The Enforcer - Kelli Callahan Page 0,44
Mom, are you okay?” Holly’s familiar voice comes to the phone.
“Oh my God, baby! It’s so good to hear you.” Hot tears spring to my eyes.
“It’s good to hear you too. I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too,” I say, as my throat tightens painfully.
“I haven’t heard from you. When I saw that there was another fire, I was worried.”
“I know I wanted to tell you I was alive, but I couldn’t,” I whisper.
“You’re able to talk now though?” she asks.
“Yes, I think so. I’m okay. I just wanted to check in with you and see how you’re doing; make sure you’re healthy and happy.”
“I am. Thanks, Mom. I just miss you a lot.”
“Oh, sweetie, I miss you too.”
“When this is all over, I think you and I should go on a vacation,” she says.
“Vacation would be nice,” I say, smiling at the idea. “I just have to get to that point first.”
“Yeah. Do you have any idea who broke into her house and burned it down?” she asks.
“Well, they’re getting a better idea,” I say, intentionally not telling her about the attack.
“Is it anyone that we know?”
“Um, I don’t think so,” I say after a moment. “But the police have an idea.”
“Well, that’s good, at least. You want to talk to grandma?”
“No, that’s okay,” I say with a sigh. My parents and I aren’t particularly close, and the last thing I want to do is explain this all to my mother.
“Okay, so... how much longer will it be?”
“I don’t know, hopefully not too long,” I whisper, sliding my hand over the rough hospital blanket. “Just try to have a good time.”
“Yeah. Okay, mom,” she sighs, and I reach for a tissue, unable to remain calm for her.
“I love you so much, Holly.”
“I love you too, Mom. Talk to you later?” she asks.
“Yes, of course. I love you, bye,” I hang up the phone and lay back in the hospital bed. Nope, that won’t work― I can’t lay still at a time like this.
Rising from the bed, I stand on shaky legs. I don’t know why I had to stay; my tests came back fine. I don’t have an IV either. I almost wonder if there’s something that they aren’t telling me. Am I here solely for my safety? Is this some kind of cage to keep me in and the murderer out? Opening the hospital door, I look out and I am met by a police officer, someone I’ve never seen before.
“Hello,” I say, with a nod.
“Ms. Marshall,” the man replies with a quick nod. What can I do for you?”
“Oh, I was just going to go for a little walk around the hospital corridor,”
“Okay. Is that right?” he asks.
“Yep,” I say with a nod, wondering if he has any legal rights preventing me from doing so.
“Do you want to accompany me?” I ask. The man frowns, deciding.
“Yeah, I probably should go,” he says, rising from the chair and walking alongside me.
“What is your name?” I ask conversationally.
“Rogers. Aaron Rodgers,” he says, offering me a small smile, his dark eyes watching me closely.
“Nice to meet you…”
“Diana, of course,” I finish with a sheepish smile. He nods.
“How long have you been an officer,” I ask.
“About two years. I transferred in from a neighboring town.”
“Oh really, that’s interesting. What do you like about it here?” I ask.
“The quiet,” he admits. There’s also a nice little lake for fishing.”
“That’s what I hear,” I say, turning right with him along the corridor, wondering if I am burning through conversation points too quickly.
“So what did you have to do to get stuck with guarding me?”
“Knowing the right people, I guess,” he says with a slow smile.
“The right people?” I ask with a chuckle. “And who do you know?”
“Everyone,” he murmurs. And I look up at him, frowning.
“Anyone particularly interesting?”
“Yes,” he replies, gesturing to the right again, turning us into a circle.
“Care to expand on that, officer Rogers?” I ask, a little dry, unamused by his unapproachable tone.
“I know who’s after you,” he states plainly.
I freeze just as a nurse continues walking past us. “What do you mean?” I demand.
“Just that. I know who’s after you,” he says with a casual shrug. He continues walking.
“Who’s after me?”
“Someone who really doesn’t like you,” he says, still walking ahead of me. I’m forced to jog to catch up to him.
“Why doesn’t he like me?”
“He has his reasons,” he answers cryptically. I feel anger boiling with me.
“Are you going to take me to him?” I ask.
“Do you