H: A Time for Healing

Chapter 2

Horatio poured himself a glass of orange juice, more from habit than anything else, and drank it at the kitchen sink, staring out the window but not really seeing the brilliant South Florida sunrise. Unbidden memories of mornings with Mari in this kitchen rose in his mind. They hadn't been married, but she had been staying with him on weekends, sleeping in the smaller bedroom beside his study. He had been upstairs in the master bedroom, one that she would share with him when they became husband and wife. They read the paper at the kitchen table and made their plans for the day. It had never mattered to Horatio what they did, only that they were together. He set the glass in the sink and turned away from the window. As he did so, his eyes fell on his water-stained shoes near the door. They were a reminder that the odd encounter on the beach had been real and not part of one of the regular nightmares that seemed to interrupt his sleep.

Jo rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling. The sun was beginning to filter through the curtains and as if on cue, the sound of toenails clickety-clacking purposefully down the hall had her pushing back her blankets and reaching for her robe. A look in the mirror revealed that her hair was a tangled mess from her unexpected dip in the ocean last night. Her eyes caught sight of a man's black suit jacket draped over the maple bedpost. She reached a hand over, feeling the silky smooth fabric beneath her fingertips. It looked expensive, she noticed. Like something a man would wear for a special occasion. Three pairs of brown eyes and one pair of blue eyes stood looking at her from the doorway.

"Except that whatever occasion he was coming from wasn't a happy one, don't you agree Jezzie?" The big black shepherd stared back at her solemnly in agreement. Jo slipped her feet into her favorite sherpa lined slippers and waded through the sea of four-legged guests that inhabited her aunt's house.

"Let's go get breakfast, kids." She patted Roxie on the head as she went past the puppy.

"How are you this morning, my wild child?" For an answer, the speckled dog tried to mouth her hand.

Alexx was enjoying a second cup of coffee in the silence of the morning. A house with teenagers meant quiet time for mom and dad was before 10:00 a.m. The buzzing of her phone on the nearby counter broke the peacefulness in the kitchen. Her eyes widened when she saw who was calling.

"Kyle, good morning, what a surprise."

"Hi Dr. Woods." The young man hesitated. "I hope I'm not calling you too early. I forget sometimes, it's almost evening here."

"Of course not Kyle," Alexx said warmly, relaxing back into her chair. "And you know you can call me Alexx."

"Yes Ma'am," the young man's voice sounded was distracted. "Dad said I could call you if I ever couldn't get in touch with him." Kyle hesitated. "You know Dad pretty well, don't you, Dr. Woods."

"We've been friends for a long time, Kyle," Alexx said quietly, fear beginning to set in as she wondered what had happened to Horatio. "Have you been trying to contact your dad?"

"No." Again the young man paused. "I'm really worried about him, Ma'am." In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Alexx had to smile at the young man's words. He sounded so much like Horatio.

"What do you mean Kyle?"

"Well, he always seems so sad when I talk to him. And, he doesn't look too good either, Dr. Woods. He won't tell me what's wrong, of course. And I know that you wouldn't betray his confidence either," Kyle said hurriedly. "I'm just really, really worried about him. I can't help him from over here."

"Kyle I know your dad wouldn't want you to worry about him. More than anything, he wants you to come home safe when your tour is done." Shouting sounded in the background and the young man said hurriedly,

"I've got to go Dr. Woods. If you find out something, you'll let me know?"

"If I can Sugar. Take care." Alexx barely heard his good-bye as more shouting sounded in the background. Sipping her coffee, she stared at the phone on the table in front of her. She was worried about Horatio too. To date, her efforts had been dismissed by her friend. The phone call from Horatio's son gave her all the more reason to keep trying.

Horatio eyes quickly went over the sparse contents of the top of his bureau. Keys, badge, and phone. His sunglasses were missing. He'd had them yesterday when he was at Jennifer's wedding. Of course he hadn't needed them last night. They were probably in his car, he decided, beginning to turn away from the bureau when his gaze fell on a business card.

Aunt Flo's Good Shepherd Foster Home

Because every good dog needs a good home

Flo Bradley, proprietor

Idly, Horatio picked it up, turning it over in his fingers. It was from the woman on the beach last night. Before he had been able to stop her, she had run off toward the water. Shining his light on her, he watched as she spotted the puppy swimming in circles just out of reach of the sand. He kept the light on her as he followed her, the big black dog ambling along obediently at his heels. The woman had no success calling the frightened canine in and she had waded up to her waist before finally managing to catch hold of the dog. He winced watching as the puppy fought her, knocking her off balance more than once as she half-carried, half-dragged the bedraggled pup into safety. The sight of the two of them, streaming water and shivering had stopped him from delivering several lectures, ranging from beach rules to swimming in the ocean after dark. Instead he had shrugged out of his suit jacket, wrapping her shivering form in it. She was petite, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulder, he noticed. He'd brushed her thanks aside, turning her back in the direction they'd come.

Jo finished her grapefruit, squeezing the last drops of juice from it onto her spoon as she stood at the kitchen sink, watching the dogs at their morning routines in the backyard. Her aunt had taken special pangs to keep unfriendly native critters from playing with her rescued dogs, but Jo kept a watchful eye on the animals nevertheless. Grapefruit done, she poured water into the coffeemaker, added her favorite blend of Southern Pecan coffee beans in the grinder section and turned on the machine. While it whirred away, she gathered up the five dog dishes and set about measuring the various kinds of kibbles into the dishes.

Fifteen minutes later the dogs were all happily munching away while Jo sipped her second cup of coffee of the morning. She looked at the calendar her aunt had left her with instructions for the day-to-day business with the dogs. This afternoon, a couple was coming to pick up Trixie, the shepherd/golden retriever mix. The 3-year-old canine had been groomed Saturday, but Jo would need to make sure her coat was combed and her ears clean before her new owners arrived. That meant she would have to visit her aunt at the rehab facility this morning or early this evening. Jo took another sip of coffee.

"I'll drop the suit jacket off at the cleaners while I'm out," she said aloud, surprised that she'd mentioned it. Only Jezabel lifted her head from her dish, her golden gaze fixed on her mistress for a full ten seconds before she went back to the business of eating.

Horatio had been unable to locate his sunglasses in his vehicle. Which meant, they were probably in the pocket of his suit jacket, which was now in possession of a woman possibly named Flo. Picking up the card from his bureau, he reached for his phone. Before he could dial, it began to beep in his hand and he grimaced when he saw who was calling.

"Hello Alexx," he greeted her, staring at the card in his hand while he mentally steeled himself against whatever lecture she had in store for him today.

"Good morning Horatio," she said pleasantly. "How are you this morning?"

"Just fine Alexx," Horatio murmured, wondering how successful he was going to be dodging whatever invitation she had in store for him this time.

"Then why don't you join us for a barbeque this afternoon? Nothing fancy, but there'll be lots of food and company." Horatio was shaking his head even before he spoke.

"No thank you Alexx." His eyes fell on the card in his fingers again. "I, um, I have someone I have to meet. Maybe next weekend?" He didn't miss how his friend pounced on the word someone.

"I'll see you tomorrow Alexx," Horatio said smoothly. "Say lunch at the café around the corner, our usual time? Good-bye Alexx." He clicked off the phone as Alexx began to inquire about his friend.

"I guess I have something to do this afternoon after all," he thought, feeling relieved that he had something to take him away from this lonely, melancholy place for the afternoon.

TBC