Chapter 8
Matt was painfully aware that he and Zoé hardly slept that night. Their anxiety seemed to be infectious, because Jack cried noisily on and off until daylight shone around the heavy curtains. Fortunately, the expensive hotel room seemed to be well soundproofed, for no one banged on the walls or ceiling.
According to the news channel on their TV, the terrorists were still holed up in the financial institute in Wall Street, and still threatening to shoot the hostages, although the agitated reporter believed they were all still alive. Well, that last bit certainly came as good news. And there were no reports of further incidents in the rest of Manhattan.
Matt pulled the curtains wide, revealing a glimpse of Central Park. "Let's go for a walk with baby Jack. It will give him a chance to use his eyes and see a bit of New York."
"Matt, that is a terrible thing to say."
"I didn't mean it's his last chance to use his eyes. You know I didn't. We have plenty of time for a walk before breakfast."
"It is only six o'clock in the morning here, although it feels like the middle of the day. Me, I am too tired to go out. If you want to take Jack in the sling, then go."
Matt wasn't sure that Zoé really wanted him to go without her.
"I mean it, Matt. I will give Jack his feed, and then you can take him and give him some fresh air. Well, perhaps air more fresh outside than it is in here. I can smell that Jack he needs changing. And when you get back we can order breakfast in our room. DCI are paying, and I do not want the other guests to know we were responsible for the noise in the night."
"Zak's picking us up at half nine," Matt said. "That gives us plenty of time. I won't be long anyway."
While Zoé fed and changed Jack, Matt turned up the sound on the TV. A fixed camera was still showing the building in Wall Street which had a small amount of smoke coming from where the downstairs windows had been blown out. Suddenly the picture changed to him and Zoé at the airport, with a reporter shoving a microphone into his face.
Somehow, Simon Urquet had managed to get into the picture himself, to say how pleased Domestic Chemicals International were to assist in the treatment at the clinic which had the privilege of possessing a pioneering proton beam scanner developed in Switzerland with funding and other assistance from DCI. The terrorists had pushed that item to the back of the news, and people might have switched off -- or gone to the kitchen or bathroom for a break. He could only hope so.
Matt shrugged. If this trip was helping DCI gain credibility after their disaster under the Heinmans, it was also benefiting Jack. Well, successful treatment for Jack was what he and Zoé hoped for, although their signatures on the liability waiver possibly told a different story.
Matt slipped his passport into his pocket, and half an hour later, with Jack securely strapped to his front in the sling, he set out into the traffic and noise to explore the bottom right-hand corner of Central Park where his map showed an irregular blue shape called the Pond.
Zoé gave him a kiss as he left the room. "Me, I might come over and find you later. Keep an eye open for me. And watch out for press photographers. We do not want them to know where we are staying."
"They'll all be down in the Financial District. I bet our arrival only gets that brief mention, and only on the local news channels. Good result for us, but really bad news for the hostages."
There was only one main street to cross to get to the Park, and it had a light-controlled crossing. The whole experience of entering an open green space in the center of the city seemed strange. It was a different world -- apart from the constant sound of traffic echoing back from the high buildings surrounding the Park, filling the air with a constant roar -- plus the regular sirens of emergency vehicles. It was strange to see skyscrapers soaring above the trees in the distance.
A horse buggy came by, with no passengers. It was probably on its way to a pick-up point. The horse was white and so was the buggy. "Look, Jack, can you see the big horse?" Matt asked.
The thought of baby Jack losing the sight in one eye made him feel bad.
The buggy driver, a young blond man in his early twenties, drew up alongside. Matt shook his head. "I don't have time for a ride," he explained. "Maybe later today, or tomorrow. I'm here in New York with my wife and baby."
"Hey, friend, are you the guy on television with the baby with...? Yes, I can see the baby's eyes. Is that a problem?"
At least the buggy driver didn't know about the cancer. Or maybe he was just being tactful. He seemed to sense that the conversation wasn't going anywhere. "You'll find me down here if you want a ride in the Park. Special rate for you and your lady, okay?"
Matt was glad he'd taken Jack with him on his walk. It hurt him to think Jack might be at risk if he'd left him alone with Zoé, but there were times when her postnatal depression seemed to kick in hard.
A group of runners came past in what must be their regular morning exercise. He could see more runners in the distance, and even someone running with what Americans called a stroller. It was unlikely any families would be wandering around this early. It was only just after seven, and most New Yorkers would either be on their way to work, or stuck in front of the television in their apartments watching the hostage crisis.
He pointed across the grass to where some huge rocks broke the surface. He could be on his own there with Jack. "This is the Pond, Jack. Well, I'd call it a lake, it's so big. What do you think? Let's sit here for a few minutes and then we can go and explore it."
The water looked clean, with ducks swimming in and out of the reeds. "Can you see the ducks, Jack?"
Jack blinked in the bright light as Matt turned him so he could see. There was no response. Well, of course not. It would probably be over a year before Jack would show any interest in ducks.
He was aware of footsteps coming up close from behind. Maybe it was Zoé, changing her mind about staying in the hotel.
Chapter 9
"Are you all right? Can you hear me?"