Hers to Protect

by Catherine Lanigan

  Josh would be asleep for at least an hour, so Violet said goodbye to Katia and Austin and walked to the station. She saw her squad car in the parking lot. “They’re back.”

  Racing inside, she was at her desk before she realized she was out of uniform. She didn’t care. She went straight to Trent’s office and rapped on the door.

  “Yes?” Trent answered from inside.

  She opened the door. Trent, Sal and Bob were huddled around Trent’s desk looking at photos.

  “May I ask what happened?” She was surprised at the anticipation that filled her.

  “No arrests,” Trent replied.

  She walked in and looked at the photos. Half the printouts were shots she’d taken and emailed to the station. The others were new. “Who took these?”

  “We did. After the perps left,” Sal said, tilting his head toward Bob. “He followed them.”

  “Yeah. For the past three hours. Then I lost them up in Michigan.”

  “We’re guessing they’re headed for Detroit.”

  Violet narrowed her eyes as her mind shunted into detective mode. “You sure? Not west toward Chicago?”

  “Not sure.” Trent pushed a photo aside. “The license plate is Michigan.”

  “But it could be a flipper,” Bob suggested.

  “You mean one of those rotating plates that has Illinois on one side and Michigan on the other?” Violet posed.

  “Yep,” Bob replied.

  “And the trace?”

  “Nada.”

  “Figures,” Violet said with a deflated sigh. She’d been the one to get a bead on the plate. Then it turned out to be bogus. And why wouldn’t it be? These were highly organized and professional gangsters.

  Trent peered at her, straightened and put his hand on his hip. “I told you to get some rest.”

  “Oh. That.”

  “Officer...”

  “Sir, I was at the hospital where Josh Stevens underwent surgery this morning.”

  “And how did it go?” Trent queried.

  “Long. Thorough. Successful.”

  “Excellent. This time I order you to get some rest. Then continue surveillance of Stevens.”

  “Yes, sir.” Violet started to leave. “Should I put my activity this morning in my report?”

  Trent didn’t look up. “Yes.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  She went to her desk, typed her report quickly and sent it to her boss. She didn’t include Katia’s observation that she’d fallen in love with Josh.

  * * *

  VIOLET HAD FOLLOWED ORDERS. At home, she’d slept till 8:00 p.m. She washed her face, put on white slacks, a thin aqua turtleneck and white slip-on canvas shoes, and a bit of makeup.

  She drove her squad car to the fast food drive-through, then to the hospital.

  Visiting hours were over, but family and “close friends” were allowed to visit patients anytime. There were few people in the halls, and one of the night nurses knew Violet from high school.

  “Lila, how are you?” Violet asked.

  “Great. How’s Indian Lake’s newest rookie?”

  “Oh, thanks,” Violet laughed. “But I’m off duty now.” Liar. Liar. The words from the Castaways song filled her head.

  “Who’re you here to see? I didn’t see anyone from your family on the patient list.”

  “Oh. I’m a friend. Josh Stevens.”

  “Aw, c’mon. You know him?”

  “Lila, your ‘groupie’ vibes are shooting off the top of your head.”

  “Sorry. I haven’t been this way since Boyz II Men were on the scene,” she laughed. “I gotta run. See you around, Vi.”

  “Later.”

  Violet walked to Josh’s room and slowly pushed the door open.

  He was asleep, propped up in bed, three pillows behind his head. His chest was bare, but most of his torso was covered in gauze, swabbed with an orangey-red Betadine solution, and his left arm was stabilized in a sling. Huge bandages crossed over his shoulder. She guessed this was where the incision was made. Though the surgery was arthroscopic, Dr. Evans obviously had worked on several areas. Violet couldn’t help the flash of anger she felt against Harry who was all too ready to hand-wave all Josh’s medical concerns, when he needed even more care than any of them had imagined.

  A light above his bed had been dimmed, casting eerie shadows about the room. On the wheeled tray to the side of his bed was the peanut butter jar with the roses and peonies from Mrs. Beabots’s garden.

  She placed the bag of food and the drink carrier on the tray.

  “Josh?”

  He didn’t move.

  With the lightest touch, she smoothed a lock of hair off his forehead. She hadn’t noticed how long his eyelashes were before. Looking down on him from this angle, he looked very young and peaceful.

  She couldn’t help wondering if he’d ever had any peace when he was growing up in the foster homes. Did he have peace now with all the demands from his career and his entourage? Or was this moment of medicated surgical anesthesia the only respite he’d had?

  His stomach growled. Her stomach growled in answer.

  “Josh, I’m here.” She leaned down, placed her hand over his right hand and gently kissed his forehead.

  Without opening his eyes, he whispered, “You missed.”

  Josh encircled his fingers around her wrist. “C’mere.”

  He kissed her.

  His lips were tender and soft. As they lingered, she couldn’t pull away. For a moment, she wondered if he even knew who he was kissing. After all, he could be in the middle of some anesthesia-induced dream.

  “Violet...” he said as his kiss grew with eagerness. He dropped her wrist and lifted his hand to her nape, pulling her in for a deeper kiss.

  He moaned.

  “Josh, I’m hurting you.”

  “No, honey. You’re healing this pain.” He captured her mouth again. This time his lips trembled with emotion.

  Violet wasn’t sure if the moisture she felt against his cheek were his tears or perspiration. The room was warm.

  Or was she warm?

  Reluctantly, she pulled away. “How are you, really? Does it hurt?”

  “Only when I breathe and move.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He stared at her. “Did they tell you how long the surgery was?”

  “Nearly four and a half hours.”

  “Really? Why?”

  “Dr. Evans said there were more injuries, Josh. Things that were torn and ruptured from previous accidents.”

  “Oh. Those.”

  “You knew about them?”

  “Yeah. Kinda.”

  “And you still raced? Josh, why do you take so many chances with your health? With your life?”

  He pressed the back of his head into the pillow as if to put distance between them. He looked at her dubiously. “Look who’s asking that question. Turn that finger around. You’re the one who puts her life on the line every morning. You’re in far more danger on a daily basis than I am.”

  “You got me there. But the thing is, I’ve known since I was a kid that I was going to be a detective someday. It’s in me. I feel it. I sense things that other people don’t. And if I can be part of the force that brings down this, this—” she flipped her hands in the air “—wave of illegal gangs in Indian Lake, I’ll be...”

  “Happy?” Josh interjected.

  “Fulfilled.” She smiled.

  “And then?”

  “Then I could get that detective position in Chicago or even New York, like I told you.”

  “Oh, my.” He grinned broadly with merriment dancing in his eyes.

  “What?”

  “Admit it. In your way, you need a portion of fame to get you to where you want to go.
I admire that in you, Violet. You have ambition. Just like me. So, you see? We’re not so different, after all.”

  “You think?”

  “Uh-huh.” He reached up, clasped her chin between his forefinger and thumb and gently pulled her toward him. “I especially like how we like kissing each other.”

  Violet’s lips grazed his. “Who said I like it?”

  “Please don’t argue.”

  He kissed her sweetly. Then his stomach growled again.

  “Josh.”

  “What?”

  She lifted her head away. “I brought you something to eat.”

  “I’ll say.” He grinned impishly, then immediately winced. “Sorry. Bad joke. But I do like the way you taste.”

  “I meant dinner. I haven’t eaten, either.”

  “Yeah? What is it?” He looked past her at the drive-through bag.

  “Your choice. Healthy or unhealthy?”

  “Unhealthy.”

  “Why am I not surprised.” She chuckled. “Burger. Fries. Milk? Water?”

  “I better leave the hard stuff till later. I’ll have the water.” He traced his finger along her jawline. “Vi, thanks for coming.”

  “I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” she replied, surprised at her own admission.

  “You mean that?”

  Her hesitation lasted a nanosecond. “I do.”

  “Good. Then will you promise me something?”

  “Uh.” She eyed him.

  “Always the untrusting cop.”

  “Josh...”

  His face was serious. His eyes pleading. “Stay with me tonight. I don’t want to be alone.”

  She inhaled. This was the first time any man had asked her to sleep over. Granted it was in his hospital room.

  “I’ll stay,” she answered, then turned and opened the food bag. “Oh, good. They gave me plastic utensils. I’ll cut up the cheeseburger for you. It’ll be easier to eat.”

  “You’re not going to feed me?”

  She jerked her head around and glared at him. “Don’t push it.”

  “Kidding. I was kidding.” Then he asked, “Where did the flowers come from?”

  “The flowers are from Mrs. Beabots.”

  “No one’s ever given me flowers in a peanut butter jar before. I kinda like it.”

  “Stop kidding.”

  “I’m not. It’s homey. And you brought them.”

  “Yeah. I was in a hurry.”

  “A hurry.” He paused as his eyes locked on hers. “To see me?”

  She stopped cutting the cheeseburger. “Uh-huh.”

  “Well, well.” He smiled faintly and laid his head back on the pillow. “Suddenly, I’m really tired.”

  “My fault. All this chatter.”

  “I like your chatter.”

  He closed his eyes. “Maybe a nap before I eat.” He shivered. “Cold.”

  Violet put the burger back and pulled the extra sheet and thin cotton blanket up to his chest, carefully placing the covers over his sling and bandages.

  Violet pulled the large faux leather chair closer to Josh’s bed. She took out the black plastic container of salad, opened the packet of raspberry vinaigrette and drizzled it over the field greens. She ate, watching Josh sleep. She also noted that he didn’t move his arm, legs or head. She didn’t know much, but in an academy-recommended six week course in emergency medical treatment she’d taken her first year, she’d learned that injured victims who remained very still were in a great deal of pain.

  Though Josh was asleep and the anesthetic was still doing its magic, his body was in discomfort.

  And how long have you been in pain, Josh? What pushes you to race when you know you shouldn’t or that you’re putting your health at risk? Fear of failure? A need for success? Or is it something deeper? Something darker?

  She finished her salad and put the empty plastic container in the trash. She had just finished the milk when Josh roused once again.

  His eyes opened slowly. He looked surprised.

  “Hi,” she said, as she rose from the chair and stood by the bed. She touched his cheek. He was cooler than she’d expected. “Can I get you another blanket?”

  He laid his hand over his stomach. “I’m really hungry.”

  “The burger and fries are cold. Sorry,” she said.

  “I’ll brave it.” When he tried to sit up, he groaned.

  “Here,” she said, grabbing the pillows. “I’ll put these behind the small of your back. That’ll help.”

  Violet plumped the pillows and helped him sit up straighter. Then she raised the back of the bed.

  “Better,” he said.

  Violet took out the burger and fries and placed them on the inside top cover of the second salad. “In case you change your mind, I got a second salad and three different kinds of dressing.”

  Josh dipped a French fry in the ketchup. His stomach growled loudly. He took several bites of the burger. “Mmm,” he said with his mouth full.

  She handed him a paper napkin. “I told them to hold the onion.”

  “But I love onion.”

  “I figured that, too. But I didn’t want to be kissing you with onion breath.”

  His hand halted as he was about to bite into another fry. “You were planning to kiss me?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “When you were at the drive-through?”

  “Uh-huh.” She took the paper off the straw and put it through the opening in the plastic cover on the container of water. “Is that bad?”

  “No.” He shrugged his shoulder slightly and winced. He rolled his eyes at himself.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, putting the water back on the tray. “You look really pale.”

  Josh slid his hand over his stomach. “I feel cold again.”

  “I’ll cover you...”

  “No!” His hand flew to his mouth. “I’m gonna be sick.”

  Violet whirled around, grabbed a blue plastic vomit bag from the top of the night stand and held it up to Josh’s mouth just as he threw up into it. He gagged. Spat. Gagged again.

  He nodded. “Okay.”

  Violet handed him the water. “Here, take a sip and spit. I’ll find a toothbrush and call the nurse.”

  Violet hit the call button and went to the bathroom to find a toothbrush and toothpaste. Just as Josh had put the toothbrush into his mouth and made the first swipe, Lila came in.

  “Mr. Stevens, are you all right?”

  “I threw up,” he said with the toothbrush dangling from his mouth.

  “Was there bile?” Lila asked.

  “No.” Violet shook her head. “Cheeseburger.”

  Lila looked from Josh, who took the toothbrush out of his mouth, to Violet. “That’s what was in the bag you brought in?”

  “Yeah,” Violet replied sheepishly. “Not good, huh?”

  “Uh, no. I’ll bring some gelatin and lemon-lime soda. Tomorrow morning he can move to the hard stuff like toast and tea.” Lila took the barf bag, frowned at them both and left.

  Violet moved back to Josh’s side. She couldn’t help smiling. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Well, there’s one thing about all this, Violet.”

  “And that is what?”

  “You’ve certainly seen me at my worst.” He held up his index finger. “First, you arrest me and put me in jail. Then you witness the worst crash of my life. Now, you’ve seen me cut up, stitched up and throwing up.”

  “It’s been—different.”

  “Not disastrous?”

  “No.”

  “That’s good.” He held her gaze with so much sincerity that Violet found her doubts being erased.

  He tried to reach behind his head and move the pillow, but she was faster than he was. “Don’t do that. Let
me help,” she scolded.

  He leaned his head back again. “I’m still more tired than hungry, I guess.” He closed his eyes.

  “I can imagine. You get some rest. Uh, maybe I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She started to gather her things.

  “You said you’d stay.”

  “You really want me to?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Violet sat down in the chair and laid her head on the side of Josh’s bed so that he could touch her each time he awoke. Violet didn’t have much experience with caregiving, but she did know that if she’d just had surgery in a strange town, she would like to know someone cared enough to quell her fears and spend the night with her.

  Violet had never thought about being a special someone before, but now she was filled with an unfamiliar warmth. She felt at peace, which was just as unfamiliar as the warmth. She had no idea if this was love, but if it was, she suddenly realized that if it was taken from her, the loss would be painful.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  JOSH OPENED HIS eyes and saw Violet’s sleeping head on the gurney. He touched her hair, amazed at its silky feel. “Hey, you.”

  She lifted her head and opened her eyes. Amazing. Clear and bright upon first awakening.

  “You stayed with me.”

  “I did.” She leaned back and stared at him. Her smile was faint, but it felt like sunshine resting on his face. “Oh!” She looked at her watch.

  “What?”

  “I’m late for work. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes.”

  “Good thing we’re only six blocks from the station.”

  “Good thing.” She grinned.

  Just then an orderly brought a breakfast tray and placed it on the swivel tray table.

  Violet stood. “The nurses will be back in a few minutes.”

  “Yeah. Go. Will I see you later?”

  “Sure. I’ll text you.”

  “Okay.”

  She stood and moved toward the door, still looking at him. She wasn’t out of the room and he missed her. How was that possible?