This I promise you (47/?)
“I get the feeling you’re right. However I also get the feeling that we have all we need in Tyler and this idiot. If they want her dead so badly, chances are there’s more to this than we’ve even scratched the surface of.” I sighed letting my head sit back against the window sill closing my eyes for a minute. “Vegas the city of mobs, but I’d be more willing to bet that this is more a gang issue.”
“We get one of them to turn on the rest we could get rid of them out right and end the problem.” Warrick was following my train of thought. “I’m going to go call Greg and see if he can start piecing together whats going on. I know Brass is headed home with the guy who shot Stephanie but I’m staying, who knows where else one of them might crawl out of and the last thing you need is to be alone with that.”
“Appreciated.” The sentiment stood even though I didn’t expand on it. Warrick knew well enough that I was greatful for the offer and more than willing to accept it. It was true, who knew where these guys might come from or when they’d stop if it was really a gang after her.
“Sleeping on the job?” Brass’ voice came not much after Warrick had left causing me to crack an eye to look at him.
“I wish, at least then I could wake up and realize that this was all a dream. How’s she doing?”
“She’s pissed. I’d be willing to bet her dad was either military or a cop with a mouth like that on her.” Brass just shook his head as he looked at me.
“Both, Navy and then he retired from the force about two days before he died.”
“She’s asking for you.”
“If you’re done with her, I’d like to go and see her then. She’s been through enough, I don’t think she should be a lone right now.” It was simple, she needed to be around people right now.
“See you back in Vegas.” And with that Brass was gone as well. Pushing myself up from the chair I slipped down the hallway to Stephanie’s room, rapping my knuckles lightly on the door.
“Come in.” Stephanie’s voice was still irritated, it wasn’t normal for her, in fact it was more of a command.
Turning the handle I started into the room waiting for her to toss something at me thinking I was a doctor or nurse. But the minute I was in the room her whole demeanor changed. The irritation melted from her body, her shoulders dropping and she became compliant almost placid. “Nicky.” Her voice was gentle as she spoke. It was good to know she didn’t blame me for what happened.
“Easy Steph, you’ve just been shot. Rest and relaxation is the key to recovery.” She looked so broken, so frail as she sat there on that hospital bed. Her arm pulled close to her body due to the sling that kept it pinned there, her arm bandaged with more gauze then seemed necessary.
“I want to go home.” She wasn’t demanding, merely stating her wishes.
“I will take you home. As soon as you’re cleared to go home, I will take you. Warrick’s promised to stay to make sure that nothing else happens, you’re going to be fine Stephanie I promise.” She looked so scared as she sat there, if you watched closely enough you could tell that she was shaking as she spoke.
“Thank you.” Her voice was calm still but as the door opened again revealing a nurse her shoulders rose again, the hatred in her eyes renewed. “I thought I told you to stay away.”
“I-I just thought I’d stick my head in and tell you, you were free to leave.” The nurse didn’t seem afraid of Stephanie but I could only imagine what she had said earlier to make her so nervous to be around her. But with that she was gone again leaving Stephanie to relax again.
“I want to go home.” Her voice was once again calm. She hadn’t been lying when she said she hated hospitals and everything about them.
“Lets get you checked out then and we’ll be on our way home.” I tried my hardest to stay calm as I spoke. “You want a wheel chair or you want to walk?”
“There’s nothing wrong with these two feet.” Her voice was direct as she spoke, very to the point, but it wasn’t hard to tell she wasn’t mad at me. In fact she wasn’t really mad at all; she was more terrified than anything else.
“Come on then.” She was like a little kid looking for comfort in her favorite doll as I reached a hand out for her good hand. “You’re ok, I wont let anything happen to you Steph.” I’d promised her that before as well and honestly I wouldn’t have been surprised if she didn’t trust me this time.
Instead she took hold of my hand pulling herself to her feet. “No one can save me from what he wants.” Her words were simple though the meaning was anything but. “He’ll have me dead if that’s truly what he wants.”
“One step at a time Stephanie, one step at a time. First we prosecute this idiot, and then we make him tell us who put the hit out, and we go from there. I realize well that there’s more than one of them. But I promise you none of us will stop until they’re all in place where they cant hurt you anymore.” I would make good by those words. I knew Greg wasn’t going to stop and chances were Warrick wouldn’t either. Nothing bothered any of us more than letting real criminals get away and chances were that if they were trying to get rid of Stephanie this badly, there was something they were hiding.
“I hope you’re right, but its doubtful at best.” Something told me that right now what Stephanie needed was to go home, take something for the pain and crawl into bed.
“We get one of them to turn on the rest we could get rid of them out right and end the problem.” Warrick was following my train of thought. “I’m going to go call Greg and see if he can start piecing together whats going on. I know Brass is headed home with the guy who shot Stephanie but I’m staying, who knows where else one of them might crawl out of and the last thing you need is to be alone with that.”
“Appreciated.” The sentiment stood even though I didn’t expand on it. Warrick knew well enough that I was greatful for the offer and more than willing to accept it. It was true, who knew where these guys might come from or when they’d stop if it was really a gang after her.
“Sleeping on the job?” Brass’ voice came not much after Warrick had left causing me to crack an eye to look at him.
“I wish, at least then I could wake up and realize that this was all a dream. How’s she doing?”
“She’s pissed. I’d be willing to bet her dad was either military or a cop with a mouth like that on her.” Brass just shook his head as he looked at me.
“Both, Navy and then he retired from the force about two days before he died.”
“She’s asking for you.”
“If you’re done with her, I’d like to go and see her then. She’s been through enough, I don’t think she should be a lone right now.” It was simple, she needed to be around people right now.
“See you back in Vegas.” And with that Brass was gone as well. Pushing myself up from the chair I slipped down the hallway to Stephanie’s room, rapping my knuckles lightly on the door.
“Come in.” Stephanie’s voice was still irritated, it wasn’t normal for her, in fact it was more of a command.
Turning the handle I started into the room waiting for her to toss something at me thinking I was a doctor or nurse. But the minute I was in the room her whole demeanor changed. The irritation melted from her body, her shoulders dropping and she became compliant almost placid. “Nicky.” Her voice was gentle as she spoke. It was good to know she didn’t blame me for what happened.
“Easy Steph, you’ve just been shot. Rest and relaxation is the key to recovery.” She looked so broken, so frail as she sat there on that hospital bed. Her arm pulled close to her body due to the sling that kept it pinned there, her arm bandaged with more gauze then seemed necessary.
“I want to go home.” She wasn’t demanding, merely stating her wishes.
“I will take you home. As soon as you’re cleared to go home, I will take you. Warrick’s promised to stay to make sure that nothing else happens, you’re going to be fine Stephanie I promise.” She looked so scared as she sat there, if you watched closely enough you could tell that she was shaking as she spoke.
“Thank you.” Her voice was calm still but as the door opened again revealing a nurse her shoulders rose again, the hatred in her eyes renewed. “I thought I told you to stay away.”
“I-I just thought I’d stick my head in and tell you, you were free to leave.” The nurse didn’t seem afraid of Stephanie but I could only imagine what she had said earlier to make her so nervous to be around her. But with that she was gone again leaving Stephanie to relax again.
“I want to go home.” Her voice was once again calm. She hadn’t been lying when she said she hated hospitals and everything about them.
“Lets get you checked out then and we’ll be on our way home.” I tried my hardest to stay calm as I spoke. “You want a wheel chair or you want to walk?”
“There’s nothing wrong with these two feet.” Her voice was direct as she spoke, very to the point, but it wasn’t hard to tell she wasn’t mad at me. In fact she wasn’t really mad at all; she was more terrified than anything else.
“Come on then.” She was like a little kid looking for comfort in her favorite doll as I reached a hand out for her good hand. “You’re ok, I wont let anything happen to you Steph.” I’d promised her that before as well and honestly I wouldn’t have been surprised if she didn’t trust me this time.
Instead she took hold of my hand pulling herself to her feet. “No one can save me from what he wants.” Her words were simple though the meaning was anything but. “He’ll have me dead if that’s truly what he wants.”
“One step at a time Stephanie, one step at a time. First we prosecute this idiot, and then we make him tell us who put the hit out, and we go from there. I realize well that there’s more than one of them. But I promise you none of us will stop until they’re all in place where they cant hurt you anymore.” I would make good by those words. I knew Greg wasn’t going to stop and chances were Warrick wouldn’t either. Nothing bothered any of us more than letting real criminals get away and chances were that if they were trying to get rid of Stephanie this badly, there was something they were hiding.
“I hope you’re right, but its doubtful at best.” Something told me that right now what Stephanie needed was to go home, take something for the pain and crawl into bed.