Write In The Middle of It

"Hey,” He said damn near pushing Prudence out of the way

“What are you doing here?" He said with concern with his arms out as if Mekayla was supposed to hug him.

Mekayla, stunned, looked at Kevin then looked at Prudence and then looked at the beer bottles on the table. Mekayla's eyes became narrow daggers that she threw at Kevin's throat.

"I'm not doing anything here, anymore," she hissed as she darted down the steps.

"Mekayla!" Kevin called after her. He went to run after her but because he was tipsy and had no shoes on, he slipped on the steps. Mekayla's cab was still downstairs and she flew back into it.

"Take me back to the station!" She yelled unable to hold back her tears.

The cabby sensing her urgency took off with tires squealing. He looked in the rearview mirror to see a man limping slightly after the cab. Then before he turned the corner he saw a female following him. He then looked at Mekayla who was sobbing uncontrollably.

"I have a napkin if you want it?" The cabby asked.

Mekayla almost choked on her tears.

***

"And what is your relationship to the victim?" The admissions clerk asked over a desk.

Pete cradled Sadiah's delicate, bloody frame in his arms like a baby. His face contorted in anger, "Who the fuck I am ain't none of your business! This baby needs some help!"

"Sir if you don't calm down, I’ll be forced to get the police." The nurse replied as she made check marks on a clipboard.

"Fuck that I'll get them!" Pete hurriedly passed the admission area and slammed through the doors leading to emergency room. There were a few doctors standing around filling out paperwork but no one looked extremely busy. Looks of shock formed on their faces as Pete yelled,

"Doesn't anyone work around here?!"

At that point Sadiah was carried from Pete's arms, taken over to an examination room, her body was swarmed over by the doctors and then the curtain snapped shut in his face. He walked over to make shift waiting room, sat in the first chair, and buried his face in his hands. He felt his forehead become moist and looked again at his hands, which were covered in Sadiah's blood. Pete sighed and shook his head and began pacing back and forth. He knew he should have pressed Sadiah a little harder to get her address, but she wouldn't give him any more information.

Possibly because she was protecting that boyfriend of hers.

Because the injuries were done with such malice there was no doubt in Pete's mind that he did this to her. If Pete weren’t out scoping the streets for her, he would have never heard the muffled sound of what he thought was an abandoned baby. He almost vomited at the sight of Sadiah's battered face.

For what seemed like an eternity, the doctors worked behind the curtain. They only appeared to get more supplies or summon more doctors. Pete patiently waited and struggled with calling Sadiah's father. He decided to wait until he knew more about her condition.

No sense giving him any kind of false hope.

Someone put a hand on his shoulder and when Pete looked up he saw the same admissions clerk standing over him. He rolled his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Sir, I'm sorry," she said more annoyed than concerned as she handed him a clipboard, "but we need you to fill some paperwork out and provide us with any insurance cards..."

Pete cut her off, "Does the girl look like she had insurance?!" He winced when he realized he referred to Sadiah in the past tense but he has seen too many cases where that was the outcome. He snatched the clipboard and filled out some basic information, then attached a credit card to it before thrusting it back at the nurse.

"Bill me. Will that do for you?” The clerk's expression changed from annoyed to embarrassed in a flash and off she stomped through the doors to her neat and orderly desk. Her presence was replaced by a city police officer.

"Pete." The officer said extending his arm out for Pete to shake his hand.

Pete stood up and firmly shook the officer's hand. "John."

Pete knew John from another case he had worked on in the past. John was from a good, strong Italian family with teenage daughters of his own. He respected Pete for the diligent work he did. John shifted his belt around his potbelly and took of his cap to run his hand through his gray hair.

"Is this one gonna make it?" John asked placing his cap back on his head.

"Dunno." Pete said as he began pacing back and forth.

"Any suspects?"

"I'm pretty sure her boyfriend did it."

"We have an address?"

Pete shook his head. "Nah but she works at that club."

John smirked, "Yeah don't they all." There was uncomfortable silence between the pair. "Any folks?"

"I'll call her father as soon as they tell me somethin."

"You know anything about the boyfriend?"

"Nah I just recently made contact with her. She didn't tell me nothin, I guess she thought she was protectin him."

"A lot of good it did her." Pete shot John a knowing glance and resumed his pacing. "I'ma go see if I can get any of her info from the owner. I'll come back if I hear anything." John watched Pete pace for a minute and then put his hand on his shoulder startling him a little bit.

"Pete?" When Pete turned to look at him his face wore a worrisome expression.

"Take it easy, aiight?" John said more Italian than usual.

Pete nodded, "Yeah ok." John walked away leaving Pete to pacing while praying for Sadiah.