“You don’t look fine,” I return, throwing back the line he used on me just a few hours ago as I carefully probe the back of his head.“You have a cut.”
“I know.”He gently removes my hand from his head and pulls me in front of him.“It stopped bleeding a while ago.It looks worse than it is.It’s just a small cut.”
I narrow my eyes as I look down on his face, taking in the deep set of his eyes and the tension around his mouth.
“Then how come you look like you’re in pain?”
He keeps hold of my hand as he gets to his feet.Then he lets go and reaches for the side of his head.
“A headache, that’s all.”
“That’s all?You could have a concussion,” I point out.“You probably do.You need Dana to have a look at you.She’s at Strange Brew.”
Without hesitation, I grab his wrist and start pulling him down the sidewalk.
“Emmet!You’ve got this?I’m heading back.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
Halfway back to the coffee shop, Hugo suddenly stops moving.When I turn to look at him, he’s wearing a little smirk on his face.
“How about a deal?”
Confused, I shake my head.“What are you talking about?”
“Tit for tat.Since I didn’t blow you off when you inquired about my health, and am even letting you drag me down the street, I was thinking you owe me an honest answer to the similar question about your well-being I asked this morning.”
Dammit.Of course he’d pick up on the parallel.
Realizing he could easily pull free, head the other way, and there’d be nothing I could do about it, I decide to give him something.
“I haven’t been sleeping well,” I mutter, as I start moving again, pulling on his arm.
“Are you sick?”He wants to know.
“I’m fine.”
I push open the door to the coffee shop, shove Hugo down in the first chair I see, and immediately call for Dana, who rushes over.When I explain to her he was hurt in the blast, she immediately starts examining him.
As I walk away, leaving him in her capable care, he calls after me.
“Hey, Bess…our conversation isn’t done yet.”
Oh yes, it is.
Hugo
Two hourslater I walk out of our small hospital, where Dana insisted I have that new doctor check me out.
Rohan Sharma.I still haven’t decided whether I like the guy or not.
He did take good care of Carson after he was attacked last year, but I’m not a fan of him hanging around Strange Brew and chatting up Bess.
No concussion, which I’m glad for, but I did rupture my right eardrum, which is why, according to Sharma, the entire right side of my head is hurting.
He gave me some antibiotics and suggested warm compresses or over the counter pain relief.I was instructed to keep the ear dry until I see him again next week.Not sure how the fuck I’m supposed to wash my hair if I can’t stick my head under the shower, but I’ll figure it out.I was also told I should take it easy, probably sleep on my back for the time being, and to call him if anything changes.
I’m just glad he’s letting me get out of here, but since Dana dropped me off this morning, I’ll have to walk back to the station.The sound of a car horn has me scan the parking lot where I spot a sheriff’s unit just pulling around.Randal Donahue—a retired deputy who still volunteers occasionally—pokes his head out the window.
