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“MY HEAD,” DANA MOANED, the next morning.
“You’ll be fine. Lucky for you, this detective was in the area,” the nurse said straightening Dana’s sheets before placing a tray of medicine on the side table. “The doctor ordered for you to take these for the pain and swelling,” the nurse continued.
The nurse looked at the MAR sheet in front of her and the medicine and then at Dana’s arm bracelet to make sure she had the right patient. “Here you go,” she said.
“Thanks,” Dana said, taking the pills and swallowing with water.
“You’re lucky it was just a sprained ankle. That’s all,” the nurse continued.
“I know,” Dana said quietly. She was beginning to regret not accepting Troy’s offer to come into the house with her to check that she was alone and safe.
Troy paced nervously. “I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone...”
“Troy, it’s not your fault,” Dana replied.
The nurse gave Dana and Troy a funny look, then Dana realized just how suspicious that sounded. Why would a cop want to come into a home with a victim to make sure that the house was safe? Dana remembered they were trying to keep their secret dates...a secret.
“Your cousin, Katie was here earlier while you were sleeping,” the nurse said. “She told me to tell you that she’ll be here later to pick you up.”
“Pick me up?”
Then nurse then marked something on the chart near the foot of the bed. “Yes. Doctor Miles will be here to see you soon to give you your discharge papers.”
“Thanks, Nurse.”
Dana was glad that she was well enough to finish recovering at home. As much as she appreciated the staff at the Berry Cove Memorial Hospital, there was no place like home.
Before the nurse left, she glanced at the floor and shook her head. She then grabbed a paper towel and dabbed it with water from the sink in the room and got down on her hands and knees. “Does someone have paint on their soles?” she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
“No. I don’t think so,” Dana said.
She rubbed away but didn’t seem successful. The nurse then got up to page housekeeping to come to the room.
Dana thought that was odd. When the nurse left, Dana turned to Troy.
“It’s not your fault, Troy.”
“I should have stayed with you.”
“I should have listened to you. So there, we’re both even now,” she grinned.
“I’m glad you’re taking this lightly, because I can’t. I don’t want to see anything like this happen to you again, Dana. You mean...”
He stopped. Why did he stop? What was he going to say? That she meant so much to him?
Dana’s heart leaped in her chest. Troy wasn’t a man of many words, but did this mean that they were elevating to the next level of their secret relationship?
“Did you see anyone?” Troy then said, changing the subject.
Drats. Just when she thought they were making another personal connection.
“No,” Dana said softly, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. “He or she fled.”
“I guess you didn’t see him or her, either.”
“I wanted to make sure you were safe and stayed with you and called for back up.”
“I’m glad you did.” A thought then slid into her mind. “You know who might have seen something?”
“Who?”
“Mrs. Brunes.”
“I’ll have one of the boys ask her.”
Dana then thought for a moment. “Troy, what color is the paint on the floor?” she asked curious. She was propped up on the bed but couldn’t see what was on the floor at the foot of the bed with the high foot board.
Before Troy could answer, a custodian came into the room with a bucket and mop.
“Pink, why?” Troy said.
Dana felt her stomach knot up. Her heart palpitated in her chest.
The custodian mopped up the paint and then put the mop back into the bucket and left the room without a word.
The hairs on Dana’s neck stood up. “Okay, Troy. I need you to tell me exactly who was in this room visiting me this morning while I was...out of it.”