Free Miracles in the ER by Robert D. Lesslie Page B

another policeman—one I didn’t recognize. They walked over to the nurses’ station and Hawkins shook my hand.
    “We’ve got a couple of people from a fender bender in the waiting room. Nothing serious. Just want to get the investigation done and the paperwork finished.” He turned to the officer beside him. “This is Private Tim Painter, my new partner. First week on the job and I’m showing him the ropes.”
    Virginia Granger appeared in the doorway of the medicine room. “You’ve got a good teacher, Officer Painter,” she called out. “Just pay attention to Dave and you’ll do just fine.”
    Lori Davidson walked through the triage entrance, leading three slouching teenage boys. When they saw the officers, their heads suddenly ducked and turned away.
    “These mine?” Dave asked the nurse.
    “Yep,” Lori answered. “Apparently pulled out of the Burger King without looking. I’m taking them back to minor trauma.”
    Hawkins and Painter started off behind them. “Good,” Dave said. “We’ll get our part done as fast as we can. Don’t want them to be late for school.”
    He winked and gave me another salute.
    Virginia sat down behind the counter and passed a notebook to Amy Connors. “These are last month’s admissions.”
    Amy nodded, opened a large drawer, and filed it away.
    “We just get busier every month.” The head nurse shook her head and looked up at me. “I’m not sure we can see many more people.”
    She was right, but I was more interested in Dave Hawkins.
    “What do you know about Officer Hawkins? Is he a sergeant or captain? He’s been around since we’ve been in Rock Hill, and that must be almost twenty years.”
    “Let’s see,” Amy mused, looking up at the ceiling. “You started here right after the American Revolution, so that would be—”
    “Almost twenty years,” I repeated, glaring at the secretary. “Not long before you. Anyway, why is he doing the same thing now as he was then? He seems like the most experienced and levelheaded officer on the force.”
    “You’re right about that, Dr. Lesslie.” Virginia nodded. “He’s the best I’ve ever been around. He’s solid and dependable, and he can calm down a volatile situation quicker than anyone I know. But he’s not a sergeant or lieutenant or captain. I think he’s a corporal or something like that. Something just above a private.”
    I glanced down the empty hallway, toward minor trauma.
    “Why hasn’t he advanced, or been promoted?”
    Virginia shook her head. “He’s had plenty of chances, and turned them down every time. He once told me he was doing what he needed to do, to be on the street and to try to make a difference. He said he had a lot to make up and didn’t want to waste any more time.”
    “Waste more time?” I was confused. “Waste time doing what?”
    Virginia looked straight into my eyes and never blinked.
    “Hating.”

    Gary Spielman was a local hero. A track and football star at Rock Hill High, he had survived two stints in Vietnam and come home with a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. He wouldn’t talk about the time he’d spent halfway around the world, but the word was he’d saved his platoon of fourteen men, putting himself at risk and receiving several pieces of shrapnel in return.
    It seemed only natural that Gary join the police force when he returned to Rock Hill. He was immediately paired with Dave Hawkins, a youngand promising officer who had been on the force a year or two. The two quickly bonded, becoming friends as well as partners. It wasn’t long before they were receiving some of the toughest assignments in the city.
    The challenge for Dave was to rein in the impulsiveness of the younger officer. While in Vietnam, Gary had been the first to volunteer for dangerous tasks, frequently taking the point on perilous patrols.
    “Somebody’s got to be out there,” he would say. “Might as well be me.”
    He had the same attitude on the police force, and was soon