Week 391 – Suspicious Syringe Found

Suspicious Syringe Found.

But would it lead anywhere, Garret thought bitterly as he looked over at his couch where Calico was curled up under a mound of blankets.

She’d been different since he’d asked her if she believed her ex and the killer were one and the same. Quieter. More withdrawn. Missing the spark that had drawn him to her in the first place.

Filled with an overwhelming need to comfort her in whatever small ways he could, Garret headed over to the couch. Tony and Natasha had left after Calico had woodenly told them everything she knew about her ex, so it was just the two of them, and he wanted her to know he was there for her.

Sitting on the couch beside her, he picked her up, blankets and all, and settled her on his lap. It wasn’t until she gave a small sigh and snuggled closer, resting her cheek on his shoulder that he realised he’d been afraid of being rebuffed. They didn’t know each other that well yet so he’d wondered if she would even want his comfort.

Seemed he shouldn’t have worried.

“Do you really think it could be him?” she asked after sitting in silence for several minutes while he just held her and stroked her hair, trying to let her know with each touch that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“I don’t know enough about the case to answer that.” Although he’d asked Tony to speak with the lead detectives on the case and see what they thought.

“If … if it is my ex, then … does that make all of this … all those nurses who lost their lives … is it my fault?” Calico asked, looking up at him with wide green eyes so full of fear, and guilt that he wanted to do whatever it took to make her smile again, to put the sparkle back in those pretty eyes.

“Absolutely not,” he growled, harsher than he’d intended, but he wasn’t going to allow her to blame herself for someone else’s actions. Actions that she had zero control over.

“But-“

“No buts,” he said as he placed a finger on her lips. “If it is him that does not make any of this your fault. You were allowed to end a relationship you were no longer happy in. That did not give him a reason to take you and hold you against your will. And it certainly was not a reason for him to hurt other people. If this is him it’s not on you.”

“I want to believe that,” she whispered forlornly.

“I’ll keep saying it until it sinks in,” he promised. Before he could say more his phone, which was sitting on the coffee table in front of them, began to ring. It was Tony’s name on the screen so he leaned over to scoop it up. “What’s up?”

“Spoke with the lead detectives working the case, they asked if you could bring Calico in so they could speak with her,” Tony told him.

Obviously overhearing, Calico nodded. There was still fear and guilt in her eyes but there was determination too. This woman was too strong for anything to break her. And he’d be right there beside her every step of the way.

“We’ll be right there,” he told his partner. Regardless if the killer was her ex or not Calico wasn’t safe, no nurse would be until this man was off the streets.