Page 115 of Her Last Whisper

Sixty-Eight

A week and half later…

Katie stood eagerly at the outside entrance to the Silver Springs Hospital, holding a large bouquet of yellow roses. It still hurt to walk, but she was healing up nicely—as for her emotional wounds—it would take more time.

After a few minutes, she saw Madeline Thomas emerge with her sister holding her arm. She looked frail, but there was an expression of relief on her face. Just as she stepped into the light, she looked up and marveled at the sky and everything around her. Life again. A smile washed across her face: It was clear that she was joyful and thankful to be out of the hospital and to have survived her ordeal.

Madeline looked around and then she saw Katie standing there. She stopped for a moment and gently took her sister’s hand away.

Katie walked up to her and said, “I’m so glad to see you, Madeline. It’s nice to know your name. I wish you all the best.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

“These are for you—your favorite, right?” Katie said, giving them to her.

“Oh, thank you. Yes, they are.” She smiled at Katie and said, “I knew you were going to catch him.”

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Katie hugged her. “You take care of yourself, okay?”

Madeline nodded.

Her sister spoke. “Thank you, Detective, for giving us our lovely Madeline back.”

Katie nodded and turned, heading back to her car. She didn’t let them see the tears in her eyes as she wiped them away.

Sixty-Nine

Katie sat on her couch finishing another novel—it was her third since she had been ordered to stay home to recover. She had many good days, and some bad ones where the memories of the fire at the Humanity Project and memories of the battlefield sometimes merged into one disturbing event. It was difficult to be her own company and not be busy with another cold case. In some ways it was good; she thought about many things: Chad, being a detective, what she wanted in life.

Cisco snugged closer to her, never allowing her to feel alone. She looked down at the black dog and smiled. He had been there through her toughest times and he was here now.

Katie put the book down, pulled her feet up on the couch, and drew a blanket over herself. It was another day that she was still here and she was thankful. As she closed her eyes, she willed only the good memories to fill her mind. Having dinner with Chad, spending time with her uncle, and laughing at McGaven’s jokes, those were the cherished times that she needed to hold onto.

There was the sound of car doors slamming outside.

Cisco stood up on the couch and barked.

Katie got to her feet and went to the door. She saw several people coming up her driveway carrying bags, bowls, and casserole dishes.

She opened the door; Cisco ran out to greet everyone. “What’s going on?” she asked, surprised by the group.

Chad was the first to enter, holding several grocery bags. “Look who I ran into at the store,” he said with a smile on his face. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and headed to the kitchen. “It’s amazing the people you can run into in this town.”

Katie couldn’t believe it. “I’m being ambushed.”

McGaven, accompanied by Denise, greeted her. “You know me, I never turn down barbecues.”

Katie was taken aback. “You two are together?” The two people at work who always had her back were dating. That made her happy.

McGaven grinned and entered the house.

Denise hugged Katie. “You doing okay? We miss you at work.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“About this?” Denise said, referring to the get-together. “Or about me and McGaven?” She smiled. “What can I say, we’ve been flirting for quite a while and then I decided to accept his first date offer.”

“I’m happy for you,” Katie said.