Chapter 59

When I came around the bones in my face were set. I had a bandage that looked like a hockey mask. I felt like I was in the movie Friday the Thirteenth. I spend the day sleeping and felt some better when I woke that night. The next morning they released me. I had to promise to take it easy and skip work for a week.

So for the week I rode the bike almost all day. I stopped by to visit Mary Ellen but she had nothing for me in monster mask. It was okay, since I didn't fell like playing yet anyway. I covered lots of ground on that bike. The man who built it had geared it for hills. Not the really big ones but the long ones.

I found only one hill that I could not make it up, but it didn't stop me from trying. Everyday I took that hill on, and everyday I got a little farther up it. I would make it one day, but I hadn't make it as of the day I returned to work.

I took the bike everywhere while I was recovering. I had gotten used to riding it in the early spring weather. So I thought, if need be I could ride it to work. Everyone needs an alternative to their car, I thought.

The doctor released me to return to work with only a band aid over the bridge of my nose. I looked a lot like some old boxer from a bad movie. I couldn't help it, images of some old midnight movies were conjured up in my mind.

"Welcome back, we have missed you," the Duty Sergeant said.

"Thanks, that's nice to hear," I said with a smile.

"When Learner gets here I have a new assignment for you," he informed me.

"Cool, I'm ready to go back to work. You have no idea how boring recovering can be," I said.

"Sure, we have all been there. A vacation is no fun, when you are sick." he said.

"Exactly," I agreed.

"Exactly what?" Learner asked.

"Medical leave is no fun," I said.

"If you had told me I could have sent Rachel to entertain you," he said. "She would have enjoyed that."

"I'm not going to say a word what with all the lesbian jokes that go around about me," I said.

"I have no idea why they would joke about that. You kick the bad guys asses better than half the guys on the department. Why would there be any doubt about your femininity." he said.

"Easy cowboy you just insinuated your wife might have girlie, girl tendencies." I explained.

"I didn't mean that," he said unconvincingly. "She wants to take up bike riding. She has wanted to since you bought your bike. If I get her a bike will you ride with her."

"Of course I will. I would love to have the company." I agreed.

"Fair enough then," he said.

"Alright you two, tonight you are going to watch a suspect while Flatiron searches his house. You are going to serve the warrant, but Flatiron will do the search. You can help out if he asks but only if he asks, understood?"

"I got you." I said. "Do you have it?" I asked learner.

"What's to get, we serve a search warrant and stand around with out finger up our ass till Flatiron finishes. I don't mind doing nothing, but it's a terrible waste of resources." Learner said.

"Good, I'm glad you understand. Be careful out there," the Duty Sergeant said.

Lerner and I went out to our grandmother cars and began patrol. Flatiron called about any hour later to tell us the subject of the search was most likely home at that time. So we took the search warrant and headed out.

When we arrived at his house there was a car in the drive. It was 10PM so odds seemed to favor us that he was home. Jakes said, "This is the guy who was mentioned by the man who punched you. You missed it, but Flatiron got him to give up the name, but they didn't arrest him right away."

"Why not," I asked.

"He needs something to corroborate the guys testimony. Juries need something to prove the guy who got caught isn't just settling old scores." Jake said.

"Ah okay, well I hope there is something worth finding in the house. He has had a week to get rid of things though," I said.

"I know it's a long shot that there is anything in the house," Flatiron said. He had walked up behind us. "We got to try though."

"Well let's do it," I said. I went around back to stand on the small concrete stoop. I waited there patiently while the noises came from the front of the house. In the end Jake came back and opened the rear door for me.

"All things went the way they are supposed to," he said.

"So are we just going to stand here while Flatiron searches?" I asked.

"That's what they said. Maybe they think we are going to plant something," I suggested. Which lead one to wonder who do they think would plant evident you or me?" I asked.

"Of if we take turns," Lerner suggested.

We had the suspect confined to the living room while Flatiron searched. "You know," Jake said. "It's almost midnight. Rachel will be going to bed soon. How about I call and have her meet us at 5AM for breakfast."

"Jake if you called me at midnight and told me to meet you at 5AM. My next call would be to a divorce lawyer," I said.

"Well Rachel ain't like that. She likes to do off the wall things," he said.

"If you are stupid enough to call her, I'll do it," I said.