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.” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQs7YZAQbC
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?” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulxNEUDFG2
“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.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvZhABoBLa
“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. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZyLa9j2my
“I doubt it. I mean he assaulted a police officer. Plus he has the charges of the murder and sexual assault of Odilia.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnMIf0E6PB
“You do have a point,” David said with a sigh. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCCKAJIUTd
“Any news on Rose?” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjY75Y1kdD
“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.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrpkAY5Nkl
“Keep me updated. I'm going to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. Do you want anything?” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQCShGPvKc
“I’m good Adam, but thanks. And thanks for the coffee.” Adam nodded to David then strolled down the hallway towards the cafeteria. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXyOeQ0N2n
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. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuFfwF6vFT
**** Four Years Earlier ****378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX3oxNdeWM
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.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs90RNXetwf
Captain opened up his office door and called out to where the detectives were. “Buckman?” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtLVMW7UhH
“Yes, Captain?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Nqa9KPjK8
“Can I see you in my office for a moment?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDqIWQV54i
“Sure,” David said marking where he left off in his paperwork before going to the Captain’s office. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLH0HBfY6B6
“I wanted to let you know your partner will be arriving sometime this morning.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41zuI6bZ7i
“So soon? Detective Ethan Vinton just left.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8RYSJU6dv
“I know, but we’re short staffed. We need all the help we can get.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmq3sW1QrSX
“What’s her name?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFCMzDmntN
“Rose Atwell. Can you make sure her desk is cleared and show her the ropes?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBivfO1Zxu2
“Yeah. Is that all you needed? I want to finish up my paperwork from yesterday.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Y4hdsXPOk
“That’s it.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSV7eaORIM
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. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tNpvGXLIn
“Excuse me are you Rose Atwell?” He felt bad as he had accidentally startled her. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lc2PubLrC
Rose placed a few framed photos on her desk before turning to David and said “Sorry. What did you say?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlCWguAJmB
“Are you Rose Atwell?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8UrDR3iJD
“I am and you are…?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4ix8RYi56
“David Buckman your partner.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe25zc61el
“Nice to meet you.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbudOKeLdmN
“You too. Did you need help with anything?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkawYclYDs
“I think I’m good.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlSX6Rg9MM
“Who’s in the photos?” David said as he returned to his desk.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHkM7RC1tL
“My fiancé Norman Sawford."378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbvI3aIQE5
“When are you getting married?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4k93vZqp9P
“We haven’t set a date yet. With the move and everything. I want to get settled.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhffo62aiOG
“Where are you from?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPAJwbC9jb
“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.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHcEJztUkD
“You’ll definitely have all that here.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSBvB8DYEL
“Buckman?” David looked to where his Captain was standing outside of his office. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOOhMqtsFd
“Go to the local hospital. I need you to interview a victim. Can you take Atwell with you?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1QcHFQQsE
“Sure.” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKulfDNvOO
The Captain returned to his office and swiftly closed the door behind him. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHK65eaECjh
“You ready?” David said putting his computer to sleep and slipping on his jacket.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN1xnzop5S
“As I’ll ever be,” Rose said with a smile before putting on her sweater and zipping it up. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUl2RaaIye
**** Present Day ****378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3vnS5FN6j
“David?” Adam said standing in front of him. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaoeNihx0a
“Huh?” The surgeon wants to talk to you. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLjGzSJUnT
“Oh, umm…thanks.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ifbxTd07K
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.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmfobTshEY
“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.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDTcieeQlU
“Thanks, doctor.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmUHabjsok
“You’re welcome.” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGL2kvrjpQ
David jogged to the room and he slowly opened the door and closed it behind him. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPMmprwr7s
“David is that you?” his heart broke hearing how timid she sounded.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63R3Z0EoTv
“It’s me,” David said sitting his coffee on a table nearby and stood beside Rose’s bed. “How are you feeling?”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nU2BZyOTO
“Exhausted. I don't feel any pain.”378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNAiLiiHQX
“Do you need anything?” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lTRm1BySa
“Can you stay here?” 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHM6czIVce
David grabbed a chair from a corner of the room and placed it right beside her bed. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2N6QTQE4dO
“Don’t worry I’m not going anywhere,” David said holding Rose’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoBlXarros
