Callye's Justice

by Donica Covey

  Chapter Twenty

  Justice paced the small cell while rubbing the ink from his fingers. It felt odd being on this side of the bars. Life without parole had taken on a special meaning for his relationship with Cas. Now its true meaning stared him in the face, and it was a bitter pill indeed.

  “How you holding up?” Mickey’s voice broke the silence.

  “Just great. I’m thinking of organizing a prison riot as soon as I step foot inside. How about you?”

  “Smart ass. There is a lot of confusion about what happened in that garage. Half the guys don’t even remember what happened, but DICI is asking a lot of questions. They want your head on a platter.”

  The Department of Internal Criminal Investigation was the bane of everyone in the agency. For the local cops it was Internal Affairs—and they were bad enough. But DICs were like pit bulls with rabies. Once they locked onto you, they held on until they infected and then killed your career.

  “Yeah, well serve it up,” Justice answered with a sniff and a nose rub. “Damn that hurt,” he groaned. Not only was he dealing with a dirty cast and broken hand, he now had several more cracked ribs and a broken nose. “Tell Chase, next time he wants to clock a friend, hold the juice back a bit.”

  Mickey shook his head and turned to walk away. “Next time don’t push your friends so far.”

  Justice reclined on the old mattress. Threading his fingers, he placed them on the back of his head between it and the pillow. Bitter resignation mingling with fatigue crumbled him beneath their weight and he drifted off.

  Cas stood beneath an arch twined with hundreds of flowers, her white gown billowing around her, her bright blue eyes glistening with tears, beaming a smile that outshone the sun.

  He took her hands in his, repeated the minister’s words, vowing his love for the rest of their natural lives and beyond. Tears slid down her cheeks as she did the same. Then he was holding her, kissing her and walking away arm-in-arm, their friends encircling them, cheering.

  “Justice,” Chase called.

  “Sure, you can kiss the bride, but only once.”

  “Justice,” Chase called again.

  His body shook and Justice jerked up, his eyes open. “What?” For a minute he forgot where he was, but then the memory came flooding back.

  “ME’s report came back. You’re getting out of here.” Chase was grinning.

  “Huh?” Now confusion gained momentum, swirling through him.

  “Your bullet never touched Abrahms. Renee and a local cop dug it out of the wall about six feet up. The bullet that killed Abrahms was a .357…”

  “That makes it all better,” Justice sneered. His Glock was a .357.

  “The grooves don’t match your gun. You only got off one shot before I got the gun from you. That one went to the wall. The bullet pulled out of Abrahms had a one-in-sixteen twist with six grooves, indicative it came from a Sig P.” Chase grinned again.

  “All right, let’s get me out of here. I’ve got a lady I need to be with.”

  There were still too many unanswered questions, but Justice was too tired to deal with them. They could finally wake up from Cas’s nightmare now. The men who were directly responsible for her pain were gone.

  Revenge wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. He’d spent so much time away from where he belonged—at Cas’s side. He was a jerk. A loser. A man who had been so consumed with retribution that he’d failed to see what really mattered.

  He headed for the shower to wash the grime and stink from his body, then dressed in a pair of shorts and a bureau tee shirt. His gun and his badge were back in his possession. Now it was time for Cas to be back as well.

  The noonday sun warmed the day and a little of its heat managed to seep into him. He zipped into the parking lot of the hospital and headed inside. At Cas’s floor, he saw Megan as soon as he stepped off the elevator.

  “Uncle Justice,” she squealed as she flew into his arms.

  “Hey, kiddo.” He ruffled a kiss into her silky hair. “How’s Aunt Cas?”

  “Aunt Callye,” she corrected, “is still asleep. Mommy was crying, but shh. We aren’t supposed to notice,” she whispered.

  Justice nodded and carried the child into the room. He studied Cas slowly and deliberately. She still seemed so far away. He placed a hand on Valerie’s shoulder and bent over to peck her cheek. “How is she today?”

  “No change.” Valerie sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Megan, why don’t we go and let Uncle Justice sit with Aunt Callye for a little while?”

  Megan shook her head, her curls waving furiously. “No. He’s going to make Aunt Callye well, and when she opens her eyes, I wanna be here.”

  He squeezed her tight. “Princess, I can’t make her wake up. All I can do, all we can do, is be here to give her all of our love.”

  Megan’s jaw set stubbornly and Justice couldn’t help but grin. Yet another thing Megan had in common with Cas.

  Valerie reached out and pulled at Megan. “Come on, pest, let them have some quiet time. We’ll come back.” Valerie walked away, almost dragging Megan behind her.

  Justice sat at the side of Cas’s bed, hesitant to put his filthy cast on the clean white sheets. He laid his arm across his lap and gently stroked her forehead with his other hand. “Okay, Cas, I’ve taken care of everything on my end, the rest is up to you. I need you to open those beautiful blues so we can get you out of here. I’m more than ready to marry you.”

  She didn’t stir. He was afraid she wouldn’t, but he still held out hope.

  He placed his palm on her hand and traced her long, slender fingers. “I guess I didn’t cover everything, did I? I need to get you another ring. Your hand’s too bare without it. Don’t worry. I can get you another one, I promise. I never break my promises, right?”

  He continued to sit, holding onto her, his life raft in the sea of turmoil.

  There was a tug on the sleeve of his tee shirt and he looked down into Megan’s eyes. “That was quick.”

  “Did you wake her up yet, Uncle Justice?”

  He heaved a sigh and picked her up, placing her on his lap. “We tried to explain to you. I can’t just make her wake up, princess. It’s going to take time. She’ll wake up when she’s ready, but she’s been so hurt and she’s so tired, she needs rest to make her body well.”

  “You’re dirty,” she said, changing the subject.

  “I guess I am, at that.”

  “Can I paint the cast for you?”

  “Maybe later.”

  She nodded and leaned back into his chest. “You know what?”

  “No, what?”

  “We’re going to be okay,” she said with a nod, her hair brushing his shirt.

  “That we will be.”

  Valerie was standing behind him. He didn’t lift his head. “You heard the princess, we’re all going to be okay.”

  “Well, it’s time I take the princess home and get her settled with a nap.”

  “I’m too big for a nap,” she argued.

  “I’m not even too big for a nap,” Justice replied.

  Megan’s head jerked around and she looked into his face. “Really?”

  “Really, but I haven’t been able to take one for a while. Maybe you could take one for me?”

  “It doesn’t work that way, silly.”

  “Let’s pretend.”

  She concentrated for a few minutes, then finally nodded. “All right.” She slid off his lap and leaned over the bed. “I can’t reach.”

  Justice lifted her up, helping her lean over the bed, and watched as she placed a kiss on Cas’s forehead.

  She leaned back in his arms. “You’re her Prince Charming, so just give her a kiss. That always makes them wake up.”

  He tweaked her nose and put her on the floor. “I’ll have to try that.”

  She stood rooted to the spot, watching him expectantly.

  He bent to kiss Cas. He was sure he heard Megan’s heart crack when Cas didn’t stir.

&nb
sp; “Maybe it’ll work next time. You just keep trying.” Megan turned and walked out the door.

  Valerie looked unsure of what to say. He understood perfectly. There were times when Megan seemed mature beyond her years, but at others it was profoundly clear she was just a little girl.

  He sat back down and laid his head on Cas’s arm. If only it really worked like it did in the fairy tales, Cas would be sitting up in his arms.

  There was a warm comforting weight on Callye’s arm. She felt Justice’s kisses and heard his voice. She’d also heard an angelic child’s voice saying that it simply took a kiss to break the spell.

  She needed to let them know she could hear them, needed to come back. Despite the pain, despite the fear, she wanted to come through the darkness. Not to emerge in the bright white light, but to open her eyes and see his face.

  Move, she ordered her arm. Open, she demanded of her eyes. Call him.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Justice stood to stretch his legs while the nurse took Cas’s vitals and checked monitors. The woman made a small gasping sound, jerking him around. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’ll be right back.” She turned and hurried away.

  He looked down at Cas, his heart pounding in his throat. The monitors still beeped, showing a regular heart rhythm. Her chest still rose and fell smoothly, so he knew she was still breathing. What had gone wrong?

  Where was the nurse? What was wrong?

  The nurse hurried back in with a doctor on her heels. Justice tried to see what was going on, but they kept shoving him aside.

  “Would you please wait outside.” The doctor wasn’t making it a request.

  “I need to know what’s wrong.” Justice heard the plea in his voice.

  “I’ll talk to you in a few minutes.”

  He stood outside the door, pacing and wiping his clammy palms on his pants leg. What was going on? He tried placing a finger on what set the nurse off and the doctor rushing back in.

  Before he could worry it any longer, the doctor stepped out. Justice watched his face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Actually, it’s a very good thing. The nurse found that Callye’s been crying. We thought it might have been a fluke at first, the eyes’ natural secretions, but I have every confidence in her advance towards recovery. What happened prior to the nurse coming in?”

  Justice couldn’t think. “Um, her sister and niece were here. They left just a few minutes before. I’d been talking to her.”

  The doctor smiled. “Just keep talking to her. Watch for any response, no matter how slight. Contrary to what you see on television, a coma patient doesn’t just open her eyes and sit up singing. It can be a long, stressful process, but you have every reason to be hopeful.”

  Justice knew the grin on his face was silly but he didn’t care. Cas was on her way back. He shook the doctors hand and hurried back inside. Rushing to her side, he took her hand once more.

  Valerie needed to know what was going on. He reached into his pocket to pull out his cell phone. It was awkward dialing with the thumb on his broken hand, but he couldn’t let Cas’s hand go.

  The phone kept ringing. No answer. Come on Valerie, pick up. Answer the damn phone.

  “Hello.”

  Thank God. “She’s coming back.” He was reeling with excitement. Cas was coming back to them.

  “Wait. What?”

  “The doctor said she heard me, she was crying. Do you hear me? She was crying. They said she’s on her way back to us.”

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Valerie sounded as excited as he felt.

  “See you then.” He clicked off. “Your sister’s coming. So let’s really surprise her. Come on, wake up for me, baby.”

  He slowly studied every inch of her, watching for any minute response. Nothing. He wasn’t going to give up. They’d dodged fiery explosions, kidnappers and bullets. He’d missed jail by a hair. “I’m not giving up now, baby, we’ve come too far. Come on, baby, open your eyes, please open your eyes. Let me know you can hear. Just wiggle a finger, squeeze my hand, anything to let me know you can hear me.” Open them. Open them.

  She still didn’t seem to know he was there. She would though, he was as sure of it as he was that birds flew. “Valerie should be here soon. Come on. Try a little harder. Open your eyes.”

  She didn’t even stir, and it killed him inside. The doctor had warned it would take a while, but he was clinging to the desperate hope that she would just miraculously recover.

  When Valerie showed, he was still trying to prod Cas to open her eyes, but it wasn’t working. “The doctor said it would take a while, but at least it seems like Cas was on the right path. He says we should keep talking to her.”

  Valerie walked around the bed and stroked Cas’s head. “Why don’t you go get some coffee? I’ll stay.”

  “No way. I’m going to be here when she wakes up.”

  “You need to take a break. You’ve been moving full tilt since this nightmare began.”

  If she only knew just how far he’d gone… But fortunately they were going to be able to keep a lid on the whole jail fiasco. “I won’t. I can’t stop now.” He glanced down at Cas, then back to Valerie. “Did you get Megan to nap?”

  “I got her to lie down. I don’t know what to do about her. She swears that you make the world go round.”

  He placed a hand to his heart and put on his best wounded face. “You mean I don’t?” His spirits were soaring so high, nothing was going to bring him down.

  “Pride goeth before a fall, you’d do well to remember that.”

  “I think we’ve all done enough falling. Now it’s only ever upward. We’ll keep plowing ahead as soon as she opens her eyes.”

  His voice hummed around her, pleading with her to open her eyes. Why didn’t he understand? She wanted so much to let him know she could hear him.

  Now her sister’s voice joined his. The tones were so much lighter. She could feel them close to her side.

  Come on finger, move, please, just move a little. Had it? She couldn’t be sure. If it did, had they seen it? No. Either it didn’t move or they didn’t see, because they weren’t speaking to her, only around her.

  The frustration burned her eyes again. She felt it then…a single tear slid down her face. They had seen the tear before. Maybe they would see this one. If nothing else, they’d know how hard she was trying to come back to them.

  The room went silent and the white haze came back, stronger than ever. How was she going to fight it when her strength was zapped trying to let Justice know she could hear him?

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Justice?” Chase entered the room. “How’s she doing?”

  Justice couldn’t stop his smile. “The doctor said she seems to be getting here. He thinks she can hear us. She was crying earlier.”

  “I think she’s crying again.” Valerie tried to temper the excitement in her voice.

  Justice moved to her side and leaned over, catching the single drop on his finger. “I know you can hear us, baby. I know you’re trying. Come on, baby, keep going. Let me know you’re in there.”

  She didn’t respond, but he didn’t feel as defeated as before. Twice now, she’d cried. It wasn’t a fluke or coincidence, she was responding to his words.

  “Maybe you should kiss her.” Valerie beamed.

  He bent over to kiss her again. It may not be the key, but as long as Cas knew he was there, as long as she knew how much he loved her, he’d do it until his lips fell off.

  “Next time I won’t twist your arm as hard,” Valerie joked again.

  “It’s great that things are finally breaking here.” Chase chuckled.

  “It’s about time,” Justice whispered the reply against her skin. “Come on, baby, wake up.”

  Be patient, just be patient, a small voice in the back of his brain admonished. He clamped a lid on that noise. Come on, Cas just one little squeeze, that’s all I need.

  Valerie moved over to the
bed and took Cas’s other hand. “As soon as you wake up, we’ve got some major plans ahead of us. We’ve got dresses to look at, cakes to sample, flowers to order. I’m more than ready to see my baby sister walk down the aisle. I know a man who’s dying with anticipation for that day to come.”

  “She’s right, baby. I’m really in a hurry.”

  Justice looked up to see Chase watching him.

  Chase moved closer. “I’m going to head out. How about some dinner?”

  “Not hungry,” Justice answered.

  Valerie pushed him gently. “Get something to eat before you collapse. Then take a nap.”

  “I thought Megan was going to do that for me.”

  “That’s not how it works, silly,” Valerie mimicked Megan’s small voice.

  Justice looked down at Cas and finally nodded in agreement. “I won’t be long.”

  “Take as long as you need, we’ll be here.”

  He followed Chase out the door. “I’m more than ready to get her back.”

  “Quite a change from the man who was ready to let her slip away.”

  “Yeah, well that fool is gone. She’s safe. The threat is gone. We’re going to move on. I will never, ever lose her.”

  Chase seemed to be distracted as he nodded. Justice picked up a faint feeling of discord in the air between them.

  “Chase? Something eating you?”

  He didn’t say anything at first. “No, nothing.”

  A warning light flashed in Justice’s mind. “You always were a shitty liar.”

  “Nothing’s going on. My mind’s as clean as a brand new book.”

  “Maybe a coloring book. Your brain’s all scrambled if you think you can lie to me.”

  “Hang on—” Before he could finish his line, the elevator stopped at their floor and Chase’s cell rang. “Willett. Yeah? Well, all right.”

  His mood had improved greatly and Justice wondered at the quick transformation. “You win the lottery?”

  “Pretty damn near. See, it’d been bugging me. Who hit Abrahms, since we know it wasn’t you?”

  “One of our guys.”