Page 17 of Rules of Engagement

Chapter Five

I stayed with Solomon throughout the night, dozing in the hard, plastic chair until my back grew stiff and my neck ached. Morning light began to shine through the vertical blinds, casting strange shadows across the room. Several times during the long, dark hours, I awoke with a start and a jump as a nurse moved softly around the room, checking his vitals and the chart, recording information I couldn't begin to understand. Once I woke up with a blanket tucked around me, convinced someone was trying to smother me but it was only my Mom, and she stayed, holding my hand until I fell asleep again.

My eyes opened and I was instantly awake, pushing the blanket away as I reached for Solomon's hand. I held it, pleased to find him warm, but he still didn't respond. His eyes didn't open. He didn't shift positions or murmur a good morning. He didn't even squeeze my hand.

"How are you feeling?"

I looked over my shoulder. "Hi, Mom."

Mom stepped inside, still wearing yesterday's clothes, but she held a bag. "Did you sleep at all?"

"A little bit."

"Lily left you a bag of clothes and I got you a toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant from the gift shop in the lobby in case you wanted to wash up."

"I..." I looked back at Solomon. How could I leave? What if he woke up and didn't know where he was?

"I'll stay right here with him, sweetheart."

I ran my tongue over my teeth. I really needed to brush them. If I were fast, I could be back in less than two minutes. "Thanks, Mom." I got to my feet, my body aching from head to toe. Someone had taken Garrett's oversized socks off my feet and slid on a thick pair of wool socks in my size. A pair of comfortable slippers were next to the chair. The thoughtfulness of the small gestures made my nose hot and my eyes filled with tears.

"Dad is bringing you breakfast very soon," Mom continued. She placed the bag at the foot of the bed and moved around to the other side, fussing with Solomon's sheets and making sure he was tidy. "After he drops off the food, he's going to pick up Anastasia from the airport."

"That's..." I struggled to find a word.

"A relief," supplied Mom. "I know. We don't want you to worry about a thing. All you have to focus on is looking after yourself and staying with John. We have everything else covered. Go wash up. You'll feel better when you've changed out of those scrubs."

I tightened Alice's cardigan — hastily supplied last night — and pushed my feet into the slippers. "Go," shooed Mom, putting the bag in my hand, and giving me a little push out the door. I stopped over the threshold, looking at the business of the hospital floor. The night staff had changed, all the faces were new but the colored scrubs and white coats were all the same. They didn't pay any attention to me as I watched them scurrying around, clipboards and digital devices in hand. A dark block of color to my right, grabbed my attention.

"Good morning, ma'am," said the block. No, not a block. A police officer.

"Hi," I said, frowning at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Officer Broderick," he said. "I'm posted here for this shift."

"Shift?"

"Lieutenant Graves has Mr. Solomon under twenty-four guard."

"Oh, thank you," I stammered. Then, I paused, thinking. It was good to know Garrett was taking the shooting so seriously — how could he not? — but I didn't know this officer. I wanted someone I trusted guarding Solomon. Someone who valued his life with their own. If whoever shot him discovered they failed at the job, they might come back for a second try. That thought made me feel sick. "Mom?"

"Officer Broderick and I will be fine," said Mom. "Go on."

I glanced back to the room. "I'll be right back."

"Yes, ma'am," said Officer Broderick.

I hurried down the corridor, searching for a bathroom. Finding one, I ducked inside and locked the door, panic bubbling in my chest at the sounds from outside. Everything seemed loud and obnoxious but when I closed my eyes, all I could see was Solomon slumped in the door frame. He said something. In the turmoil of last night, I hardly remembered it, but it came to me now. He told me to go to Maddox.

What the hell did he mean by that?

What did Maddox have to do with anything? Or did Maddox know something?

I grabbed the toothbrush from the small paper bag Mom handed me and squirted out a sliver of toothpaste before brushing my teeth. Next, I washed my face and pulled off the scrubs, dropping them into a heap. I brushed the knots from my hair and tied it up in a high, bouncy ponytail. Lily had packed new underwear in my size, the labels still attached, jeans, a t-shirt and a cute, pink hoody that I remembered lending her a year ago and promptly forgot about. I pulled on the socks and sneakers and rooted around in the side pocket of the bag until I found my cellphone, a charger and my wallet. I knew I'd left those at home so I figured Garrett had either collected them or sent someone to do it. I tucked the phone and wallet into my hoody pockets.

After zipping up the bag, I grabbed the scrubs, and unlocked the door. I stepped out, using extreme caution with every movement. The police officer still stood outside Solomon's room. The nurses and doctors were walking all around and there were patients too, slowly taking hesitant steps and holding drips and walkers. No one looked too threatening, but I wasn't sure what to look for.

I dropped the scrubs into a laundry cart next to the bathroom and hurried back to Solomon's room, nodding to Officer Broderick. Mom had taken the chair in the corner and my Dad stood next to her. He smiled when he saw me and passed me a paper bag. I took it and pulled out a still-warm croissant. "Thanks, Dad," I said, tearing off a piece and stuffing it into my mouth. Until that moment, I hadn't realized how hungry I was and when I thought back to my most recent mouthful, I realized the last thing I'd eaten was wedding cake!

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