Free Pursuit by Gene Hackman Page B

Magazines, books, chocolates?”
    â€œThank you. No, sir.” The man’s caring touched Julie. “The doctor says I’ll be going home day after tomorrow. Maybe take a couple days, if that’s all right?”
    He settled in closer to the bed and put his hand on her shoulder. “Take whatever you need.” He paused. “Damn, girl. What am I going to have to do, put a chain on you?” Walker smiled. “I’ve got a trooper sitting outside your door until we can get clear on all this BS.”
    â€œDo you think that’s necessary?”
    â€œI think that I’m not going to have my people threatened or run off the road while doing their jobs, is what I think. His name is Davis. He’ll be replaced at 0600, and so forth and so on, until you’re discharged. We’ll see how it goes after that.” He then left, pulling his hat down hard across his forehead.
    Julie made her way to the window. A minute later, Captain Walker emerged from beneath the overhang at the hospital entrance. He looked distracted as he crossed the parking lot. At one point, he stopped as if he’d forgotten something but then continued on to his car. A big, tough guy; bright and sensitive but always the solid policeman. Her dad had been a similar man, having died way too soon.
    She slept well, awakening only once in the night. A brief flash about something to do with the evidence room bothered her. She dismissed it and went back to sleep, thinking that her life as a cop had recently become more exciting than she would have wished for.

    After lunch, Cheryl and Julie’s friend Billie came to visit. Her daughter brought news of school, boys, bullies, and a recruiting drive for cheerleaders. “Wearing scanty pantsand tight stuff on top is so much crap. I’d much rather just wear a sign saying ‘Available for sex. Apply within.’ ”
    Julie tut-tutted a few times over Cheryl’s free speech, but her daughter’s indomitable free spirit always buoyed her.
    Cheryl had been staying with Billie since the accident. Billie, an accountant, helped navigate the intricacies of Julie’s divorce and became good buddies when they discovered they’d dated some of the same losers in high school. Billie went through a similar manner of uncoupling. Still annoyed with her own ex, she relished helping Julie and her attorney map out her divorce settlement.
    â€œDo you mind, Willie, if Cher stays with you a bit longer?”
    Wilhelmina had gotten used to Julie’s nicknames for her. “Mind? Are you kidding? I wake up in the middle of the night having dreamt of cooking and cleaning up after darlin’ Cher baby.” She waved her chubby fingers at Cheryl and then let out a huge laugh. “Really, all kidding aside, not a prob. Right, baby doll?”
    Cheryl imitated an infant and waddled across the room toward Billie. “Cherwee wants her Aunt Billwee to make her fave-fave pasta with sausage for sup-sup.” She put her thumb in her mouth.
    â€œOh, now I know why she likes staying with you.” Julie smiled. “You fall for all that baby-talk crap. So, what’s going on with your latest? What’s his name again?”
    â€œMy latest? I haven’t a clue as to what you are speaking of, madam.” Billie adapted a prim manner. “But it might be, of course, my Diet Constant. A lifestyle I’ve chosen to keep my figure within the boundaries of human decency.”
    Cheryl quieted her giggles, hand over mouth.
    â€œWhy, just today a woman at the market asked if Iknew where the sugar-free colas were kept. I took that as a compliment. A number of people stood about, and she could have asked anyone, yet she approached me.” She fluttered her hand in front of her face as if she were having the vapors. “But if you’re speaking of Jackass Johnnie, or Johnson, as he liked to be called, he beat it out of town after borrowing two