Broadway Bounty

Chapter Thirty-one

Linda had told Decker that she’d be working day shifts that week, so he knew he’d find her there.

“Want me to wait?” Rosewood asked.

Decker considered cutting Billy Rosewood loose for good but thought better of it. He still might need him to show him around.

Decker gave Rosewood some money and said, “Come back after your dinner.”

Decker went into the hospital. As the front-desk nurse told him where Linda was working, he saw her waving to him from the end of the hall.

She rushed down the hall and took his arm.

“Where should we go for dinner?”

“That same restaurant. Where we first ate together.”

“I didn’t know you were so sentimental.”

“I didn’t, either.”

They walked to the small restaurant and were seated by a different waitress.

“Where’s Marcy?” Linda asked.

“You’re Linda?” the girl asked.

“Yes.”

“Marcy said to tell you that you might have switched shifts, but she couldn’t. She’s still working eight p.m. until four a.m.”

“Tell her I’m sorry for her,” Linda said, and the two women laughed together.

They ordered lunch, and then Linda leaned forward and said, “What did you do this morning?”

“I bearded a nest of vipers.”

“And?”

“And I got out without being bitten.”

“Is that unusual?”

“So I’m told.”

“How are you feeling?”

“A bit stiff.”

“Maybe you should come back with me and let me check your dressings.”

“No, they’re fine. I checked them this morning.”

“You’re just afraid that once we get you in there, we won’t let you out.”

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. I’ve never liked doctors much, and these have been my first experiences with hospitals.”

“You’ve never been to a hospital before?”

“Just military field hospitals, but they’re quite different.”

“How?”

“Most of the people there are dead.”

The waitress came with their dinner, and they ate, engaging in small talk—tiptoeing around what they were both thinking about.

Over coffee, Linda decided to be more direct.

“Have you thought of giving this all up and leaving?”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“That’s not my question.”

“What is?”

“You know what the question is. You’re just avoiding the answer.”

“No. You’re avoiding the answer, because it’s not the one you want to hear.”

She paused as the waitress came over with their coffee.

“You’re very frustrating.”

“I know.”

“If you did leave…”

“What?”

“If you did leave…I’d be willing to go with you…if you asked.”

Decker didn’t reply.

“Not that I’m hinting, mind you,” she said, “but I just thought you might—” She stopped and looked at the ceiling. “I swore I wouldn’t make a fool of myself.”

“You haven’t.”

“Yes, I have.”

“No,” Decker said. “You mentioned something I’ve been thinking a lot about.”

“Only you haven’t made up your mind yet?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Well, that’s all right,” she said. “When you do, though, you’ll let me know, won’t you?”

“You’ll be the first.”

Rosewood was waiting when Decker and Linda returned from dinner.

“There’s your sidekick,” she said, waving to Rosewood. He waved back. “He likes you a lot, you know.”

“Really?”

“In fact, he might even idolize you.”

“I’ll break him of that.”

“And what about me?” she asked. “Will you break me of…of you?”

“I hope not,” he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. She moved her head so that he kissed her lips instead. He didn’t complain.

“Come and see me,” she said.

“Here at the hospital?”

“Where it’s safe.”

“For you,” he said, and she smiled and went in.

Decker walked over to where Rosewood was waiting.

“She’s a nice lady,” Rosewood said.

“Yes, she is.”

“And pretty.”

“Very pretty.”

“When you leave New York, are you going to ask her to go with you?”

“I haven’t decided yet, Billy,” Decker said, “but when I do, you’ll be the second to know.”

“Who’ll be the first?”

Decker looked at Rosewood, who blushed.

“Oh, of course,” he said. “That makes sense.”