Ruth Herne - Healing the Lawman's Heart

“I can hardly wait.” Julia stage-whispered the words. “I can disappear and give you guys time to visit if you’ve got sensitive cop stuff you need to discuss.”

“We don’t, but thanks. Tanner, you want coffee? Tea? Piper made a pitcher of tea this morning because the long winter is getting on her nerves.”

“I’m sure it has nothing to do with the grumbling husband stuck in the living room.” Julia grinned at him from across the room and added, “I kind of love that you’re trapped. How mean is that? I can sling sisterly barbs in your direction and you’re pretty much helpless.”

Zach glowered at her, but Tanner saw the sparkle in his eyes as well, a look that said he loved his sister.

Tanner loved his sister, too. He and Neda did everything together as kids, and he’d even walked her down the aisle at her wedding. But now he shied away from her because she had two little ones. He was missing a lot of life in his self-imposed cocoon.

“Tanner. You told me you have a sister, right?” Zach asked.

“I did say that.”

“Is she a pain in the neck?”

“Definitely.”

“Does she bake you brownies with walnuts and chocolate chips?” Julia brought a plate over and set it on the small table they’d rigged next to Zach’s recliner. “And bring you the latest Sudoku puzzles to keep your mind sharp while you while away the next few months? And did she or did she not give you a gift subscription to Netflix?”

“Once I’m awake enough to watch anything, I’ll thank you.” Zach gave her a tired smile. “You know I’m grateful. Just a little grumpy and medicated.”

“Blah, blah, blah.” She leaned over and kissed Zach’s forehead, winked at Tanner and started to leave, but Zach called her back.

“Julia, sit a minute. I want to hear your plans for the clinic, and with Tanner helping—”

“Not necessary, but again, thank you for offering.” She shot a bright smile at Tanner, but he wasn’t about to be sloughed off. Helping out was something he wanted and needed to do, for his own peace of mind.

“I’m good for grunt work.” He said it mildly but made sure she knew he wasn’t about to budge. “So what’s the configuration you took to the town for approval?”

She looked trapped.

Good.

He might hate the idea of having a pregnancy center there. But he wasn’t against health care, so he’d swallow his personal misgivings and man up.

“A small reception area with about a dozen seats around the perimeter. Then a short hall with an exam room on either side, and one at the base of the hall.”

“T-shaped formation.”

“Yes. And an alcove for weigh-ins, drawing blood, entering notes into the system.”

“System?”

She nodded. “The grant covers a computer system that’s integrated with the main computer at the home office. We’ll be able to enter data from both sites.”

“Will the computers be locked up at night?”

She frowned.

“To thwart things like what happened four blocks away when Zach got hurt.” He indicated Zach with a glance. “Visible equipment makes you an easier target for thieves.”

“They’ll be built in, actually.”

“Hardwired?” Zach asked.

She stared at him blankly. “What does that mean?”

Zach laughed without thinking, then grimaced in pain. “That means built right into the electrical system. No plugs.”

“Yes. I’m sorry, I thought you realized, but we upgraded right after Jack was born so you haven’t seen the new computers. And these machines wouldn’t do anyone any good, actually.” She brought her attention back to Tanner. “They’re not meant for anything other than entering and transferring patient records, so why would anyone want to steal them?”

“First, you’re giving thieves way more credit for brains than most of them deserve,” Tanner told her. “And second, on the black market, everything has a price and a buyer, if for nothing else than to hold information hostage.”

“Why would anyone do that?”

Zach and Tanner spoke in unison. “Money.”

She pressed her lips together as reality hit home. “I guess that’s a risk we have to take.”

“Not if you go old-school and use paper at the clinic, then have someone update at the main office each day.”

“Who has time for that?” Julia directed the question to Zach but stared at Tanner.

“That’s what a lot of practices did until a few years ago,” he reminded. “I’m not telling you how to do your job, Julia, but I’m looking at this from a police perspective. Out of sight is always better. Lessen the temptation, you avoid the crime.”

“So we have to either hire a data input person to transfer files at the main office each day or risk a B and E”?

“If you have part-time personnel, couldn’t they tack an extra five hours onto their weekly schedule to upload daily information?”

Now she looked interested. “You know, that might work, Tanner. We have a couple of people who might benefit from those five extra hours. And if we didn’t have to expand the integrated system, we could use the money for something else.”

“Everyone’s happy that way.” Tanner reached for a brownie. “Would you care to join me in a celebratory brownie?”

She eyed the plate, then shook her head. “I’m going to pass.” She stood, glanced at her watch and said, “Actually, Zach, I’m going to head to the gym as long as Tanner’s here and the boys are with Dad. Call my cell if you need anything. Tanner, are you okay here for half an hour, give or take?”

He hoisted the tray of brownies. “Preseason baseball on cable and these. We’re good.”

She grabbed her purse, gave the brownies one last look and started for the door.

“When do we start demolition?”

“Soon, but I have to check Dad’s schedule.”

He made a “call me” sign with his right hand. The move made her laugh, but it wasn’t hard to see the shadows in her eyes. She left and he turned to Zach. “Does she hate me?”

“Julia doesn’t hate anyone, not even her stupid ex-husband who cheated on her, made her feel like dirt, and ignored his kids for over two years and now expects her to jump through hoops so he can visit them.”

Tanner held up a hand. “I’m going to stop asking you questions because the meds have unhinged your tongue and your sister might kill you for telling me all that.”

“All what?”

Zach looked confused, which meant the meds were doing a number on him. Tanner grabbed the remote, turned on a preseason Pittsburgh game and settled into the wide-armed chair with the tray of brownies close. “Baseball it is, my friend.”

But Zach’s words ignited a curl of sympathy wrapped around a thread of anger. What kind of idiot cheated on a beautiful woman like Julia and ignored his kids? The thought of a father dismissing his children frustrated him. He’d never had the chance to carry, rock or play with baby Solomon.

A tiny part of him wondered, for just a moment, if maybe Sol and Ashley were together in heaven. If maybe, just maybe, she was holding their son in her arms, and whispering stories about his dad on Earth.

He shoved the sentimental thoughts away, but as he did, a cardinal lit on the tree outside Zach’s front window. The red bird danced, waved a wing, then danced on the branch again.

Beauty in everyday things.

Ashley had talked about that all the time, and he thought she was being cute and fanciful, but right now, seeing the bird, imagining Sol tucked in Ashley’s arms made it almost seem possible.

The game came on and when he glanced back up, the cardinal was gone.

For a moment he’d felt hopeful, as if there might be more to this life than he believed.