Page 14 of Rules of Engagement

"It’s not important. I'll buy a new one," she said, wrapping an arm around me again, and hugging me into the warmth of her jacket while my teeth chattered.

"I'm going to get an update from the surgeon. I'll be right back," said Garrett. He took off before I could ask what he needed an update for. When he came back a few minutes later, he knelt in front of me and took my hands.

I raised my eyes to his and wondered if this was the moment when my world ended. If I asked, I would know, one way or the other. If I didn't ask, he might still be okay. He would remain forever alive in that moment.

"John is still in surgery," he said quickly, taking the options from me. "They removed one bullet already and they're working on the other one."

"That's good, isn't it?" I asked, looking from him to my parents. They all nodded.

"Lexi, some officers are on their way. They wish to speak to you. You need to tell them all the details of everything that happened tonight, no matter how insignificant. It's important that you tell them everything you heard, and saw," said Garrett. "I'll sit with you the whole time."

I nodded. "Okay."

"They'll need to bag your clothes too."

"I won't have anything to wear."

"I'll get you some scrubs to put on for now."

"But I didn't see anything."

"That's okay. We’ve got units canvassing all your neighbors," Garrett told me. "We'll find out what happened, I promise."

"Police officers aren't supposed to make promises," I said, a wave of weariness hitting me.

"I am on this one."

"Lexi!"

Garrett rocked back, standing as we all turned at hearing the shriek. Lily sprinted towards us, her husband, Jord, following her. Jord was the youngest of my brothers and a detective in the burglary division. He was currently dressed in workout gear with baby Poppy strapped to his chest. "What happened?" Lily asked. "Why did it happen? Who did it? I'll kill them!"

"No one heard her say that," said Jord. "You can't say that, Lily."

"I. Will. Kill. Them," hissed Lily.

"Someone will fill you in with all the facts in a minute," said Garrett, beckoning to the two plain clothes officers who arrived right after them, along with Officer Krakow. "Lexi, follow me. We need to get you checked out and then we need to talk."

"But you're okay?" asked Lily, reaching for me as I stood up. Panic contorted her face.

"I think so," I said.

She made a move to hug me but Garrett held her back with one hand. "Lexi needs to change her clothes," he said. "Wait here, all of you, and we'll be back soon. Lexi, let's go." Garrett helped me up and guided me, placing one hand on my elbow, to a cubicle. He deposited a set of pink scrubs and a big, plastic bag on the narrow hospital bed and told me to deposit all of my clothes into the bag.

"All of them?" I asked.

"Everything."

"For evidence," I said, although I didn't need to. Garrett wanted to preserve any evidence that might be useful in court later. But did he also want to rule me out as a suspect right away? "I didn't shoot Solomon," I said. "I wouldn't do that."

"I know, and collecting your clothes will mean no one can accuse you of it. It's not just that though, you might have picked up some trace evidence that we don't know about yet. Come out when you're all done." He pulled the curtain around me.

I stripped, quickly and carefully, folding my clothes and inserting them into the bag. I pulled on the scrubs, and tried to ignore the splashes of blood on my hands and wrists. There was nowhere for me to wash them. I pulled back the curtain, shivering again in the thin cotton fabric. Garrett handed me a pair of large men's socks, and they were still warm. "These are yours, aren't they?" I asked.

He nodded. "I couldn't find anything for your feet yet. Roll them up a couple times and they'll be okay until we find something better. How are you feeling?"

"I have no idea."

"This is Dr. Granger. She's going to check you over." Garrett stood outside and a young doctor stepped in and pulled the curtain closed.

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