He pressed the button on the silver speaker.
"ICU can I help you?" the nurse said.
"Yes, it's Dean Stapleton," he said.
"Pull on the door."
She buzzed the door.
"That's the gorgeous guy I was telling you about."
She didn't know that she hadn't released the button in time. He heard her loud and clear. He walked by the nurse's station. He flashed a smile.
"Ladies," he said.
Once again, they all leaned out and watched him walk down the hall.
"That's the best thing I have seen all week," a blonde nurse said.
"Girl, you are preaching to the choir," Jenny said.
"Aaaaaaaaameeeen," the blonde nurse sang.
Jenny showed him the shower. He showered and put on the fresh clothes Natalie had brought him. He went back to Allie's room. She was still there looking like sleeping beauty. He wished all it would take to heal her was a kiss. He noticed the shirt he picked out of the bag had a spot on it.
"That will never do," he said.
He pulled his shirt off and took another out of the duffle bag. Jenny walked into the room. It was her scheduled check.
"Oh my God, you are not of this planet," she said.
The words just came spilling out of her mouth.
"Um. Thank...you... I think that was a compliment,"
He put his shirt on.
"I am SO sorry. I came in... and you were standing there with your shirt off... It just popped out. I meant no disrespect, Mr. Stapleton."
She was three shades of red.
"It's okay. It's not the first time, and I'm sure it won't be the last. I guess I have that effect on people, mostly women. And please call me Dean. I mean, you have seen me with my shirt off. No need to be formal."
"And he's funny too."
"You think I'm funny; can you tell my wife that when she wakes up," he said with a smile.
"Have you eaten anything since you got there?"
"My sister packed me some protein bars. I'm good."
"Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I can have dietary send something up. The salads are fairly safe, and the pudding is good."
"Thank you. You all have been very gracious."
"I'll leave you alone. Spend some time with your wife. Unfortunately, I will be back to disturb you in 10 minutes," she said.
She walked out the door when she was halfway down the hall. He heard her tell the other nurses she had seen him with his shirt off. They were all demanding a detailed description.
"Buttercup, you need to get better soon. These women are going to eat me alive," he said.
He took her hand in his. "I talked to my parents. They are praying for you, which I know your thoughts on prayers... get it, thoughts, and prayers. No, nothing? Well, Jenny thinks I'm funny."
He kissed her hand. He stroked her hair. There was dried blood in it. He wondered if it was hers or the asshole. The thought of his blood on her made him angry. He didn't want any part of him touching her. He wanted to wash her hair. He wanted to bathe her, gently, one inch at a time, washing off the remanence of what had happened to her. He wondered if she knew he was there. Peggy had said that even though she could not hear him because of the medication, she knew that she could feel his presence.
"How about a little music? I promise no New Kids on the Block. I wonder if the baby will like my taste in music or yours. Not that I want my daughter rapping Eminem songs when she is in her stroller. But you know what, that song you love would be very appropriate in this situation."
He opened his Spotify app and selected Allie's Awesome Playlist. He searched for Eminem: Till I Collapse and hit play. It took him back to the day they were in his truck, and it came on. She was so cute; she sang the chorus like she was in the front row at his concert, throwing hands and bobbing her head.
He let the playlist continue; he realized she had a thing for early 2000 boy bands.
And she didn't know who New Kids on the Block were?
She seemed to like Backstreet Boys more than N'Sync. She had a very eclectic taste in music. She had her boy bands, Nine Inch Nails, Five Finger Death Punch, Tim McGraw, Royal Deluxe, Prince, and Nickelback, just to name a few. They were all upbeat, except for a Backstreet Boys song.
One after the other. Then he heard the piano of Right Here Waiting. He completely lost it. He left the phone on the chair and went into the bathroom, so Jenny did not see him when she came in.
He put his back on the wall and slid down to a crouch. He was scrunched into a ball with his hands clasped behind his head. This was his go-to position lately. He could still hear it even through the thick wooden door. It ended, and the next song started. He was about to get up but heard Richard Marx singing again. Hold On to the Night.
"Oh, come on! Really Alexsandra!"
The song faded out. Please let that be the end of that. He heard the following song start,
DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DE-DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DAA-DAAAAA DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DE-DUM-DE-DE-DUM, DE-DAA-DAA-DAA-DAA-DAAAA!
He started to laugh. Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy by Big & Rich. He stood up and quickly dried off his face. He wanted to get back before the song played too long. He definitely didn't need anyone walking into that.
He came out of the bathroom. Too late. Jenny was changing the I.V. bags
"Hey, Cowboy, you okay?" she asked.
He was extremely embarrassed by the comment but knew that Ally would have loved it.
"Doing good," he said.
"I just hung some more fluids, and the doctor ordered and added another antibiotic. It seems like her white blood cell count has elevated. I took her temperature, and she was running a low fever.
"What is it?"
"100.9. We want to get on top of it. Don't worry, Cowboy, we will not let anything happen to her," she said.
She set the pump, gently patted him on the arm, and left the room.
Well, that was mortifying, he thought.
He scrolled down Allie's Awesome playlist. He began to see a pattern in the songs.
Never Let Go – Bryan Adams
Say You Won't Let Go- James Arthur
Semper Fi - Trace Adkins
If Today Was Your Last Day – Nickelback
I'll Be There For You - Bon Jovi
Lost In This Moment- Big and Rich
Faithfully – Journey
It went on, but he didn't need to finish it. Allie's Awesome Playlist was a soundtrack to their life together and her thoughts about the future. To him, it was the most awesome playlist ever. He listened to the entire thing. Some of the songs were soft and sappy, some were poignant, and some were downright sexually charged. He especially liked one called Cowgirl by Stephen Wesley. He listened until he fell asleep, air Pods in his ear, sitting in the chair.
Dean's phone rang at 2:20 a.m., startling him. He looked at Allie. He half expected her to wake up. She just lay there, still, like Sleeping Beauty, waiting for her Prince to come. He answered the phone quickly and spoke softly.
"S.A. Carron," he answered.
"Dean? It's Bruss. How's Allie doing?" he asked.
"Absolutely no change. She just lays there still and silent. No moans, no twitches, nothing," he said. "Nurses come in every 15 minutes. They are taking diligent care of her."
"How's your daughter?"
"That still sounds crazy. They will do an ultrasound later to ensure she's still good. I felt her kick today. It was awe-inspiring, amazing."
"Dean, I didn't call just to see how Ally was doing. Know that special little gizmo you have that does the instant fingerprint ID? I need you to bring it down to the basement level."
"The basement of the hospital? Are you here?" he asked.
"I am."
"Bruss, why are you in the hospital basement?"
"Do you have the fingerprint identifier?"
"Why are you in the basement of the hospital?"
He was speaking through gritted teeth. He had a feeling he knew exactly what he was doing there.
"Because that's where we are holding the suspect. We need 24-hour security and don't need to alarm any patients."
"You mean that asshole has been under my feet the entire time? Why is he in this hospital?" he asked.
"Well, it's the closest level 1 trauma center, and Allie gave him some level 1 trauma," he explained. "We haven't been able to identify him. Then I remembered the scanner you used on the Kasper girl. I was hoping you had it here in your car. Do you have it?"
"Oh, the fuck I do! It's in my car in the parking garage. Give me 5 minutes."
"That's great. I'll meet you in the lobby," Bruss said.
"I thought you were in the basement?"
"There is no way on God's green earth I am letting you down here now that you know he's here."
"No, I'm coming down. Feel free to try to stop me."
"Fuck. Dean, it's not in Allie's best interest for you to come down here. I don't have bail money for you."
"Come on, Bruss, this asshole almost killed the mother of my child."
"And she almost killed him, so it's even," he said. "If you makes you feel any better, he will never be able to use his arm again. Is there anything I can say to you to convince you not to come down here?"
"Sure, tell me he's dead. That would do it," he said.
"That's what I'm afraid of. You'll come down, and all a sudden, he's dead."
"I promise I will not do anything. I swear. Scouts honor."
"Where you a scout?"
"No," he said.
"You can't even speak to him, do you understand? You are to stand behind the observation glass. That's all. No more."
"I just want to see him. I need to see him. I want to see how bad Ally fucked his shit up. That might make me a little less angry."
"No, it won't."
"I'll be down in five minutes," he said.
Dean told Peggy he was leaving but would return as soon as possible. He didn't wait for the elevator. He took the fire stairs five flights down. He went out the main door and sprinted to the parking garage. He was a large man, so he usually didn't move that fast. Today was the exception. He took the stairs three at a time up to the 4th floor. He opened the trunk and opened the duffle bag. He pulled out the scanner, slammed the trunk, and sprinted back to the building. He grabbed the railings on each side of the steps. He lifted his feet and slid down the railings with his hands.
When he reached the basement, his lungs were burning. He burst through the exit door from the stairs. Bruss was standing in front of the bank of elevators, waiting for him. His head snapped when he heard the door erupt open.
"I should have seen that one coming," he said.
"Got it."
"Okay. Just to reiterate, you are to stay behind the observation glass, not speak to the prisoner, and not make any threatening gestures. Understand?"
"Sure."
"Dean, he is in our custody. I am responsible for him. Nothing can happen," he said.
"Alright, I get it."
Bruss took the fingerprint scanner and headed down the hallway with Dean in tow. They turned left and right until he thought Dean was thoroughly confused. He was doing it on purpose so that there was no way Dean could find his way down there again. Unfortunately, with his idyllic memory, Bruss could have taken him any way he wanted, and he would have been able to recall it.
Officers were standing at the door. Bruss told them that if Dean tried to get into the room, they were to prevent that at all costs. The officers looked Dean up and down. Then they threw each other a glance, a terrified glance. He looked angry, vengeance in his green eyes. Dean stood in front of the window and stared at the man who had tried to kill Ally. And subsequently, the man Ally tried to kill. He lowered his brow, squinting his eyes. He wouldn't deny that he wanted to retaliate. The prisoner turned his head and looked at Dean.
Bruce took his index finger and pressed it against the neon green light. The ID came back right away. Joseph Kyle Stanford was issued a medical license. Now that they knew who he was, they needed to figure out why. Bruss turned to leave, and the man waved at Dean with his fingers and made a kiss face. Dean was enraged. He punched the observation glass.
"I AM GOING TO END YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME! END YOU!" Dean screamed. "I AM GOING TO PULL YOUR SPINE OUT YOUR MOUTH!"
The man waved his finger as to say uh, uh, ah. Naughty, naughty.
The two officers grabbed an arm and pulled him back with every ounce of strength they could muster.
"GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" Bruss yelled at the officers.
Dean took a stance, and he stayed planted on the floor. The officers couldn't budge him. Bruss came out of the door.
"YOU! OUT! NOW!"
"Did you see what he did? He provoked me!"
"Look, you are too invested in this. Come on, come with me," he said.
Dean shook the officers from his arms.
"Alright, alright. I'm going."
Bruss took him down the hallway for several turns until they were out of earshot.
"What is fucking wrong with you! You can't threaten a prisoner. Especially with four uniforms around. Jesus Christ."
"Who is he? You got a positive ID. I want to know who he is."
Bruss handed him the scanner back.
"Look, I know you think you must protect Allie, but not like this. Remember you," he poked Dean in the chest, "are not part of this investigation; you will be part of this investigation, and I cannot release any information from an open investigation. You know this. I deleted the information, so don't even check the history."
"Just tell me who it is. All I want is a name."
"Not after that shit you just pulled, I can't risk anything getting thrown out of court. Do you want that? Do you want this asshole to walk because of something so simple like I released his name?" he asked.
"Is there anything you can tell me? Anything. Throw me a bone, man."
"I can tell you this: he said something when he saw you in the window."
"What?" he said.
"He knew your name, Dean. He said, "Look, it's very special agent Carron."
"He knew my fucking name!"
All Dean wanted to do was run back down the hallway, pick the man up by the neck, and shake him till his brain bled. He stood in front of Bruss, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"I know how you feel."
"No, you don't because if that were Shelly upstairs carrying your baby on death's door, you would want to know too."
"Calm down, Dean," he said. "Shouldn't you be heading back upstairs for the ultrasound?"
"Shit, the ultrasound."
"Go see your daughter. Drop this at the door. You have better things to do with your time."
"You're right, Patrick." He put the scanner in his hand. "Keep it. I don't think I am going to need it anymore."
Need me to get you out of here?" Bruss asked.
"No. I know exactly where I am going."
"Of course you do."