Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

K yle had to adjust his eyes to the brighter lights in the hallway. He walked over to where the two detectives he'd met earlier that morning at the accident were standing. As he got closer, he could hear them discussing what to do with the Jane Doe behind the curtain and her child.

"Excuse me, fellas. Any update on the identity of the accident victim?"

"Hey, are you Walsh?" one of the men asked him. He had lost most of his hair to middle age, a ring of grey circling his head. He was looking down at his notes. "You called in the crash, right?"

"Yeah. I was out for a run and…"

"Wait," the other man said. He was holding a cup of coffee, and it sloshed over the side of the cup as he motioned with it. "Walsh. I know you. It was the accidental shooting, right? I heard buzz around the station that you're getting reinstated. About time."

"Thanks, but…"

"Oh yeah," the balding detective said. "I remember that case. Kid had a toy gun. Hey man, any one of us could have been you that night. I'm Kelly, by the way. This is my partner, McCormick."

Kyle nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Kelly continued. "Fucking paperwork takes forever. Done your gun range test yet? Or did they make you see the shrink first?"

The last thing Kyle wanted to do was discuss his case in a crowded hallway, but he knew that if he didn't answer their questions, they wouldn't answer his.

"Seen the shrink. Just waiting for the date of the range test."

"I'm sure it will be any time now. We need you back, man. Too much crime and too few of us," said McCormick.

"Yeah," Kyle said. "But about this Jane Doe. Did you find anyone who's been looking for her? She must have been heading somewhere. She has that little one. There's got to be some family out there."

"No, no ID. No missing persons. Nothing," Kelly told him.

"Yeah. We can offer her a spot at the women's shelter, or if she wants to go to a hotel, I guess that's an option. But we've got to move her out of here, and soon. The doctor has cleared her to go. The department doesn't have the resources to keep her here at the daily rate, if you know what I mean," McCormick said.

"She can come stay with me," Kyle said a little too quickly. He could immediately tell that he'd surprised these two men with his response. "I mean, I'm not back at work yet, and she's got no one. I can work the case offline until I go back full time. I'm bored as shit at home anyway. This will give me something to do and take this case off your plates."

"Oh man, if she agrees to that it's a problem solved for us," McCormick replied enthusiastically.

"It's a little bit of an unconventional approach, don't you think?" Kelly asked Kyle with tone of doubt in his voice.

"Yeah, I guess so. But I'm from a big family. I'd have plenty of help," Kyle responded.

McCormick nodded, clearly wanting to lighten their load. "Sounds like a plan. If she agrees, we'll sign off on it."

"Go talk to her," Kyle said to Kelly, sensing his discomfort with the suggestion. "It's an option, that's all. If she's fine with it, so am I."

The two men ducked inside the curtained cubicle to talk to the woman in question.

Alone in the hallway, Kyle started to mentally draw up a pro and con list based on the offer he'd made to take this stranger home. One the plus side, it would keep his mind off the range test he so dreaded. He didn't have a concern about his skills, he knew his muscle memory was still there. His fear sat in the pit of his stomach, threatening to rise to his throat. Would his judgement be faulty should another opportunity arise where he had to draw his weapon? Would he make another mistake, maybe one with a more tragic outcome? He shook his head as if the movement might force the bad ideas out of his brain, thinking now of the con side of the argument. His life was already a shambles. This guest in his home would certainly add to the knee-deep chaos he found himself in . Things really couldn't get much worse…

Just then Kelly and McCormick stepped back into the hallway.

"Okay, Walsh. She's confused, but she wasn't opposed to your idea. It's best if you ask her yourself, though, just to be sure. If you find out who this Jane Doe truly is, add it to our report. You'll find the file posted under my name."

"Of course. I'll do that," he said and watched as they turned to walk toward the elevators before he re-entered the cubicle to see if the patient was amenable to his idea.

He glanced over at the stranger in the bed and smiled at her, hoping to put her at ease. She was pretty and vulnerable, a combination in a woman that he tried his best to avoid ever since his break-up with Meghan. He preferred his encounters to be with ladies of a like mind, those just looking for a night tangled in his sheets with no strings attached. He shook his head. It wasn't hard to find the type of woman he wanted in this city, asshole. So why did you open your big mouth and offer to take this one home? Wasn't life complicated enough right now? Or maybe cracking this case would be the thing to finally put you back to work. Damn it!

When she looked at him, her blue eyes seemed to see straight through to his soul.

"I told the other men that I don't remember anything. I wish I did," she began.

"I know. I wanted to talk to you about something else." He drew in a deep breath. "If you don't have a place to go and the thought of a random hotel or a woman's shelter isn't appealing, you can stay with me. I have the room for you and the baby and I'm sure it wouldn't be for long. You'll remember everything you need to know in a few days. You just need to rest and stay off your feet. And if you're worried, I'll have my sister stay with you and I'll go to her place."

"Why would you want to help me?" she asked, burrowing further into the thin hospital blanket, clearly unsettled. "You don't know me. I'm a complete stranger. Besides, I don't even know your name."

"Let's change that. My name is Kyle Walsh. I've lived in Boston for my entire life and have a large and extended family that would love to help you out. Take a chance and tell me your name."

"My name?" She struggled to sit up, but once she did and settled once more against the pillows she said, "That might be problematic. For the life of me, I can't remember it."

Kyle looked at her and felt nothing but sympathy. She looked so small in the hospital bed. "You can't remember your name? That's okay. Give it some time," he said softly. "How about the baby? Do you remember your child's name?"

"No." The word signaled the woman's emotional distress.

"Did the police bring any of your belongings with you? A purse or a wallet?"

"I don't know. I feel like I've lost track of time all together. How long have I been here?"

"Since early this morning. It's almost six pm now."

"I see. Who's been watching the baby?"

"I guess the nurses have, but I'm not sure. Do you want me to find out?"

He watched as she looked him over. He could only assume that she was trying to figure out what to do next.

"If you wouldn't mind asking one of them to come in here. I want to be sure that my baby is okay."

"I will, but I can tell you that the child was secure in the car seat after the crash. I was the first person on the scene. Not a scratch on him."

"I don't remember much, but I'm sure she's a girl. That much I do know."

"Funny how the brain works, huh? We remember such random stuff." He felt somewhat chastened and hoped he hadn't upset her. "Let me see if I can find someone who might help clear things up."

At the same moment that he turned to exit the space, the curtain parted, and an older nurse appeared holding a bottle. She wore a stern expression, and her eyes narrowed when she saw Kyle at the foot of the bed.

"Detective Walsh, I didn't realize you were back at work. Maybe you can fill in the blanks for our patient. She can't seem to remember much about who she is or the accident.

Ignoring the small detail of him not being back at work yet, Kyle said, "I plan on trying to figure that out as soon as possible, Pattie," he said. He'd tangled with the stern woman many times over the years. She was all business and no nonsense in her approach.

"You better make it quick. The doctor is working on her discharge papers now. I think some of your colleagues were trying to figure out where to send her, but I didn't see them outside. Doesn't much matter. She can't stay here. The ER is slammed." Then she turned toward the woman in the bed. "How's your head feel?"

"It hurts."

"I can give you something for the pain. You've been prescribed Tramadol if you think it might help."

"Tramadol? I'm still breastfeeding."

"Never mind, then. You can have more Tylenol if you'd like."

"That sounds good. I have to be able to feed the baby," she said, struggling to sit up straighter.

"No, you don't for right now. That's why I'm here," Pattie said. "I fed her formula earlier and she drank it, no problem. I changed her diaper as well, and I can do that again."

"Or I can do it," Kyle chimed in.

Both women looked at him, but the nurse spoke first. "I won't refuse that offer. I'm handling as much as I can right now." She passed the bottle over to him. "I assume you remember how to do this, right? How old is your youngest nephew?"

"He's almost a year old now. And yes. I've got a ton of experience with littles. Piece of cake."

"Great. I'll be in with home care instructions in a bit. In the meantime, Kyle, there are diapers in the bottom drawer of that portable crib. Wipes as well. And thanks for the assist."

Kyle thought that Pattie almost smiled, but instead just turned to leave. For the first time since he'd entered the space, he looked over at the baby. She was kicking her legs and sucking on one hand, not making a sound. His nephews were loud; his first thought was that girl babies and boy babies were very different. He put the bottle down on the side table near the bed, then he reached in and picked up the infant.

There was a chair fitted tightly in between the wall and the crib. He sat down, nestled the little girl in the crook of his arm and reached for the bottle. Once settled, he put the nipple in her mouth, and she eagerly began to drink.

"I have to admit, you do look like you know what you're doing," the woman in the bed said.

"I told you. I'm a pro. My sister has four of these little people running around her house. We're a loud and expanding family."

"Did you mean what you said earlier. That you really wouldn't mind if I recuperated at your place with a baby for a few days? Or at least until I can drive again. And get a new car." She paused. "What about your wife? Will she be okay with you bringing me home"

"No wife, just me," he said simply, and he looked down at the baby who was drinking at a steady pace. "We're going to need to figure out exactly who you are. You can't go anywhere until you come back to yourself and know where you were going."

She looked at him and for a moment, he thought he saw something flash across her eyes. He hoped it was a memory of who she was and not pity for his single status.

"What is it?" he asked. "Did you remember something?"

"No. It's nothing. I think I will take that Tylenol when the nurse comes back."

"Right. When I'm done feeding this one," he said, using his chin to point at the baby, "I'll call my sister. She has a car seat installed in her minivan that the baby can ride home in, if that's okay with you."

"I don't see that I have another choice," she said, her eyes flicking to his and holding his gaze with an intensity that he didn't anticipate. "Thank you for wanting to help me," she added softly.

"It's in my blood," he said, hoping to convince this woman that she was safe with him. "I come from a long line of public servants. Almost my entire family has served as a firefighter or cop. It's what we do."

"Well, I wish I could tell you what it is I do. Maybe it will all come rushing back to me."

"I'm sure it will. In the meantime, rest some more. As soon as the paperwork is done, we'll be on our way."

He turned his attention back to the baby. It felt good to have a purpose, even if this particular type of responsibility was exactly what he'd been avoiding his entire adult life.