“Mom, the doctors and nurses may not tell you about his condition and-”
“Stop.” Margie merely nodded her head and glanced at Annie, as if she were eight years old again. “I have raised five children and no one wants to fight this Mama Bear. I’ll be right back.”
Milt Perry watched his wife exit the hospital room. He breathed a sigh of relief because he needed a little bit of time to collect his emotions. When they had received a call regarding Annie …and the brutal attack that had occurred outside the office building ….everything had turned into utter chaos. Now that Milt could see that his daughter was safe, he counted his blessings as he tried to relax his strained nerves.
“Did you need anything, Annie?”
Annie shook her head, her thoughts focused on the detective that had risked his life for her. “John Connell saved my life, dad.”
“I know, Annie.” Milt Perry nodded. He then located a chair near Annie and sat beside her hospital bed. “I know. Don’t worry, we will find John Connell.”
Annie gazed at the ceiling, her mind trying to make sense out the events that had transpired earlier, during this long and abominable day. “I just want him to be okay. John has to be okay, dad.” Twin tears began to stream down Annie’s cheeks. “John Connell saved my life.”
Sam Connell heard the raised voices outside his brother’s hospital room and peaked into the hallway. He saw a short, middle-aged woman with dark red hair, standing solidly in front of a doctor. With her hands on her hips, the woman was peering directly at the physician.
“May I please know about Detective John Connell?” the woman pleaded. “The man saved my daughter’s life and now my Annie needs to know that he’s okay….please….”
For a slight moment, Sam watched as the determined woman continued to ask questions. After correctly hearing his brother’s name again, Sam immediately walked toward the woman and stood near her.
“Ma’am, you just mentioned my brother’s name…” Sam politely told the lady.
Margie Perry focused her attention on the young man. The boy was nearly six feet tall, with a slim, lanky build. A pair of dark eyes sparkled in the youthful, kind face. The dark brown hair needed a trim, and Margie resisted the urge to tell the boy to stand up taller and not slouch.
“I am asking about Detective John Connell from the Arlington Police Department. Do you know anything about him?”
Sam Connell was wise enough to realize the woman had wonderful interrogation tactics, and briefly wondered if she worked for a law enforcement agency. Sam nodded his head and motioned for the woman to follow him closer to his brother’s hospital room.
Sam did not want to be out of sight of his older sibling; the man he most respected in life. “I’m Sam Connell, John’s brother. He’s going to be just fine and make a full recovery.”
“Thank goodness!” Pleased with the news, Margie placed a hand over her heart and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness! That is such wonderful news.”
Sam quietly peaked inside John’s hospital room once again, and noticed his brother was still sleeping. Due to the extensive stabbing injuries, Sam suspected his brother would be asleep for quite some time.
Sam turned his attention back to the woman who was eyeing him with motherly concern.
“My name is Margie Perry and your brother saved my daughter’s life. Now…how old are you?”
“Ah, I’m in my early twenties,” Sam answered.
Margie watched as the young man ran a hand through his dark brown mussed hair. She peered deeper into his innocent eyes. “So where are your parents, Sam?”
Sam cleared his throat and gazed at the headstrong, determined woman. He had not been bossed around by a motherly figure in a long time, and realized that he missed the sensation.
“Our parents passed away several years ago, Mrs. Perry,” Sam admitted. “It’s just John and myself.”
Margie blew out a deep breath of air and lightly patted the young man’s arm. “It was a very heroic thing that your brother did, Sam. He saved Annie’s life and our family will certainly never forget that.”
Sam nodded his head as his chest filled with pride. “Is your daughter going to be okay, ma’am?”
Margie Perry wanted to hug the young man to her and pat his head, like she had done so many times with her own children. “Annie is going to be just fine thanks to your brother.”
“I’m happy to hear that, Mrs. Perry.”
Margie shook her head and pursed her lips. “No more Mrs. Perry. From now on, I’m Margie. We’re practically family now, sweetie.”
Nearly an hour later, Sam Connell sat dutifully beside his brother’s bedside. John continued to sleep peacefully in the sterile hospital bed as numerous machines beeped and hummed around him. The various medical equipment and tubes were situated near the bed.
Sam peered at his older brother. The man’s strong and pointed jaw was now covered with whiskers, and Sam absently wondered if his brother would shave or grow a beard for the long winter months. Sam had never seen his brother so relaxed, and knew it must have been the medication the nurses had injected him with earlier.
“You just wait until you wake up, big brother.” Sam glanced around the dark room, relived that the hospital staff were gone and positioned just down the hallway. “You’re going to meet the Perry family, and I have the impression that they’ll be in our lives forever.”
Sam Connell smiled and chuckled to himself…already enjoying the Perry family.
2
“May I come in?”
John turned his gaze to the young woman standing in the doorway and tried not to whistle. The attractive woman, with the auburn colored hair was looking at him with kind eyes and large smile. From his hospital bed, he noticed the woman’s prominent cheekbones had turned a nasty shade of purple.
A deep, burning emotion hit John’s core as rage coursed through his veins. The anguish he felt for her was instant. He regretted not being able to protect the woman. He regretted not acting sooner and he regretted the pain and turmoil that she suffered. John continued to lie back on the hospital issued pillow and slowly raised his hand, motioned the polite woman to enter the room.
“Come on in,” John said. His voice was even and the expression on his face was neutral. It had been two days since the attack, but Annie felt as if this entire experience had dragged on for an endless month. She quietly entered the room and John noticed she was wearing a black pencil skirt with a hot pink silk blouse. The black high heels gleamed and John noticed no rings on her fingers. He watched the young woman nervously bite her lower lip for a mere second before she took a seat in the upholstered blue chair closest to his bed.
“My name is Annie,” the woman began. A pair of concerned green eyes focused on him. “I am so incredibly sorry for-”
“Save it,” John interrupted with a bit of annoyance in his voice.
Taken aback by the gruff tone, Annie sat up straighter in her seat and gazed at the police detective who had saved her life.
She decided to try again. “Thank you for-”
“Damn it,” John said as he shook his head. “Just drop it.”
Stunned by John’s demeanor, Annie just sat there for a moment. She had thought of this occasion countless times in the past two days, but she had never imagined this difficult scenario.
“Ah, can I get you anything? Would you like some pain medication or a glass of water?” Annie politely asked.
John mentally counted to ten and told himself not to be such an ass to the courteous woman. “I’m fine.”
Annie folded her hands in her lap. She peered at the man in the hospital bed. John wore a pair of black sweatpants and t-shirt that read Connell’s Pub on it. Even in his relaxed attire, Annie thought the man contained a certain amount of sexiness about him. He still seemed so remote and aloof, but Annie was not about to give up so easily.
“My family and I had the pleasure of meeting your brother.”
John knew as much
. “Sam said you guys took him out for dinner. You didn’t need to do that.”
“We had a very pleasant evening. When you’re well-”
“I am well.” John shrugged a shoulder. “I am fine.”
“Well, when it’s convenient for you and Sam, my family and I would love to have you as guests for dinner.”
Taken aback by the thoughtfulness, John continued to stare at the pretty young woman by his bedside. Annie resisted the urge to look away. Together, they continued to gaze at each other as if they were the only two people in the world.
“Or if you’d like to go out for dinner, that is fine, too,” Annie said.
John remained silent as Annie continued to ramble. “However, my mother is an excellent cook and-”
“Dinner.” John’s look of determination pierced into her soul. “Yeah. Okay. Sometime we’ll have dinner.”
Knowing the subject was now closed, Annie focused her attention on the hospital room. A few vases of flowers were arranged near the window, and Annie briefly wondered if any of the gifts were from John’s loved ones. Perhaps he was married or in a relationship that Sam had not informed them about.
Of course, it was no business to Annie if John was involved with someone or not, and she reminded herself of that fact.
“When did you get released?”
Surprised by the question, Annie turned her attention toward the detective. John was such a serious man that Annie wondered if he ever relaxed. Even now, in the hospital bed, he seemed agitated.
“Yesterday evening,” Annie answered. She smiled at John. “I tried to come down here and see you before I left, but the nurses indicated that you were getting some medical tests completed.”
John had no desire to talk about medical tests or hospitals at the moment. He did not want to consider the extent of his injuries. “So what is it that you do for a living, Annie?”
For a second, Annie hesitated. She didn’t know if John was interested in her response or just passing time with polite conversation. Either way she didn’t care, at least John was talking with her.
“I work at the Perry Financial House, examining financial statements to better advise clients and serve their needs regarding taxes.”
John nodded his head and for the first time in a long time, he grinned. “That was a mouth full.”
Annie smiled in return, beginning to enjoy herself around the detective. “It’s a fancy way of saying that I look at numbers all day.”
“You don’t enjoy it much, do you?”
Surprised by the insight, Annie examined the astute law enforcement officer. “It’s a very well paying career, and plus my father owns the majority of the corporation. A few of my siblings work for our dad, but I assure you that we haven’t been given anything. We have to work just as hard, if not harder, because of our relationship to Milton Perry.”
“You don’t have to justify yourself to me, Annie.”
A pair of determined eyes shifted to John. “I feel that I need to explain to you that I’m not a complete moron.”
Puzzled by her response, John eyed the woman sitting beside his bed. They had experienced so much together. There was a level of comfort between them. “Why in the hell would I think that you’re a moron?”
A red tint of embarrassment flushed across Annie’s cheeks. “I got attacked and I should have been more aware of the situation, as well as my surroundings.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“Excuse me?”
John shook his head in disgust. “Don’t ever, ever blame yourself for what happened. You were trying to hail a taxi on a city street and some asshole came out of nowhere to grab you, beat on you and mug you.” John could not stand the thought of Annie blaming herself. “You did a hell of a job fighting back, Annie. I think it was just natural instinct for you.”
Annie processed John’s assessment of the circumstances and instantly felt better. “Thank you for not blaming me.”
“Of course. I don’t blame you for anything,” John assured. The tightness in his chest began to throb. “I don’t want you to ever blame yourself, Annie. You did nothing wrong and you did everything right.”
The lump inside Annie’s throat was so large that she could only muster a slight nod of her head. “Ah…thank you…for not blaming me, John. I, ah, don’t know if I could handle that right now.” The truth in that statement was nearly overwhelming.
John saw Annie’s emerald green eyes becoming shiny and he secretly wondered if she was going to cry. He would not have blamed her if she did. “No person, especially a woman, should ever have to be attacked.”
Leaning over, Annie gently patted John’s arm. She felt his muscles bunch under her touch. “Would I embarrass you if I said that you’re a wonderful man?”
For the first time, in a long time, John chuckled. He liked the feel of her slender hand on his arm, and it made him feel human. “Please don’t say shit like that to me.” There was no harshness in his tone.
“Just so you know, I’m not offended,” Annie responded with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
John chuckled again. He was more relaxed than he could ever remember being. It was Annie’s soft voice and concern for him that was surreal. The warmth she conveyed to him was magical.
“Are a lot of Santa Clauses stationed around the city really undercover police officers?”
John scratched his chin and surprised Annie when he laughed once again. “I lost a bet playing cards with my boss. That was the only reason I was on the street corner in a Santa suit and ringing a bell. It’s a nice sting operation, given the upcoming season.” John titled his head to better look at Annie. He was surprised by just how much he was enjoying her warm and pleasurable company. “Before you arrived, we had arrested four drug dealers and three pickpockets.”
A slight shiver raced up Annie’s spine, just thinking of the danger that John had just described. “I know this sounds silly, but I’m happy that you lost the bet.” After realizing her choice of wording, Annie gasped. She placed her hand lightly over her mouth, as a swift surge of embarrassment infiltrated her body. “I didn’t mean it like that. I certainly don’t want you to be hurt….I just meant I was happy that you were there….on the sidewalk….protecting me.”
“I know what you mean,” John’s voice rang with reassurance, laced with a heavy dose of authority. “I can read people well, Annie.”
“That is both frightening and quite magnificent.”
John was about to respond, when he noticed his brother walking into the room. Sam Connell smiled at the young woman and instantly held his arms up and open. Delighted to see the familiar face, Annie bounded to her feet and walked into Sam’s welcoming embrace. John watched the beautiful woman wrap her arms around his brother’s torso, in a friendly hug. John grimaced.
Annie took a step back. “Sam! It’s so great to see you.”
Sam Connell inched away from the woman, but the smile on his face widened as he eyed her. “You look great today. Don’t tell me that you went into the office already. You just left the hospital last night.”
Watching the familiarity between the pair, John gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to throw his plastic cup at his brother’s head. Annie stepped fully out of Sam’s embrace and returned to her seat near John’s beside. Sam sat in a chair opposite Annie, and on the other side of the hospital bed.
“I just went into the office for a few minutes. I had a few papers to drop off and now I’m ready for the weekend.”
Sam nodded his head in understanding. “It was nice of you to drop by and visit my brother. I-”
“I’m still in the room,” came John’s voice. He swore to himself before adding, “You can speak to me like I’m here.”
Never one to be intimidated by his brother’s brooding moods, Sam grinned at Annie. “So remember yesterday when I was telling you about the girl I was interested in? I asked her out.”
Because Annie was always poised to hear about romance, she beamed
at Sam. “Oh, that’s fantastic! What was Emily’s response?”
“She said yes,” Sam replied with a pleased expression crossing his handsome face. The giddiness within his heart was evident. “Thanks for the suggestion of making a little basket for her with all of her favorite things. She really liked that.”
“Oh,” Annie sighed. “I’m so pleased. You’ll have to keep me updated on your date. Have you thought about where you’ll take her?”
“Actually I was going to get your advice on that,” Sam confessed. He leaned forward in his chair. “What do you think-”
“I feel like I’m in the middle of a romance movie,” John said. He shook his head, but Annie noticed the tiny grin on the man’s face.
“And when was the last time that you watched a romance movie?” Annie teased. She winked at John. “You don’t strike me as the romance movie type.”
“Oh, I watch them all the time,” John said. “I’ve seen every rom-com there is and-”
“Ha!” Annie placed her hand on John’s arm. His warm skin caused her to tingle in the most endearing way. “You can’t even say that without grinning.”
Because John was enjoying the easy banter, he began to laugh. The sensation began to hurt his abdomen. “Don’t make me laugh.”
Now with a sense of worry, Annie’s eyes peered at John with urgent alarm. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay? Did you want me to get you a nurse?”
“No.” John shook his head. He closed his eyes for a moment as the pain pierced through his body in uncontrollable waves. “No. I’m fine.”
Annie was not convinced. “John….”
“I’m…fine.”
It was Sam who decided to change the subject. “So, Annie…about my upcoming date. Do you think…”
3
“John, did you try any of the turkey?”
Humping Her Hero Page 2
