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  “Oh. I didn’t think about that. Ms. Hendricks,” Jones replied, holding her food up for her to see before setting it on the table.

  “Thank you. Before we get too much further into anything, can you please stop with the Miss thing?” she asked. “I hate being called Miss. Just call me Mia.”

  “He has a thing for proper pronunciation and pronouns,” Recker joked.

  “Very well…Mia,” Jones agreed.

  Hendricks walked over to the table and sat down, eagerly taking her turkey BLT out of its white styrofoam container. Recker slightly lifted himself off the couch to see what she was eating.

  “That a turkey BLT you got there?” Recker asked.

  “Yes,” she replied. “Quite a coincidence, huh?”

  “Sure is.”

  “I mean, someone I don’t know brings me lunch and it just so happens to be my favorite sandwich.”

  “Amazing how that works sometimes, isn’t it?”

  Hendricks shook her head and rolled her eyes.

  “So what do I call you?” she asked Jones as he sat down across from her.

  He looked at her, his eyes opened wide, unsure of his reply. It was almost like he was taken off guard with the question.

  “I’m not sure that’s relevant,” Jones answered.

  “Well, if we’re going to be around each other, don’t you think I should call you something other than The Professor? That’s kind of awkward.”

  “I wasn’t aware we were going to be seeing each other.”

  “Well, if you’re going to visit Mike while he’s in my care, eat in my apartment, I’d say that qualifies.”

  Jones looked to Recker for help, to which the wounded man gave none. “She has a point,” Recker told him.

  "I’m very reluctant in giving people my name,” Jones said. “With what we do, there are a lot of complications involved.”

  “And here I thought there was nobody on this planet more secretive than Mike,” Hendricks stated.

  Recker laughed. “Why don’t you just tell her your name. Not like it’s your real one anyway.”

  Jones looked at his partner, deliberating with himself on whether he should reveal it. He finally relented, figuring it wouldn’t do much harm. “Very well. You can call me David.”

  “David. OK. Was that so hard?” Hendricks asked.

  “Uhh, actually it was somewhat difficult.”

  “David what?”

  “Uhh…Jones.”

  “Jones?”

  “Originality isn’t one of his strongest attributes,” Recker remarked.

  “I can see you’re getting back to your normal self,” Jones said.

  “All it takes is the best nurse in the world.”

  “When did she start showing up?” Hendricks sarcastically asked.

  “Don’t be so facetious, Ms. Hend…Mia,” Jones self corrected. “You did a fantastic job.”

  “It was a bullet wound to the shoulder. It’s not like I performed brain or heart surgery in a dimly lit dungeon somewhere.”

  “Still, considering the circumstances, you should feel good about what you’ve done. If not for you, he’d probably be dead.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s just not make this a regular occurrence.”

  Chapter 2

  Several more days had passed, with Recker growing stronger with each day that went by. Mia insisted that he stay at her apartment for a few more days until he was better, against what Recker thought was necessary. He didn’t want to stay and impose on her any longer, but she wanted to make sure there were no lingering effects. If there were, at least she’d be there to take care of it. Recker wasn’t really as concerned about that as he was about staying in such close proximity with his pretty friend. Not that he was looking for any deeper type of relationship than they already had, but he wanted to make sure that she felt the same way. There were times that he felt she might be falling for him, though he wasn’t positive. Sometimes he thought it was just in his mind. Recker was sitting on the couch reading a newspaper when Mia walked over and sat next to him.

  “I switched days with another nurse, so I have a couple more days off,” Mia told him.

  “Mia, you really didn’t have to do that. I’m fine,” Recker insisted.

  “I know. I just wanna make sure. A couple more days, then I’ll unlock all the doors so you can leave,” she joked.

  “I’ve been cooped up in worse spots.”

  “I bet. I’ll be working like ten days in a row once I go back,” she lamented with a shake of her head. “I’m gonna be so tired.”

  “Anything I can do to help with that? Repay what you’ve done for me?”

  A wicked smile overtook Mia’s face that she couldn’t hide, though she tried. “Uhh…no. It’s OK.”

  “What was that look for?” Recker wondered, seeing her face light up. “What is it?”

  “It’s nothing,” she replied, holding her hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

  “No, what is it?”

  “Nothing. It was a slightly inappropriate thought.”

  “Just slightly?”

  “OK. Maybe majorly inappropriate.”

  “What was it?”

  Her head perked up as she shook it. “Uh uh…I’ll never tell.”

  Recker could only imagine what had been running through her mind.

  “You should probably get a shower,” Mia suggested. “It’s been a few days since you’ve had one.”

  “Are you trying to suggest something?” Recker sarcastically asked, smelling his armpit.

  “Well, uhh, you know,” Mia playfully replied, laughing. “No, I’m just kidding. It’ll just help you in your recovery process.”

  “Oh. OK.”

  “As your dedicated and personal nurse, would you like me to sponge bathe you?” she asked with a big smile. “I’m required to ask that of all patients.”

  “Uhh, are you, now? I…uhh…think I can manage that on my own,” Recker replied. He knew if he answered in any other manner that it might lead to things that they might never recover from. If only from his point of view. “Thank you for the offer though.”

  “Too bad. I was kind of looking forward to it,” she smirked, getting up off the couch.

  Recker watched her walk away into the kitchen, getting caught up in the moment and admiring her figure. He shook his head to break his concentration from her, trying to think of something else.

  “Stop that,” he mumbled to himself. “You know what happened the last time you fell for a girl.”

  “Did you say something?” Mia shouted from the kitchen.

  “No. Just talking to myself.”

  “Oh. You OK?”

  “Yeah. Fine. Just fine. I think I’ll go take that shower now.”

  “OK. There’s a blue towel in the bathroom closet for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “If there’s anything you have a problem with cause your arm or shoulder hurts, just let me know and I can help,” she innocently said, without a hint of deviousness.

  “I think I’ll be able to manage,” Recker said, pulling himself off the couch.

  While Recker showered, Mia plopped herself down on the couch and just watched TV for a few minutes. Her brief time to relax was interrupted only a few minutes later when there was a knock on the door.

  “Who could that be?” she wondered, putting the remote down on the table.

  She cautiously walked over to the door, unsure who would be paying her a visit. She briefly thought about informing Recker that they had a visitor, but figured she’d look and see who it was first. She looked through the peephole and was quickly reassured by the sight of the professor’s presence.

  “What are you doing here?” Mia wondered.

  “I’m sorry, I probably should’ve called first instead of just dropping by,” Jones replied.

  “It’s OK. Come in.”

  Jones did as he was directed, though he still felt badly for just coming over without warning. “It’s not somet
hing I usually do, dropping by unannounced.”

  “David…it’s fine, really,” she insisted. “I’m not mad or upset you’re here. If I was, I probably wouldn’t have answered the door.”

  Jones took a quick glance around the apartment and was slightly surprised at the missing presence of their dangerous acquaintance.

  “Where is our mutual friend?” Jones wondered.

  “Oh, he’s in the shower.”

  “The shower?”

  “Yes. People do shower you know. I’m sure even you do it,” she joked.

  Jones grinned. “Yes. Of course.”

  Without looking too alarmed, Jones quickly looked Hendricks up and down, taking notice to whether her hair was wet, or if a sprinkle of water was still attached to any other part of her visible skin.

  “You OK?” Mia asked.

  “Hmm? Oh, yes, I’m fine. Something was just running through my mind. Nothing to worry about.”

  “OK. Good. Can I get you a drink or anything while you wait for Mike?”

  “Uhh, yes, sure, that’d be nice.”

  “Soda, milk, coffee, tea? Sorry, don’t have anything stronger than that.”

  “Never touch anything stronger than that anyway,” Jones smiled. “Do you have iced tea?”

  Hendricks nodded, “one iced tea coming up.”

  Hendricks came back into the living room a minute later, a glass of iced tea in hand, sitting down across from her guest as they waited for Recker.

  “So what brings you over?” Mia asked.

  “I just had some things to discuss with Michael.”

  “Why are you so formal all the time? Michael…Miss…are you always so proper?”

  “I don’t know,” Jones replied, taking a sip of his drink. “Just a sign of respect, I guess.”

  “I guess that answer will due.”

  “So why do people call you Mia when your name is Mary? It’s not in your…,” Jones said, stopping himself before he revealed too much.

  “Not in my file?” Mia concluded for him.

  Jones let out a grin, uncomfortable in saying more.

  “So you’re the one who assigned Mike to me when I had that problem before?”

  Jones made a strange face and put his hands in the air, feigning ignorance.

  “I had a feeling that’d be your answer,” Mia said. “Anyway, when I was a little girl and just started learning to talk, I had trouble saying Mary. I said it like Mia. So my family started calling me that, and after a while, that’s just what I preferred.”

  Jones nodded. “Don’t like Mary?”

  “Mary sounds outdated. Like I’m living in the thirties or fifties or something. Mia sounds a little more modern.”

  They waited about ten more minutes for Recker to show himself, continuing their conversation in the meantime. When Recker did come out, he was a little surprised to see Jones sitting there. He took a seat on the same couch Mia was sitting on, though not directly next to her, as there was an open seat between them.

  “Looks like you two are getting awfully chummy,” Recker cracked.

  “Just having an enjoyable conversation with Ms. Hendricks…I mean Mia,” Jones replied. “Sorry, old habits die hard.”

  Hendricks smiled. “It’s OK. You’re trying. That’s the main thing.”

  “So what’re you doing here?” Recker wondered.

  “Just came over to see how you’re doing and go over a few things,” Jones answered.

  “I’m assuming you two are going to need some privacy,” Mia said.

  “If you would be so kind,” Jones nicely said.

  “Sure. I have some dishes in the kitchen I have to wash anyway.”

  “Thank you so much.”

  “So what do you really want?” Recker asked.

  “Just wondering when you were coming back to work.”

  “Miss me already?”

  “I’m not rushing you or anything. I’m just asking so I have a timeframe to work with.”

  “In the next couple days.”

  “I wasn’t expecting that soon.”

  “Well, getting into a fistfight or gun battle wouldn’t be wise, but I can still talk and get things done,” Recker informed.

  “I’m getting a little worried about your arrangement here,” Jones said. “It appears you two are getting a little too comfortable with each other. I mean, you’re showering here now? Are you sleeping in the same bed together as well?”

  “Jones. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re getting a little jealous,” Recker kidded.

  “Oh don’t be ridiculous. You know what I mean.”

  “I’m getting ridiculous? You’re the one bringing it up. Look, I needed a shower, she has one. That’s all there is to it.”

  “I half expected her hair to be wet when I came in.”

  “Well I was waiting ten minutes in there for her but you obviously interrupted my plans,” Recker sarcastically added.

  Jones gave him a stone faced look, obviously not enjoying his friend’s sense of humor. “I believe you know what I’m getting at.”

  “Look, nothing’s happened, nothing’s gonna happen. OK? You know my feelings about getting involved with someone. It’s not gonna happen again,” Recker plainly said.

  “Yes, on your end, but what about hers? The more you stay here and have her take care of you, the more attached she’s becoming.”

  “No she’s not.”

  “Michael, I can see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. If you can’t see that she’s developing feelings for you, then I need to invest in a seeing eye dog for you, cause you’re as blind as can be.”

  “Interesting metaphor.”

  “Don’t try to change the subject. Tell me I’m not right.”

  “Can we talk about something else?” Recker asked, definitely wanting to change the subject now.

  “Fine. Anything come back to you about that night yet? Who shot you or anything?”

  “Yeah. I was thinking about it earlier. I remember who it was.”

  “Who?” Jones eagerly asked.

  “Don’t know his name. Just what he looked like. Probably around thirty. White guy. Closely shaved haircut. Wearing a dark brown or black suit. Had something shiny on his belt. Looked like it could’ve been a badge. Or maybe part of his belt. Or maybe it was something else. I’m not sure about that part.”

  “You think it might’ve been a cop?”

  “Could’ve been. Not sure.”

  “There’s been nothing in the news or on TV or in any files that I can see that would indicate an officer involved shooting in the past week,” Jones told him.

  “Maybe it was off the books.”

  “You mean a dirty cop who didn’t report it?”

  “It happens.”

  “I don’t know what the connection to you would be though. If it was a cop, don’t you think they’d plaster it on the news?”

  “Not necessarily. Are you able to get your hands on photos of them?”

  “Of the cops?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I suppose it could be done. You think you’d recognize him?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “What district should I focus on?”

  “All of them,” Recker answered. “Focus on the detectives or plain clothes officers. Don’t worry about the patrol units.”

  “It’ll probably take me a day or two. Three at the most.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll just be here shacking up.”

  “That’s not funny.”

  Recker smiled, knowing how uptight Jones was getting on the subject. Not having the desire to revisit the conversation, Jones reached into his pocket and removed a cell phone. He handed it over to Recker.

  “What’s this?” Recker asked.

  “What’s it look like? It’s a phone.”

  “I can see that.”

  “Well, you needed a new one, do you not?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well now you have it.”
<
br />   “Thanks.”

  “By the way, what did happen to your old one?” Jones wondered.

  “Oh. I threw it in the river.”

  “What?” Jones asked, not sure he heard right.

  “I threw it in the river.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “I was shot and not sure I’d make it to Mia in time before I bled too much. In case I perished out on the street somewhere, when I was found, I didn’t want someone flipping through the phone and seeing all my contact names and numbers,” Recker explained.

  Jones nodded. “That makes sense.”

  “I didn’t want to give you up or put anyone else in a bad position to where they’d have to explain how they know me.”

  “Well thank you for that.”

  “Is it safe to come in yet?” Mia shouted from the kitchen. “It’s getting a little boring in here.”

  It drew a laugh and a smile from both men in the living room. They told her it was safe to enter as they’d basically discussed all they needed to at that point.

  “I didn’t rush you or anything, did I?” Mia asked.

  “No, no, we were all through,” Jones replied.

  “Good. I’d hate to rush people in my own apartment or anything,” she wisecracked.

  “You know, Ms…Mia, I hadn’t realized how much of a sarcastic personality you have.”

  “I usually only get that way when I’m tired. Normally, I’m pretty laid back and leave the jokes to other people. When I get tired I tend to lose my filter.”

  “I wasn’t saying it was a bad thing. Just an observation.”

  “Why don’t you lay down and get some sleep? Jones can keep watch over me for a few hours if you’re worried about me,” Recker suggested.

  “Yes,” a surprised Jones agreed. “An excellent idea. You could use a good five or six uninterrupted hours.”

  “We can just sit here and talk some more business while you sleep.”

  “We can?”

  “We can. There’s still a few other things we can discuss,” Recker mentioned, nodding his head.

  “Oh yes, of course. I’d forgotten about that,” Jones said, still not having the faintest idea what his friend was talking about.

  “Well OK,” Mia agreed. “If you’re sure you won’t miss me too much.”

  “That would be impossible,” Recker smiled.