Wounded Heroes Boxed Set

by Judith Arnold

  "Come on, let’s try. It’ll cheer you up." She glanced at her watch. "We’re off duty."

  "Nah, I don’t want to."

  "You don’t want to do anything." She yanked Joe out of his chair before he could stop her and called up RightMatch.com. "Give me your password."

  "No."

  "Then I’ll surf." She mumbled under her breath. "I didn’t know you were such a coward." She fiddled with the keys, played around with them while Joey went to the window and stared out of it. He didn’t pay any attention to her until he heard a gasp.

  "What is it?"

  "Nothing," she said, and as he turned, he saw her exit the site.

  "Why’d you do that?"

  "Because you didn’t want to look."

  "Shelly?"

  "It’s late. I’m meeting Pete for dinner. Want to come?"

  "No, you go ahead."

  As soon as Shelly left, he retraced her actions on the computer. And was shocked as hell to see Dana’s picture come up. What the fuck? Then he remembered. He’d played this trick on Spence, making him think Annie had gone back online to date. Did they think he was an idiot? Of course Shelly would never have been able to put up Dana’s page. But Cole could. He grabbed his cell and punched in Cole’s number. After several rings, his brother answered. A screaming mimi was in the background. "Joe, it’s a bad time."

  "I can hear that. Just answer me one thing. Did you put Dana back on the site to give me a kick in the pants?"

  "What? No, I didn’t. Ellie’s been sick for days. I haven’t had time to shower, let alone trick you."

  "Please, Cole. Don’t fool me now. I don’t think I can take that."

  Louder crying. "I didn’t, Joey. Honest to God. Now I’ve to go."

  Joe clicked off and looked up. In the doorway stood Ruth Cosgrove.

  "I overheard. Your brother didn’t trick you. Dana’s back dating again. She’s out with some professor tonight."

  His eyes narrow, he studied Ruth. "How do I know you’re telling me the truth?"

  "You don’t of course, but this is why I came. You’re going to lose her, Joey, if you don’t do something soon. This guy is really nice. And he’s had experience with wheelchairs, like Craig."

  In answer to her warning, Joe threw the phone still in his hand across the room. It shattered against the wall—a lot like his life.

  ***

  DANA HAD STAYED late at the studio because she didn’t want to go home. Ruth, of course, was with Jeremy, the house would be empty and she was sick of missing Joe so much. She’d finished all her weekly plans and decided to go into the first classroom and "dance." If she pushed herself, the movements she could go through might tire her out enough to sleep, something she’d been having trouble doing.

  She put on a skirt, wheeled into the classroom and eased into her standing chair. In front of the mirror, she got a good look at herself.

  You look like shit , her reflection told her.

  "Yeah, well fuck you! I have a right."

  You have no right. This was your choice. He wanted to work on the relationship.

  " Do you have any idea how much it hurts that I make him feel all the bad things he experienced when he was a kid?"

  Oh, grow up, Dana. People have problems. If they love each other enough, they work them out together.

  " Just shut up!"

  She turned away from the mirror, silencing her inner voice, or whatever the hell it was. For an hour, Dana executed hand motions, twisted and bent in contortionist moves until every muscle in her upper body was screaming. Time to quit, she decided. Wheeling over to the lights, she switched them off. It was then that she noticed something shining into the windows of the classroom. It looked like a flashlight beam, about ten feet away. Though the darkness was eerie and a chill skittered up her spine, she didn’t turn the lights on. She wheeled over to the middle of the glass and pressed her face against it to peer out. Maybe some kid was smoking back here. Hell, she hoped it wasn’t vandals. That’s all she needed!

  A loud noise rent the room, then the sound of glass shattering, horrible crashing. The chair propelled backward for a few feet then tipped over. Oh, God, was her last conscious thought.

  ***

  JOE HAD VOLUNTEERED to work the night shift for one of his guys because the girls were with Leona and his house was too empty to go home to. So he was sitting at his desk, doing the endless paperwork associated with his job, when the call came into the office. "Sergeant Moretti."

  "Hey, Sergeant, this is Bill Jordan. I’m a captain from the Fairfield Police Department. We’ve had a break in of sorts at a dance studio here in town. The woman who was there at the time asked us to call you."

  His heart dropped to his stomach. "Dana?"

  "Ah, yeah. Dana Devlin."

  "Is she all right?"

  "She’s really shaken. Somebody threw a brick through the window. It hit her, of all things."

  Oh, dear God in heaven. "Hit her?"

  "She was lookin’ out the window because she saw a light out back."

  He glanced at the clock. "At midnight? What the hell…"

  "I know. Women! She should have called nine-one-one if she suspected something amiss. Anyway, we’re at the studio now and she asked us to call you. We tried the cell number she gave us and got no answer, so we thought we’d try your precinct."

  "I’ll be right there."

  "Gotcha."

  He made the twenty-minute drive to the studio in fourteen with the help of the bubble on top of his sedan. Police lights blinked on three cars parked at angles in the lot. He swerved into a space on the grass and bolted out of his vehicle.

  "Hey, wait a second," a uniform called out.

  He flashed his star and circled around the side. "Shit," he said when he approached the shattered windows. He walked right through the jagged glass and stood at the edge of the room. Dana was seated in her wheelchair, a blanket around her, while a medic worked on her head. Despite his acute fear, his police instincts surfaced. "Can I come in?"

  "Yeah, we’ve processed the crime scene." A man crossed to him. "I’m Jordan. I called you."

  "I owe you." Joe acknowledged the guy, then strode to Dana. Kneeling down, he grasped her hand. The other was bandaged. "Honey, I’m so sorry."

  Her eyes were full of fear. "I was so scared, Joey. The brick hit me and threw me backward so hard. I was completely powerless. And exposed."

  "Oh, baby." He noticed the medic held an ice bag to the back of her head. "How is she?"

  "Might have a concussion. Some bruises on her hands, scrapes on her neck. Miraculously, there doesn’t seem to be any glass embedded in her anywhere."

  "Th-the…impact threw me to the floor." She shivered in the chill of the night air coming in through the shattered window.

  The medic smiled indulgently. "You must have covered your face with your hands."

  "Jesus." All Joe wanted was to hold her.

  "I think you should go to the hospital and get checked out," the medic added.

  "I will, tomorrow, if I’m sore."

  "Oh, you’ll be sore Ms. Devlin. You could also get something for the pain."

  She looked up at Joe. "Sh-should I go to the hospital?"

  Joe stood. "Yeah, honey, you should." He faced the medic. "I’ll go with you."

  The guy stood back; Joe bent over, picked up Dana and cuddled her close to his chest. "I’ll ride with you in the ambulance. Get her chair," he said to the medic.

  A drop in adrenaline made his knees weak, but Joe held Dana close and strode out of the studio.

  ***

  DANA LET JOE make the decisions, carry her to the ambulance, demand to be seen at the ER and eventually bring her to the safety of her home. She never wanted to leave this haven again. He’d helped her wash up and dress in pajamas, then settled in bed next to her. Propped up on pillows, holding her close to his side, he brushed his hand down the hair that had haunted his midnights.

  "I was so scared, Joey," she whispe
red again.

  "Of course you were. I would be, too, if somebody threw a brick at me."

  Still in disbelief, she shook her head. "Why would anybody vandalize a dance studio?"

  "I see buildings vandalized all the time in the city for no good reason. Kids on a dare. Somebody high on drugs. A disgruntled patron."

  "I can’t believe it."

  He kissed her head. "I’m so glad you’re not hurt any worse. And that you called me."

  Nosing into his chest, she tucked in her chin and stayed there. "You were the first person I thought of."

  "I’m glad."

  She sighed heavily. "I’m tired. I want to sleep."

  "Go ahead. I’ll set my watch to wake us every hour."

  "Don’t leave me."

  "I won’t. I promise."

  ***

  AFTER FIVE HOURS, Dana seemed good so Joe turned off his watch. But he was roused at nine by a noise out in the kitchen. Dana was sound asleep because of the pain medicine he’d forced her to take, so he eased himself off the bed. After hitting the john, he left the bedroom and headed to the kitchen. Where he found Jeremy and Ruth having coffee. When they saw him, their faces beamed with smiles. It took him a minute to realize why.

  "Nice seeing you again, Sarge," Jeremy said.

  They assumed he and Dana had reconciled. "Um, it’s not what you think." He faced Ruth. "Dana’s okay now, Ruth, but somebody threw a brick at the back window of the studio at midnight. Dana was there, looking out, and the impact sent her backward onto the floor."

  Ruth bolted up. "What?"

  Jeremy rose, too, while Joey explained the situation. Ruth went stark white when she heard the whole thing.

  "Do the police know who did it?" Jeremy asked.

  "The Fairfield captain called me while we were at the hospital. Apparently patrons from the café next door saw somebody peel out of the parking lot. But the car smashed into a tree, so they went outside. The person backed up and tore out, but they have a plate number."

  "Oh, my God. I’ve got to see Dana."

  "She’s asleep."

  "I won’t wake her. I just have to see her."

  Ruth left and Jeremy sighed heavily.

  "This could affect you, Jeremy. Ruth’ll feel guilty for not being with her tonight."

  "We’ll work it out. I know that now."

  "Care to give me some lessons?" Joey asked, crossing to the coffee pot and pouring a mugful.

  Before Jeremy could answer, the front bell rang. Joe crossed to the foyer and opened the door. On the stoop stood Bill Jordan. He said without preamble, "I have news and you aren’t going to believe it."

  Joe let the guy in. "Tell me straight."

  "The person who threw the brick is a thirty-nine-year-old suburbanite. A woman. The country-club set."

  "You’re kidding. Was she high on something?"

  "Alcohol—and she was pissed. At your girl."

  "At Dana?"

  "Yeah, she wanted to get her daughter into the Devlin School and they were filled up. Then her kid told her Dana let somebody in who wasn’t even on the waiting list."

  "Oh, my God. My daughter was the one accepted."

  The guy rolled his eyes. "All this for a dance class? I don’t get it. To be fair, the girl was acting out and the mother thought she’d be motivated by being in such a prestigious dance school with restrictions. The mother also just started anti-anxiety drugs, which have been known to cause erratic behavior especially when mixed with booze. But in any case, the woman had no idea Dana was there at midnight."

  "She must have seen her through the window, dancing."

  "No, Ms. Devlin turned the lights off and was just leaving the room when she saw something out the window and went to investigate."

  "It’s still a crime."

  "Oh, I know. And she’ll be prosecuted." He looked behind Joe. "Is Ms. Devlin here?"

  "Yes, but she’s sleeping."

  "No I’m not." Joey pivoted and saw Dana sitting stiffly in the chair next to Ruth. Her hair was disheveled, her face as pale as Ruth’s and creases marred her lovely forehead. "I overheard what you said. I’m incredulous."

  "Me, too," the captain muttered.

  But Joe wasn’t paying attention to them. He was thinking how, indirectly, he’d been the cause of Dana’s bruised and battered condition.

  ***

  "I THINK IT’S too soon for you to be back." Ruth frowned over at Dana as she entered the office. "Judith and the demonstrators can handle the kids."

  "I know. But I’m going stir crazy. I won’t do any demos. I just want to work."

  Folding her arms over her chest, Ruth stared at Dana. "Still haven’t heard from him?"

  Dana shook her head. Joe had left the morning they got the news about Elyssa Langston and he hadn’t contacted her since. She’d tried his cell, emailed and texted him to no avail. Obviously, he didn’t want to talk to her. "I just hope he doesn’t feel guilty about Kara being accepted here."

  "That boy feels guilty about everything. Then again, he’s had a tough life."

  Ruth had been making noise about Dana’s unwillingness to give Joe another chance, and truth be told, Dana was wavering about it anyway.

  "You don’t have to stump for him, Ruth. I’m changing my attitude toward our situation." He’d been the only one she’d wanted to see when she was hurt, and that meant something!

  "What are you going to do about it?"

  "I honestly don’t know. He’s not taking my calls or texts. And I haven’t wanted to contact the girls, but I did call Leona. She said he called and told the kids he’d be away for a few days."

  "Well, I hope you hear from him soon. The longer you don’t talk to him, the worse he’s going to feel."

  Ruth’s words plagued Dana as she went through the day. Almost as much as thoughts about the Langston family. Still, she was shocked when Elyssa Langston showed up at the studio around suppertime.

  "What are you doing here?" Ruth asked, standing in front of Dana.

  The woman’s hair was scraped back off her face in a messy ponytail and her hands were clasped at her sides. "I…I’ve come to apologize."

  Dana wheeled around Ruth. "Come in, Elyssa." She looked up at Ruth. "I want to talk to her. You can stay or leave."

  "No way will I leave you alone with this woman. I’m staying."

  The three of them sat at the table by the window. "Ms. Devlin, I’m so sorry for what I did to you. Things have been really rough at home." The woman’s eyes clouded. "Sara’s been running with a wild crowd. I thought if I got her in here, she’d be with nicer girls. She loves dance. It’s the only thing I could think of."

  "I’m sorry, Mrs. Langston. If I’d have known more, I might have done things differently."

  "I should have told you instead of…" She motioned to the studio. "I can’t believe I did that. Just before I came here, Sara was picked up by the police for smoking weed, my husband flipped and blamed me and I…lost my mind for a while."

  Ruth’s face softened. "Are you getting some counseling?"

  "Yes, I’m seeing a psychiatrist. My lawyer thinks that will help my case. I’m making restitution of course, for the window, but I can never make up for what I did to you, Ms. Devlin."

  Reaching over, Dana grabbed the woman’s hand. It was ice cold. "I understand, Elyssa. I do. And I’m not going to press charges."

  "It won’t matter. I committed a crime."

  "It’ll matter. I’ll come to court and testify if I have to."

  "I don’t deserve this."

  "We all deserve second chances. Now, you know we’re expanding next door."

  "No, I didn’t."

  "Well, we are. And I’ll make sure Sara’s on the audition list when that space is ready for instruction."

  After a weepy Elyssa Langston left, Dana felt better.

  Ruth went in for the kill. "That was very interesting what you said about second chances and forgiveness. Physician heal thyself," she quoted.

 
Dana nodded. "I told you I was trying. I can’t find Joe. Where the hell did he go?"

  ***

  "HI, SERGEANT."

  "Good morning, Joe."

  "So you’re back, buddy!"

  Joe smiled at the group of people taking this seminar at a conference hall on Canandaigua Lake. The therapist he’d started seeing recommended doing research on Dana’s situation and he’d found this workshop online. He’d taken four days off from work to participate.

  He looked around. Several people in the group were women, in all stages of ability. A few men joined them. Joe was the only solo member. They’d teased him when he’d told them he was hoping the workshop would help him get his girl back.

  One woman started talking about what she wanted out of life, more than anything in the world, after an injury which was similar to Dana’s.

  But Joe’s mind drifted. He hadn’t called Dana or answered any of her texts or messages. He’d gotten his head on straighter after the accident, three sessions with his therapist and then come down here. They did need to talk but not before he stacked the deck. This workshop was one way.

  He glanced at the moderator, who was glowing today. God, he was dying to see Dana glow like that.

  ***

  JOE HADN'T CONTACTED her in ten days, and Dana had gone through many stages regarding Joey’s disappearance from her life. The first had been worry, which turned to anger at his refusal to answer her texts. The last was resignation. Maybe he’d given up on her because of the newest blow about Kara’s role in the brick-throwing incident. Whatever made him stay away, she was incredibly sad.

  Today was cold outside, but she went racing anyway at the high school’s outdoor track. The wind slapped her face, though the nylon sweat suit she wore broke the impact on her body. Rounding the circle, she thought about being here with Joe, how she’d fallen, how concerned he’d been. Sometimes she wondered how she’d doubted him—he’d gotten her out of her comfort zone on so many things. Had she been naïve to think he’d have no doubts? She’d been upset after she’d found out about his dad’s ALS, so she knew all along the potential for repercussions for what he’d gone through as a child. Did he just need more time that she hadn’t given him? Had she been unrealistic about her reservations?