Nurse Or Nanny?

Chapter Eight

Another few weeks go by and nothing eventful has happened.  My WITSEC officer has checked in on me a couple times, but the longer I am here, the fewer visits I'll get. Today is a visit day.
"Hey John, any news from back home?"
"Hey Lauren, yes actually, I do have some news for you this time regarding the case. I have some family news too, what do you want first?"
"Case news." Family news is always the same.  They are worried about me because I haven't talked to anyone on the phone yet. They think if I don't have the time to call them then this new job has me working too hard. They have been getting e-mails from WITSEC officers and they say I am fine, this was a good move for my career, I don't have time to talk, I love it here and will call when I can.  My mom has even tried to ask a couple trick questions and they have to call me for answers.  It breaks my heart but I know it's for their own safety.
"They have identified the killer as Luis Palmer.  He's the guy they send to do the dirty work.  If we had known what Paul had been involved with earlier we could have had this name weeks ago.  Did you know that Paul was involved with the Mexican drug cartel?"  The Mexican drug cartel, are you kidding me, what the heck are they doing up in Canada? And Paul was mixed up in this.
"Uh no, not even the slightest clue. I knew he was messing around with people and drugs before we were involved in his care, I thought maybe he was a selling some on the side, but the Mexican drug cartel.  No I am so shocked.  As far as I knew he was clean and getting his life back on track." Am I pissed, yes.  Why didn't anyone see the signs, how did nobody know.  
"Well he was, and this guy is nasty.  We suspect he is still in Canada and is trying to find you.  He know's your in hiding. We almost got him, he was surveilling your apartment and then your mothers house.  He managed to slip us somehow, we will don't know how he got out of the city. Heck, he could still be in the city.  But far away from you, so nothing to worry about."  He's rambling, not a good sign. 
"You sure he doesn't know where I am?"
"Yes, positive." The way he said this made me feel a little better.  But not completely.  If he could find me from a scrub uniform and put the pieces together enough to figure out who I am, who's to say he couldn't figure out where I've gone.
"Okay, so what does this mean for me? How much longer do I have to stay here?"
" Not sure on that yet, I'll work on it.  There is a team down in Texas building a case on this part of the cartel, and they are very excited that you are here.  They haven't had a witness who survived long enough to make it to court, and if you can pin this Luis guy to this murder, it will give the prosecution means to investigate a number of other murders he's committed and hopefully catch the network that is working here in the western part of North America."
"Whoa, no pressure or anything." I say and walk over back into the kitchen to put on some tea. I all of a sudden feel very exposed and I don't like being the center of attention.  I hate it actually, and the fact that this huge case falls on me is not sitting well with me right now. 

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lay it on that thick, I'm just trying to be honest with you so you know how important you are, and why you are doing what you are doing here." 
"I know, I'm not upset with you, just this whole situation sucks." I sigh and John moves from the kitchen to the couch and sits next to me.
"Hey, if you ever need anything you know you can call me, I'm only an hour away and let's be honest, with these highways, I can be here in probably thirty to forty minutes." He says with a wink. I laugh, boys, their need for speed is the same across the board.
"I know, and please don't try and break a record or anything just to come here, just get here."  He nods, and gets up to get the kettle. 
"So, family news." I want to change the subject.
"Right, well your mom is not very happy with you not calling her, she is thinking about making a trip here when the weather is better." I get up from the coach and start to say something along the lines of what the heck! She can't come here, why are you letting her think that's okay. He can read my face and says, "but don't worry, I told her, well you told her, that winter lasts longer here and the highways probably wont be dry until mid June." 
"And she bought that?" I say with an edge of annoyance to my voice.
"Yes, she did actually." He says quite proudly. I roll my eyes, whatever, it's not the thing I should be concerned with right now. I should be living a little more cautiously.  I've let myself fall into a routine and stopped looking over my shoulder, and taking precautions to make sure I'm not found. 
"Okay, so tea and cards and you're out?" 
"You're on, and I will win today." He looks determined, maybe I'll give him one. 
"In your dreams." Yeah right, I am way to competitive to let him him.