Theo And Reed's School Blues

Chapter Twenty Three

The next couple of days passed by in a most uneventful fashion. That was welcome for Theo whose time was spent divided between caring for his family, volunteering at the school and checking on Charles at the hospital.

Charles was still in a coma. The longer he was the more Theo and Lane worried. Especially Lane who had taken some vacation from work to keep vigil by Charles ' bedside. Miquel was all for the time off because he wanted the media attention about Lane being detained at a murder victim's house to die down. Miquel had actually told Lane to " get his shit together before he returned to work".  Dennis and Winnie tried to get Lane to rest more at home but he refused. The only time he even ate was when Matt brought him homemade bread with jelly or when Theo convinced him to have lunch in the cafeteria. Lane didn't want to eat anything. All he wanted was for Charles to wake up again.

Lane dressed Charles in his favorite red silk pajamas with his black satin robe on the nightstand beside the bed. He played Charles' favorite classical music from his cell phone. He spent hours brushing out Charles' long silver hair and talked to him about his life growing up in West Virginia. Theo knew that his friend was in good hands with Lane Davis.

Then the public memorial service for Senator Callista Hamilton occurred at the elaborate National Cathedral. Reed was at work; he couldn't see his publicly mourning a politician he so disliked. Theo was not interested in mourning the woman. He was after answers. So he went to the service along with Saint ( in his official capacity as mayor ) and Matt. In their best black suits and dress shoes they sat at the back where they could deftly observe all the " mourners". Especially the ones that didn't seem all that grief stricken. Which was actually most gathered there. It had more of a fancy cocktail party atmosphere to Theo than a memorial service which struck him as sad.

In the very first row beside Callista's young son Kyle who looked so lost and confused sat a beautiful light skinned young woman that bore a strong resemblance to the dead woman. The young woman leaned over to whisper something in Kyle's ear and it made him smile wanly.

" Who is that woman next to Kyle? ," Theo asked Saint. He tried to be quiet asking but apparently had failed because he saw the woman turn around in her seat to look directly at him. Their eyes met and her lovely face melted into a smile. A very ice cold smile. The smile reminded him of the dead senator.

Saint glanced at the woman, crossing his legs casually, his arm slung over Matt's shoulder. " That would be Calista's sister. Regina Gordon. Nobody knows much about Miss Gordon which is odd in political DC. She's not mentioned in the senator's official PR packet. I hear they have a very strained relationship. There is a big age gap. I'm thinking the sister was a change of life baby. "

Regina was up now on her very high designer heels and swayed gracefully over to them. The closer she got the more obvious the resemblance to Callista Hamilton was. She offered her hand to Saint and he shook it. " Mayor St. Austin, Mr. St. Austin, " she purred. " Thank you for attending the memorial. It's a classy move on your part. My sister was not your biggest fan. I am though. I voted for you. Callista hated that. "

Saint smiled. " Thank you. My personal feelings never get in the way of my expressing sympathy to loved ones after a tragedy. I'm sorry for your loss. You know my husband Matt. And this is a family friend Theodore Walton Fisher. "

Regina focused her startling purple eyes on Theo. Then Matt. " Oh I know who both of them are. I read about their interesting little hobby. Crime solving is it ? "

Saint pursed his lips. " They're not detectives. Matt is a chef. I'm sure you have seen his cookbooks. And Theo used to be an accountant. "

Theo agreed. " Yes. We're not detectives. We just have a lot of curiosity. Especially me. "

Regina looked at him, still smiling. " Well you know what they say. Curiosity killed the cat. "