The Bouncing Buns Gentleman's Club

Chapter 26

It was a short ride to Galveston Island and the heliport of the medical center where several police cars and two conspicuously-unmarked black sedans awaited them. One was for Dana. It would take her to a secure foster home under the joint supervision of the government relocation program, and Child Protective Services since she was still under eighteen.

After a goodbye to Tom, Dana walked over to Beverly and gave her an unexpected hug.

"I'm scared," she said. "I can take care of myself on the street, but all this is new and has me worried."

"Don't worry, Dana. The FBI is going to take very good care of you, and will have you in a nice and safe place until all of this is over. I promise I'll talk to Agent Baker and see if he can get it set up so we can do that work together we talked about. I expect we'll see each other again very soon."

"OK, Dr. Anderson, I trust you," Dana said as she got into the car.

Beverly watched as the car pulled away, finally out of sight. I hope I can keep that promise, she thought. I have to somehow.

The other car would take her and Tom back to the resort complex near her boat. Tom had secured a room for her at the hotel for whatever number of nights it took until more extensive and longer term plans could be made.

"I can't let you go near your boat, Beverly. It's just too dangerous. We'll put you up at the hotel for a few nights until we have a plan we know will work. We'll have heavy security around and you'll be safe there. Obviously, you can't work right now either."

"What about my idea to go back to work at the clinic, Tom? I have to give it a try. I've also promised Dana I'll be working with her. I've got to do that, I've got to keep my promise. I'm the only person she's likely to be able to develop a therapeutic relationship with right now, at least in the short term."

"I know. It'll take a lot of coordination with the clinic, and I'll have to get FBI approval. They'll have to be convinced we can keep you safe there. I'll do my best to make it happen for you, Beverly."

Tom put his hand on hers as they pulled up to the hotel entrance. She squeezed it in response.

"Here's the key to your room. The agency will be picking up the tab. Eat, drink anything you want while you're stuck here. I'll take care of your boat. We'll store your things and have it taken to the shipyard for the time being."

Beverly loved that boat, but she knew her time with it had come to an end. It would be stored at the shipyard until the insurance company and the government could come to terms on a financial settlement. Even if she could keep the boat, the cost of refitting it after the flooding would be astronomical, and she was resigned to the fact that it had to go. The only positive spin she could put on the whole situation was that she might eventually get that sailboat she'd always wanted.

"Thanks, Tom. I know you'll do whatever you can. I just have to accept the fact that my life seems to have changed forever. See you soon, I hope."

"Goodbye, Beverly. I'll be in touch as soon as this is worked out."

She got out of the car and waved as it left. It was a short walk in and then up the elevator to her assigned room overlooking the marina and her pier. Once there, she had time to kill and spent much of it looking out the window at the pier below, the yacht club, and her boat. She had a good view of the slip where Dan's employer's boat once was as well. It was still empty.

Tears welled in her eyes at the thought of all she had lost in such a short time. Things she had and things she might have had. Then there was her career to consider. It would be changed somehow, forever. She was overwhelmed that every aspect of the things that had been important to her was a big unknown, at least for the immediate future.

This whole thing has been so unfair, she thought between bouts of sobbing. I was just doing my job! How can I possibly have a job that requires me to meet strangers now and still be safe in the witness protection program?

So many things were up in the air, so many questions without answers started to invade what had been her stable and confident psyche until now.

Beverly was exhausted. The course of the last few days now seemed like an eternity, and she caught herself wishing she could just sleep in her own bed. She knew it was impossible and that she would never again hear the slapping of water on the hull of her boat or feel the gentle rocking from the waves as she drifted off to sleep. The bottle of Cabernet Tom had waiting for her was long gone and starting to have an effect as she began to appreciate the need for a bed, any bed. As she lay down, thoughts of things that might have been started filling her mind.

She went back to the day Dan took her to the police station and the kiss they shared before she went in. She'd been concerned about his initial advances and wished now that she hadn't been quite so careful. Perhaps she would've had more to remember him by. Regardless of what may or may not have developed, having known him would forever enrich her life through her new friendship with Heather and Kevin. What might have been beyond that would now and forever remain a mystery.

Beverly's last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep were about Tom. She would meet with him soon to discuss what he had come up with in regard to her protection plan, her work, and hopefully, every other aspect of this very complex situation she was facing. It would be a tall order to sort it all out, but she knew he was up to it.

The plan to work for the FBI was particularly interesting to Beverly. She'd even wanted to be an agent herself in her younger years before medical school, but it was during a time when applicants had to be either lawyers or accountants to be eligible. Her interests had not taken her in either of those directions, so here she was. Hopefully, Tom was serious when he said they needed her. She certainly needed them.

Perhaps it was the wine working but, to her surprise, Beverly was starting to have amorous thoughts about him. Was he married? Did he have kids? Was he at all attracted to her? She had to stop and remind herself that he'd been involved in this investigation for a very long time and she was just someone dropped in on him out of circumstance. Why would he have any reason to have special thoughts about her? On the other hand, he did put his arms around her when they came up from the Azimut. He did touch her hand in the car.