I, Alex Cross

Excerpt

I celebrated my birthday with a small, very exclusive, very festive and fun
party on Fifth Street.  It was just the way I wanted it.
 
Damon had come home from boarding school in Massachusetts as a special
surprise.  Nana was there, acting large and in charge of the festivities,
along with my babies, Jannie and Ali.  Sampson and his family were on hand;
and of  course Bree was there.
 
Only the people I loved most in the world were invited.  Who else would you
want to celebrate another year older and wiser with?
 
I even made a little speech that night, most of which I forgot immediately,
but not the opening few words.  "I, Alex Cross," I began, "do solemnly
promise - to all those present at this birthday party - to do my best to
balance my life at home with my work life, and not to go over to the dark
side ever again."
 
Nana raised her coffee cup in salute, but then she said, "Too late for
that," which got a laugh.
 
Then, to a person, everybody did their best to make sure I was aging with a
little humility but also a smile on my face.
 
"Remember that time at Redskin stadium?" Damon cackled.  "When Dad locked
the keys in the old car?"
 
I tried cutting in. "To be fair -"
 
"Called me out of bed past midnight," Sampson said, and growled.
 
"Only after he tried breaking in for an hour because he didn't want to admit
he couldn't do it," Nana said.
 
Jannie cupped a hand around her ear.  "Cause he's what?" And everyone
chorused back, "America's Sherlock Holmes!"  It was a reference to a
national-magazine piece from a few years ago that I will apparently never
live down.
 
I swigged my beer. "Brilliant career - or so they say - dozens of big cases
solved, and what am I to be remembered for?  Seems to me, someone was
supposed to have a happy birthday tonight."
 
"Which reminds me," Nana said, somehow taking the bait and cutting me off at
the same time.  "we've got a piece of unfinished business here.  Children??
 
Jannie and Ali jumped up, more excited than anyone.  Apparently, there was a
Big Surprise coming for me now.  No one was saying what it was, but I'd
already opened a pair of Serengetis from Bree, a loud shirt and two minis of
tequila from Sampson, and a stack of books from the kids that includeded the
latest George Pelecanos and a biography of Keith Richards.
 
Another clue, if I can call it that, was the fact that Bree and I had become
notorious plan cancellers, with one long weekend after another falling by
the wayside since we'd met.  You might think that working in the same
department, same division - Homicide - would make it easier for us to
coordinate our schedules, but it was just the opposite most of the time.
 
So I had some idea, but nothing really specific, about what might be coming.
 
"Alex, you stay put," said Ali.  He'd started calling me Alex lately, which
I thought was all right but for some reason gave Nana the creeps.
 
Bree said she'd keep an eye on me and stayed back while everyone else snuck
off to the kitchen.
 
 
From the excerpt of I, Alex Cross  (c) James Patterson