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.” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hOPqccFwi
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?” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vtbgUH66x
“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.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgK5TaFueS
“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. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4UWp4Z729
“I doubt it. I mean he assaulted a police officer. Plus he has the charges of the murder and sexual assault of Odilia.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjFG9MhaZC
“You do have a point,” David said with a sigh. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6xK8wauxO
“Any news on Rose?” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7xvDWVVht
“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.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtQNBklC7a
“Keep me updated. I'm going to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. Do you want anything?” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjGEr7zQ3d
“I’m good Adam, but thanks. And thanks for the coffee.” Adam nodded to David then strolled down the hallway towards the cafeteria. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaNsVDzjjS
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. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Yh31CdACi
**** Four Years Earlier ****379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLXZTtAaQ3
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.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmQyoiYZvs
Captain opened up his office door and called out to where the detectives were. “Buckman?” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCW8nWmLgMw
“Yes, Captain?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9k3qrw0GDI
“Can I see you in my office for a moment?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzIJkJ3Kzs
“Sure,” David said marking where he left off in his paperwork before going to the Captain’s office. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyhonodAVM
“I wanted to let you know your partner will be arriving sometime this morning.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aErxFMl6g
“So soon? Detective Ethan Vinton just left.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTsd8CNKSd
“I know, but we’re short staffed. We need all the help we can get.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmbJrayJwV
“What’s her name?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJ23yjGZzN
“Rose Atwell. Can you make sure her desk is cleared and show her the ropes?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CgMzM0Vjy
“Yeah. Is that all you needed? I want to finish up my paperwork from yesterday.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrxcf53r3C
“That’s it.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oaiPSMBvS
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. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfuMtyshjD
“Excuse me are you Rose Atwell?” He felt bad as he had accidentally startled her. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9Ar5rVBCn
Rose placed a few framed photos on her desk before turning to David and said “Sorry. What did you say?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLLH3hoohV
“Are you Rose Atwell?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiCErhV3UT
“I am and you are…?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJZaVSCoLr
“David Buckman your partner.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnl3AYecWNQ
“Nice to meet you.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFx1TVM6If
“You too. Did you need help with anything?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeO2BvKkCM
“I think I’m good.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9YJ27FAAK
“Who’s in the photos?” David said as he returned to his desk.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVawIDscAV
“My fiancé Norman Sawford."379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkapMROD7b
“When are you getting married?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSVgOJarFJ
“We haven’t set a date yet. With the move and everything. I want to get settled.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUQVreNE6p
“Where are you from?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxznPQ0tRbH
“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.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCzPezVlAy
“You’ll definitely have all that here.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQw8nk38Hj6
“Buckman?” David looked to where his Captain was standing outside of his office. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3rbtXYXS3
“Go to the local hospital. I need you to interview a victim. Can you take Atwell with you?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNcqJ2kHXJ
“Sure.” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3R27Nvani5
The Captain returned to his office and swiftly closed the door behind him. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnHjoexDbA
“You ready?” David said putting his computer to sleep and slipping on his jacket.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9vvusbOph
“As I’ll ever be,” Rose said with a smile before putting on her sweater and zipping it up. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1b3X2qIXEZ
**** Present Day ****379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6HX3VDs2z
“David?” Adam said standing in front of him. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAzZMPtoEx
“Huh?” The surgeon wants to talk to you. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPixdKl3e0
“Oh, umm…thanks.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5u1o9xKU4h
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.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPsAPjLxjW
“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.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3iP5jgjyB
“Thanks, doctor.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YWOwnIUEC
“You’re welcome.” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DwtjDdYu3
David jogged to the room and he slowly opened the door and closed it behind him. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWnz5XICXm
“David is that you?” his heart broke hearing how timid she sounded.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIU1efDFVZ2
“It’s me,” David said sitting his coffee on a table nearby and stood beside Rose’s bed. “How are you feeling?”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoBxNZOZpA
“Exhausted. I don't feel any pain.”379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMbxtTNmvY
“Do you need anything?” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHzVmOSDki
“Can you stay here?” 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc807CE9LDs
David grabbed a chair from a corner of the room and placed it right beside her bed. 379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPXlQguYy7
“Don’t worry I’m not going anywhere,” David said holding Rose’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.379Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeiqHpy6fY
