Chapter Forty Four
Dave drove fast down town, he had Carol call the police from the car just in case the crooks were still around. He was worried and scared that something bad had happened to her, she wasn’t yet strong enough to suffer a brutality and all the progress she was making of leaving her shell would be flushed down the toilet. Everything he was trying to build with her would be put on hold and she might run again, something he was never going to allow.
He got to the apartment building the same time the police did. He didn’t wait to offer them any explanations, he rushed to her apartment, they followed close behind. When he got there he found the door a jar, and the apartment had no sense of movement or noise. His body weakened as the thought of his worst nightmare coming true filled his mind. All the dreams of his future may have been shredded along with the woman he loves.
Two uniformed officers rushed past him with their guns drawn. Dave waited outside with his eyes closed, crossed his fingers and prayed the robbers had left her without a scratch on her. He was more worried about her mental state, but he needed her well and alive for their children and himself, the rest he would fix over time.
One of the officer’s came out, “You can come in, but watch your step.”
Dave analysed the man’s expression and tone of voice. It was steady and clear, with no particular emotion in it, which must mean there wasn’t a body on the floor, nor any blood in the apartment, but then where was Maria?
“Is there anyone in there?” he asked, cautiously following him inside.
“Yes.” he stopped a few feet in and turned. His gaze dropped to the floor, a lot softer and full of concern than it was a few seconds ago, “She says she found the place like this.”
Dave followed the officer’s gaze, Maria was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, her shoulders drooped and her hands laying lifeless next to her. Dave could feel the relief rush through him, as he crouched down next to her, “Maria.” he uttered excitedly. That excitement however, was replaced by concern when he saw the blank look on her tear stained face. She looked dazed, like her body was present, but her mind wasn’t, “Maria.” he said softly, placing his palm on her cheek.
Maria leaned into it and closed her eyes as a fresh stream of tears running down her cheeks. She held his hand in place, hoping the sense of safety and normalcy he always gave her would wrap around her, “How am I going to explain this to Nate?” she asked quietly.
“Let me handle that.” Dave responded. He put his arm behind her back and pulled her up. She felt like jelly in his arms, like she had no strength left in her, if he was to let her go she would crumble to the floor.
Maria leaned her head against his chest and smiled to herself, “You always fix everything.” she wrapped her arms around his waist and held herself against him, “I’m Humpty Dumpty and you keep putting me back together.”
Dave kissed the top of her head in response before he turned to the officer, “Please find out who broke in here as soon as possible.” he said, turning on his professional voice.
“We’ll do our best. I’ll need a list of everything that was stolen.”
“Nothing was stolen, they are just on the floor in pieces.” Maria answered, sounding inert.
Dave hated his mind sometimes, this particular moment mostly. He had already done the math in his head and come up with the reason a crime like this would happen and all he could hope for, against his better judgment, was that whoever did this was after Nate and not Maria.
He took out his card and handed it to the officer, “Call my office once you’ve lifted and identified the finger prints. Maria, let’s go home.” He put his arm around her and led her away from the apartment.
“What about Michael?” she asked, her voice gaining a little life.
“I’ll take you and Izzy home, then I’ll go pick him up.” He answered, relieved to hear the change in her voice when she uttered Michael’s name.
“What about work?” “I’ll work at home.”
When Carol saw Maria hanging on Dave as if she was very ill, she imagined the worst. She opened the front passenger door for her and watched Dave carefully place her in the seat, once Maria was strapped in she closed the door, “What happened, is she okay?” Carol whispered.
“She wasn’t here when they broke in.” He looked inside the car at Maria, who was slowly falling asleep.
“So what’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know.” he opened the back door to get Maria’s jacket, he found the keys to the Prado and handed them to Carol, “Drive the Prado home, once I make sure Maria is okay we’ll go back to the office. I’ll be picking up some work, then pick up Michael and go home.”
“With your work load, McKenzie isn’t going to like you leaving early.”
“My job is the least of my worries right now.” he turned and looked at Maria for a brief moment before he turned back to Carol, “My family needs me right now, Michael can’t know about this.”
Carol looked at him puzzled, “He’s four.”
Dave gave her a weak smile, “We wish. He’s turning five next week, to us it feels like he’s turning thirty-five.” He walked to the driver’s side and opened the door.
Carol looked at him with a new sense of admiration. He was the only man she knew who would take on Maria’s tragic movie life with no complaints what so ever. He loves her and it showed, “You said we and my family, they are a part of you now, aren’t they?”
“Izzy, Michael and Maria are my life now and I would do anything for them.”