Ch 10 Time

Frank Harper knocked on the door as he stuck his head into room 517. He took in the chair beside the bed, and the familiar figure sitting there. "Milt?"

Hardcastle turned in the chair and then stood up, putting a finger against his lips. The figure in the hospital bed was sleeping, and he wanted him to stay that way.

Hardcastle walked into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him.

"How's he doing?" Frank asked.

The judge sighed, "he's bad off Frank, they really did some damage. But, the doctor's say he should recover."

"That's good," and Frank put his hand on Hardcastle's shoulder, "are you alright?"

There was a long pause and the judge shook his head, "I hardly know."

"You were right about him Milt, I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"You and Mike too."

"Yeah."

Milt shook his head. "How could you know? I mean, who would've figured that my crazy rehabilitation project would turn out like this?"

Frank shook his head, "I don't know," he whispered.

"The kid was ready to die for me… to protect me… I never asked him to do that Frank, I never expected him to do it…" Hardcastle shook his head in confusion.

"This is some partnership you've got Milt."

The judge sighed, then took a deep breath, determined to change the subject.

"How's the case?"

"Good. We've got enough on all of them, Farnell, Trish and his inner circle, enough to send them away for a long time."

"Good."

"Do you know your safe was broken into at Gulls Way?"

Milt shook his head, "no, was it when they took McCormick?"

"Yeah. We got Horace, he was waiting outside the gate to take you out. He told us how Farnell framed Mark for the robbery."

"The kid keeps mumbling when he's half awake, saying he didn't do it… that he would never steal from me… I didn't know what he was talkin about."

"Well, according to Horace, he was there, in cuffs, he knows Farnell was framing him… I guess he thought you'd believe it."

Silence.

"He protected you anyway," Frank finally continued.

"He doesn't know we heard what was happening with Farnell," Milt added. "I tried to tell him, but he was too out of it to understand. Just keeps sayin he didn't do it, pleading with me not to send him back to prison."

"Well, with everything he's been through, you can't blame him for being confused."

"Yeah, but confused or not, he's scared… of me."

Frank paused and stared at his long-time friend. Then, forcefully, he said, "Milt, you've got time. He's gonna recover, and you two can talk," another long pause, "and that's great news."

Milt smiled then, "you're right Frank, we do have time… and we will talk."

"Without yelling?"

Milt sent him a grimace, "yes, without yelling."

"Because I don't think he's gonna budge on the whole 'watching your back' thing, and to tell you the truth, with the kind of stuff you get into, you're lucky he takes it so seriously."