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Chapter 25

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"He's a bit moody right now, which is expected," Nurse Peters updated James' friends on his condition.

"Do you think his vision will return?" Lewis worried.

"Officially, he has a 50/50 chance. UN-officially, I know his beautiful eyes will see your faces in a few days," she smiled big. Faye seen patients with this injury before and they all left the hospital with normal vision.

"What about the rest of his injuries?" Innocent asking as James' Chief Superintendent. "When will he return to work? When can I question him?" She needed answers and she wanted to mentally prepare herself for the argument she would have with Lewis when she assigns him a new Sargent.

Lewis rolled his eyes and quietly groaned. "Give the man a chance to wake up before you interrogate him," he argued.

"I have a job to do, Lewis," Innocent snapped at him.

"We've moved him from CCU so Mindy could stay with him," ignoring Innocent's questions, Peters continued to brief them. "If he has no setbacks I should have him up and walking in five days. He'll be taped up like a mummy, but he shouldn't be in too much pain."

"His head trauma?" Innocent prodded. "Will he remember what happened and what he did?"

"No signs of permanent nor lasting damage," she was beginning to dislike this woman. "He might have headaches for a while. Time will only let us know what he remembers. Now, would you like to see him." She looked at everyone except for Innocent.

Lewis did not have to be asked twice, he was all ready in the hall waiting for Nurse Peters. She led them to his room, "I'll be in the room, keeping an eye on him. If he shows any signs of becoming agitated, then you will have to leave." She especially directed this toward Chief Innocent.

James could hear the door quietly open. He listened as several people shuffled into the room. He cleared his throat. "I'm awake," he whispered his throat was still soar from being intubated.

"About time," Dr. Hobson spoke cheerfully. "You look better than the last time we saw you."

He smiled, her voice could put a smile on a dead man. He was thankful for having his hearing back if for only to hear Dr. Hobson talk.

"Why James I do think you're blushing," she teased causing him to blush more.

"James, I need to ask you a few questions," Innocent interrupted their light flirtations.

"Let it rest, Ma'am," Lewis argued.

"No, I'll answer any questions," James knew Innocent was in the room, her lilac perfume always tickled his nose.

"What do you remember, James," her tone of voice softened.

James sighed, "Not much. I remember not being able to sleep. I think I was outside. Mrs. Percy's dog, O'Malley, was in my yard and he bit me." James could hear someone snickering, "What?"

"You mean Mrs. O'Malley's dog Percy," Lewis corrected.

"That's what I said," confused James was getting annoyed his mistake. "I must have blacked out. The only thing I remember after that was seeing …." he started to breathe heavy. He could see her dead body flash in his mind.

"Easy, James," Peters nodded to the others. "He needs his rest."

"NO," James yelled. "No, I'm all right."

"What did you see," Innocent insisted he continued. "Tell us what you saw, James."

"I saw someone laying on the floor covered in blood," he cried. He saw Cynthia, but he knew she could not have been there, she died years ago.

"Who did you see," she started to harass him.

"I... I don't know," he lied.

"Did you kill Dr. Erik Wills, James?" Everyone in the room protested loudly. Mindy snorted and huffed. "I have a job to do and the question had to be asked," she defended her actions.

"WHAT? I killed someone. Oh God NO," James lost all control.

"Leave NOW," Nurse Peters stepped in between Innocent and James. "Get out!" She ordered.

Before Innocent left she whispered to Lewis, "Talk to him, Robbie." Lewis looked at her with harsh eyes, he wondered why she was trying to blame James for the death of Dr. Wills.

Nurse Peters press the call button calling for assistance. "James, you need to calm down," she adjusted the oxygen mask.

"NO, Oh God no, I'm sorry," James continued to cry. "Cynthia I'm sorry."

An orderly pushed into the room. He saw Peters attempting to calm the patient and a room full of people. "OUT!" He bellowed and quickly the room emptied.

"Wait, what did he say," Lewis rushed to James' side. "Cynthia? James do you think you killed Cynthia?" His friend did not listen. He put James' hand to his face and repeated the question.

Not wanting to sedate her distraught patient, Nurse Peters placed some ice on James' forehead. She whispered into his ear, "Shhhh, hush James. Take a deep breath. Good, slowly now Shhhh." She calmed her patient as she rubbed the ice on his forehead, around his ear and lips.

Mindy helped the best way she could, she licked and nudge James' hand with her nose. She was letting him know she was still there for him.

Lewis looked at James, he was calm and his heart rate slowly returned to normal. "Is he asleep?" He asked the nurse.

"No," James moaned. "I'm sorry."

"James, you didn't kill Cynthia," Lewis talked to him as if he was a child. Trying to get James to understand. "Fitzroy killed her four years ago."

"No, I saw her," he was not convinced. "I saw her laying there. She begged me to help her." He continued to relive the horrifying moment in his mind.

"James, listen to me. Cynthia has been dead for four years," Lewis was in James' face, half expecting James to look at him. "We found you at the place she was killed. How did you get there? James, how did you get to Shellingford's abandoned airfield?"

"I don't know," he tried to turn away. "Leave me alone."

"No, I won't leave you alone. Not this time," Lewis reassured him. "I'm here for you James. I should have been there for you last week."

"I need something... My mouth," his mouth was too dry to talk.

"I can only give you ice chips, James," she placed a few in his mouth. "Here munch on these."

The ice soothed his dry soar throat. "I remember the dog, Percy biting me. I kicked him and then... nothing," James searched the dark corners of his mind for answers. "The next thing I remember is seeing Cynthia laying on the floor. I tried to get away but... but I hit something. Then I wake up here. Oh God, I wish I stayed asleep," He whimpered.

"Enough," Faye interrupted. "Get some rest, James."

"No, I don't.. don't go," he pleaded. "I want to remember. I want to …."

Too late, Faye had to give James a mild sedative to let him sleep, his vitals were dropping due to all the stress. "You can stay with him, Mr... uh, Robbie. He needs to rest and not to put too much strain on his lungs," she reminded Lewis of James delicate condition. "He'll wake in a couple hours. That chair unfolds into a very uncomfortable bed." She smiled and pointed to an oversize chair in one corner. Lewis took her advise and stretched out on the open chair.

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Lewis did not know how long he slept. He woke when Dr. Hobson waved a cup of hot tea under his nose. "You look like hell," she criticized.

"I couldn't see you asleep, but I sure heard you," James joked.

Lewis bolted from the uncomfortable chair, he moaned as his body protested the sudden movement, "How long have you been awake?"

"Uh, I don't know. Can't see a clock," he tried to move away from Lewis' morning breath.

"What? What's wrong," Lewis was worried, James' lip was twisting as if he was in pain. "Are you in pain."

"Uh, uh, no. No pain, feeling really good. Real good," he smiled. "It's your uh.."

"It's your breath, Robbie," Laura said what James could not. "Take this bag and clean yourself up. You look like.."

"I know, I know what I look like," embarrassed he took the proffered overnight bag. He looked through the bag to see a razor, soap, toothbrush, paste and floss, deodorant and a fresh set of clothes. "You've been to my place," he asked Laura.

"No MacGim," she smiled. "He said your breath could melt glass. And he said.."

"I don't want to hear what Wyndham MacGim has to say," Lewis snorted. "He's got a big mouth. I'll be right back." He looked at James before he left. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, much better," he smiled though inside he was crying in pain. Lewis felt uneasy leaving, but he really did need to freshen up.

Laura waited for the door to close. "You're a lousy liar, James Hathaway," Laura scolded. He inhaled sharply as a pain shot through his side. "Do you need me to call a nurse?"

"No," he mumbled. "I'm fine."

"Bull, you're not fine. You haven't been for a while," she argued. "You're in this hospital because your too manly to talk to someone. I saw you Monday night tossing and turning in your bed crying out in your sleep. I saw your house trashed, how much you drank and the pills you took." Her voice became louder as she continued to chastise him. "I've read your diaries and I've read the painful words you wrote, you did not kill Cynthia, James!"

"You had no right to read my diaries," he yelled. The strain on his voice caused him to cough. He moaned as his chest tightened from coughing. James was having a hard time catching his breath, his face turned red from the pain.

"Put this mask back on your face," Laura tried to replaced the oxygen mask but was unable. "Try to relax. Here's some ice," she put ice to his lips, he took gratefully. Then she finally was able to put the oxygen mask back on his face.

"You had no right," he choked the words out muffled by the mask. "You had no right."

"You were missing," Lewis walked in on their fight. He motioned for Laura to leave.

"I'm taking Mindy for a walk," Laura put the leash on the dog. "We'll leave you two stubborn mules alone. Maybe the old jackass can talk some sense into the young ass." The door slowly closed behind Laura and Mindy.

"You sure do know how to piss her off," Lewis tried to lighten the mood.

"You had no right," James repeated.

"So you keep saying," Lewis sat on the edge of the bed. "You tell me, what you would have done if you were in my place?" James kept silent, he pressed his lips together.

"Well, what would you have done?" He asked the question again. Again no reply. "You would have done the same thing, only sooner." Lewis was now pacing the room. "I thought you did yourself in, James."

"I wouldn't," James whispered.

"We found broken scotch bottles and a razor in your bathtub," Lewis paced as he argued. "Empty packs of sleeping tablets. What was I suppose to think. You were missing. Your neighbor said you left at three in the morning half naked."

Silently James lay in his bed wishing to be left alone. "Go," he finally spoke.

Lewis barely heard, "No, I won't leave. You've been distant all month long. I'd hoped you would work this out by yourself. And look where that got you." He waved his hands towards James' damaged and bandaged body. "No sir, I'm not leaving." He sat firmly on the chair next to the bed. He reached up to hold James' hand, but James pulled away. Lewis pulled the retreating hand and held it firmly.

"I'm here for you, James," Lewis spoke softly. "I should have been here sooner. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He let a tear escape.

Mad at his emotions betraying him Lewis released James' hand and walked away from the bed. He was embarrassed, Lewis did not want James to see/hear him cry. He turned to face the wall. Lewis washed his hands across his face looking up toward the ceiling trying to push back the tears.

James felt alone when Lewis let go of his hand. He so much wanted to cover his face, but the bandages held his arms tight to his side. All James could do is was wave his hands in frustration. He took a deep shutting breath, trying to control his feelings. A whimper escaped his lips. "I'm sorry," he cried.

Lewis turned to the bed when he heard his friend. He gently sat on the edge of the bed and held James' hand. "I'm sorry too," Lewis brushed a lone tear off his face. "It's just I don't want to break in a new Sargent and Innocent is all ready planning to force one on me."

James smirked and gave a halfhearted smile, then the smile was gone. He took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"You didn't kill Cynthia," Lewis approached the delicate subject again. "Innocent told me Jimmy Fitzroy killed her."

James winced at the memories, "If I was a better detective I would have found her before she died."

"You're a damn good detective. Don't sell yourself short," Lewis defended his Sargent. "Why, after four years did you, ...well," he couldn't find the right words.

"Fall apart?" James said what Lewis could not.

"Well, yeah," he started pacing around the bed. "What pushed you over the edge?"

Long silence then he spoke softly. "I received a note," James explained. "The note … The note said 'You killed me, James. Because of you I'm dead.' No signature."

"Where was the letter posted?" he inquired.

"No envelope. I found the note pushed through my letter box one morning," James was finding strength as he talked about what happened. "I trashed that note. The next morning there was another note."

"What did this one say?" Lewis stopped pacing to look at the bed. James did not say anything. "James, what was on the second note?" He asked more firmly.

" 'I'm dead!' That's all," he fell silent again. "It was written in red paint, made to look like blood."

"Where's that note?" The detective side of him coming to life. "I hope you didn't do something stupid and toss the evidence."

"Yes," he whispered. James could hear Lewis rolling his eyes. "It was just someone playing a prank."

"Anymore notes?" Lewis paced the room thinking. "When did the first note arrived?"

"I don't remember. The last note was Sunday, I think," he was starting to get confused. "I don't know what today is." James head was starting to throb.

"It's Saturday 27 March. You went missing sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning," Lewis gave James a verbal calendar of events. "We finally found you on Wednesday around noon. You were brought to the hospital on Thursday, now you're here." He gave a quick synopsis of the week, leaving out a lot of details.

Laura and Mindy returned from their walk, Lewis glanced at her wishing she had not returned so quickly. "Did I interrupt something?" Laura asked as she took the leash off Mindy. The dog scrambled next to James and licked his hand.

"No," Lewis balked.

"Okay," she looked at both men wondering what did she interrupt. She sat in the chair next to James and patted his arm lightly. "Look, James, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped down your throat when you're in the condition you are in. I'm sorry."

"What, you'll just wait until I'm out of here then kick my arse?" James teased.

"Something like that," she happily replied. She looked at him laying helplessly on the hospital bed wishing there was more she could do.

James was quiet, his breathing shallow and steady, "James?" Laura leaned toward him. "Ssshhhh, he's asleep," she whispered to Lewis.

"What happened while I was gone?" she questioned Lewis.

"We talked a little but not much," he was giving a vague description of events. "Someone was sending him notes saying 'You killed me'. He gotten at least three, the last one was Sunday."

"SOCO didn't find any notes," she reminded Lewis.

"He trashed them thinking the notes were a prank," he started pacing again.

"Come, let's go for a walk," they left Mindy to keep an eye on James.

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