Author's Note: This chapter starts on March 24, but then jumps forward in time quite a bit. There will be one more chapter before the story is done.
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March 24, 2018
Lou was at the hospital early. By ten o'clock, the paperwork was signed. Steve and Danny were both discharged. Danny left in a wheelchair. Orderlies pushed Steve out on a gurney.
Outside, Danny noticed someone aiming a camera at them. "Lou," he said, and pointed.
Lou walked over to the man. "Excuse me, they don't want their pictures taken."
"It's a public place," the man said. "There's no expectation of privacy here."
Lou showed his badge. "This guarantees their right to privacy." He grabbed the camera away from the man. It was an old-school camera, one that used film. He opened the film compartment and took out the film, made sure there were no digital copies, and then handed the camera back to the man.
When he turned around, he saw that Danny and Steve were in the ambulance and the door was closed. "You're going to stay away from them. Understood?"
The man nodded. He looked angry, but Lou didn't care. He was determined to protect his friends.
Lou walked to his car. He would follow the ambulance to Steve's house. Nurse Peterson would meet them there. Junior was staying at the hospital while Tani was in surgery. Jerry was with him in the surgical waiting area.
While driving behind the ambulance, he watched to make sure the journalist hadn't followed as well. The press had been calling the Palace, hoping for updates on Steve and Danny's conditions. Lou was tired of talking to them, and he refused to share anything anyway. That was private medical information, and the rest of the world didn't have any right to it.
Now that the doctor said Steve's blindness was permanent, Lou wondered what would happen to 5-0. For the moment, the governor had told them to stand down. After all, only he and Jerry were fit.
He would just have to wait and see what happened. Danny would be back. The doctor predicted a full recovery for him. Lou thought he might need counseling, though. He still wouldn't share what he had experienced while alone with Frankie Jennings. It was eating him up inside. So was Steve's blindness. Lou could see it whenever Danny looked at Steve. The man was heartbroken for his best friend.
Tani and Junior would be back, too. Lou was grateful that surgery would take care of Tani's arm. The surgeon said she could be out for four or five months. That girl was going to be climbing the walls from boredom.
Of course, Junior would be there for her. Lou grinned. He enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Junior had fallen for Tani early on. It was obvious in the way he looked at her. Tani took longer. Lou had the idea that maybe she'd been in a bad relationship. She deserved happiness, and Junior would treat her right.
Lou pulled up at Steve's house and parked next to the ambulance. Nurse Peterson was outside, directing the orderlies as they moved Steve and Danny out and got them inside. She was a take charge kind of lady. Lou grinned. He figured she wasn't about to let her patients get away with anything.
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The move had tired both Steve and Danny out. After they said goodbye to Lou, Nurse Peterson insisted they both go to bed and get some rest. Later, she would get them up. She had a list of the foods Steve was allowed to eat. His doctor wanted to get his weight up.
Steve could smell something cooking. It made him hungry. "I don't want to rest," he said. "I want whatever you're cooking."
"You'll have it once it's pureed," she said. "It needs to cook a little longer, though. So you're going to rest a while. I'll get you up when it's done." She pushed his chair into the bedroom and helped him into bed.
Steve heard the door close. Danny sighed as he settled in. This was so much better than the hospital.
"So, spill it, Danny," Steve said after a long silence. "Tell me what Jennings did to you."
"No." Danny's voice sounded strangled. Tense. "I don't want to talk about it."
"You'll feel better if you talk it out." Danny wasn't himself lately. Steve wanted his friend back, with all the emotional ups and downs that made Danny who he was. "I'm not backing down on this."
Danny groaned. But he finally started to talk. "He took me away from you. I thought you were dead. I failed you, Steve. Just like I failed you in the Brisco case."
He was quiet for a long minute. "He tied my hands behind my back and marched me up the hill to his cabin. There was a chair that looked like a torture device. He cuffed me to it and put a bag over my head. Then I heard him walking in circles around me. I never knew when he was going to throw a punch. Finally, he dragged me outside and pushed me into a well. He said, 'Cops go in the hole.' I knew I would land on my feet. That's when my legs broke. My ankles too."
Danny started to sob. "There were bones down there, Steve. I couldn't see them, but — but I think they were human bones. It was so tight in there. I couldn't sit down. I was stuck on my knees, barely able to move. Somehow I got my arms free and pulled the bag off my head. Then I looked up and saw stars. They were the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
Steve wished he could go to Danny. He hated being stuck in bed. He sat up. "Joe!" he shouted.
Joe came running in. "What's wrong, Steve?"
"Help me into the wheelchair. Please."
Joe eased Steve into the chair. "Take me to Danny." Joe pushed him across the room. Steve reached for his weeping brother, pulling him into a hug. "You didn't fail me. Ever. I don't remember the Brisco case, but I know you couldn't fail me." He took a deep breath. He hadn't talked this much in a while. "Sometimes we get hurt. It's part of the job. But I'm getting better. So will you."
"But your sight." Danny's tears soaked through Steve's shirt.
Steve kept hold of him. "That wasn't because of you. The Jennings brothers did that to me. I know you, and I know you did everything you could to protect me."
Danny rested his head on Steve's shoulder. "We're going to get through this, Steve. You're my brother, and I'll be there for you through all of it."
"I know you will." Steve felt for Danny's arm. "Thank you." His stomach growled. He could smell perfume. That meant the nurse was there. "Is the food ready, Nurse Peterson?"
"It is. Let me get Danny in his chair, then I'll take you to the table."
Steve shook his head. "No. I've got to learn my way around. You can tell me left or right, so I don't run into things. Show me how I make this thing move."
He waited for her to get Danny into his chair. Then she showed him the lever that controlled the chair. "You push it the direction you want to go. Now, push it forward to go straight ahead."
Steve pushed the lever. His chair moved forward. It felt good to be doing something for himself. With Nurse Peterson's instructions, he made it to the table without incident.
He heard the clatter of her placing a dish in front of him. Then there was another thump. "That's a glass of water. I put thickener in it. Are you able to pick it up? If not, I can give you a straw."
"I'll try." Steve wanted to do as much for himself as he could.
"All right," she said. "Think of your place setting as an analog watch. The cup is at one o'clock. Your spoon is at three, and the bowl is at the center of the clock."
Steve felt for his cup of water. He wrapped his fingers around it, but he couldn't manage to lift it. He hated being so weak. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"You'll get there, Steve," Nurse Peterson said. "If you commit yourself to your physical therapy, you'll regain your strength. For now, I'll give you a straw."
He was able to slide the glass closer so that he could lean over it and sip through the straw. Then he found his spoon and tried the puree. "Steak?" It was weird eating steak this way, but it tasted good.
"And potatoes. With beef broth instead of butter — you're supposed to avoid dairy."
"It tastes good. Thanks." He took another bite, trying to forget that it was essentially baby food.
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Junior visited the chapel while Tani was in surgery. He had Steve's truck keys in his pocket. He sat on a pew and bowed his head. "I don't want Steve's truck," he said. "I just want him to see again, so he can keep leading 5-0. We need him."
The door creaked open. Junior looked back to see a doctor coming in. "Junior Reigns?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"The nurse told me she saw you come in here," the doctor said. "I'm Dr. Kowalski. I just finished Ms. Rey's surgery."
Junior stood up and walked to the back of the chapel. "How's she doing?"
"Good. I was able to set the bone using plates and screws. The broken bone severed her radial nerve, but I was able to repair it. She can look forward to a full recovery, though it will take time. It could be up to six months before that nerve wakes up. Right now, her arm is splinted. She will need to come back three days from now to have a cast put on. You can make an appointment on the way out."
Junior sighed in relief. "Thank you, Doctor. Can I see her now?"
Dr. Kowalski shook his head. "She's in Recovery. You can see her in about an hour. Now, I understand that you drove here in spite of the fact that you are still recovering from a punctured lung."
Junior dropped his head. "Yes sir."
The doctor regarded him seriously. "I would like you to arrange for someone to drive you and Ms. Rey home once she's out of Recovery. The pain can slow your reaction times, which could lead to a wreck."
With a sigh, Junior agreed. Jerry had left already, so he dialed Lou. "Hi, Cap? Tani came through surgery just fine. Dr. Kowalski says I need to get someone to drive us home. Could you do that please, in about an hour?"
"Sure. I'll have Renee bring me."
"Thanks." Junior went back to the surgical waiting room and stayed there until he was able to see Tani. She was still drowsy, but she gave Junior a smile. "Hey, Joons."
"Hey," he said, and he kissed her. "You look good."
Lou arrived shortly before Tani was moved to a wheelchair. The nurse pushed her down to the lobby. Junior walked along, holding her good hand. He didn't care if Lou teased him for it.
Lou pulled Steve's truck up to the entrance. Junior helped Tani into the front seat. Then he climbed in the back. Lou drove them to Tani's house. Renee followed.
"I'm going to hang out here," Junior said. "Tani needs help."
Lou chuckled and nodded his head. "Yeah, right." He parked the truck in the driveway. "Can I trust you not to drive till you're cleared?"
Junior shrugged. "Yeah. I know better."
Lou laughed and handed the keys over. "Let me know if you need a ride to the store or anything."
"Yessir, Cap." Of course he wouldn't think about ordering groceries online. Junior saluted. Then he walked Tani into the house.
"You should lie down." He walked her into her bedroom.
She wrapped her good arm around him. "Stay with me, Joons."
Junior shook his head. "Not right now. You're still sedated. I don't want to take advantage of that." He kissed her. "You nap. I'll be in the kitchen figuring out what's for lunch."
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April 2, 2018
Steve heard Joe's phone ring.
"I'm going to step outside to take this call," Joe said.
Steve wondered who was calling. Joe didn't usually bother with keeping his calls private. He shook his head and went back to listening to the baseball game Danny was watching. Rachel had made a video recording of Charlie's Little League game. Steve wished he could see what was happening. He did his best trying to understand how the game was progressing, but it was hard when he couldn't see it.
Joe was outside for a while. At last, the door opened with a creak. Joe closed it and came over to the sofa where Steve was sitting. Eddie was curled up next to him.
"Steve," Joe said, "I just had a call from your mom. I told her you really want her to come home. She says that she wishes she could. She's sorry about what happened to you. She's also afraid that if she comes back, she'll put you in danger. She asked me to tell you that she loves you very much."
"Damn." This was typical Doris. She always found a reason to stay away. Steve reached for his wheelchair and pulled himself into it. "I'm going to lie down. I just want to be alone for a while."
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April 14, 2018
Time eased the disappointment Steve felt over his mother choosing not to come. He knew she loved him. He just wanted her to choose him over whatever was keeping her away. Sometimes you just needed your mom.
Talking things out had helped Danny. He no longer sounded distant or detached. His old personality came back. Steve needed that. He thrived on the arguments and the insults.
They still had plenty of things to argue about, even though Steve wouldn't be driving Danny's car anymore. The big conflict was that Steve was determined to start shooting again. He used voice command on his phone to learn about blind marksmen. "Listen to this," he told Danny. He had the phone read out an article about a blind marksman who had a concealed carry permit. "If he can do it, so can I."
"That's crazy talk, SuperSEAL," Danny said. "But I guess I should be used to that. Losing your sight hasn't made you any less of a danger magnet."
"Being able to shoot would make me less of a danger magnet, Danno. We should go to the gun range and let me give it a try."
A week after that conversation, a package came for Steve. He pulled open the envelope to find a book inside. That was a disappointment until Danny said, "I'll read it to you." Turns out, it was the marksman's autobiography.
"Did you order this for me?" Steve asked.
Danny was quiet for a minute. "Yeah. I decided maybe it's not such a bad idea after all."
Steve's recovery went into high gear after his return home. Within a week, his nasogastric tube was removed, and a week later, he was able to eat normally. His speech therapist made good on her promise of a steak dinner.
At the beginning of April, Steve convinced Joe that it was time for him to go home. He'd been in Hawaii since Steve and Danny were injured. "I'm OK, Joe. I'm thankful you stayed for so long, but it's time you went home. You've got your ranch to take care of." Joe left reluctantly. He called Steve daily.
Steve's favorite moments were when Rachel brought the kids to visit. He and Grace would sit on the lanai and she would describe the ocean and the sky for him. He longed to get back in the water. Charlie liked to sit in Uncle Steve's lap and listen to stories.
Perhaps the best day was when Lou took them to the firing range. Steve proved he could still shoot accurately using his sensitive hearing. Every single shot he took landed in the heart region of his target.
He was making good progress in learning Braille. His teacher was a young woman who had lost her sight in a traffic accident. He wondered how she could be so positive about her condition. He wasn't there yet and he wasn't sure he would ever get there. "Once you're on your feet," she said, "you'll learn to walk with a cane. Later you can be matched with a guide dog."
Steve shook his head. "I'll just use a cane. Eddie's enough dog for me."
"A guide dog would help you be more independent," she said. "I get the idea that's important to you."
"Maybe." But Steve knew Eddie would be unhappy sharing him with another dog.
Nurse Peterson encouraged him. She insisted he and Danny call her Deirdre. She let Steve help her cook, patiently guiding him as he learned to manage the world without his sight. Items in the kitchen now had Braille labels so Steve could tell what they were. Steve liked Deirdre Peterson better than the weekend nurse. She was tough but fair.
Nurse Mitchum was an excellent nurse, but she held a dim view of letting her patients in the kitchen, and she disapproved of Eddie jumping on Steve's bed. She was also horrified that Steve had started shooting again, and she had no patience for Steve and Danny's arguments. Steve was on the verge of firing her, but he needed to find a replacement first.
This weekend was hard. Danny was back at Tripler for two weeks. He was having surgery to fix the nerve damage in his leg and cover the wound with a skin graft. It was a lonely time for Steve, and he took comfort in Eddie's presence. The dog had jumped on his bed to take a nap. Nurse Mitchum came in and started yelling at Eddie to get down.
Steve put a hand on Eddie's collar. "Leave him alone!" he told the nurse. "He's perfectly fine here."
"Dogs are filthy creatures! They shouldn't be allowed in the house!" She gasped. "And why do you have that gun on your bedside table? You can't use that!"
"Actually, I can. My permit was never revoked. I've been to the gun range and I can shoot just fine." He reached for the gun before she could take it away and hide it. She'd done that before.
"I quit." She spat out the words. "I won't stay another minute in a house where I'm likely to get shot by a trigger-happy lunatic!" Steve could feel her glaring at him.
She stomped her way to his bedside table, wrested the gun from his hand, and then stomped out. She made some noise in the kitchen and finally slammed the front door as she left the house. He reached for his cellphone, but it was gone. When he sat up in bed to go after her, he discovered she had also moved his wheelchair away.
He didn't have a therapy session today, so no one would be coming over to work with him. He was on his own until Monday morning. Two whole days to fend for himself.
He hadn't been left alone since the attack. He wasn't ready to be alone. He stroked Eddie's back. The dog was a comfort. Steve closed his eyes and took several calming breaths. Giving into anxiety wouldn't do him any good.
He could get out of bed and crawl around the room to find his chair. Surely she hadn't taken it too far. He stood up. Pain arched through his broken leg, and he collapsed. His leg wasn't ready to support his weight. He got to his knees and crawled. He found his chair by Danny's bed and managed to pull himself into it.
For the first time, he wished he hadn't gotten rid of his regular phone. All he used was his cell phone these days. Now he had no way to call for help. He didn't think he could manage to get to the neighbor's house. Joe had installed a wheelchair ramp for him and Danny, but Steve hadn't tried navigating on his own yet. He was afraid he might end up in the middle of the street.
He felt the face of his new watch. It allowed him to tell the time with his sense of touch. It was time to take his medication. He needed the anti-rejection meds — Danny would kill him if he started rejecting the transplanted liver. He could also use some pain meds because his leg hurt.
Both nurses always kept the medications on the kitchen counter. Steve knew exactly where to find them. When he got to the kitchen, though, the medications were gone.
Nurse Mitchum knew he needed his meds. Surely she wouldn't have taken them. Steve started opening drawers and feeling inside them. Then he looked in the cabinets. Finally, he found the pill bottles inside the cabinet where he kept pots and pans. They were hidden inside a stockpot. His gun was there, too.
He felt the Braille labels, then opened the containers and took out the pills he needed. He put the containers on the kitchen counter, then got himself a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Once he had taken his medication, he could consider what he was going to do for breakfast. If he had his phone, he would use DoorDash to order some malasadas.
He opened the pantry door and found a box of cereal. His fingers felt for the Braille label: Raisin Bran. That would do for breakfast. He got a bowl and a spoon and the jug of milk. Thankfully, he had regained enough strength that he could manipulate the jug. He filled the bowl with cereal, then poured the milk over it, taking extra care not to spill it all over the place.
He found the silverware drawer and got himself a spoon, then moved to the table with his bowl of cereal. It was a good thing he had learned his way around the ground floor of his house. Once he was walking again, he would have to learn the upstairs, too. There were things you just didn't think about when you could see.
He managed to get through the day on his own. He fed himself lunch (another bowl of cereal), took a long nap in the afternoon, and practiced his Braille in the early evening. He let Eddie out and fed him. For dinner he made himself a ham and cheese sandwich. He didn't feel comfortable cooking on his own.
At about nine in the evening, he decided to go to bed. He was exhausted. Joe usually called around nine thirty, but Steve no longer had his phone. The fact that it hadn't rung all day made him think that Mitchum really had taken it with her. He could have her arrested, but that felt petty. Of course, she was the one who had started the pettiness.
He put his gun back on the bedside table, then transferred from his chair into bed. Eddie curled up next to him. The dog's quiet snore helped send Steve into a deep sleep.
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April 15, 2018
Steve awoke when Eddie sat up and barked. He checked the time. It was one thirty in the morning. Eddie growled. Steve listened. There was someone walking through the living room. The floorboards creaked under his feet. Steve grabbed his gun. "Who's there?" he shouted.
The bedroom door squealed as it opened. A voice spoke. "You put me in prison. Now you're going to die."
Steve didn't recognize the voice, but it gave him a place to aim. He fired twice. He heard a thunk as a body fell to the floor. The coppery odor of blood filled his nose. Steve lay back against his pillow. Eddie climbed on top of him. There was nothing he could do about the body right now, but the adrenaline left him unable to fall back to sleep.
Eddie growled as the front door opened. Steve grabbed his gun. When he heard Lou's voice calling out to him, he put the weapon down. "In here," he shouted. "Don't trip over the dead guy."
Lou came into the bedroom. "Brisco escaped during a prison transfer. I was questioning his cellmate. The guy finally told me Brisco intended to kill you." He was quiet for a second. "Your aim is good. Two shots, center mass. I'm impressed."
Steve shrugged. "He spoke. That helped me aim. He said I was going to die. Who is Brisco, anyway? I don't remember him."
Lou sighed. "He kidnapped a three-year-old girl. You and Danny found him up on the North Shore. He pistol whipped you. Left you with a concussion, but you still took him down. The little girl's home safe with her parents. You got him before he could physically harm her." Lou sat down. "I tried calling to warn you."
"Nurse Mitchum quit. She took my phone."
"She left you here alone?" Lou's voice hardened.
"I did OK," Steve said. "She hid my meds and my gun, but I found them. I ate. Fed the dog. Brushed my teeth. Put myself to bed. Shot the intruder."
Lou's arms came around him. "I'm proud of you, brother." That sort of praise would have embarrassed Steve in the past. Right now it felt good. He had taken care of himself. "I'll call HPD and deal with Brisco," Lou said, "and I'll stay here so you're not alone."
"Thanks, Lou. Hey, my leg really hurts. Mitchum moved my wheelchair and I had to stand up on it."
"Damn that woman!" Lou helped him into his wheelchair. "Do you need to go to the hospital?"
Steve shook his head. "The bone is pinned together and the leg is casted. It can't have slipped out of place. It just hurts. I need my pain meds."
"OK. I'm going to move you to the living room so HPD can come in and deal with Brisco." He pushed Steve's chair out of the bedroom. "Sofa or the recliner?"
"Sofa," Steve said. Lou helped him transfer. Eddie curled up at his feet. Lou brought him the pain meds and a glass of water. "There ya go. Take that, then get some rest. You look wiped out. HPD is on the way."
"Thanks, Lou." Steve lay down. He was exhausted. The adrenaline rush was gone. He was ready to sleep.
His dreams carried him back to childhood. He was crying over something in his room. Mom came in and found him on his bed. She pulled him into her arms held him close. He grew in her arms until he was an adult. He blinked his eyes, but he couldn't see her. Everything had gone dark. "I'm blind, mom," he said. Tears burned his eyes. "I want to see you."
"Hush, Steve," she said. "I'm here. I'm here." She kissed him on the forehead and held him close and rocked him back and forth. "Your mama's here, Son."
He knew somehow that it was a dream. He wished he could stay wrapped in her arms forever. But he couldn't. Eventually, he would have to wake up. But until that moment came, he would rest in her arms and take the comfort she never gave him in real life.
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Lou asked the officers to be quiet as they came in. "Steve needs sleep," he said. "If you have questions for him, they can wait."
Steve didn't stir again that night. Eddie seemed to understand that his person needed to rest. He kept still and quiet on the sofa, even when officers came into the house. He trusted Lou, so he trusted the people Lou allowed in.
Brisco had a semi-automatic pistol he'd stolen from an officer who was killed during the escape. Steve was lucky he got the first shot off. While Duke directed the HPD officers, Lou settled into the recliner and fell asleep.
About eight in the morning, the doorbell woke him up. He answered it to find Joe White on the doorstep. "Is Steve OK? I called him last night and he didn't answer."
Lou grinned. "So you caught the redeye to come check on him. His weekend nurse quit and stole his phone."
Joe held up a shattered cell phone. "I found this in the driveway. Could it be Steve's?"
"Probably. Looks like she drove over it." Lou shook his head. "There was an intruder last night. He came in ready to kill Steve, but Steve shot him. Two shots, center mass."
"That's my boy," Joe said. His eyes glowed with pride.
"We've still got cleanup to do. I'm not sure when HPD left. Steve's sleeping on the sofa." Lou stepped back from the door. "Come on in."
Lou's phone rang. He answered. "Lou? I just heard that Brisco escaped. Is Steve OK? I tried calling him and he didn't answer."
"Steve's all right, Danny." Lou sucked in a deep breath. "Brisco broke in. Steve shot him twice, center mass. He's dead. In other news, Nurse Mitchum quit yesterday morning. She destroyed Steve's cell phone, hid his meds, and left him alone."
The explosion that had injured Danny and Steve was nothing compared with the explosion of anger from Danny now. He cussed up a storm. "I want her fired. I want her arrested. She was supposed to stay overnight while I'm here. He's not ready to be alone."
"Calm down, Danny." Lou kept his voice quiet. "You know there was a personality clash between the two of them. The tension has been building for weeks."
Steve was awake now. "Let me talk to him, Lou." Lou took the phone to him. "Hey, Danny. I'm OK. No, I don't want her arrested. I just want her to replace my phone."
Lou could hear Danny clearly, even though the phone wasn't on speaker. "She has to be fired for this, and she oughta lose her license. She can't let a personality clash keep her from providing care. You don't want her to do this to someone else."
"Yeah, I guess," Steve said. He sighed. "You're right."
Danny got quiet after that. Lou couldn't hear him anymore. Steve listened for a minute. "Yeah, it's a good thing I had my gun at hand. That's what made Mitchum so mad. Well, that and Eddie on the bed. How are you feeling?" He paused for a minute. "Good. Yeah. OK. Bye." He held out the phone for Lou to take.
Lou put the phone to his ear. "Joe's here. We'll make sure Steve isn't alone. Though I've gotta say, he did all right for himself."
"Thanks, Lou. I guess he needs another new phone."
"Yeah." Lou thought he might ask Junior and Tani to pick up a new phone. Junior had recently been cleared to drive again, and Tani wanted out of the house as much as possible. "I'll deal with Mitchum on Monday. Bye for now."
After hanging up with Danny, Lou called Junior. He sounded drowsy when he answered. He'd moved in with Tani after she was released from the hospital. His excuse was that she needed help around the house, with her dominant arm injured. Lou knew better.
"Hey, Junior. Can you and Tani come over to Steve's house? But stop on your way and get him a phone. I'll make sure you're reimbursed."
"Sure, Cap. Is Steve OK?"
"Yeah, he's fine. There was a little excitement here in the night, though. I'll tell you more when you're here."
"OK, Cap. I've gotta help Tani get ready. Then we'll come."
"Thanks, Junior. See you soon."
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Junior hung up the phone. He went back to the bedroom and told Tani, "Lou wants us to come over to Steve's. How can I help you this morning?"
"I need to shower and shampoo my hair." Without the use of her right arm, she couldn't manage by herself in the shower.
Junior got the waterproof cast cover he'd ordered for her and pulled it over her cast. They got in the shower together. Junior washed and conditioned Tani's hair. He pulled her into his arms and kissed the back of her neck. "I love you."
She turned in his arms and kissed him back. "I love you too. But we should hurry."
Junior chuckled. "OK, OK." He helped Tani finish cleaning up. Then he turned off the water and they got out.
He helped her dry off and get dressed. Then they hurried out to Steve's truck — Junior would always think of it as Steve's. They stopped to buy a cell phone, then headed for Steve's house. Lou answered the door. Steve was lying on the sofa with his broken leg propped up on pillows. Eddie was curled up right next to him. Joe White was pacing the floor.
Junior glanced into the bedroom and noticed blood stains on the floor. "What happened?"
"I'm keeping a lid on this story," Lou said. "The press doesn't need to get hold of it." Lou took a seat opposite the sofa and explained everything that had happened with Brisco and Steve. He also told them about Nurse Mitchum. "From now on, at least while Danny's at Tripler, one of us is going to check on Steve daily."
"I'm not planning to leave," Joe said. "Not till he's walking again and comfortable being on his own."
"You got your own place to take care of." Steve sat up. "You don't hafta babysit me, Joe."
Joe reached for Steve's hand. "Don't think of it as me babysitting you. Think of it as training. I'm going to work you as hard as I did in BUD/S."
Steve grinned. "Challenge accepted."
Junior clapped Steve on the back. "I'll help however I can, boss."
Steve was quiet for a long moment. "I'm not your boss anymore, Junior. Danny will take over 5-0 when he's medically cleared."
Tani took Steve's hand. "You'll always be the boss."
"That's right," Junior said. "Some things never change."
Steve smiled. Junior was pleased to see him looking almost happy. "In that case, get my chair over here. I need something to eat, and I feel like going out. Lunch at Kamekona's?"
Lou frowned. "Steve, I don't think that's a good idea. We don't want people knowing you lost your sight. Everyone who wants to get back at you will find out and we'll have more incidents like last night."
Steve shook his head. "I can't isolate myself for the rest of my life, Lou. How about we invite a reporter over here and tell them what happened with Brisco? Then people will know I can defend myself." He was quiet for a second. "Get Kahale from Channel Four. He's a decent guy."
Lou crossed his arms over his chest and grunted. "It just might work."