out there hanging over her head. Prevail upon the President to issue a blanket pardon.”

“I guess I could ask him to,” Roberts said, while frowning.

“You can do more than ask. You can trade favors. I’ve been with Congresswoman Martinez a while. I’ve see that done, and she has nowhere near the leverage you do. Also Tammy’s wanted for crimes committed in Virginia and Colorado. While she did commit them, they were a direct result of what Jennifer did. Get the governors of those states to pardon her as well.”

“I can try,” Roberts said as he got to his feet. “I can’t guarantee anything.”

“Try hard,” Olivia said. “I’m sure you can come through.”

“Let me talk to Mrs. Selinson alone, Daddy,” Karla said. “I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.”

Roberts paused, seemed about to speak, paused again, and then said, “You can find me in the coffee shop. I have several things to do today, so don’t be too long.”

“I warned my mother several times that taking Tammy’s baby was a major mistake,” Karla said after her father had departed. “I kept my promise to Tammy that I wouldn’t reveal her… true nature. I’ve seen her in action. I know how lethal she can be. In spite of all her faults I loved my mother. Tammy kept her promise to me that she wouldn’t harm my mother when she got Brendan back in Colorado. Like my father, I also want a normal aunt-nephew relationship with Brendan. The next time you talk to Tammy please tell her I have no hard feeling against her and I still consider her a dear friend.”

***

“Hi Olivia,” Megan said on answering the phone. “I’ve sort of been expecting you to call. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, Megan,” Olivia replied. “Except for being forced to use a frigging wheelchair to get around. How are you doing? What are you, about four months gone?”

“Yeah. I’m starting to show a baby bump. My tits are even bigger if you can believe it. One of my classmates made a crack about me putting on a little weight. I just smiled and told her to go fuck herself.”

“Tact always was your strong point,” Olivia said while laughing. “The reason I’m calling, besides inquiring about you, is to let you know I’ve got a new cell phone. The number is the same as the previous one. I have news for Tammy. Good news. If you see her or talk to her, please ask her to give me a call. She doesn’t have to worry about eavesdropping.”

“Hang on a second,” Megan said. Olivia heard muffled talking in the background.

“Hi Mom,” Tammy’s voice sounded on the phone.

“Hi Sweetie,” Olivia replied, having some trouble controlling her voice. “Have you been at Megan’s place long?”

“Not quite a week. I was wounded from the battle with the were-cougar. I drove to Springfield in Jennifer’s car, abandoned it in a seedy part of town, and took a bus to Chicago. Nathan treated my wound. He and Megan insisted I stay. With Jennifer gone I figured the pressure was off, so I did. It’s better for Brendan.”

“Everyone getting along okay?”

“Yeah. Even Clarabelle has learned to accommodate us,” Tammy said and laughed. “She still spends most of her time hiding under Megan’s bed, but now she’s hiding more from Brendan than me.”

“Cats don’t generally like small children,” Olivia said and also laughed. Then in a serious tone she added, “The President has issued a blanket pardon for you, as have the governors of Virginia and Colorado. You can come home now if you wish. Didi and everyone else here want to see you. I’m sure you can be reinstated at the university to finish your degree.”

“How did you manage that?”

“I prevailed upon your father-in-law. He took care of it. By the way, Karla says she doesn’t blame you for Jennifer’s death.”

There was dead air for several seconds. Then Tammy said, “I appreciate what you’ve done, Mom. I will come home but just for a visit. I found that I really like working at the tavern. I spoke to Haley. She offered to sell me a minority ownership of Haley’s Place if I returned. I’m going to take her up on it if I can come up with some money.”

“You have $300,000 in an escrow account from the Roberts. The senator insists it’s yours. Use it. It should be enough for a down payment at the very least.”

“I told them I didn’t want any of their money!” Tammy flared.

“Listen, Honey, think of it as your husband’s money. By their standards it’s pocket change. There’s nothing wrong with using his money to better the lives of you and his son.”

“I guess,” Tammy said slowly.

“Tyler told me you had a date the night before the shit hit the fan. Does that have anything to do with your decision to stay in Illinois?”

“A little,” Tammy admitted. “He’s a nice guy. He helped me out when Brendan got sick. At the moment there’s no burning passion, but I wouldn’t mind seeing what develops.”