Caffrey Flashback

Chapter 6: Disconnected

Ellington Mansion. Barely Wednesday morning. February 18, 2004.

It was after midnight when the taxi dropped Neal off at Riverside Drive. When he entered the house, the first floor was dark. But to his surprise, a light came on in the parlor beyond the music room. With Byron unable to climb the stairs to his usual bedroom, a hospital bed had been set up for him in that parlor. Turning on the light was a signal that he was awake and wanted company.

Neal approached the room with mixed feelings. While he liked Byron and appreciated the man's advice, it was painful to see the once vital man bed-ridden and struggling to speak. Beyond that, although the night of music performance had helped level out Neal's mood to the extent that he'd been convincingly lighthearted with George Knightley, Byron wasn't as easy to fool as a total stranger. Neal really wanted to go upstairs, but there was no ignoring the light in the parlor.

These days Byron was almost never alone. A nurse or June remained at his side, ready to administer pain medication or to fetch anything that might amuse or distract him. Right now June was lying on a sofa a few feet beyond the hospital bed, so tired that the light hadn't woken her. Byron's hand hovered shakily over the light control that lay beside him on the bed.

"Got a... hot... date?" Byron asked.

Neal took the chair between the hospital bed and the door. "As a matter of fact, I saw Kate this evening. She wants my help with a job. And the FBI wants me to take the job to lead them to a bigger fish." He tried to keep his voice low, to avoid disturbing June, but she sat up.

"Neal, have you been home long?" she asked. Her eyes were puffy from crying recently,

"Just got here. You want a break?" he offered.

"Maybe a moment to fix my hair. I'll be right back." She sniffled as she walked away.

"Your girl... pretty?"

"Almost as pretty as June. Hey, can I get you anything?" Neal asked, trying to deflect the conversation away from Kate.

"She change... her mind?"

Neal sighed. "No. She still isn't interested in immunity. I just don't get it. I'm used to being able to talk people into things. This should be a no-brainer, because she should already want it. She has to know the Feds are closing in, and when they do she'll go to prison. And she still won't go for a deal."

"Life... change. Hard. Most can't... do it."

"I did."

"Special." Byron shook his head as Neal started to protest. "You found... something... you wanted... more."

"I'm not sure, Byron. I love her. Maybe I'm supposed to give this up to be with her. Love's the most important thing, right?"

"Only if... she loves... you... as much. But... she loves... con more. Money... more than... people."

"More than me, you mean?" Neal ran his hands through his hair. "Do I just give up?"

"It's time... to let go... or get... hurt... even more."

"Even more than it hurts now? That's hard to imagine."

"A cycle... keeps repeating... hurting... till you... stop. Let her... go. And me."

"What?" Neal didn't follow.

"Be ready... to let... go. Not much... time."

"What? No!" Neal protested. He heard June's footsteps and stood up. "Tell him to stop saying that."

"Byron's right," said June, leaning against the doorway. "The hospice people are experts, and they say we have only a few days left."

Neal instinctively backed up a step. "But... You aren't just going to give up, are you?"