Chapter 3:

We drive down the city to the hospital in the squad car, Banks driving, me in the passenger seat, and Charlie sitting with her head in between the seats. She starts licking Banks's elbow, and I blush. I whisper to her, "Girl, you're a professional. No in-office relationships!"

She almost looks disappointed. I rummage around in my purse and pull out a dog biscuit. I toss it in back. I say to no one in particular, "That'll keep her busy." I mumble incoherently, "Now where is my cell?" I find it after pulling out everything in my bag. It just happens to be the last thing in there. Figures, I think.

I flip it open and turn it on. There are a couple messages from Banks. Then I press speed dial. Jared picks up and asks, "Hey, why did your boss call me?"

I glare at Banks, only he doesn't notice. I wonder if he called Angie and my dead father, too. I shake my head. "It's an emergency. We got a 9-1-1 from some lady at the dog park saying she was-"

He interrupts me, "Anna Borealis. She's in the recovery unit right."

I ask, "So she's out of surgery already?"

He snorts. I can almost hear him roll his eyes, "She hit her head. We suspect concussion. Why would we operate?"

"Banks told me it was severe brain damage. Hey, aren't you off tonight?"

He replies,, "Yeah, I was, but then I got called in for," we say in unison, "Anna Borealis."

I ask, "Anyways, has she said anything about um… you know?"

He stutters, "Uh, um… I-I think we should talk about this when you get here. You are coming, right?"

We pull into the hospital parking lot for the ICU. I pull the phone to my chest and say to Banks, "She's in recovery." He nods and moves on. I say to Jared, "Alright we're here. I'll meet you in her room." Then I hang up, and both Banks and I make our way out of the car.

Charlie whines from the back seat. She's staring at me with this look that's saying, "Why are you abandoning me? Take me with you!" I turn to Detective Banks and plead with him with my eyes.

He says, "Fine. She's on the job, but just for tonight. She's not official YET."

I jump in back and grab Charlie's leash. "Come on, Girl! Let's go talk to Anna!" I say joyously. She jumps out and barks, her stumpy tail going a mile a minute. We go into the hospital, and when we come to the reception desk a lady I don't recognize says, "No dogs in the hospital."

I ignore her and say, "We're here to see Anna Borealis."

The lady stares me down. She's got to be in her late thirties. She's kind of uptight looking and teacher-ish. She says, "Are you family members?"

I say, "No, but we're here to talk to-"

She repeats, "Only family can see Ms. Borealis right now."

"We're the detectives assigned to her case," Detective Banks growls. He's getting annoyed.

The woman narrows her eyes shrewdly, "Why should I believe you? Do you have anything that clarifies that you ARE detectives?"

I lean over to Banks and whisper, "Do you have your badge on you?"

He mumbles, "No, I've never had to identify myself in this hospital. I just figured we could walk right in. Why don't you have yours?"

I say, "My new one is being made still. My old one is in a drawer at home." He nods and frowns. I'm about to get out my phone to call Hailey, the neighbor kid who watches after Charlie while I'm not home. She's just gotten her license, so she jumps at every opportunity to drive, but right now, Jared's here, rescuing us from the mean receptionist.

"Clarissa! This is my friend, Detective Jane and her superior, Detective Banks. I was waiting for them up in Anna Borealis's room when I heard the commotion. Is there a problem?"

She averts her eyes, no very interested in her desktop. "No, Sir. I'm sorry. Please, Detectives, go ahead."

I follow Jared down the hall. As we walk side-by-side I whisper, "Aren't receptionists supposed to be um, I don't know? Nice?"

He laughed and murmured back, "Give her a break. She's new. She hasn't seen you yet skulking around and interrogating victims yet. Give her some time. Soon enough, you'll be best friends." He raises his eyebrows, knowing that my opinions of people hardly change.

I snort, "Oh, God that's so funny! Great joke! NOT."

He shakes his head and mumbles something like "stubborn" but I'm not sure because it's so quiet. I elbow him in the ribs just for good measure. He ignores me and stops, "This is her."

I nod and he goes in. Comes back out. "She's unconscious. You'll have to wait a while."

I ask him, "So what did she say that you couldn't tell me on the phone?"

He sits down, and Banks and I sit across from him. He says solemnly, "She woke up slightly in the ICU when we were still checking her out. She was hysterical, screaming and flailing around like she was being burned on the stake. We had to get Lance and his team to hold her down till we could sedate her. She was yelling, 'Don't touch me! Stop! Kyle! Stop! Get off me! I'll call the police, I swear!'" Jared stops and stares at me.

Banks asks, "So what makes you assume he was the rapist? What if this Kyle guy's her boyfriend?"

Jared says frankly, "His name."

Banks goes, "I don't get it. What's the significance of Kyle?"

Jared stares at me, and I'm pleading at him with my eyes He doesn't know. Don't tell him! Please don't tell him! But he doesn't listen to my silent cries.