Paybacks
Chapter 19
They kept Bosco in the hospital for the next three days. The detectives wanted to keep him somewhere he would be safe until they figured out what they were going to do.
So for those three days Bosco sat quietly in his room. Faith spent most of her time at the hospital trying to make small talk with him, but he just wasn't in the mood. He was content with watching TV, and sleeping. With everything going on around him he felt safest in his own little world.
Faith worried about him day and night. She wasn't sure what to do or say. Bosco just sat there. He didn't ignore her. He always looked at her when she spoke, but it was like she was talking to a brick wall.
Bosco spent most of the time he was awake thinking. Trying to figure out who was after him. When this person was going to strike. And how much longer this was going to go on. The more time that passed the more Bosco thought of finding a way to end things faster.
****
When he was released from the hospital Bosco was no longer sporting the black cast that was protecting his long ago broken wrist. Faith had made fun of his now very small, thin arm. She had actually gotten him to smile, but it didn't last long.
"Bosco. The detectives have set up a safe house for you."
He just nodded.
"I've asked them to let me stay with you."
"You shouldn't have done that." He said softly.
"Why not?"
"You're in enough danger as it is since you're my partner. Spending more time with me isn't smart."
"It's because I'm your partner that I'm doing this," they looked at each other. "Bosco I'm the one person in this world who understands you, and whether you admit it or not you need me."
"Whatever you say."
The two officers got into the back of the car that the detectives had provided as transportation to the safe house. The location of the house was only known by a few select people, and would be watched around the clock by numerous officers.
When they arrived at the house they went inside. "Gee. Don't you think they could have sprung for a nicer place?" Asked Bosco.
"No kidding." Faith wasn't impressed either.
"Don't know what exactly I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this." Bosco commented as he went to open the closet to hang up his coat. The doorknob came off in his hand. "You gotta be kidding me! This is a joke right?!"
"No joke Boscorelli," said one of the uniformed officers we had followed them into the house. "Guess the detectives figure no one would expect a bunch of police officers to use this as a safe house."
Faith looked at the officer, and then pointed to the hole in the floor that she nearly stepped in. "I don't think `safe' house is the proper term."
"Well enjoy your stay. I'm Officer Williams. I'll be in an unmarked squad across the street. Officer Hoolihan will be in back. Just give us a shout on the radio if you need anything." The officer turned, and went out the front door.
"I have this sinking feeling that this place doesn't have cable." Bosco said as he turned to look for the TV.
"Bosco do you seriously think that this run-down poor excuse for a house has a television set?"
"Well what the hell are we going to do then?"
"We could try talking. You've hardly said anything to me the last three days."
"Haven't felt much like talking."
"Well I think we should talk."
"`Bout what?"
"About what's going through your head. About how all of this is affecting you."
"Not interested."
"Bosco, I know this is bothering you. Don't shut me out."
"It's not bothering me."
"Oh, it's not?"
"No. Why would it?"
"Gee I don't know maybe because this creep's threatening to send you to the morgue. Last I checked it was pretty much all dead people we were going there."
"What do you want me to say Faith?"
"I want you to tell me the truth. Tell me what you're thinking. Tell me something Bosco," she didn't feel she was getting through to him so she raised her voice. "Tell me what was going through your mind that day when they had to call me to the hospital because you couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't function because you were so freaked."
"Alright! Fine! I was scared out of my mind! Is that what you want to hear? I've never been that scared in my life! I don't want to die! I figured I'd either die an old man, or I'd die in a blaze of glory. Not because some lunatic decided he didn't like me! Is that what you were looking for Faith?!"
She didn't say anything. "Huh Faith? Does that make you happy?"
"No Bos. It doesn't. I don't like seeing you like this. I can't begin to imagine what you're feeling. But I want you to know that I'm here for you. Anything you need. If you want to scream, if you want to cry..."
"I don't cry," he interrupted.
"Well whatever you need I'm here. I'm not going to let you down. I promise you that."
Bosco walked out of the room, and went to find somewhere he could be alone. He wasn't in the mood to talk to Faith. He didn't want to rehash all the thoughts that had been going through his head the last few days. He didn't want her to see his weak side. He just wanted this nightmare to end.
Faith watched him turn his back on her and leave the room. Why did I yell at him like that? I never should have raised my voice? I wish he would just talk to me. I wish he knew that he could tell me anything, and it wouldn't change how I feel about him.
Chapter 19
They kept Bosco in the hospital for the next three days. The detectives wanted to keep him somewhere he would be safe until they figured out what they were going to do.
So for those three days Bosco sat quietly in his room. Faith spent most of her time at the hospital trying to make small talk with him, but he just wasn't in the mood. He was content with watching TV, and sleeping. With everything going on around him he felt safest in his own little world.
Faith worried about him day and night. She wasn't sure what to do or say. Bosco just sat there. He didn't ignore her. He always looked at her when she spoke, but it was like she was talking to a brick wall.
Bosco spent most of the time he was awake thinking. Trying to figure out who was after him. When this person was going to strike. And how much longer this was going to go on. The more time that passed the more Bosco thought of finding a way to end things faster.
****
When he was released from the hospital Bosco was no longer sporting the black cast that was protecting his long ago broken wrist. Faith had made fun of his now very small, thin arm. She had actually gotten him to smile, but it didn't last long.
"Bosco. The detectives have set up a safe house for you."
He just nodded.
"I've asked them to let me stay with you."
"You shouldn't have done that." He said softly.
"Why not?"
"You're in enough danger as it is since you're my partner. Spending more time with me isn't smart."
"It's because I'm your partner that I'm doing this," they looked at each other. "Bosco I'm the one person in this world who understands you, and whether you admit it or not you need me."
"Whatever you say."
The two officers got into the back of the car that the detectives had provided as transportation to the safe house. The location of the house was only known by a few select people, and would be watched around the clock by numerous officers.
When they arrived at the house they went inside. "Gee. Don't you think they could have sprung for a nicer place?" Asked Bosco.
"No kidding." Faith wasn't impressed either.
"Don't know what exactly I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this." Bosco commented as he went to open the closet to hang up his coat. The doorknob came off in his hand. "You gotta be kidding me! This is a joke right?!"
"No joke Boscorelli," said one of the uniformed officers we had followed them into the house. "Guess the detectives figure no one would expect a bunch of police officers to use this as a safe house."
Faith looked at the officer, and then pointed to the hole in the floor that she nearly stepped in. "I don't think `safe' house is the proper term."
"Well enjoy your stay. I'm Officer Williams. I'll be in an unmarked squad across the street. Officer Hoolihan will be in back. Just give us a shout on the radio if you need anything." The officer turned, and went out the front door.
"I have this sinking feeling that this place doesn't have cable." Bosco said as he turned to look for the TV.
"Bosco do you seriously think that this run-down poor excuse for a house has a television set?"
"Well what the hell are we going to do then?"
"We could try talking. You've hardly said anything to me the last three days."
"Haven't felt much like talking."
"Well I think we should talk."
"`Bout what?"
"About what's going through your head. About how all of this is affecting you."
"Not interested."
"Bosco, I know this is bothering you. Don't shut me out."
"It's not bothering me."
"Oh, it's not?"
"No. Why would it?"
"Gee I don't know maybe because this creep's threatening to send you to the morgue. Last I checked it was pretty much all dead people we were going there."
"What do you want me to say Faith?"
"I want you to tell me the truth. Tell me what you're thinking. Tell me something Bosco," she didn't feel she was getting through to him so she raised her voice. "Tell me what was going through your mind that day when they had to call me to the hospital because you couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't function because you were so freaked."
"Alright! Fine! I was scared out of my mind! Is that what you want to hear? I've never been that scared in my life! I don't want to die! I figured I'd either die an old man, or I'd die in a blaze of glory. Not because some lunatic decided he didn't like me! Is that what you were looking for Faith?!"
She didn't say anything. "Huh Faith? Does that make you happy?"
"No Bos. It doesn't. I don't like seeing you like this. I can't begin to imagine what you're feeling. But I want you to know that I'm here for you. Anything you need. If you want to scream, if you want to cry..."
"I don't cry," he interrupted.
"Well whatever you need I'm here. I'm not going to let you down. I promise you that."
Bosco walked out of the room, and went to find somewhere he could be alone. He wasn't in the mood to talk to Faith. He didn't want to rehash all the thoughts that had been going through his head the last few days. He didn't want her to see his weak side. He just wanted this nightmare to end.
Faith watched him turn his back on her and leave the room. Why did I yell at him like that? I never should have raised my voice? I wish he would just talk to me. I wish he knew that he could tell me anything, and it wouldn't change how I feel about him.