Brothers Born in Adversity Page 6

  Silence reined again for several moments. Then softly Steven remarked, "He looks... grayer. Older. Smaller, somehow."

  "We've grown up. He's grown old."

  Steven continued to stare at the stream. "You think I should talk to him."

  "Might be a good idea. I won't say it'll be easy. Hell, it was downright painful when I did it that first time. Nor can I say that he and I will ever agree on anything. But it might be worth your while."

  Steven finally shifted so he could look into his brother's eyes. "I'll do it for you."

  "No," Jim countered firmly. "Do it for yourself. Or you might want to do it for Sandburg." At Steven's surprised look, Jim squeezed his shoulder. "One of the many things Dad and I disagree on is why I'm still working and living with Sandburg after the dissertation disaster."

  "Ah hell, then we better move." Steven slid down from the rock and gave his brother a hand. "Dad will tear that poor kid to pieces before Blair knows what hit him."

  Jim chuckled. "Don't count Sandburg out. Let's just get there before he starts drawing on his mother's curses against the establishment."

  Steven chuckled too as he walked up the path. "I don't know. I'd kinda like to see that."

  When they entered the cabin, they could both feel the freeze in the air as William pointedly concentrated on a newspaper and Blair ignored William while he chopped up celery for the soup. William immediately switched his gaze to his sons, eyes softening. "Are you all right?"

  Steven nodded. After the two men stared at each other, Jim awkwardly suggested, "Hey, let's give Sandburg some room here." He ushered the other two into the other room. A few minutes later, he returned to the kitchen.

  Blair indicated the living area with his chin as he stirred. "How's it going?"

  "Uneasy, but at least they're not about to kill each other." Jim leaned over to sniff. "Smells good, although I didn't know ginseng went with chicken."

  "Steven needs to build up his energy reserve. Last night took about all he had, and this meeting with your father isn't going to help." Blair tapped the spoon along the side of the pot before laying it down next to the stove.

  "I know." Jim tilted his head a moment. Feeling the discussion was progressing about as well as could be expected, he turned back to Blair. "You do okay with the old man?"

  Blair snorted. "We ignored each other, since we have nothing to say. He and I are never going to get along because I don't worship the almighty dollar and remain faithful unto it. But I can deal with it as long as you two get along." Walking over to the table, Blair opened his laptop. "I did hear back from Rafe."

  Jim pulled out a chair. "What did he say?"

  "It was a home brewed version of GBL that had been slipped into the coffee. According to Serena, it was pretty potent stuff. Steven's lucky we were there when we were."

  Jim nodded, frowning at the reminder. "Any luck with the flowers?"

  Blair shook his head. "Paid for in cash, though most of the transaction was over the internet. Rafe's trying to see if he can track it down. Sounds like she might have picked them up herself, though no one remembers seeing her."

  "You mean, she was at the hospital?" Jim's eyes grew hard at the thought that she was so close without him knowing it.

  Blair nodded worriedly. "And that's not all." Jim looked at him, puzzled. "Rafe said you were left another message, warning you to stay way from Steven."

  Jim shrugged it off. "I'd like to see her try to keep me away."

  "If Steven has today and tomorrow off, what is next on his agenda?"

  "The charity auction." Steven had just entered the kitchen in time to hear Blair's question. At Jim's puzzled look, he added, "Dad got a call from the office."

  "Figures," Jim muttered.

  "That's this Saturday, right?" Blair asked, trying to get back to a relatively safe topic.

  Steven nodded. "Though there is a dry run tomorrow evening I have to go to."

  "We have to go to," Jim corrected.

  "There'll be tons of people there," Steven pointed out. "I should be okay."

  "Yeah, but I still think it is too much of a coincidence that the Foundation is in the same building as your company, got the information for a background check, and has four potential suspects."

  "Four?" Steven queried.

  "Yeah, Jim," Blair added. "There's Ms. Lesley, the awesome Ms. Lundy," Jim and Steven exchanged smirks at Blair's obvious admiration of the body builder. "And Suzie Patton who was out of the office when we were there. That's three."

  "Don't forget Hudson." Jim found two sets of eyes staring at him, dumbfounded. "What?"

  "Ah, Jim, Terry's a guy," Blair slowly pointed out.

  "Yeah," Steven agreed. "You don't think I'm being stalked by a guy, do you?" Steven could barely control a shudder at the idea.

  "No, Terry Hudson is female," Jim corrected.

  "You're kidding," Steven replied, stunned. "He, I mean, she didn't look like a girl to me."

  "No way," Blair added, shaking his head. "I know what a woman looks like."

  "So do I, Chief. Terry is definitely female. It's just hard to tell under the baggie sweatshirt."

  William stepped into the kitchen. "I need to go." He looked at Steven a moment. Steven stared back, not quite sure what to think. He had hated his father for so long, yet now he strangely did not want the old man to leave.

  William switched his gaze to his eldest. "Take care of him."

  Jim simply replied, "Always."

  Thursday afternoon, Ellison cabin

  Blair pulled a blanket over Jim, who had fallen asleep on a beat up old couch next to the fireplace. The younger man stood a moment, debating on whether to start a fire. But the afternoon sun was still heating the small room, and Blair knew the task of hauling wood and working the grate would wake up the sentinel. Jim had had so little sleep the night before, he needed the rest more than a fire.

  Turning, Blair spotted Steven in the doorway, studying his brother. Putting a finger to his lips, Blair indicated the kitchen with a tilt of his head. Steven nodded agreement.

  Following Jim's brother into the kitchen, the anthropologist in Blair noted how much of a difference clothes made. In jeans and a red flannel shirt, Steven appeared as much at home in the cabin as he did in the office with his ties and designer suits. Yet he seemed more approachable now, like Blair could talk with him and not wonder if he met the standard. As Steven sat in a chair, Blair felt comfortable asking, "Would you like some tea? Coffee?"

  Steven gave him a weak smile. "Better be tea. My stomach still isn't too happy with coffee yet."

  Blair winced. "That's understandable."

  As Blair filled the kettle, Steven glanced at the living room door. "Is Jim all right?"

  "Just tired. He was up all night, and his senses have been on alert since he found you in your office."

  "Do his senses wear him out?" Steven asked, feeling so totally out of his field.

  "They can if he's been using them a lot, or if he's had to filter out a lot of extra input." Blair adjusted the flame on the stove, then pulled out the chair across from Steven.

  "Like at Lucille's the other night?"

  "Partly. He was using his hearing to check out the place and the crash caught him off guard." Blair studied Steven covertly, trying to figure out what Steven needed to hear. "You may have some trouble, too, but not nearly as bad. Since Jim has all five senses heightened, they are much stronger and he has more drawbacks to deal with than you."

  Instead of being reassured, Steven's frown deepened. "What kind of drawbacks?"

  Pausing a moment, Blair suddenly realized that Steven did need to know this information. While he might not be a full sentinel, there was always the possibility that one of Steven's future kids could have all five. Perhaps if Steven understood, a nephew or niece of Jim's wouldn't go through what Jim did. "There's the zoneout factor. It's when Jim becomes so focused on one sense, he loses touch with all the other ones."

  "Wait a minute." Ste
ven's eyes lit up as a memory came to him. "One time when we were kids, Debbie Corner's puppy got lost, and we helped look for it." Steven chuckled as he remembered. "Or I should say Jim was helping and I was tagging along, as usual. I was only about five at the time. Anyway, we were out alone in the woods near our house, when all of a sudden, Jim just froze. At first, I thought he was playing, but when he wouldn't respond I got really scared." Steven frowned, trying to remember something. "I was scared that maybe he was sick again."

  "Again?" Blair prodded.

  Steven shrugged his shoulders. "Jim had an accident when I was small. I don't really remember much, except Sally being upset and Jimmy walking really careful when he got back home." Steven shook his head to get rid of the unpleasant memory. "Anyway, there in the woods, I had to shake him really hard to get him to come back."

  Blair nodded. "That does sound like a zoneout. Jim was probably trying too hard to see or hear the puppy when he lost track of everything else. That's why sentinels need partners to guard their backs while they use their senses."

  "Which is what you do," Steven concluded. He gazed straight into Blair's eyes. "I want to thank you for that. I know you took care of Jim when his family let him down." Steven looked away. "Hell, you've been more of a brother to him than I have."

  Blair was shocked. Was that jealousy he saw? Steven Ellison, smart, successful businessman, was actually jealous of an earth child anthropologist turned detective? Any reservations Blair had of Jim's brother melted on the spot. "No, I'm his partner. You're his brother. He may need us in different ways, but he needs us both."

  Steven met his eyes again, mutual understanding flowing between them. Then the kettle whistled, breaking the spell.

  Friday afternoon, Major Crimes

  "...I still don't know why I can't go to my office." Steven waved his hands as he followed his brother into the bullpen. "I've got a ton of stuff to do, and Ms. Lancin hasn't been there long enough to know what's going on."

  "Come on, man. You got the day off," Blair pointed out. "Only idiots like Jim and myself go in on our day off. And we've regretted every single time..."

  Jim smiled as he listened to Blair and Steven banter. It felt good to have them getting along so well. The time at the cabin had been well spent.

  "Ellison!" Jim looked up to see Simon standing in the doorway of his office. "I need the paperwork for the Hessmen case."

  "Right there, sir." Jim scooped up the folder from his desk and trotted through his captain's door.

  Steven smiled a moment, enjoying the sight of his tough, older brother having to answer to someone else. Then he turned back to Blair. "Is there at least some way I can check my email?"

  "Sure. Let's set you up on Jim's computer. He hates it anyway."

  A few moments later, Rafe walked in and spotted Blair. "Hey Sandburg! Got a minute?"

  "Be right there." Blair patted Steven on the back and walked over to Rafe's desk. "What's up?"

  Rafe had the internet running on his computer. "I've been trying to backtrack that request to the floral shop, but I seem to have hit a dead end." He pointed at the screen.

  "Okay, looks like Steven's stalker has computer knowledge," Blair replied softly, not wanting Steven to hear and ruin all the good down time he'd had. Blair sat down in Rafe's chair and started tapping away at the keyboard, Rafe looking over his shoulder.

  A few minutes later, Joel Taggart walked in carrying mail. "Hey Ellison, you've changed," the hefty detective joked as he tossed a stack onto Jim's desk. He gave Steven a large smile, well aware of the recent problems with the stalker. "You taking over for Jim?"

  Steven chuckled. "No way. It looks like you have more paperwork than I do, and I don't get shot at."

  Joel laughed. "And probably get paid better than we do, too." He patted the younger man on the shoulder. "Take it easy, and don't be such a stranger."

  Steven returned the smile, feeling safe among his brother's friends and co-workers. Finishing the email to Lily, he hit 'send' and leaned back in the chair. He glanced at the large stack of mail tilting on Jim's desk. Might as well be useful while he was there. Steven began sorting through all the envelopes and packages. Pulling a large padded envelope out that was threatening to tip and collapse the whole pile onto the floor, Steven started to set it aside, but paused. His fingers felt something out of place. Feeling the side, something long and hard stood out to him. He searched the room with his eyes, finally spying Blair and Rafe. "Blair?" he called.

  Blair pulled his eyes away from the screen. "What's up?"

  "There's something strange about this package."

  Blair and Rafe exchanged worried looks as Blair rose from the chair. Both walked over to Jim's desk to look at the package. "Just a PO box," Rafe commented as he studied the return address.

  Suddenly, Jim was standing there, too. "What's going..." Jim's attention focused on the package.

  "You expecting anything, Jim?" Blair asked.

  Jim gave a little shake of his head as he took a deep breath. A familiar fragrance floated up from the heavy paper. "It's from the stalker."

  "What?" Steven exclaimed. "Why would she send you a package?"

  Simon, attracted by the crowd around Jim's desk, growled, "Maybe she's decided to do more than threaten. Rafe..."

  "Calling forensics now, sir," Rafe replied, phone in hand.

  "Threaten?" Steven repeated, worried now. "What threats?"

  Blair threw Jim a glare. "She's sent a couple of threats to Jim."

  "What?" Steven stood up, eyes wide. "You never told me that!"

  "Nothing to tell," Jim replied absently, feeling the package gingerly himself. "I've been threatened before, Stevie, and will probably be threatened again."

  "But not over me." Steven glared at Jim, noting the 'Stevie'. "I'm not six anymore, JIMMY. If it has something to do with me, I need to know."

  Jim glanced up. "It's okay."

  Steven continued to grow angrier. "No, it's not. Not when she's threatened you. Hell, she nearly killed me the other night, and she 'loves' me. I don't want her hurting you."

  Jim swiftly draped an arm around Steven's shoulder. Ignoring his brother's attempt to shrug him off, he led them over to a quiet corner. Jim turned to face the younger man, maintaining contact by wrapping a hand around Steven's shoulder near his neck. "I was going to tell you. But the first letter came the afternoon before she poisoned you with that damn drug, so I didn't get the chance. Then I wanted you to get well, not have to worry about me."

  Steven stared into his brother's eyes. "I won't have you hurt because of me."

  "It's not because of you; it's because of HER. Don't forget that." Jim gently squeezed the shoulder, still holding Steven's eyes. "The only way to stop this is to go after her together. If she takes offense, too bad. Besides, with every threat to me, there's more evidence and more charges we can bring against her. When we find this bitch, I want to make sure she's put away for a good long time. Okay?" Steven shifted his eyes to the floor. "Okay?"

  "Okay," Steven answered with a sigh. "Just don't hold anything back from me. I'm a big boy now, and have been for a long time."

  Jim rubbed his brother's shoulder comfortingly. "I know and I won't."

  Blair walked up. "Forensics has it now." He glanced between the brothers, hoping he wasn't interrupting anything. "But they think it's set up to send a knife or something into the hand of the person who opens the envelope."

  "Damn her," Steven whispered. The unknown woman had made him anxious, scared, and angry in turns. Now he was furious that she would try to hurt Jim. His brother gave his shoulder another comforting squeeze.

  "One other thing." Both Jim and Steven turned to him questioningly. "Rafe and I have tracked down that order of roses from the hospital."

  "Roses?" Steven asked.

  "The ones from the hospital that you had the nurses give to the sick old woman whose kids hadn't arrived from overseas yet," Jim reminded him. Steven nodded, remembering. The lady had reminded
him of Sally, the housekeeper who had raised them.

  "Yeah, anyway, the order came from the Community Lights Foundation office."

  "I knew it," Jim growled.

  "So what do we do now?" Steven asked.

  "Next we get a warrant and send some officers to search their office. Then we go to that auction rehearsal." Jim patted Steven's back before stepping away.

  Blair looked at him in amazement. "But the stalker will probably be there."

  Jim smiled grimly. "I'm counting on it."

  Friday evening, Trinity Theater

  Standing behind his brother, Jim searched the group of people with both his eyes and his nose. He could spot Ms. Lundy way up ahead, checking off bachelors on her list. There were also many others milling about. Jim overhead someone mention something about an orchestra, so he assumed that was part of the group. There were also many volunteers setting up the sound system, decorations, and other miscellaneous tasks.

  Suddenly, a voice cut through the crowd. "Oh no! We can't have those flowers next to that curtain!"

  "Ah, hell," Jim muttered, dropping his head into his hands.

  He caught both Steven's and Blair's attention. "What's up, Jim," Blair asked softly.

  "You remember that woman from the art fair who thought I was 'perfect'?"

  Blair couldn't hold back a snort, increasing Steven's curiosity. "Oh yeah. Why?"

  "She's here." Jim glanced around the crowd, wondering if he could hide.

  Another snicker escaped before Blair could stop it. "Look at the bright side. She'd probably bid on you if you were in the auction, and who knows what she'd request for a 'date'."

  Steven glanced between the two men. "What?"

  Jim continued to avoid eye contact as Blair smirked. "When we worked the Riley Damn Arts festival last fall, there was this one artist who thought Jim was 'perfect' and wanted to draw him."