Page 9 of Forged By Fire (Danger in Destiny #9)
Chapter Nine
L eslie shared a story about something Izzy had told her on the phone and Danny chuckled. The scowl on his face and the way he clutched at his chest showed instant regret. “I can’t laugh right now. There may be a ban on laughing for the next week.”
Becca placed a hand over his and gave it a squeeze. The smile on her face didn’t quite erase the worry in her eyes, and neither of them came close to the love that shone in every action as she cared for her husband.
“I thought laughter was the best medicine,” Leslie teased. “Seriously, though, it’s been great to see you awake and talking.”
All were good signs. However, it was impossible not to worry about the fact that he was far paler than normal, and his eyes were dull from pain and medication.
It was also clear that the visit from Clint had worn her friend out.
She wanted to know what they’d spoken about but didn’t want to make him or Becca uncomfortable or any more stressed by asking. They’d share if they wanted to.
“The food here isn’t too bad, but if you need any contraband, just say the word.” Leslie held up her purse to show them she had plenty of room to sneak something in. “We’ll try to hold down the fort until you get back.”
The doctor had checked on Danny that morning and said they wanted to keep him for at least a couple more days to make sure everything was healing the way it was supposed to.
The guys from the fire station had already set up a visiting schedule to keep Danny company and give Becca a break so she could go home and take a shower or get some sleep.
Danny’s hospital room was filled with balloons and flowers. Someone had even found a balloon of a fire engine, which made Leslie chuckle.
A nurse pushed a cart in, adjusted Danny’s blood pressure cuff, and typed something into the computer.
“Mr. Bracken, physical therapy will be here in about five minutes to help you try to stand. The more we can get you moving, the easier it’ll be to heal.
” She rolled her cart back out into the hallway and closed the door behind her.
“I should probably go, too.” Leslie stood from the small hospital chair she’d been perched in. Besides, it’d already been twenty minutes since Clint left. He’d wanted to speak with her, and she didn’t want to keep him waiting too long.
Danny glanced at the door to make sure no one else was coming in, and they were the only three in the room. “Promise to call me or Becca if you hear anything?”
“Of course. You just concentrate on resting and feeling better, okay?
Leslie sent a silent prayer heavenward that Danny would continue to stay strong as his body healed.
Outside of the room, she found Clint and Officer Carrington talking.
She waited awkwardly for them to finish.
When Officer Carrington left with a polite wave, Clint turned to her with a smile.
He inclined his head and led her a few paces down the hall.
They were still close enough to see Danny’s room, but far enough from the nurses’ station to not be overheard.
“I hope you didn’t feel like you had to rush your visit.”
“No. They’re going to have PT come and work with him. Get him on his feet a little.” She shifted her weight. “What about the break-in at my house? Any luck there?”
“Unfortunately, not. Whoever broke in did everything they could to cover their tracks. No fingerprints on the window they broke, and nothing else happened in the neighborhood that we could tie them to.” He gave her an apologetic look.
“I’m sorry, Leslie. Let’s hope it was just a random burglary attempt that was interrupted when you got home. ”
Leslie knew she couldn’t hide her disappointment. He was probably right, and it was a random one-time thing. Even if she knew one hundred percent that that was true, it was going to take a while before she would feel completely at ease going into her house at the end of her shifts.
“Someone should be at the house in a couple of hours to put in a new window. I’m having security lights installed at the front and back doors, too.
You know, the kind that turn on when there’s movement.
I considered getting a quote on a security system, but I know it’s out of my price range right now. ”
She wished she had a dog. A large dog with a booming bark. She’d always wanted one, but since she was on shift for a full twenty-four hours at a time, it would never work. Maybe one day, in the distant future, that could change.
“The security lights are a great idea. Something like that is often enough to discourage someone from messing with a house. We’ll have extra patrols in your neighborhood for the next few days, too. I know it doesn’t seem like much…”
“No, I appreciate it. Thank you.”
Leslie’s stomach growled. She’d grabbed a granola bar on the way out of the house this morning.
She hadn’t picked anything up when she took Becca to the cafeteria, but all of the food had smelled delicious.
Maybe she should swing through a drive-through and grab a burger on the way back to the house to meet the technician.
She considered asking Clint if he wanted to join her for a quick lunch but stopped herself.
He was on duty, and he surely had a list of things he had to do next.
The elevator just down from them dinged, and an older woman got out with a small bouquet of flowers in her arms. The vase was light purple, and it was filled with white roses and carnations along with some beautiful little lavender-colored flowers that matched the vase.
Baby’s breath filled out the rest of the bouquet.
The woman was dressed in the uniform of a hospital volunteer, including a name tag that had Gloria printed on it. She passed them and paused at the door to Danny’s room, where the posted officer stopped her.
The bright smile on the woman’s face shifted to confusion. “I’ve got flowers for Leslie Granger, room 112.”
Leslie exchanged a surprised glance with Clint. “I’m Leslie. Do you know who they’re from?”
“I have no idea. I just deliver flowers.” She smiled brightly again as she handed over the bouquet. “Maybe they signed the card? Have a great day.” With that, she waved and disappeared back into the elevator.
Leslie held the bouquet away from her and breathed in the heavenly scent of the flowers. The carnations were especially strong.
“I take it you weren’t expecting flowers?”
“Most certainly not, and especially not here. This makes no sense.” She moved to a small table next to a couple of chairs and set the vase down.
Clint followed her. A large envelope was held in place by a floral pick.
The only thing written on the envelope was her name and the room number.
Leslie retrieved the envelope and pulled the card out.
On the front were the typed words, “Never Forgotten.”
When Leslie opened the card, there was nothing written inside. Instead, there was a photograph folded in half. She opened it up and gasped. It slipped from her hand and fluttered to land face up on the floor at her feet.
It was a picture of her reading nook.
From inside her house.