Chapter 29
I heard voices outside of the door and immediately stood to place myself between the door and Steph only to come face to face with Val, I stepped to the side trying to gauge how this conversation would go but was pleasantly surprised when her sister went to the bed and kissed her on the cheek.
"How you doing sis"
"Okay, a bit sore"
"Bobby told me what happened to you and I spoke with Mum, she was all for coming home but I told her you were in good hands and on the mend, she asked that you call her as soon as you can"
"Thanks for that Val, I don't know if I could put up with her fussing or lectures"
"There won't be any lectures Steph, she knows it had nothing to do with you but you happened to be there"
"Okay, how are the girls?"
I tuned out after that and left the room finding Hal and Jay standing outside telling myself to thank Santos because I was sure he had arranged the rota for guards outside the door. Jay looked at me and nodded to the side so I walked across the hallway with Steph's door in my sights.
"How's she doing?"
"Better, I haven't asked what happened yet, she needs to be better to do that"
"We found the jacket, watch and glasses so Hector's trying to salvage what he can from them and I found some photos that had been put out onto social media from phones of some of the visitors, though how they got them through security amazes me"
"Mason spoke to me and said the prison systems were knocked out by someone on the inside so they have nothing but think maybe it was one of the visitors who got in and attacked Lula, they're carrying out an internal investigation."
"Well whoever it was they were vicious, the wounds on Lula were frenzied, not a skilled person"
"So Steph would have had trouble protecting herself?"
"Yes, I also think they had two knives, one in each hand which makes it even more difficult to react to"
"How do you come to that conclusion?"
"The angle of the wounds in Lula's back and the fact that Steph has defensive cuts on both arms, though I'd say the person is normally left handed judging from the force and position of Steph's main injuries"
"I'm here for the duration so would you get a message to Ella"
"No need, she's already organizing food and clothes, oh and she seems to have taken on a helper"
"A helper?"
"Yeah, strange woman, but Ella knew who she was, thing is the woman wouldn't leave the hospital said she'd seen too much"
"Eula?"
"Maybe, she's staying with Ella in her apartment"
"Okay tell who ever asks they can probably visit tomorrow afternoon"
"Good"
I watched as Val left the room surprised when she stopped me from going back in.
"Don't you dare go back in there and then leave her when she's better, you're either in or out and you decide now"
That came as a surprise I didn't realize that Val was aware of the strange relationship Steph and I used to have or that my in and out of Steph's life had people noticing.
"I'm in Val, I won't leave her again unless she asks me to"
"Good, because she won't"
I watched as she strutted down the corridor unaware of what conversation had taken place between the two sisters, but curious to know how I warranted that conversation from Val. I quietly opened the door and seeing that Steph was asleep again went to sit next to her but didn't get to sit down.
"I'm not asleep"
"Just resting your eyes?"
"I needed a way to get rid of Val"
"Oh?"
"Yeah she's suddenly taken on the maternal role seeing as Mum isn't here"
"What was she trying to get you to do"
"Go back to Morelli, but don't worry I set her straight, I told her I'm with you now"
"Too right you are, go to sleep Babe, you're exhausted"
I gently kissed her eyelids and then her lips pleased at the smile that came to them and took my seat in the chair. The thought of Morelli annoyed me and I needed to think through my reasons behind that, how was it that he turned up at the police station when Steph was arrested and he was there at the prison when she arrived? What was he doing at the prison anyway, maybe a question I needed someone else to find out for me. During the night Bobby arranged for the chair to be replaced with a sleep chair that was more comfortable as he checked over the monitors I asked the usual question.
"How's she doing?"
And got the usual answer.
"She's doing well"
When morning came so did the stream of doctors and nurses so even if Steph had wanted to sleep they wouldn't let her. The tubes and wires were removed which was a good thing, being able to walk around not so good, I helped her from the bed because it hurt her to use the muscles in her stomach and she nearly had a fit when she looked down at her stomach.
"Will it scar badly"
"No, give it time Babe, it's only been 24 hours"
"Sorry I'm grouchy"
"Babe you have reason to be grouchy"
And she did, they'd insisted on a sling to immobilize her shoulder and I knew her stomach was painful making it difficult to move.
"In a few days you'll feel much better"
"Ranger you need to rest as well, go get some proper sleep, there are guys outside and this afternoon people will be here to visit"
"No, I'm here with you until we leave"
The afternoon brought about a new concern for me, so many people came to visit and some were only there for what they could find out from Steph, in the end I had to turn people away, I mean why would Steph want to talk to her parents neighbors or a woman she went to school with years ago? By 1800 Steph looked ready to drop so I told the men outside the room no more people were to come in. Of course no one could stop Ella and Steph was pleased to see her, it was the woman with her that had me concerned, Steph was looking at her trying to figure out who she was when she suddenly smiled.
"I can't believe it's you"
"I clean up good, but how did you know?"
"Your eyes, they're grey but have a fleck of something like violet in them"
I watched as the woman approached Steph and leaned forward to kiss her cheeks.
"How's my girl doing?"
"Better thanks Eula"
"Good, he looking after you?"
In answer to that Steph held out her hand to me and pulled me to sit next to her on the bed.
"Eula what's going on, why are you all different and with Ella?"
"I came to see hows you were doing and that el cerdo was waiting outside, no way was I going out on my own so when Ella asks if I want somewhere to stay for a while, I thought why not, I can help out with what she does"
El cerdo was the name she gave Morelli, maybe I needed to get some eyes on him and maybe ask those I knew what they thought. Ella had brought fresh clothes for me so while she talked with Steph I showered and changed and handed the worn clothes back. She'd brought chicken broth and bread for Steph and a salad for me so we sat quietly eating our food, once finished I helped her to the bathroom and to wash and change, somehow it seemed so natural to do and at no time did she seem embarrassed, annoyed with herself maybe. Once done I lay on the bed with her, her back against my front, it seemed to be a comfortable position for her to be in and I never realized how much I missed holding her next to me.
"Ranger who was Eula talking about, el cerdo?"
"I think it's Morelli, Eula doesn't like him"
"Has he been here?"
"He turned up when you were in theatre but disappeared"
"He was at the prison when I got there, I wonder why he was there?"
"And he turned up at the police station when you were arrested"
"Do you think I've somehow crossed with one of his cases?"
"I don't know, but the only officers we speak to are Mason and Lansky"
"Okay, no doubt they'll want to talk with me anyway"
I didn't want to push her into telling me what had happened she would tell me when she was ready, though I had to admit it was killing me not knowing. As the light faded I felt her relax and knew she was sleeping and to be honest I was tired now as well, so with her in my arms I followed her into sleep.
