Anna J. - More Than A Lawman

“I didn’t see you,” she managed and did as he’d said, collapsing against the flimsy pillows as the squeaky mattress eased under her. Her right shoulder both ached and burned. “Thought I was alone.”

“I told you I’d be here when you woke up,” Cole said. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Since when don’t you believe me?”

“It’s been a rough night.” She searched for the humor even as she stared at her bandaged wrists. “A few things might have shifted in here.” She poked a finger against her temple. “What time is it?”

“Almost noon.”

“On Saturday?” Her brain and mouth felt fuzzy. The drugs.

Cole nodded. “Doctor Collins should be by in a little while with your test results. You hungry?”

“What?” He sounded weird, as if he were speaking under water. Her brain was not cooperating. She sighed and dropped heavy arms onto the mattress. “Yeah, actually.” The stent patch in her arm pinched and her stomach turned. Then again...

“They were warm when I bought them.” Cole pulled a paper bag from the counter beside her and handed her a cinnamon raisin bagel from Schofield’s Bakery.

She smiled, forgetting for a moment what had put her in the hospital in the first place. “My favorite.”

“I wanted to make sure you’d eat.” He gestured to the three containers of lime gelatin on her table. “I didn’t think those would do much for you.”

“Is that color even found in nature?” She broke off part of the bagel and popped it in her mouth, the spicy flavor exploding against her tongue as her stomach growled in eager response. “I owe you,” she mumbled behind her hand. “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” Cole pulled his chair closer. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Not here.” She could barely swallow at the thought of being surrounded by medical personnel and machinery. “Later.”

“Not much later.” Cole didn’t look surprised. “Fair warning. I called Simone and Allie.”

Eden choked, sputtering bagel onto her chin. She wiped the crumbs away and Cole passed her a cup of water.

“Why?” she squeaked. Her eyes teared, and she drank. “Why would you call them?”

“Because they’re your best friends and I didn’t want them reading about this on the front page over their morning coffee.”

“What front page?” Surely her own paper wouldn’t have featured— Who was she kidding? Of course they would. “How bad is it?”

“For you?” Cole shrugged, but Eden could see he was keeping his temper at bay. He was angry, frustrated definitely, and she must be in pretty bad shape if he was willing to hold things in check until a later time. “You’re breathing, so I’d say you’re in better shape than the other eight people they found in that locker.”

“Eight.” Eight lives. Eight souls. Turn eight on its side and it became infinity. Infinity... A killer like the Iceman would keep going unless he was stopped. Unless she stopped him. “Who were they?” She’d made them a promise. One she intended to keep.

“We should know in the next day or so. In the meantime—”

She shoved another bite into her mouth and jostled the railing. “In the meantime, I need to get out of here before—”

“Too late. I’m here.” The sharp feminine voice shot through the doorway and preceded Simone Armstrong’s pristine white form into the room. The woman wore white as effortlessly as a bride and more elegantly than a queen.

The bride she’d been for all of three months a few years back. A queen? It was probably on her list of things to do. Eden once considered submitting Simone’s photo to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary so they’d have a visual display of professional perfection.

“You didn’t have to come down,” Eden mumbled as she picked at a loose thread on the blanket. They might be the same age, but at twenty-nine, Simone was most certainly the eldest. “Aren’t you getting ready for the Denton trial in a few weeks?”

“Denton’s not going anywhere. He’s on ice.”

Cole snickered. Eden glared at him and he shrugged. “Tell me that wasn’t a little funny.”

Simone flicked a latch under Eden’s bed and lowered the bar before sitting beside her. Eden caught the familiar, comforting scent of Simone’s perfume. Some kind of flower. Eden didn’t do flowers.

“Thank you for calling me, Cole.” Simone took hold of Eden’s hand and squeezed, and only then did Eden feel the fear trembling through her friend. Eden had scared her. Again. Not that Simone would ever admit to such a thing in public.

“I wasn’t going to deal with her all on my own.” Cole’s grin didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You know the way she gets.”

“She is getting that way right now.” Eden felt a puff of relief as Allie Hollister flitted into the room like the dark-haired pixie she was. “Finally. Someone reasonable. Allie, please tell them— What. Is. That?” Eden angled her eyes to the sad-looking one-eyed panda bear tucked under Allie’s arm.

“Pathetic, isn’t he?” Allie walked over and plopped the bear on Eden’s lap. “Looks like he’s been kicked around a bit. Found him on the top shelf of the gift shop. Discounted by about a million percent and it still cost me ten bucks. He reminds me of someone I know. Can’t imagine who. I also stopped by your place and got you some clothes.” She dropped a plastic bag on the bedside table. “Ooooh, bagels. May I?” She snatched the sack and snagged the second one. “I missed breakfast. So, how was your night?” She fluttered her lashes innocently at Eden—as if she didn’t know.

“Okay, okay. I get it. I was stupid. I even told myself that when I was hanging in that meat locker.”

“Gah.” Allie’s mouth twisted as she dropped the bag. “Thanks so much for that image. At some point we’re going to have to discuss this annihilation wish you seem to have.”

“Stop analyzing me, shrink.”

“Criminal psychologist, please.” Allie held up her hand much like their fifth-grade teacher had when correcting a spelling error. “I worked hard for those degrees.”

“Excuse me.” An unfamiliar voice accompanied the knock on the door frame. Eden lifted weary eyes to the cautious-looking blond man wearing dark green scrubs. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I need to draw some more blood before they remove your stent, Ms. St. Claire.” He held up a plastic-handled container one might carry cleaning supplies in. “It won’t take but a minute.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.” Eden squinted to read his badge as he drew closer. “Glen.”

“Careful—she bites.” Allie grinned.

“Shut up.” Eden shifted and focused on Cole. The expression on his face seemed odd, caught between concern and confusion. But the smile he gave her was pure Cole and took her breath away. Where would she be without him?

“All done.” Glen gathered up his supplies.

“That’s some touch you’ve got, Glen.” Simone patted Eden’s knee in comfort. “She barely flinched.”

“Have a good day.” He gave them a quick wave on his way out.

“So which one of you is going to fill us in on what happened?” Simone asked as she looked between Cole and Eden.

“Didn’t you read the paper?” Cole asked.

“I only read the paper if I’m featured,” Simone said with a sly smile. A lie. Simone never read the paper, not even Eden’s articles. “You finally did it, then, Eden. You’re solidly in some maniac’s crosshairs just like you’ve always wanted.”

“No fair picking on the sick girl,” Eden said.

“She must be desperate if she’s playing that card.” The other railing went down as Allie perched at the end of the bed and rested her hands on Eden’s feet.

The monster inside Eden settled, curling up and falling into hibernation once more. She had her friends—her family—around her. She was safe. Even in a hospital, she was home when she was with them.