by M J Hutto
“I think I found the house. But it’s like four miles away from where we found you. You think you could’ve run that far on that foot? In the amount of time you had?”
My mouth falls open. Four miles? I’d run four miles in what fifteen minutes? I’d taken the power up amulet and a number of other things. I’d never really tested to see exactly what I could get out of it, “Maybe. I don’t know exactly what the power up is capable of. I guess if my body can physically do that then its possible. It works by allowing you to use all your resources without leaving anything unused. Like when moms lift trucks off their kids and stuff like that.”
His eyes are gleaming with ideas, “But when you’re done, you’re done, dude. I couldn’t have fought off a wet paper towel after I laid in that drainpipe. I was done. Not just because of my injuries and stuff but because it took everything I had and gave it to me for those thirty-six minutes. I knew I had to get where I could before I fell out. I was lucky I didn’t just die.
“My guess is he didn’t think I could’ve gotten that far either. And you could see that light from the house?”
He was nodding. “On a clear night you can see even further. That field is huge. And the other way leads to a drop off of about one hundred yards into sharp rocks. It’s good you went the way you did.”
“Did you leave? Did you go out there?”
“Oh, no. I just looked it up online. There’s a satellite view and I can get the floor plan from the courthouse tomorrow if it isn’t protected information.”
He pulls up the view of the area to show me. My heart is racing so I don’t get too close. I can see the house and the shed apparently four miles away. There isn’t another structure for ten miles around. I’m cold again and start shivering.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He pulls the blankets up around me, “You got yourself out. You saved yourself and then we found you. You beat him.”
“I really want this to be over. I just want to go home and for this to be over.”
He smoothes my hair back gently. “We’re getting there. You made it this far and you’re made of some tough stuff, Kable VonSable. This asshole isn’t going to beat you.”
I snuggle under the blankets, and he brings me another. He tucks it around my shoulders and sits back down.
“I see they let you shower. I’m glad, you smelled like a gutter rat.”
I grab my balled-up wrapper and throw it at him. It hits him in the face and he laughs loudly. He picks it up and tosses it into the trash without looking.
“No more weapons for you. And I’m just saying, I’m glad they let you wash that stink off. I know you feel better.”
I give him side eye and wait for the punch line.
“I mean you certainly smell better.”
“You’re hilarious. I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”
He clicks his mouse a few times before answering. “I don’t want to be your friend, Sweet Cheeks.” My face flames with the memory of him walking in on my bare ass. “I want a lot more than friends. I’m not pushing but I want you to know. I know it’s been bad, and I want to give you time but I also want to be clear. If you don’t want that then you need to let me know.”
I lay quietly snuggled under my blankets. I don’t really have anything to add to that at the moment. I open myself to let his aura show. It is gold and silver and passionate violet and pink (love?). I’ve never seen an aura like his before. I’ve never seen gold and silver in an aura by themselves much less together.
Jaylin had told me once mine was shot through with silver, but I thought she might just be seeing some white where I was blocking some powers, or I was confused. I seem to be confused a lot. Take right now for instance.
I must’ve made a sound because he turns and looks at me, His eyes are shining, dark reflective pools. I see myself looking back. My face is bruised and drawn, and my eyes are huge. My mouth has fallen open again.
He smiles. This smile is not sweet. It is sinful and hot and hungry. I blink at him, and I think he might be glowing a little. I blink again and its gone. He reaches for my hand, and I let him.
“I don’t want you to worry. I’m not going anywhere; I’ve got the rest of my life. If you don’t want anything to do with me then I’ll be devastated but I will leave you be. I don’t know if I can just be friends but I’m willing to try. Don’t say anything yet, give yourself some time to heal.
“In other news, I’d like you to be a part of our unit. A consultant of sorts.”
The direction change is too sudden and dizzying for my poor addled brain and I am confused. “A consultant?”
He nods and the shimmer of his aura swirls lovingly around him, as if it can’t help touching him. I have to close off my sight. I’m not doing very well focusing on both. And I want to run my fingers through it.
Before I can get it closed off my nurse walks in. She’s surrounded by energetic orange and peaceful yellow with clouds of depressed gray. I’ve worked with nurses before, to help them learn to shield. They are surrounded by people’s worst days; it leaks onto them no matter how hardened they think they are.
I get the shields back up and the sight suppressed and look back at him. He’s sitting peacefully at the computer. I look back at Kelli.
“I’m good. You know what I do? Who I am?”
She nods.
“Come see me after they let me escape. I’ll help you learn to shield. It’ll help you not take this home.” She nods again, smiling sadly, and walks out. I hope she’ll come.
32 Yippee Ki Yay
“I have been in this hospital for too many days. It’s Christmas Eve and I want to go home. Please, for the love of all things holy. I don’t want to be here, you don’t want me here, let my people go!”
Elliot is back, he’s ending up his shift and we’re trying to get the doctor to discharge me. They had kept me in the ICU for security reasons more than anything and I was going crazy.
Dr. Plié-yep like the ballet position-isn’t convinced. They put rods and screws and other hardware in my foot yesterday morning and I spent the day in pain but nothing that couldn’t be managed at home.
“I swear I’ll get someone to stay with me around the clock. I have family just waiting for the chance to aggravate the shit out of me. Excuse me,” I say, putting my hand over my mouth.
Elliot laughs. “That ain’t the worst thing he’s heard, not even today.” He winks at me, “I bet your Detective Hottie would be more than happy to stay with you. Might even help you with a bed bath or two.”
My face flames red and hot. “Eh hm, yeah maybe but I gotta get outta here first. Dr. Plié, please! I’m going to end up shorting out your stuff. One bad dream and my chaos will surge, and I’ll blow out your machines.”
I wink at Elliot when the doctor turns his wide eyes to him. His face never budges from his serious, stern look. He nods solemnly.
Dr. Plié sighs. “Fine but you have to go in to see the ortho doctor tomorrow.”
I hesitate. “Tomorrow is Christmas. I don’t think they’ll be open.”
“I feel like this is a mutiny. Okay, then see them the next day or the next if they aren’t open the day after either. I don’t understand how they get away with that but what do I know?” He’s grumbling under his breath at the end but heads to his computer.
“Make sure you write for enough pain meds. I don’t want my girl sitting home in excruciating pain either.” Elliot nods to me as he calls out to the desk. The tall doctor with a bald head waves back and we hear him muttering about mutiny again.
I hug Elliot and thank him for breaking me out. I have to call for a ride home and arrange for someone to stay with me. I realize I don’t know anyone’s number off the top of my head. Usually, I can remember Karmine’s or Dorian’s.
The detective had left a card with his number, so I call it. He sounds busy but says he’ll be here. Elliot says to tell him an hour, that gives us time to get everything ready. Karmine brought me a skirt and sweater to wea
r home yesterday when she came to visit. And a pair of shoes. I look for socks and find two pairs. One is ankle socks, and one is knee highs, bless her soul.
I get dressed, sign my papers and Elliot got my prescriptions filled in the hospital pharmacy for me. We pick them up on the way out and are waiting in the lobby when he pulls up.
Elliot helps me into the backseat and leans down to squeeze my arm, “Don’t be a hero. Take the meds, prop the foot, and use ice liberally. If the pain gets to be unbearable you need to come back. Take the antibiotics and drink plenty of water. Make your detective get you some stool softeners to go with your pain pills. Dr. Plié didn’t write for those but you’re gonna need them.”
I lick my lips and look out the door at him. “Thank you, Elliot, for everything. Y’all have been wonderful!”
“Try to stay out of trouble, chick.” He closes the door and waves to us before turning to jog back inside with the wheelchair. It’s cold out and he didn’t wear a jacket.
“So, where to Miss Daisy?”
“Oh, y’all are both just hilarious. A couple of comedians, aren’t you?”
He chuckles. “Too right! Where we going? I’m surprised you called me. I figured your family would take you home.”
I squirm in the seat and look out the window at the brown, dead looking trees. “I couldn’t remember any phone numbers. I think my brain is still a little scrambled. You left your card, so I called you. I’m sorry. Thank you for picking me up.”
He catches my eyes in the rear-view mirror, “Anytime. You want an update?”
I nod. He’d come by yesterday, but I was just out of surgery and pretty doped up. I asked them to take me off the pain pump again. I hate not being able to wake up.
Anyway, he sat with me a little while and then went to do detective-y things. Dorian had spent the night with me but left this morning for work around four. He hadn’t said much except they were working on it and they were close. I think he was worried about getting my hopes up.
“We used the bullet to confirm the shots that killed Jim were from Victor’s grandfather’s gun. They were a definite match. Surprisingly, the gun was just sitting in the display case at his house.”
“I don’t think he believes he’ll be caught. He’s very arrogant.”
He grins broadly, “Well, honey pot, he believes it now. He’s in custody down at the station. We also traced the property back to his mother.”
“Wow, really?” Maybe if I just ignore the pet names he’ll stop. It could happen.
“Yep, and he hadn’t cleaned up. They’re still processing the evidence collected but the prelims are a match to him and you. And, Kable, we found Karmine’s charm in the house. The one that keeps her safe from your protective shields.
“They are testing against the other victims too. I think there’ll be matches for all of you. Including some of the ones from other areas. I think this was his murder house.”
“Have you talked to him? Why did he do it? Oh, I need to talk to Karmine. She’s going to be so upset. I don’t want her to blame herself for anything. No one knew.”
He holds up his hand to stop me. “She’s with your parents. They are going to meet us at your house. I haven’t talked to him. We turned him over the FBI.”
“But you deserve to close this! Don’t you need to get the credit for the new unit. We need that unit. Look what you’ve already done. Oh Karmine, what am I going to do.”
“Alright, Sugar Foot, slow down.” He’s doing it on purpose, his eyes are gleaming, and he barely contains his smile. I will not react. Sugar foot, what the hell does that even mean!?!
He shakes his head. “No? Okay. I don’t need to close the case. Our unit will get credit for solving this and the FBI can tie him to the other murders in the surrounding areas. We don’t have any jurisdiction over them, but they do. We’ll continue to back them up and make our case.
They won’t take the case away, just help and be a bridge. They have someone here from behavioral analysis who is probably talking to him right now.”
I nod. It sounds okay but I don’t want them to miss anything or mess anything up.
“Don’t worry, they know what they’re doing. We won’t let them miss anything, okay. He’s going to be put away for a very long time.”
I can feel the tears running down my face, hot and stinging. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I said I wanted it to be over and it almost is, right?”
“Oh, honey. It’s not over. There is still a really long way to go but at least he’s not out running around. At least we know where he is and people know what he’s done. You’re safe.”
I sniffle loudly-it isn’t cute at all-and wipe the tears on my sweater sleeve. This is also very uncute. I guess I’m being anti-cute today with my hospital bed hair and sexy walking boot.
“You’re right. I’m safe and I can look out for Karmine. And your unit is doing well, and Dorian has a new job. And its Christmas Eve and still Yule. Do you celebrate a winter holiday?”
“Wow, you are all over the place,” he says chuckling. “You are going to give me whiplash.”
“I think Elliot gave me two pain pills before I left. I think he was worried I wouldn’t take another one for awhile. To be fair, he was right but I’m pretty sure he played dirty.”
“Elliot is a smart man. What kind of pain pills did you get?”
I lean my head back; my eyes are feeling heavy. “Ioknow. White wiff pink sprinkles. He said somethin’ bout how strong they are, but I can’ member what.”
“Interesting. What’s is it you keep calling me? I can’t remember?”
My eyes try to open but they are SO heavy. I don’t remember telling him that, when had I done that. “Don’ member tellin’ you that. You’re bad, ‘tective ‘ottie.”
I can feel the satisfaction radiating from him. “One day, maybe.”
***
We stop moving and I force my eyes open. My house is in front of us and so are Jekyll and Hyde. Emma and Lucy are probably hiding from the cold. Or maybe all the people. My family is waiting for us at the doorway. Dorian or Kent must be inside to have gotten everyone in safely. I hadn’t given Karmine a new charm yet and my parents didn’t get one. I’d given one to them in the past, but Father lost his and Mother refused to use it.
I try to walk but the meds are working a little too well. I pet and hug Jekyll and Hyde and allow Detective Hottie to pick me up to carry me inside. At least he’ll be safe walking over the threshold. The dogs follow closely. I see Thibbs riding on Jekyll’s collar.
He’s holding me tightly and walking carefully. It’s sweet until he whispers, “Where can I drop you off, Sugar Plum?”
I swing my head around too quickly and see a few stars. He’s not watching where we are going, instead staring into my eyes but manages to make it up the steps without difficulty. There’s a scar next to his lip I’ve never noticed before. I have an incredible urge to kiss it and to know where it came from. Who would mark him like that?
I shiver and shake my head to clear it, “Maybe just the couch. I don’t think they’re gonna let me rest just yet. I bet Kent and Vera made cookies to decorate, its tradition.”
He puts me on the couch and grabs pillows from my room to prop me up. Someone brings an ice pack from the kitchen and someone else brings me some iced tea. Jekyll puts his head in my lap on one side and Hyde the other. I tell them how good they are and thank them for finding me and taking care of our home. I cry a little into their warm ruffs and promise to be more careful. Hyde leaves first then after licking the tears off my cheek Jekyll does too. Emma and Lucy are snuggled up in one of the chairs. They are sleeping, so I leave them be.
Karmine sits down beside me, and the tears are already falling. She is sobbing. I pull her to me and hug her. I tell her its okay and I’m okay and she couldn’t have known and it’s not her fault and other comforting things. They are all true and eventually she stops crying.
“I love you so much. Please don’t hate me.
Please, Kable, I can’t stand it if you hate me.”
“Oh, baby. I could never hate you. I mean it. I don’t hate you. You’re my favorite sister.”
She pushes my shoulder. “I’m your only sister, cray-cray.”
“Then I guess its good you’re my favorite, huh?”
“Whatever. I’m staying here with you till you get back on your feet. I don’t want you being alone.”
“Well, it is the least you can do…”
“Hey!”
“I’m kidding, I promise. I’d be happy to have you stay if that’s what you want. But you don’t have to. I met a couple of really cute nurses I might be able to talk into staying with me.”
“I think you’re going to be stuck with me, sorry, sis. They’re busy making money and visiting their families.”
“Fine. What have we got to eat? I’m starving.”
“I think they brought cookies to decorate. I can run over and grab something from the shop. What do you want?”
“Anything, everything, nothing. I think the pills have me a little nauseous.”
She walks away and comes back with toast, “I sent Kent for goodies from the shop. He’s going to order some food for lunch. Mother said something about cooking and we both vetoed that right away. In the meantime, I thought toast might be a good start. I put cinnamon sugar and butter on it.”
“You’re an angel,” I say as I’m devouring the toast. The nausea is getting better. “I might need a little help to the bathroom. I think my nurse was a little enthusiastic with the pain meds before I left. I might’ve told Achlys I call him Detective Hottie. I’m pretty sure I did. Maybe I can just pretend it didn’t happen.”
She walks me to the bathroom, and I send her to make more toast. I turn and find Jaylin sitting on the edge of the tub. She’s wearing the white dress. I’m so glad to see her. So relieved.
“Did they get him? Oh my God, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
We talk about everything. Her tears make wet spots on the bathroom rug. I’ll have to think about that later when I can think it through. She says she’s sorry and I basically have the same conversation I just had with Karmine.