Emma, Dangerous by Dellani Oakes – Part 2

Sam picks up Emma at yet another party, and she's a mess. By long habit, he takes her to the hospital emergency room, where me meets a woman named Rosalee.

"Hello, Sam. And the girl?" She gestured gracefully toward the back. "Your sister?"

"Girlfriend—friend—we aren't dating, not right now—well—it's complicated." He muttered before sipping his drink.

"So I gather." She smiled pleasantly.

"It's complicated," he mumbled again, wishing it weren't. Wishing he knew how to fix it and make all the bad things in Emma's life go away.

"Tell me about complicated. What makes it so?"

Sammy exhaled slowly, thinking about it. What made it complicated? Emma. He and Em together. Her father, his parents—everything.

"I dunno, exactly."

"Let's uncomplicate it. If you had to pick one thing," to Sammy it sounded like ting and he smiled, "to change between you, what would it be?"

"The drugs," he decided quickly. "I'd get rid of the drugs."

"Are they the problem or the symptom? Would getting rid of the drugs really uncomplicate things?"

"It would help. There are reasons for the drugs. Emma uses them to escape."

"Escape what?"

"I'm not sure I should tell you." He took a sip, looking away evasively.

"Honey lamb, I'm a social worker here. Dr. Rivers wanted me to speak to you."

"Why have I never seen you before?"

"I have never been here before. I'm new—this is my first week. So humor me—and make me look good to the boss-man."

She patted his hand, her fingers warm and comforting. He looked at their hands. Hers was long fingered, broad palmed, dark, with bright red nails. His looked fragile, grubby and pale in comparison. He wondered how she could stand to touch him. Then he realized she really didn't mind. Even wet and dirty, three days growth of scrubby beard with splatters of mud and vomit on his shoes, smelling like week old socks, she didn't care. His fingers squeezed hers appreciatively.

"Her old man abuses her."

"Sexually?"

"Yeah."

"And have you told anyone?"

"A lot." Sam got defensive. "The state pulls her out, they go to court, her folks deny it, and the state sends her back."

"And you do what?"

"Report him again. Only they're tired of hearing from me. I'm a kid. What do I know? I've only seen him come on to her. Then I beat the hell outta him for it."

"And?"

"Then the cock sucker presses charges. Juvie record." He held out his arm to demonstrate the length. "Only I'm seventeen now. Next time, I get tried as an adult. Judge already told me."

"Her mother knows?"

"Yeah. She knows."

"And does nothing?"

His shrug was more eloquent than any words. They sat silently a few moments.

"And your parents?"

He scoffed. "Try to find them. I gave up. Mom's a drunk, Dad's a crack head. He's also a dealer, so he's in and out of jail. A crack dealer should never use, it makes him stupid. I haven't seen either of them in about two years."

"So, where do you live?" Rosalee showed her deep concern.

"Foster families, if I'm not in jail." He was very matter-of-fact about his record. "Sometimes I stay with friends. They don't much like me, the foster families, that is. My buddy has folks who are pretty cool. They let me stay, sleep on the couch, don't ask a lot of questions. Enough to make sure I'm okay...." He wanted her to know they didn't ignore him. "His mom works at home. His dad works for the state. They're good people.

©2020 Dellani Oakes

To Buy Dellani's Books

http://www.amazon.com/Dellani-Oakes/e/B007ZQCW3A/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1464388230&sr=8-2

Where fallen angels battle Hell’s demons, find their lost souls ~ His Soul to Keep (Dark Knights of Heaven Book 1) by TW Knight

Where fallen angels battle Hell’s demons, find their lost souls, and discover love while hunting for a prophecy that holds the key to either their redemption or their destruction.

At twenty-eight, Cassidy Long is happy with her life. She has a job she loves, a great family, and a future open to possibilities. That all changes after she discovers she is the vessel for the immortal soul of an angel cast out of Heaven, and the only way to break the bond is by her death. Spirited away, Cassidy finds herself in the middle of an eternal war and falling for her angel.

Rail is captivated by Cassidy immediately, but fears it’s only the connection to his soul fueling his interest. He’s vowed to never fall in love, but fate has different plans. The more he fights his growing feelings, the deeper in love he falls. Cassidy not only holds his soul, but his heart. Now, he will fight Heaven and Hell to protect her.

Heaven abandoned them, but they did not abandon their calling. Once they were the Watchers, teachers, and mentors to human kind. Now soulless and exiled from Heaven, forced into an endless war, some will fall while others rise to find their destinies. They are the Dark Knights of Heaven. 

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Follow their inspiring story of faith and service ~ From Sea to Sea by Nelda Bedford Gaydou

From a three-week voyage of more than 7000 miles from New Orleans to Buenos Aires in 1964 through an eight-day, 3258-mile round-trip drive between Evanston, Illinois and Clovis, New Mexico in 2017, whether in their prime or in their nineties, the Bedfords have packed a lot into their life's journey. Follow their inspiring story of faith and service, set in fascinating times and places in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres. 

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Marice is back ~ Room 303 – A Marice Houston Mystery by Dellani Oakes

Marice is back. Like always, trouble seems to follow her around, especially when she gets around her friend, Todd. He's trying to move on, after the incident with Orson Roberts a year or so ago, but finding it hard. Fortunately, he's found a lady friend to help him, Emily. Unfortunately, she's got secrets, which catch up with her. When on their first date, Emily is shot, and Todd's up to his ears in freaky intrigue once more. With the help of Marice and friends, he's doing his best to muddle through and find out what went wrong in Room 303.

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Getting him back could be the last thing she ever does… ~ Chance - A Novel: Psychological Thriller (Sydney Jones Series Book 2) by Carolyn Bowen

They took her lover. Getting him back could be the last thing she ever does…

High-powered Atlanta attorney Sydney Jones never backs down from a case. So when her bodyguard and boyfriend is accused of murder, she’s determined to fight for him in court. Instead, the charges are suddenly dismissed, and he vanishes without a trace…

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I can’t remember my name, where I come from ~ True Identity book 1 by Amanda Mackey

I don’t know who I am. I can’t remember my name, where I come from, or how I ended up in the hospital with a bullet wound to my chest. When I think back, searching for a memory, all I see is a big black hole of nothing.

But I recall her voice…the sweet, angelic sound that reached out to me through the coffin of black, pulling me back to the light.

I might not know anything about my past, my life, my identity—but the moment I opened my eyes and stared straight into hers, I knew I wanted her. I knew there was no way in hell I would let her go.

Now I need to piece back together the missing fragments of my life so I can figure out where she fits into it—or if she fits into it at all.

The only problem is if your past is buried beneath a shroud of darkness, you have no idea when it might come back to haunt you. 

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Emma, Dangerous by Dellani Oakes - Part 1

Emma, Dangerous is a story I've wanted to share for a long time, but it deals with more adult themes and may not be appropriate reading for teens under 17. The main character, Emma Gallagher, is an 18 year old girl who has been the victim of parental sexual abuse. Though this is not the main gist of the story, it is certainly central to her character. There are NO GRAPHIC SCENES of this nature in the book. There is some strong language, but no explicit sexual scenes.

Emma, Dangerous by Dellani Oakes – Part 1

The Rob Zombie song slammed into his brain as his eyes tried to discern shapes through the drug induced haze. His head felt like it was full of molten lava threatening to erupt through his mouth any second. He was looking for something—no someone. That's why he came, stayed, overdid it—again.

Sammy stopped the slow, shuffling walk, leaning against the wall. Stumbling forward, he fell over downed bodies. He pawed at them before painfully levering himself upward. With a flash of recognition, he realized he had inadvertently found the person he sought.

"Emma." He nudged her, but she didn't respond. "Em?"

Fear gripped him as he searched for her pulse. It was slow but steady. She was only half dressed, the clothing on her lower body gone. The smell of sex lingered around her and he groaned.

"Not again, Emma. We can't go through this again, babe. When are you gonna admit, you've got a problem?" I've got a problem too, he thought. Maybe he said it out loud. He didn't know anymore.

Sam stood, his legs shaking, then bent over to pick her up. How many times had he done this? How many more times would he have to before she learned her lesson? Would one of them have to die for the other to get the idea that what they did was self-destructive and stupid?

"Come on, baby."

He lifted again, his feet slipping in something. He didn't have to look to know that it was vomit. Emma's breath smelled vile, and he knew it was hers.

"Come on," he said again as he more or less got her to her feet.

Her top was long enough to cover the fact that her lower half was bare. Making her as presentable as he could, not that anyone would notice or care, he half carried her to the door. When they hit the outside, it was raining. It was the cold, bone chilling rain of mid-winter. He used to love the rain, but too many mornings waking in the front yard in a thunderstorm had cured him. Or maybe it was the many nights leaving parties in weather like this, he reminded himself.

"Why do we do this, Emma? We swore we'd give it up." I did, you didn't. Like all her promises—broken.

Had she ever kept a single promise to him? That thought kept him going as he struggled down the steep incline of the driveway. His car was parked hurriedly, nose first in the ditch. He hadn't realized what a sharp angle he was at. The door wouldn't stay open. Getting her in the car would be difficult.

Sammy set Emma down on the wet ground. She was soaked already, a couple more minutes wouldn't make any difference. She giggled as the cold, wet ground embraced her. He backed his car into the road, leaving it running as he put her in the back seat. Driving carefully, he headed to the hospital. How often had he made this trip with her? So often that he didn't have to explain to the ER personnel anymore. They knew the drill.

He sat in the uncomfortable waiting room chair as the orderly wheeled Emma to the back on a gurney. Head on hands, propped on knees, he hunched over. Tears warmed his cheeks as he waited for the news. It was never quite as bad as he anticipated—he could hope the same held this time. Prayer didn't come easily to a boy like Sammy, but he tried for Emma's sake.

Someone came over and he smelled coffee and hot chocolate. A woman he didn't know sat beside him. She wasn't dressed in scrubs, but in a colorful, flowing dress. She wore a hospital name tag, but his tear filled, drug blurred eyes couldn't read it.

"You look like a man who needs," she didn't specify what.

Sam took in details slowly. She was tall, almost six feet. Her skin was a rich, coppery brown. Her black hair was in tight, intricate rows on her head. Beads of a dozen colors clicked and clattered around her elegant, high cheek-boned face. Her eyes were a luminescent, silver gray, her lips full. She could have been 40 – or 20 or 60. There was an agelessness about her. Her smile warmed him more than the cup she pressed into his hands.

"I'm Rosalee," she murmured. Her voice held the flavor of the islands, but Sammy couldn't place which one. "And you are?"

"Sam."

©2020 Dellani Oakes

To Buy Dellani's Books

The Best Medicine is over. Get Ready for Emma, Dangerous!

The Best Medicine is over, and it's time to start another. Emma, Dangerous is a story I've wanted to share for a long time. I've held off, because it's quite different from my other stories. A romantic suspense, the main characters are teenagers. Please note that though there is hard language and difficult events, there is no graphic sexual content. However, it's not really appropriate for readers under 17, because it deals with some mature situations.

Below is a short excerpt from Emma, Dangerous. I hope you'll join me as I share this great book!

Emma, Dangerous by Dellani Oakes – Part 1

The Rob Zombie song slammed into his brain as his eyes tried to discern shapes through the drug induced haze. His head felt like it was full of molten lava threatening to erupt through his mouth any second. He was looking for something—no someone. That's why he came, stayed, overdid it—again.

Sammy stopped the slow, shuffling walk, leaning against the wall. Stumbling forward, he fell over downed bodies. He pawed at them before painfully levering himself upward. With a flash of recognition, he realized he had inadvertently found the person he sought.

"Emma." He nudged her, but she didn't respond. "Em?"

Fear gripped him as he searched for her pulse. It was slow but steady. She was only half dressed, the clothing on her lower body gone. The smell of sex lingered around her and he groaned.

"Not again, Emma. We can't go through this again, babe. When are you gonna admit, you've got a problem?" I've got a problem too, he thought. Maybe he said it out loud. He didn't know anymore.

Sam stood, his legs shaking, then bent over to pick her up. How many times had he done this? How many more times would he have to before she learned her lesson? Would one of them have to die for the other to get the idea that what they did was self-destructive and stupid?

"Come on, baby."

He lifted again, his feet slipping in something. He didn't have to look to know that it was vomit. Emma's breath smelled vile, and he knew it was hers.

"Come on," he said again as he more or less got her to her feet.

Her top was long enough to cover the fact that her lower half was bare. Making her as presentable as he could, not that anyone would notice or care, he half carried her to the door. When they hit the outside, it was raining. It was the cold, bone chilling rain of mid-winter. He used to love the rain, but too many mornings waking in the front yard in a thunderstorm had cured him. Or maybe it was the many nights leaving parties in weather like this, he reminded himself.

"Why do we do this, Emma? We swore we'd give it up." I did, you didn't. Like all her promises—broken.

Had she ever kept a single promise to him? That thought kept him going as he struggled down the steep incline of the driveway. His car was parked hurriedly, nose first in the ditch. He hadn't realized what a sharp angle he was at. The door wouldn't stay open. Getting her in the car would be difficult.

Sammy set Emma down on the wet ground. She was soaked already, a couple more minutes wouldn't make any difference. She giggled as the cold, wet ground embraced her. He backed his car into the road, leaving it running as he put her in the back seat. Driving carefully, he headed to the hospital. How often had he made this trip with her? So often that he didn't have to explain to the ER personnel anymore. They knew the drill.

He sat in the uncomfortable waiting room chair as the orderly wheeled Emma to the back on a gurney. Head on hands, propped on knees, he hunched over. Tears warmed his cheeks as he waited for the news. It was never quite as bad as he anticipated—he could hope the same held this time. Prayer didn't come easily to a boy like Sammy, but he tried for Emma's sake.

Someone came over and he smelled coffee and hot chocolate. A woman he didn't know sat beside him. She wasn't dressed in scrubs, but in a colorful, flowing dress. She wore a hospital name tag, but his tear filled, drug blurred eyes couldn't read it.

"You look like a man who needs," she didn't specify what.

Sam took in details slowly. She was tall, almost six feet. Her skin was a rich, coppery brown. Her black hair was in tight, intricate rows on her head. Beads of a dozen colors clicked and clattered around her elegant, high cheek-boned face. Her eyes were a luminescent, silver gray, her lips full. She could have been 40 – or 20 or 60. There was an agelessness about her. Her smile warmed him more than the cup she pressed into his hands.

"I'm Rosalee," she murmured. Her voice held the flavor of the islands, but Sammy couldn't place which one. "And you are?"

"Sam."

©2020 Dellani Oakes

To Buy Dellani's Books

The Best Medicine by Dellani Oakes – Part 47

"I lost my mother when I was a kid. I blamed the doctor for her death." Morgan shrugged. "Adult or child, you lose someone you love, you want to blame someone—anyone—for what happened. Grief isn't logical. I'm guessing your what, twenty-two? Got a four year old. Probably no family, or he wouldn't be with a sitter. You're done. You've had it. I get that. I also get that you hate my guts, and I'm okay with that. After you broke my custom glass window, I don't like you much, either."

Brendan started to protest. Morgan held up his hand. "Yeah, I've got a big house and I have more money than God." He shrugged, waving it away. "Doesn't mean I'm an asshole. I want to help, so when I ask you what skills you have, I'm not being a nosy bastard. I want to know who to call. Between Hal and me, we know a shit ton of people. We can get you a job today."

"I like woodworking," Brendan admitted slowly. "I like the feel and smell of the wood. I like making something useful and beautiful."

"Custom furniture? Sculptures?"

"Never had time or money for that," the young man admitted.

"Ever done any restoration work? Like repairing antique woodwork?"

"No, but I've built replica cabinets for people. They gave me pictures, and I looked up what I didn't know."

"Good enough." He took out his phone and placed a call. "Yeah, Brodie, it's Morgan. You still need a skilled woodworker for that downtown restoration? Cool. I think I've got your guy." He nodded, grinning. "Yeah, give us an hour? Cool." He hung up. "Ever heard of Malcolm Brodie?"

"The architect. Yeah. I was hoping for a job on one of his crews, when this job fell through."

"You've got an interview in an hour."

"But my kid!"

"Take him with you. They have childcare on site. If you work with Brodie, he's taken care of."

"I don't have the background...."

"Tell Brodie, not me. If he wants you, he'll train you. Are you done confessing now? Cause we need to head out. The traffic's a bitch, this time of day."

Brendan rose slowly. "Are you for real?" His eyes narrowed.

"Kid, I was lucky. When my mother died, I had family out the ass. We had money, and we were never without—it didn't make losing her any less painful, but we had each other. My kid brother never knew our mother. He was born as she died. He grew up without ever knowing that special love only a mom can give. I'm sorry as hell I couldn't save your wife. We tried—so hard...." He broke down, tears falling from his eyes.

"We did everything we could, and it wasn't enough," Hal said softly. "It was a miracle she lived as long as she did."

Brendan sniffled, nodding. "I really wanna hate you," he said.

"I get that a lot,"Morgan said. "Let's get on the road, see if we can't get you that job."

"I still can't believe you're being this nice to me, after what I did."

"You didn't hurt anyone. If you'd hurt Tanya, I'd take you apart with my bare hands."

Eyeing her, Brendan nodded. "I get that. Yeah. I felt that way about the guy who killed my wife."

They walked out of the conference room, cleared it with the desk sergeant, and headed to Brodie's office.

The tall, blond architect was delighted with Brendan. They left him chatting with the young man, his son in the child care center down the hall. Brodie called them two hours later. They were sipping coffee at Morgan and Tanya's house.

"Thank you for sending me the best carpenter in three states. The kid's amazing. How'd you find him?"

"He put a trash can through Hal's front window," Morgan replied. "You hired him?"

"On the spot. Glowing references. Spotless record. He starts as soon as HR can get him through. Thanks again." He hung up.

Morgan sighed, smiling. Tanya kissed him.

"That was a good thing you did."

"It's just glass. If he'd hurt you, another story entirely."

She kissed him again, slowly, seductively.

Hal cleared his throat. "That's my cue to go. Morgan, see you at work. Tanya, love ya like a sister." He headed for the door as quickly as he could without running.

"The best thing about having the same friend forever. He knows when to get lost." Morgan's kiss got more passionate.

Tanya started to get up. He held her down.

"In case you haven't noticed, Mrs. Doctor Fellowes, my windows are covered."

"I had noticed that Mr. Doctor Fellowes." She raised an eyebrow, pouting her lips at him.

Morgan lifted her, carrying her to the counter. He quickly stripped off her slacks and panties before dropping his pants and boxers.

"Why, Doctor Fellowes, what are you doing?"

"I should think that was obvious, Doctor O'Toole. I'm conducting a pant-ectomy." He kissed her deeply, stroking her lovingly before plunging into her.

Their love making was fast and passionate, rocking on the edge of the counter top. Laughing, they came in a white hot rush. When they had finished, Morgan lifted Tanya off the counter. She went to the bathroom and he cleaned the counter. She came back for her pants. When she bent over, Morgan sidled up behind her. She slapped his hands away.

"Next time we play, I want a bed."

"As you wish, my love." He continued to rub and stroke her.

"I mean it, Morgan!"

"Mm hmm." He increased his fond ministrations.

"Morgan!"

"Shh.... I'm a professional."

She smacked his hands and headed for the stairs. Morgan followed, making playful grabs at her. They raced to the bed, shedding the rest of their clothing. Laughing and kissing, they flopped on the bed. It undulated beneath them, the waves gently rocking them.

"I just thought of something," Tanya said. "If it's been a year since Brendan's wife died, we've been together almost a year."

"Yup." His fingers traced patterns on her bare skin.

"We should do something special."

"I completely agree." He fondled one breast as he took the other in his mouth. His mouth dropped lower as he continued kissing and licking her.

"Maybe go out to dinner. No—a dinner party. We'll invite Davi and Hal and—Oh!" His tongue flickered out, feathering across her most sensitive parts, taking her by surprise.

"Tanya."

"Yes," she gasped.

"It's impolite to talk with your mouth full," he mumbled.

"My mouth isn't—oh, God! Full."

"No, but mine is." He licked her again.

Tanya moaned and writhed on the bed. "That feels—so good!"

"I'm told I work miracles," Morgan said, working his way back up her body. "You know what they say about sex, don't you?"

"It's fun?"

"It's the best medicine," he told her solemnly.

"Then let the healing begin," she murmured.

He silenced her with a kiss and Tanya realized that their healing had begun the moment he caught her. For them both, their love had truly been the best medicine.

© 2020 Dellani Oakes

To Buy Dellani's Books

THE END

The Best Medicine by Dellani Oakes – Part 46

"Why now?" Tanya asked. "That was months ago."

"No," Hal replied. "It was a year ago. Today." He ran his hand over his head, ruffling his hair. "Jesus!"

"You know this guy, Dr. O'Toole?"

"No, but Morgan and Hal do."

"You want to press charges?"

Tanya eyed Morgan and Hal. "I don't think so. Keep an eye on him, pick him up and talk to him."

"If the worst I get is a rock in my window, I'm not locking the kid up," Morgan said. "I hated the doctor who tried to save my mother. If I'd been old enough, I'd have put a brick through his window, too. I didn't know then—what we go through. All that guy sees is this huge, gaping hole in his life, and he blames us."

The police officers nodded.

"We'll see if we can find him, Doc," the one with the laptop assured Hal. "You wanna talk to him when we do?"

"Yes. I can't take the pain away, but maybe we can do something to help out."

"You got it, Doc. I guess we're done here."

"I'll call the glass company," Tanya offered.

"My nephew does glass," her neighbor said. "I'll give him a call. He'll send a crew. They do clean up too. Don't try to do that yourself. It's too dangerous." She nodded at the mess.

"Thank you," Tanya gave her a hug.

"For you, sweetheart, anything." She gave Tanya another kiss and went home to call her nephew.

The glass truck arrived an hour later. Tanya and the men were in the kitchen having coffee when the crew arrived. The window was replaced quickly, the clean up thorough. They were just leaving when Hal's phone rang.

"Yes, this is Dr. Perrine." His eyes widened. "No kidding. He did?" He chuckled slightly. "We'll be right over." He hung up. "They got the guy. He turned himself in."

"He what?" Morgan was stunned.

"Walked into the station and turned himself in. We wanted to talk, let's talk."

They arrived at the station about thirty minutes later. The young man sat quietly by the lead detective's desk, his child perched on his knee. He stood when Hal, Morgan and Tanya walked over. He wasn't cuffed, and appeared to be eating a sandwich. He looked embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," he said before any of them could speak. "I don't know why I did that. It was wrong and stupid—" His child started to cry.

Tanya could see the child still had some minor scarring from his surgery. He reached out to her. She asked the father if she could take him. The young man nodded. The child rode Tanya's hip, sniffling as he played with her hair.

"You look a little like his mom," the young man said. "I'm really sorry. Tip's been sick, and I lost my job because I was home with him. My babysitter has kids. She couldn't take him. I woke up this morning, and I just snapped. I can't do this anymore without Toni. She was my life!" He burst into tears.

Tanya put her free arm around him, holding him close. His son, Tip, leaned against his father. Morgan could see the young man wasn't much older than his late wife. He was too young to have the responsibility of a toddler on his own.

"What do you do?" he asked quietly. "Your job. Have any training?"

"I'm not a doctor or anything," the young man bridled. "It's easy for rich folks like you—"

"Not what I asked. What's your name?"

"Brendan Oldfield."

"Brendan. What I asked is what you do."

"Carpentry. I've been doing that since I was a kid. I work construction mostly, but I custom build cabinets. Or I did until Tip got sick."

"Anything else? Ever worked in a kitchen, bussed tables?"

Brendan frowned at him. "What? Is this a job interview?"

"Maybe. Got a record?"

"No, sir, this is my first offense."

"Sergeant, we don't want to press charges. Is there somewhere we can talk for a few minutes?"

"Yeah. There's a conference room. You okay with him?"

"Yes. Let's see if we can find a solution." Morgan tipped his head, telling Brendan to accompany him.

They followed the Sergeant to a conference room. He left a patrolman outside, closing the door. They all took seats. The child fell asleep on Tanya's shoulder.

"You need a job," Morgan said without preamble. "You need child care. We can help you with that."

"You'd help me, after I busted your windows?"

© 2020 Dellani Oakes

To Buy Dellani's Books

The Best Medicine by Dellani Oakes – Part 45

"So this whole act of needing the money to pay her bills...." Tanya began.

"Is bogus. She's got a healthy bank account."

"I don't even want to know how you found that out."

He smirked. "No, you don't."

Morgan visibly relaxed.

"No more guilt, my boy," Scott intoned solemnly. "This ends here and now. You don't owe her a dime. Based on the crap she's pulled, including decking my good friend, Harry, I imagine she won't be a problem."

"Is she still in jail?" Tanya asked. "We thought maybe the window incident was her getting revenge."

Chessman did some more typing. "Nope. She's still in. The judges seem to have closed ranks. None of them can fit her into their schedules. I imagine she'll warm the bunk at least one more night. After she hit that kid, the lawyers don't want a thing to do with her, either. Eventually, the system will have to push her through. If we're lucky, it could be a few days."

"Then who threw that rock?"

Morgan shook his head. He opened his mouth to speak, when his phone rang. Shortly after, Tanya's did. It wasn't the hospital as they first suspected. Hal was calling Morgan, the other was Tanya's alarm company.

Excusing themselves, they walked to opposite sides of the office, answering.

"What?" Tanya nearly dropped her phone as she burst into tears.

Morgan was having an uneasy conversation with Hal on his phone. He rushed to Tanya's side.

"I think she just got the news, buddy. Thanks for calling." He hung up, putting his arms around Tanya. "It's okay, baby. No one was hurt, and the house is all right."

"Doctor O'Toole!" the alarm company was still on Tanya's phone.

"This is Dr. Fellowes, Tanya's fiance. Dr. Perrine just called and told me the news. Have you been in the house?"

"Metro Police responded and they're investigating now. No one was home. There was some damage, but not serious. A nosy neighbor heard , and called in as the alarm started ringing. There was a cop down the road, going on shift. He responded."

"Did anyone see who it was?"

"A man. Mid to late twenties. Brown hair. The nosy neighbor caught him on video. They cops are going over it now, trying to match him up to a data base."

"Thanks. I'll let Tanya know. We're in Fellowes Falls right now. It might take us a while to get there."

"That's okay. The officers are talking to your renter, and the neighbors. You have as good a day as you can, Dr. Fellowes."

"Thank you." Morgan hung up and told the others what had happened.

Once Tanya found out no one was hurt, and the house was minimally damaged, she calmed down. She and Morgan took their leave. Scott promised to do a little more looking into the Vanessa issue, but felt that there was no reason to worry about her for some time.

They pulled up to Tanya's house, where Hal was now living, and saw the gaping hole in the front window. The police officers, and Hal, were gathered in the foyer with a laptop. Tanya's nosy neighbor, a woman in her late seventies, stood nearby. She was a good friend to Tanya's grandmother and had befriended Tanya early on. She was a busybody, but she had the best of intentions.

"Sweetheart!" she called out as Tanya came in. "Darling! Thank God you're all right!" She hugged and kissed Tanya before giving Morgan the same treatment. "We got him," she said gleefully. "Right on video!" She pointed to the screen.

A young man's face filled the screen. His face held pain, contorted with grief. The video moved in slow motion as he picked up the trash can and hurled it through the window. The alarm started and he ran, vaulting easily over the back gate, his feet connecting with the wall of the house as he ran along the brick.

"Sweet move," one police officer said. "Wonder how he did that."

"Could we focus?" his partner said. "How many guys do you know could even do a move like that?"

"No one I know."

Morgan squinted, pulling at his lip. "Could you run back to the close up of his face?"

"Sure." the cop fiddled with the laptop a moment, and the video went backward.

They watched the young man leap over the fence in reverse. Hal couldn't control a snicker as the impressive move was repeated backwards. When it got to the face, the officer froze the frame.

"I know him," Morgan said. "Wait a second." He closed his eyes, pinching his nose.

Hal stared at the screen. "He looks familiar to me, too."

Both men paced, concentrating. They spun, facing one another, simultaneously.

"The dad!" they chorused.

"The three year old we saved, that's his dad. The wife didn't make it, and he blamed us." Hal's face fell. "Her body was shattered. There was nothing we could do, but watch her slip away." He rubbed his face, eyes watering. "It was horrible."

© 2020 Dellani Oakes

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