David took off his winter coat and laid it across a white plastic chair beside him. He leaned his head against the wall and couldn’t believe what had happened in the last few hours. He looked around the waiting room hoping that another one of the detectives from the FVSA squad would show up soon. It was almost as of they knew what he was thinking because a few minutes later Detective Adam Darwood arrived with one cup of coffee in each of his hands. “Sorry, it took me a while to get here.” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAg16fGmKedb
David took the coffee which Adam handed him and took a large sip. It burnt his tongue, but he didn’t care then said “No worries. Any word on Greg Finch?” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAfI5im9FEe1
“Doctor said he’s fine. Just a flesh wound. So they’ll patch him up and we’ll send him to jail. Captain said two of us will interview him once he’s gone through the intake process and then booked.”332Please respect copyright.PENANA0bo0wU0ROD
“Do you think he’ll get out on bail?” David said glancing to the double doors at the end of the hallway hoping to see a surgeon. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAtHGeEF5wA8
“I doubt it. I mean he assaulted a police officer. Plus he has the charges of the murder and sexual assault of Odilia.”332Please respect copyright.PENANApZLh3BcPhD
“You do have a point,” David said with a sigh. 332Please respect copyright.PENANA5P4DHki8Lf
“Any news on Rose?” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAkw1zhDiWGG
“No, not yet. When I rode in the ambulance with her she was in and out of consciousness. Her vitals didn’t look good. So when we arrived here they rushed her straight to the O.R.”332Please respect copyright.PENANALRPHcTS8Te
“Keep me updated. I'm going to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. Do you want anything?” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAFQ5AtwhloN
“I’m good Adam, but thanks. And thanks for the coffee.” Adam nodded to David then strolled down the hallway towards the cafeteria. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAzoGGkedW5S
David sat in one of the chairs and stared at the beige wall in front of him. His mind wandered to four years ago when he first met Rose. 332Please respect copyright.PENANANbTuvpSU09
**** Four Years Earlier ****332Please respect copyright.PENANAkK4HqTGEpX
David was typing up the last of his paperwork from the previous day. Sarah had stopped by his condo with Chris for dinner the night before. He missed seeing his sister and he was happy she had relocated to Philadelphia. Her writing career was going well. David was glad she found someone who supported her goals and dreams.332Please respect copyright.PENANAbmSJV7lLIr
Captain opened up his office door and called out to where the detectives were. “Buckman?” 332Please respect copyright.PENANA9e9ZqOvtgt
“Yes, Captain?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAXSs0FxXYUj
“Can I see you in my office for a moment?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAZpx0BVxSs3
“Sure,” David said marking where he left off in his paperwork before going to the Captain’s office. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAPwwALFCeMh
“I wanted to let you know your partner will be arriving sometime this morning.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7ex4OMNRN
“So soon? Detective Ethan Vinton just left.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAeWshHygSt7
“I know, but we’re short staffed. We need all the help we can get.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAD7tk3vGf86
“What’s her name?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAY8ItvE4mI0
“Rose Atwell. Can you make sure her desk is cleared and show her the ropes?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAFZDmxrPQtP
“Yeah. Is that all you needed? I want to finish up my paperwork from yesterday.”332Please respect copyright.PENANA2rtltmA32b
“That’s it.”332Please respect copyright.PENANA3AjsnNk99k
David smiled at the Captain before leaving the office. Walking back over to his desk he saw a woman unpacking a box on a desk across from his. 332Please respect copyright.PENANA1EUqtmzBFS
“Excuse me are you Rose Atwell?” He felt bad as he had accidentally startled her. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAyzYCGnqaMV
Rose placed a few framed photos on her desk before turning to David and said “Sorry. What did you say?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAfLc2WV835y
“Are you Rose Atwell?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAV9cF93tJhQ
“I am and you are…?”332Please respect copyright.PENANADNrNM3gTbm
“David Buckman your partner.”332Please respect copyright.PENANA2dwUUr91Zn
“Nice to meet you.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAUnEbaR5tEY
“You too. Did you need help with anything?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAPQBq4mGJLk
“I think I’m good.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAMTmlgSj27v
“Who’s in the photos?” David said as he returned to his desk.332Please respect copyright.PENANAoR9z16p57d
“My fiancé Norman Sawford."332Please respect copyright.PENANAW6aMDWsmeo
“When are you getting married?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAKJoKV22HdI
“We haven’t set a date yet. With the move and everything. I want to get settled.”332Please respect copyright.PENANADw5LOovGhK
“Where are you from?”332Please respect copyright.PENANA7lYYGoROOa
“Southern California. I grew up there. I’m sick of the same weather practically all year around. I want to see the leaves change and experience a blizzard.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAurMuI0pbRi
“You’ll definitely have all that here.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAHYNc6A7CVF
“Buckman?” David looked to where his Captain was standing outside of his office. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAhtXvlKze5s
“Go to the local hospital. I need you to interview a victim. Can you take Atwell with you?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1G7sxrdcm
“Sure.” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAGZ6p33lX0v
The Captain returned to his office and swiftly closed the door behind him. 332Please respect copyright.PENANA3oJREepJBN
“You ready?” David said putting his computer to sleep and slipping on his jacket.332Please respect copyright.PENANA6Z1NRP38Yp
“As I’ll ever be,” Rose said with a smile before putting on her sweater and zipping it up. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAxUbfjHlh9m
**** Present Day ****332Please respect copyright.PENANAadT60tbGSl
“David?” Adam said standing in front of him. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAKuol0OsjNI
“Huh?” The surgeon wants to talk to you. 332Please respect copyright.PENANAo8Rtq1hICc
“Oh, umm…thanks.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAolKajdrolV
David held his lukewarm cup of coffee as he briskly walked over to the surgeon. “How is she?” David said as he wore a worried expression.332Please respect copyright.PENANAIMyKGaWy0L
“Better than expected. She’s been asking for you since she woke up. She’s still groggy from the anesthesia. She’s in room 224 and I’ll talk to you more about her recovery later.”332Please respect copyright.PENANA80fo8YpOID
“Thanks, doctor.”332Please respect copyright.PENANANf73JLQHOi
“You’re welcome.” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAaqou7HMfXU
David jogged to the room and he slowly opened the door and closed it behind him. 332Please respect copyright.PENANA9vxPtgWLxJ
“David is that you?” his heart broke hearing how timid she sounded.332Please respect copyright.PENANAZ38ZYw8dIP
“It’s me,” David said sitting his coffee on a table nearby and stood beside Rose’s bed. “How are you feeling?”332Please respect copyright.PENANAie6swHlyQX
“Exhausted. I don't feel any pain.”332Please respect copyright.PENANAwvNJA4bJny
“Do you need anything?” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAxlwRj85N4P
“Can you stay here?” 332Please respect copyright.PENANAGiQhV03n4w
David grabbed a chair from a corner of the room and placed it right beside her bed. 332Please respect copyright.PENANA7Zi37WLNmT
“Don’t worry I’m not going anywhere,” David said holding Rose’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.332Please respect copyright.PENANAiSSd7X40EK