R. Edinger - Night Kill

“May I talk to him,” Talia asked. She had calmed down now. Peter thought for a second, and said, “Okay, but we’re going with you.” The police officer stepped aside and allowed them all passage to the room.

When they walked into the room, the person all of them knew as Andrew Knight had his eyes closed. He opened them with the noise from their footsteps.

“What now?” He was perturbed at the intrusion.

“I’m Sheriff Talia Delsmann,” Talia introduced herself to him.

“Am I in trouble?” he asked.

“No,” Peter winked.

“Do you recall what happened at the Higgins home?” Talia went right into her questioning. She kept up the pressure. “At JFK Prep or at the lake?”

“No,” he was a bit miffed at her barrage. “I only recall waking up in the emergency room, which was full of strangers. There was also Leslie Sommers and her daughter Hannah that came to see me. She told how she revived me in the horse barn.” He muttered, “I don’t know what JFK Prep is, who are the Higgins and nothing either about the lake. Don’t you understand?”

“So you have no memory beyond that,” Talia moved closer and stood at the side of his bed. She stared at his face and eyes. Talia was looking for any kind of recognition or reaction to her or her questions. She finally realized that it was like staring at a blank canvas, which was waiting for the painter to give it life. Talia stepped away and left the room.

“Like I asked,” he said. “Do I need to worry?”

“No.” Peter reassured him.

“Thanks,” he said and closed his eyes again. All he wanted to do was get some rest. They walked out quietly so he could do just that.

As soon as Peter exited the room, Talia pulled him aside so the others could not hear their conversation.

“Listen,” she spoke softly, and ardently, “If Knight ever does regain his memory or even comes near one of our ongoing investigations, and I will have him arrested. This I promise you.”

“Now it’s your turn to listen,” Peter got up in her face. “You do not want to be on Andrew Knight’s bad side, trust me.” Peter walked away.

Talia waved her deputies over and then they left. As they walked along, Talia thought that this thing with Knight was far from over. One way or another she would have his head on a platter.

The car ride to the hospital couldn’t have been any longer as far as Megan was concerned. She kept checking the speedometer to see how fast Lisa was driving.

Chloe was sitting in the back seat and was just as impatient. She just kept biting the nubs of her fingernail tips which were long since gone. She tried not to think about her dad at the moment because it would have just started her crying again.

Lisa kept thinking about Andrew as she drove them to the hospital. What would she say to him? She thanked God that Andrew was still with them, among the living. It truly was a miracle.

Bayport Memorial soon came into view as their car rounded the curve and over the bridge that spanned the river. Once they were over the railroad tracks, Lisa turned the car onto the street that ran in front of the hospital. Minutes later they were in the visitor parking lot. Once Lisa parked the car, they quickly exited and walked up to the hospital.

The circular door didn’t move fast enough for them, nor did they bother to talk to the receptionist at the main desk. They just breezed past and to the elevators.

Chloe pressed the button and again, they had to wait. Megan felt the baby kick and she gently caressed her belly. The elevator finally arrived, the doors opened and they all stepped inside. Chloe pressed the button for the third floor, the doors closed, and they were finally on their way.

Megan was the first one off the elevator when the doors opened to the third floor. She took off quickly as she could with Lisa and Chloe not far behind. When they got to the room they saw the police officer on guard. He saw them coming, recognized Lisa, and stepped aside. Megan drew a deep breath, exhaled slowly and walked into the room with Lisa and Chloe.

The only sound in the room was the man’s snoring as he slept. Megan walked over, bent down, and brushed his cheek with a kiss. He awoke somewhat startled. There were three women standing in the room. Their faces were sad, yet unrecognized. This couldn’t be good he thought.

The woman standing beside him with the black hair looked really pretty in her purple maternity blouse and black slacks. The others, the red head and brunette were dressed more casually in jeans and sweatshirts.

“And who are all of you?” He asked as he looked at each one in turn.

“Lisa Roberts,” the red head was the first to start. “We went to high school together. Now we sometimes work together on cases.”

“Right,” he nodded. “I’m a private investigator.”

“I’m Chloe,” Chloe took her turn. “Chloe Hawkins, your daughter. I’m also a private investigator too.”

“And that would make you…” Andrew looked at Megan.

“Your wife,” Megan finished his sentence. “And we’re going to have a baby.”

“I see that,” he said. He looked from one to another. “This is a bit overwhelming and I’m sorry, but I just don’t recognize any of you.”

“But D…” Chloe abruptly stopped, rethought her next words, and said, “We’re here to help you, not here to force anything on you.”

“Chloe is right,” Lisa agreed. “We’re here to help, because we love you very much.”

“I can see that,” he answered, his voice sounded sad. “It’s just that I don’t know you.”

Megan touched his hand, he drew it back. “You feel nothing.” Her eyes welled up with tears.

“I’m sorry,” he turned away from her. Megan left the room bawling. Chloe left to go after her. Lisa remained behind.

Lisa approached and sat on the bed. He didn’t move, which was a good sign.

“What would you like to know?”

“Who am I really?”

“You are Andrew Knight, a private investigator. You are adept in martial arts; know several languages, and your investigative skills are unrivaled. That is what you do, not who you are.”

“Go on.”

“You are a husband, father, friend, and are loved by all those around you. You are kind, loving, caring, and would do anything for anyone, at any time.”

“Sounds like an obituary.” He commented. “This is all good and such, but it still doesn’t help me.”

“The Andrew Knight we all know is in that head of yours. You just have to find him.”

Lisa got up, smiled a little, and left him alone.

Chloe finally found Megan. She was in one of the family waiting rooms staring out the big picture window. Chloe joined her on the floral sofa. Megan grabbed another tissue.

“What we do for a living is not necessarily who we are,” Megan shared her thoughts. “I believe they are our workself and our homeself.”

“True, but sometimes they overlap, influence us, and guide us in what we do whether at work or at home,” Chloe added. “My dad just can’t stop being a detective one minute and a husband the next. That’s who he is.”

Megan stood up and walked back over to the window. Chloe stayed on the sofa and did not follow.

“Andrew is my husband, my lover, my best friend. But I don’t know how much more I can take of what he does. It’s too much of a strain for me to deal with right now.”

“All I know is that the Andrew Knight we all love and care for is buried some where in the mind of the man in that room. We have to wait and see if that man rises from the ashes, or if it will be someone new.”

Chloe finally joined Megan over by the window. The subdued colors of the winter sun stretched their way across the azure skies. The day was near an end; a new one was waiting to be born.