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.” 329Please respect copyright.PENANAX7m2tLfA3Z
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?” 329Please respect copyright.PENANAr0QuWp1Dn8
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZjYWdzzts
“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. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAzu0qOwebRa
“I doubt it. I mean he assaulted a police officer. Plus he has the charges of the murder and sexual assault of Odilia.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAhxxpQYxHPa
“You do have a point,” David said with a sigh. 329Please respect copyright.PENANA5Fw33NUK2a
“Any news on Rose?” 329Please respect copyright.PENANA4pPqHFRTsp
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAWlqs3Jud0n
“Keep me updated. I'm going to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. Do you want anything?” 329Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5LgDJw3bM
“I’m good Adam, but thanks. And thanks for the coffee.” Adam nodded to David then strolled down the hallway towards the cafeteria. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAsy1Psb4qdN
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. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAF0XZaiLka7
**** Four Years Earlier ****329Please respect copyright.PENANAfIrOCCNf6w
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANAuvgpAZJ5RM
Captain opened up his office door and called out to where the detectives were. “Buckman?” 329Please respect copyright.PENANA1RUWRYr0Ae
“Yes, Captain?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAqIZ9EKsdBv
“Can I see you in my office for a moment?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAAZGVe8md34
“Sure,” David said marking where he left off in his paperwork before going to the Captain’s office. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAfLhkDzPMo1
“I wanted to let you know your partner will be arriving sometime this morning.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA9SspiDwSqE
“So soon? Detective Ethan Vinton just left.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAl8whOWrtv8
“I know, but we’re short staffed. We need all the help we can get.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAEXxmUwGYRw
“What’s her name?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAydghuVhlCt
“Rose Atwell. Can you make sure her desk is cleared and show her the ropes?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAvgdE58ZZri
“Yeah. Is that all you needed? I want to finish up my paperwork from yesterday.”329Please respect copyright.PENANArXlc69fwiS
“That’s it.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA6xen0yE6Ff
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. 329Please respect copyright.PENANACja8T44bXo
“Excuse me are you Rose Atwell?” He felt bad as he had accidentally startled her. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAiLugnigaaf
Rose placed a few framed photos on her desk before turning to David and said “Sorry. What did you say?”329Please respect copyright.PENANADEYAOE9pXv
“Are you Rose Atwell?”329Please respect copyright.PENANA4mH7He4QAa
“I am and you are…?”329Please respect copyright.PENANABnXnVaD2s5
“David Buckman your partner.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAbGwTmUWnwk
“Nice to meet you.”329Please respect copyright.PENANALtR2PEwcgZ
“You too. Did you need help with anything?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAwqNjy6XKUH
“I think I’m good.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAOdUzSfQdCK
“Who’s in the photos?” David said as he returned to his desk.329Please respect copyright.PENANAi07JoLLsJo
“My fiancé Norman Sawford."329Please respect copyright.PENANA2sXpSpW3S3
“When are you getting married?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAbkhjifIP0K
“We haven’t set a date yet. With the move and everything. I want to get settled.”329Please respect copyright.PENANATcg189Gsou
“Where are you from?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAO6ZN2K4AzR
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAlvYmO3WCJL
“You’ll definitely have all that here.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAdtNeawIqUV
“Buckman?” David looked to where his Captain was standing outside of his office. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAsfpYg6rexn
“Go to the local hospital. I need you to interview a victim. Can you take Atwell with you?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAjO31cU9xgB
“Sure.” 329Please respect copyright.PENANA1OY1vpFNdC
The Captain returned to his office and swiftly closed the door behind him. 329Please respect copyright.PENANARNeJL1YNEJ
“You ready?” David said putting his computer to sleep and slipping on his jacket.329Please respect copyright.PENANAkCHXWfZDEe
“As I’ll ever be,” Rose said with a smile before putting on her sweater and zipping it up. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAopHbucpfeM
**** Present Day ****329Please respect copyright.PENANAehgKm3q2Ev
“David?” Adam said standing in front of him. 329Please respect copyright.PENANA08RqDod8nd
“Huh?” The surgeon wants to talk to you. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAemjiwhPRdK
“Oh, umm…thanks.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAQfsOZRlRs5
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.329Please respect copyright.PENANA9JzpZUMuJi
“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.”329Please respect copyright.PENANA5duS1B5GAp
“Thanks, doctor.”329Please respect copyright.PENANAzybsZ18dDD
“You’re welcome.” 329Please respect copyright.PENANAvwrzgfN1Ck
David jogged to the room and he slowly opened the door and closed it behind him. 329Please respect copyright.PENANAksFfVQs9Hx
“David is that you?” his heart broke hearing how timid she sounded.329Please respect copyright.PENANAEySMQJScZr
“It’s me,” David said sitting his coffee on a table nearby and stood beside Rose’s bed. “How are you feeling?”329Please respect copyright.PENANAw5PQpfFoVw
“Exhausted. I don't feel any pain.”329Please respect copyright.PENANALjv1aqkWNM
“Do you need anything?” 329Please respect copyright.PENANAwRC8VBb9ED
“Can you stay here?” 329Please respect copyright.PENANAQkMwUS0EJ1
David grabbed a chair from a corner of the room and placed it right beside her bed. 329Please respect copyright.PENANA59V88yKv4x
“Don’t worry I’m not going anywhere,” David said holding Rose’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.329Please respect copyright.PENANALeEMB91Zc4