Chapter Twenty
Kate sat at her desk looking through the files laying there hoping she could get back to work soon. The captain came in without making much sound and startled Kate when she looked up and saw him.
She said, “Damn captain, I need to put a bell on you so I get some warning.”
The captain said, “I am sorry if I startled you, I just wanted to tell you I got a call from the shrink and she thought you were in pretty good shape and as far as she could tell acted to protect your fellow officers. Internal Affairs won’t be ready for you until tomorrow. They are still analyzing physical evidence. You won’t be able to do much here till then, why don’t you go back to the hospital and check on your partner. I know you want to.”
They didn’t have to tell Kate twice. When the captain walked out of Kate’s office, she was right behind him. When Kate got back to the hospital and made it back to Sean’s floor she saw Megan and Haley embraced in a hug.
Kate asked, “Did I miss something?”
Megan replied, “They are moving Sean to a regular room, he is past the critical point now and responding.”
It was good news and they all knew they would be able to visit in the room with Sean. Kate joined the hug already in progress. Haley already had the room number where Sean would be so they decided to go to that floor and wait in the family area until they saw them bring Sean in.
They saw the hospital staff bringing the bed that Sean was in past them in the hallway. They waited for Sean to be situated before going in to visit. Kate hadn’t seen him since he was laying on the ground bleeding so she assumed anything would look better than that.
When they entered the room, Sean was moving his head side to side slightly. It was just a small victory but they would take it.
Haley said, "He has talked sparingly to me. He remembers everyone but doesn't remember anything that happened. The doctor said he may never remember the incident but his other memory seems to be working just fine."
Kate stood at his bedside and took a hand. She said, "I got the guy."
Sean replied, "They told me I wouldn't expect anything else."
Kate said, "They have my Glock, pending an investigation and I went to chat with the shrink this morning."
Sean asked, "How did that go?
Kate replied, "It went pretty well. I think she probably thinks I am nuts but I was justified in shooting the guy. Let's hope Internal Affairs feels the same way."
Haley said, "Okay, enough police talk. I think Sean needs to rest for the moment."
Sean responded, "I was feeling part of the team. I can't get out and do anything, at least hearing about it makes me feel connected."
Kate said, "The captain said he put your family in to get money from the officer's fund and you will get some disability money while you are laid up, so there is nothing to worry about there. You can just concentrate on getting better."
Sean replied, "Thanks Kate, that is a big load off. I feel strange that I can't remember responding to that call. The last thing I remember is interviewing our possible witness."
Kate said, "I think you are lucky to remember anything. The shooter was hiding in the shadows. I am trying to form a clear memory of the event for the Internal Affairs interview tomorrow. Right now I am on desk duty, sweeping floors and washing windows."
Sean responded, "You will have to excuse me but I can't picture you washing windows."
Kate smiled and replied, "I may have exaggerated that a little, the truth is I don't even wash windows at home. If you don't mind, I am going to take your wife and make her eat, we may have to force feed her."
Sean said, "Do whatever you need to do, sometimes unusual measures have to be taken."
Haley responded, "Hey you two stop conspiring against me, besides I am not afraid of her now that she is unarmed."
Kate replied, "I am not unarmed, I just don't have a police issued weapon."
Haley didn't say anything else. She was afraid of guns and couldn't imagine individuals having one except for policemen and she didn't much like Sean carrying one. He had to keep it locked away at home.
Kate looked at Haley and said, "You need to go eat, Sean will be here a long while and you need to keep your strength up."
Haley could tell Kate wasn't taking no for an answer. So she willingly stood and prepared to go with Kate. Kate looked at Megan and said, "That means you too."
The three women made their way downstairs where they not only had a cafeteria available but an assortment of fast food type restaurants as well. In the elevator Haley broke down, the tears streamed down her face.
Haley said, "I almost lost him. It was so close. I prayed and prayed. I promised God if he spared Sean, I would be a better wife."
Kate gave Haley a big hug. She could tell her tears were real and her feelings for Sean were real as well. She had doubted that a few times in the past but she knew Haley was genuine now.
Kate let Haley cry on her shoulder and let it all out. Kate said, "As a divorced police officer I can attest to the difficulty of police marriages. I can see the problems from the officer's perspective. It is hard to understand in the civilian world what the job entails. It is long days of thankless duty. We get attacked, we get punched, sometimes by the victim we are trying to protect. We get spit on and cursed at. But, when we get a dangerous criminal off the streets, it almost feels worth it."
Haley said, "When Sean was late coming home, I always imagined the worst. I never knew whether he was alive or dead. What happened this time was exactly what I always imagined, except I imagined he didn't make it. I was afraid all the time."
Kate said, "It is doubtful Sean will ever be able to return to the streets. There may be something desk bound he can do but I think I have officially lost a partner. It is going to be hard on him, he loved what he was doing. You need to give him some time. He will actually grieve the loss of his job. It is common, I have seen it a lot."
Haley responded, "I understand, I think. Sean always said the department was like his family."
Kate replied, "It was very much like a family. I thought Sean had a lot of potential. He had the makings of a good investigator. I wish we had never responded to the dispatch call that day. We would have normally not been in the area but Sean wanted to because he knew he was needed."
Haley replied, "He was needed at home too."
Kate responded, "Maybe you should tell him. I think he needs to hear that."
Megan had been listening to the whole conversation and for once in her life, she was actually proud of her mother. She knew Sean and her mom were close and she often suspected there was more than a professional relationship between them. If there was anything else going on, Kate was taking the high ground now and allowing Haley to grieve.
Megan said, "Geez you two are real downers, let's get something to eat."
Haley had often imagined something similar happening to her mom, watching the car pull up in front of the house and the officers dressed in formal blue uniforms walking to the front door. She had nightmares about it. She remembered dreaming about a tear dripping down her face. She didn't remember being sad though, but she knew she had to be.
She dreamed about the funeral, everyone dressed in black. She saw the American flag draped across her mother's casket. She had pictured all of the officers walking past her and giving her a hug, telling her what a good cop her mom had been. Megan knew those thoughts and dreams were the reason she had trouble relating to her mom. It was all because of fear.
The women filled their trays and found a table where they could all sit together. Their conversations became less emotional. It was clearly an attempt to lighten the mood. Kate was going to miss her partner and friend. There was nothing anyone could say that would make that sadness go away. She was glad Haley seemed to be more understanding now. Sean deserved that, he deserved her to be a wife, not an adversary.