Миранда Джеймс - Claws For Concern

As she talked, her expression softened, and I not only heard but felt the love in those words. I wasn’t sure I deserved a partner as understanding and supportive, but I was thankful every day that she had come back into my life.

“Frank, get that bottle out of the fridge, please.” Laura stood, baby Charlie in her arms. “I think it’s time we went home.” She looked from me to Helen Louise and back. “I think there’s nothing more that needs to be said other than: I love you, Dad, so please be careful.” She smiled.

I felt too overwhelmed by my jumbled emotions at the moment to speak. Diesel rubbed his head against my leg and, as if by reflex, my hand began to stroke his back.

I managed to pull myself together enough to walk to the front door with my departing daughter and son-in-law and baby Charlie. I kissed the baby’s forehead. He opened his eyes and smiled. Then he yawned and went back to sleep.

After I saw them out the door, I watched, Diesel at my side, until they drove away. When I closed and locked the door, I turned to see Helen Louise waiting at the foot of the stairs. She held out a hand to me as I walked over. I grasped her hand, and we walked slowly upstairs.

• • •

Two hours later my ringing phone roused me from sleep. I felt Helen Louise stirring beside me. I watched her for a moment, reluctant to let the outside world intrude. She yawned and pushed strands of dark hair away from her eyes.

“Hadn’t you better answer that?” she asked.

Diesel, who must have walked in while we were sleeping, meowed.

“Unfortunately, yes,” I said as I reached for the receiver. I knew it must be the hospital. “Hello, Charlie Harris speaking.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Harris,” a male voice said. “I’m a nurse at Athena Medical Center, and I’m calling you on behalf of one of our patients, a Mr. William Delaney. He is awake and resting comfortably. He would like to talk to you when you have time to come see him.”

“Thank you for calling,” I said. “Please let him know that I’ll be there in about thirty or forty minutes.”

“Sure thing.”

I replaced the receiver and turned to Helen Louise and Diesel. “The hospital,” I said. “Bill Delaney would like me to visit. He’s awake and resting comfortably.”

“What time is it?” Helen Louise asked. She yawned again, and that made me yawn.

I checked the bedside clock. “Three forty-seven.” I turned back to her. She placed a hand on my chest, and I covered it with my own hand. Then I grasped her hand, pulled it to my lips, and kissed it.

Helen Louise smiled. “Are you going?”

I sighed. “Yes, though I’d much rather stay right here with you.”

Diesel warbled.

“And with you, too, silly boy,” I said. The cat chirped and looked smug. “I need to shower first.”

“Go ahead,” Helen Louise said. “Diesel and I will be right here.” She stroked the cat’s head, and he began to purr.

I threw back the covers and slipped out of bed. I turned for a moment to look at my beloved, and I wanted to climb right back into bed and pull her into my arms again. But duty called.

Forty minutes later I arrived at the hospital. I checked at the front desk to find out Delaney’s room number. He was on the third floor. I headed to the elevator.

The door was ajar. I knocked, and a hoarse voice called out, “Come in.”

I left the door halfway open after I entered the room. I approached the bed, shocked by Delaney’s appearance even though I had seen him earlier in the emergency room. His head was still bandaged, but he seemed alert. His legs had casts, and they protruded from the covers on the bed. Both arms had bandages, and his face appeared haggard. I noticed two scraped places on his face, one on his chin and the other on his left cheek. His eyes were sunken, and he looked much older than his sixty-six years.

“Thanks for coming.”

“I’m sorry you were injured so badly.” I moved closer to the bed. “I hope you’re getting pain medication because I’m sure you’re hurting.” I pulled up a chair, positioned it close to the bed so he could see me, and sat.

“Don’t feel much of anything right now,” he said.

“Do you remember what happened?”

“No.” He looked away as if embarrassed. “Too drunk. I don’t remember leaving the apartment.” He frowned as he turned his head to face me again. “Don’t know how I got downtown. I was so lit I don’t see how I made it down the stairs without killing myself.”

I had wondered about that myself. His apartment was several miles from the town square. How had he managed to walk that far in his condition? Probably took the bus , I thought. He couldn’t have walked that distance.

“You must have got on the bus somewhere near your apartment,” I said.

“Maybe,” Delaney replied. “Got a bus pass.”

“The police will find out,” I said. “I’m sure the driver would remember.”

“Probably so.”

“My daughter and son-in-law happened to be there when it happened,” I said. “They saw the whole thing.”

Delaney frowned. “I don’t remember anything. Can you tell me what they saw?”

“Sure.” I related the story to him. “Now, my daughter is sure that driver deliberately hit you. Do you know anyone who would have a reason to do that?”

Delaney looked startled, and for a moment he also looked afraid. Then his expression turned bland. “No.”

He was lying. I knew by his reaction he had an idea who had run him down. Why wouldn’t he give me a name? Who was he protecting?

TWENTY

“Are you sure about that?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Delaney replied. “I appreciate you coming to the hospital, but I really got no claim on you. You’ve been kind, but I can’t impose on you anymore.”

He wanted to get rid of me, and that convinced me he was lying about the hit-and-run driver. I didn’t think now was the time to press him on the subject, however. He looked beaten down and vulnerable due to his condition, and I couldn’t force myself to play a bad-cop routine when he was like this. I would give him a day or two to think about it, because he had obviously had no idea someone tried to kill him until I told him. After he thought about that nasty fact he might change his mind about talking to me.

I rose. “I’ve been glad to help, although I really haven’t done much. Is there anything you need?”

He shook his head, then winced. “No, thanks. Like I said, you’ve done more than enough. Right now I just need to rest.”

“All right,” I said. “But if you change your mind, I’m only a phone call away.”

He nodded, then closed his eyes. I stood there a moment longer, but he didn’t move or open his eyes. I turned and left the room, pulling the door halfway closed as it had been when I arrived.

As I approached my car in the parking lot a few minutes later, I remembered I needed to call Jack Pemberton and fill him in on today’s events. I didn’t like talking on the phone while I was driving, even though I now had a car—purchased last month—that allowed me to sync my cell phone to its audio system and talk hands-free. I had used the feature only twice, but, while it was convenient, I was still concerned that I might get distracted. Even though I had conversations when there were people in the car with me and managed not to have accidents, a phone conversation didn’t feel the same.

When I arrived home, Helen Louise and Diesel greeted me at the back door. I kissed Helen Louise before I gave Diesel a scratch on the head, and he didn’t seem to mind.

“You’re back sooner than I expected,” Helen Louise said.

“Sooner than I expected also,” I replied. “He says he doesn’t really remember anything, other than that he thinks he took the bus to get downtown from his apartment. After that he’s pretty blank.”