The Witness (Badge of Honor 4)

“And almost did. Do you have any idea how lucky you are? Have you ever seen what a .45-caliber bullet does to tissue?”

“I just found out.”

“No, you didn’t. The bullet that hit you had lost most of its energy bouncing off a wall.”

“Amy, I wasn’t trying to be hero. This just happened. I can’t understand why you’re sore at me.”

“Because, you ass, of what you’re doing to Mother. When are you going to come to your senses, for her sake, if nothing else?”

Matt was not given time to form a reply. The door opened, and a nurse put her head in.

“Are you a family member?”

“I’m Dr. Payne,” Amy replied, not at all pleasantly. “What do you want?”

“Mr. Payne’s grandmother and aunt are here, Doctor. They’d like to see him.”

“Let them come in, I’m leaving.”

The nurse pushed the door open. A stout, somewhat florid-faced woman in her sixties, her gray hair done up in a bun, followed by a blond woman in her late thirties came into he room.

“Hello, Mother Moffitt,” Amy Payne said. “Jeannie.”

“Hello, Amy,” the younger woman replied.

The older woman flashed Amy a cold look, nodded, and said, “Miss Payne.”

“It’s Dr. Payne, Mrs. Moffitt,” Amy said, and walked out of the room.

“Hello, Grandma,” Matt said.

“Your grandfather, your father, and your Uncle Richard would be proud of you, darling,” Gertrude Moffitt said emotionally, walking to the bed and grasping his hand.

“Hello, Aunt Jeannie,” Matt said.

“I’m just sorry you didn’t kill the man who did this to you,” Mother Moffitt said.

“I apparently did,” Matt said. “They told me he died half an hour ago.”

“Then I hope he burns in hell.”

“Mother Moffitt!” Jeannie Moffitt protested. “For God’s sake.”

“I have lost two sons to the scum of this city. I have no compassion in my heart for them, and neither should you.”

“I’m just grateful Matt’s not more seriously injured,” Jeannie said.

“Chief Coughlin called and told me,” Mother Moffitt said. “Your mother apparently couldn’t be bothered.”

“She was upset, for God’s sake!” Jeannie Moffitt protested. “You, of all people, should understand that.”

“No matter what trials and pain God has sent me, I take pride in always having done my duty.”

Jeannie Moffitt shook her head, and she and Matt exchanged a smile.

“So, how are you, Matty?” she asked.

“Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”