before you can leave the hospital. That doesn’t include rehab and rest. Your neck and head are far more serious. We had to truss you up in that headgear to give your neck bone time to repair itself. Fortunately, the crack was small and should knit enough to lose the headgear in that same four-week period. This type of break could have been much more serious if your detective friend hadn’t stabilized your head and neck when he found you.
“The MRI results on your skull show a crack. Our team had to drill holes on both sides of your brain cavity to drain fluids that were causing pressure buildup, giving you those monster headaches. You’ll need several more MRIs and a CAT scan or two before we’re through with you. We can’t diagnose the full extent of your concussion. Only time will tell.”
“Crippled?” Abron asked.
“No, in three or four months you’ll be good as new physically. Mentally, we have to wait and see. By the way,” the doctor said with a poorly disguised wink to Izzy, “some of the nurses are wondering who your personal trainer is. It seems you’ve attracted some volunteers among our nursing staff.” Abron got it. So did Isabel sitting quietly nearby. “Get some rest, and keep your calorie count up. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” Abron muttered.
Dr. Marsh left the room, and Isabel said, “I’m glad I got to see and officially meet you while you’re bedridden. Will I need to ask all these nurses if I need an appointment next time?” She smiled.
Abron replied, “See me.”
Isabel Davis then stated, “When I lose the crutches, it’ll be you who can’t catch up with me.” Abron grinned as best he could. She added, “You now know where I work, both jobs. You also know where I attend school. If you can’t find me, ask a detective.” Before he could reply, Isabel asked, “May I visit you tomorrow?”
Izzy’s parents were awestruck. This was the first time their daughter had shown any meaningful interest in a man. As the three departed the hospital, Isabel’s mom asked, “May I drive you back here tomorrow? And can you introduce me to this mystery hunk?”
“Please, Mom, and yes, tomorrow.” Izzy didn’t know if it was maternal, her need to help the injured, or (and she thought for a minute) “love.” Then she told Grace, “I can’t get enough of him. Just being around that guy makes me happy. I know he looked distorted, lying there. But he is a very handsome man. I can’t believe I could fall for an overgrown policeman that told me he was in forensics, and that’s all I know of him.” Never having had this experience before, she wondered what to do about it. “Mom, would you have Dad do one of his famous searches to find out more about Abron? I think he might be worth it, but I don’t want any surprises! He mentioned the Marine corps and college, which would make him several years older than me. He’s had plenty of time to be married, have kids, murder someone, or maybe my intuition is telling me the truth. He’s witty, smart, handsome, sexy, and available.”
On the drive home, Izzy asked, “Would you stop at that bookstore for a few minutes?” As her parents waited outside, she bought a book for Abron.
*****
One week later, Isabel introduced her parents to Abron. After small talk, and as if on a sign, both ladies visited the restroom just down the hall. Jack Davis stayed and asked Abron about his injuries and his background. He knew he hadn’t much time and tried to balance his questions to not sound like an investigator. Jack used some sleight of hand in his questioning, asking Abron about Huskies football and his military duties before questioning him about his parents, his siblings, and past marriages. Abron tried not to show he was on to him, answering every question while infusing signs of still being groggy from all the meds. Kelsey was struggling with his head and neck brace when the ladies returned, and the questioning took a back seat. Isabel’s clearance through the guard allowed her to enter and exit as needed, with or without guests.
Jack wished Abron a speedy recover. He and Grace departed to the waiting room. Abron’s mind was much sharper than the week before. He smiled and asked, “Would it be too bold of me to ask if I can call you Izzy?”
“Since you obviously can’t do me any harm in your condition and I enjoy talking to you, I think cop jargon would be ‘That’s an affirmative.’”
Finally, Abron thought, first base. Who would have thought it would take nearly two months to arrive here?
Isabel then asked, “How are you feeling today?”
With Abron, talking to young ladies was not his greatest attribute. “Much better, thank you. I was able to stand and walk on my own earlier. The doc assigned a rehab specialist for my recovery. I start this afternoon with all muscles below my shoulders.”
Izzy chimed, “I thought most of a policeman’s muscles were located above the shoulders next to the doughnut storage.”
Now he laughed out loud and quipped, “Izzy, sheriff’s department employees are deputies, not policemen.” Changing the subject, he said, “How about yourself? Can you still bartend? Do you have to go into rehab? And are you free for dinner the day I get this contraption off my head and neck?” He caught her off guard.
“I don’t know where to start, Abron. Good, yes, yes, and I’ll look forward to dinner. I do bartend seven nights a week. My doctor had a walking cast fitted. Behind the bar, I’m now hell on wheels.” Then she added, “Both jobs owe me some time off. Seriously, if you’re asking me for a date, yes, I would love to.”
Abron was smitten. To himself, he thought, What a beautiful woman.
Izzy quickly changed the subject and asked, “Can you remember anything about the day you were attacked?”
“Izzy, I think there were two of them because I’m sure I heard a gun go off as I was going into unconsciousness. I think the culprits were there searching for something. I noticed a lot of dirt had been shoveled, raked, and generally moved around where they clobbered me. But, Izzy, I’d rather talk about you.”
“Ask away,” she replied.
“How young are you?”
“Twenty-two and old enough to know better than to give my real age.” She smirked. Then she asked, “How old are you?”
“Fair enough, I’ll be twenty-seven in two months.”
“Officer, I mean, Deputy, you’re twenty-six and not giving me a straight answer. It wasn’t a trick question,” she said.
Abron said, “I’m a very young twenty-six in all ways except thinking. Education forces me to act older in keeping up with the career.”
To which Izzy replied, “Well, act your age, and don’t ever ask a woman hers.” Isabel then queried him about a next-day visit. Kelsey smiled and nodded assent. Isabel departed to join her parents, who were waiting down the hallway.
Riding the elevator down to the main lobby, Isabel spouted an abrupt “Damn, I forgot to give him the book.” She stayed on the elevator and headed back up without her parents. As the door opened, a loud bang went off. The officer guarding Kelsey’s room fell off the chair, hitting the ground while grabbing his midsection. A moment later, as nurses, patients, and visitors were panicking and running away from the shot fired, an armed security guard, weapon drawn, started yelling orders as he ran toward the scene. “Get back, clear the area!” he yelled as he slammed through the confused workers
