Chapter 4 Hutch (POV)

I just walked into my brownstone. I have owned this for the past 10 years. There's an elderly couple that live next door. The Martins. John and Evelyn. Married for 60 years. I started thinking about find the "one" and settling down. Not too sure If I the Marrying type. Or even a family man. It is a nice thought to have someone at home waiting for me. Someone to love. To love me. Is that possible? Civilians seem to think "military people" are hard-core, too hard to express themselves. What the hell? I think I would be able to express myself if given a chance.

Some people enlist and come back with PTSD. Not everyone is cut out for this job. I like to think I did well. I don't have nightmares or flash backs. I do sometimes think of the people in our unit that we lost. Men and woman signing up for this job are not told everything about it.

I work-out a lot. Push myself to be stronger. Meditate. I learned that from one of our guys our 2nd year in duty. He was from California. Somewhere near San Diego. His name was Jonathon Spears. After his discharge he bought a condo on the beach close to San Diego. He gives surfing lessons. Maybe one day me and the guys will pay a visit. Maybe learn how to surf. Love to swim. But in a pool. Strange fear of something in the water thinking I am floating sushi. Funny, we can handle guns of any kind. Weapons galore. Tactical gear. We have used for our amphibious marine assignments. Can I surf and have a gun holstered to my leg? Yeah, I know. What a wuss.

It has been 24 hours since they took Alli to the hospital. Maybe I can nose around and check on her. I check my laptop for the file Niko was sending me. I open it open and scan the for any details leading to Alli. File shows Senator was to have a physical prior to leaving to a Summit meeting in Russia. Cancer remission. When did he have cancer? File shows in remission for 4 years now. That's a good thing. Shows attending physician Allison Stark, Amsterdam Medical Facility. She's pretty young to be an attending physician. Damn way to go girl! Running a back-ground check on Ms. Alli. Has a fraternal grandmother. Shows parents passed away just after her 16th birthday. She got good grades in school. Shows early graduation from high school. She was top of the class and graduated early. Feeling proud. I kept ready up on her. She was the only beneficiary to her parents' estate. Looks like they were old money. She had lived with her fraternal grandmother up until her graduation from undergraduate school. She purchased a small loft just blocks from the hospital. She's a workaholic? Awesome grade point average. Letters of accomplishments from teachers and professors. Has a gym membership at a facility just down the street from her loft. Book club girl. Likes to read.

I walk through the hospital doors with flowers. Head up to the information desk. As I am waiting in line, I overhear a conversation with the two ladies behind the counter talking about a doctor that was brought in last night. She's up in a room on the second floor. I decide to head up there and roam around like a lost delivery person. Heading over to the elevators, I see a woman coming out of the first elevator talking on her cell phone about a case. She's a cop. Maybe she just interviewed Alli. I head in to the second elevator and push the button for the second floor. I am wondering what she likes to eat. What kind of flowers she likes? Does she like hikes up in the mountain trails. Does she like outdoor activities. Or is she a homebody. Maybe she likes outdoor activities but just never has the chance since she works so much. She goes to the gym. A yoga girl? What kind of books does she read?

My mind wanders back to her eyes. So captivating. I could get lost in the eyes. When I looked into her eyes. I was frozen. If I tried to talk, I would probably ramble with no coherent words to come out of my mouth. I had never really had any kind of relationship with the opposite sex. Dinner maybe a couple of times. But never twice. Drinks occasionally. I grew up in the country. Backwoods Texas. I enjoyed fishing, hiking, cooking with my buddies. Best of all, Barbecue! Living in Texas, Niko and I used to go to as many barbecues as possible. We were eating machines. Everything from rib eye steaks, catfish, pulled pork. Can I say, carnivorous? Man, I tell you, any trouble we could get into was the name of the game. My parents are divorced. Mom lives in Washington DC. She is a corporate attorney. Dad still lives in Texas. A rancher. Loves the farm. He will never leave it. Mom and dad were married for 15 years. After the divorce, I basically took over my own life. It was not a bitter divorce. Just a difference in the persons themselves. They remained friends. They talk just about every weekend the phone. But neither remarried. They have dinner once a month. Mom will fly into Dallas and dad will meet her. Sometimes dad will fly into DC and she meets him there. Sometimes I think they are still involved with each other and can't let go. I cannot imagine either one with someone else. They grew up together. They have known each other since they were 5 years old. Went to school together. Graduated together. Dad took over the ranch when my grandfather retired. We had horses, cows, pigs and of course, chickens.

The elevator doors open and there are nurses at the first station and people in and out of patient rooms. I walk over to the nurses' station and ask for Dr Alli. The nurse looks up and sees the flower bouquet in my hands. She smiles and says room 202 and points me in the direction. I smile and say thank you. I walk slowly towards the door trying to listen for any voices in the room. I hear nothing. I walk in and the curtain is partially closed. I say out loud "Dr Alli?" I hear a female voice coming from the restroom and she steps out. In a hospital gown, hair messy and yet still beautiful. She looks at me and smiles and points to her side table. "Over there please. I wonder who sent these? I said, "there's card" I put the flowers down and turn to head out. She says "Wait, I have a tip for you." I turned and replied "Already taken care of. Have good day miss." I hurried out the door hoping she did not stop me. I had signed the card. Hope you are doing well. My apologies, I was not able to stay with you long when the paramedics picked you up. With a happy face inside a heart.

Rushing to the elevator, keeping my head down, hoping to get in and out of the building as quick as possible. I hear a sweet voice, "Excuse me sir." Dang it. I ignore it as soon as the elevator doors opened and stepped inside and quickly punched close doors button. And pushed it again and again. The doors closed just as I heard "Hello." The doors closed quickly. That was close. I did not want her to know it was me. For some reason afraid of rejection. Why did this woman make me nervous?

I have handled weapons with no issues. But this woman made my hands shake. Crap! I reached out to push the 1st floor button and jumped when the doors suddenly opened in front of me.

Alli was standing in front of me with a smile. She looks up at me and looks right into my eyes. "at least tell me your name to go with the beautiful flowers you sent to me." And she giggles. She giggled. How did she just manage to bounce back after what happened to her last night? She had bruising near her jaw and wrist bandage. I looked into her eyes and smiled back. "Did not want you to think I was some kind of stalker." I said quietly and people were walking past the elevator going about their business.

All looks up and says, "I remember your eyes" and smiles wider. She reaches her hand out and introduces herself "Allison Stark." And waits for me to reply. "Hutch Davidson." She shakes my hand, "Thank you for stopping and helping me last night." Her eyes are bright and shimmer. I stand there like an idiot and just breathe her in. Hesitating she asks "Thank you again for stopping and helping me. I have no idea who that person was or why I was the peak of his interest. That had never happened to me. I've lived in New York all my life." I motioned to walk with me. Maybe I can get her to head back towards her room. She turns and walks with me. She is watching me and stops at the nurses' station, "Jessica, please notify Dr Emily that I am ready to be released." She says, "Yes Dr Alli. Can I get you anything?" Alli replies, "No sweety, If I need anything I'll get it myself. I know exactly how busy we can get in a blink of any eye." Jessica smiles and nods.

We head back to her room. Alli turns in the doorway and motions for me to sit in the chair next to the bed. She walks back into restroom and starts talking like we have been best friends for ages. "Live in New York?" she hollers from the restroom. I replied "yes for the past 10 years. I was in the military and after I left, I did not know where to go. I chose to stay here. I have a brownstone not too far away." She walks out of the restroom with her hair brushed and in a bun. She changed into some sweats and a long t-shirt. Damn she's fast.

"Lucky for me, you stayed. What do you do now?" she asks as she sits back on the bed putting socks on. "I work from home and every now and then have to fly down to Florida for meeting with my employer. I'm in marketing." My cover that Niko gave me. Hopefully no one asks what type of marketing. I do not know anything about marketing. Unless it's the black market for weapons.

"What is your favorite food?" Alli asks as she is tying her runner shoes. Wide eyed I look over at her. She says, "Relax I would like to take you to lunch or dinner." Oh damn. "Oh no need for that. I was trying to help out a lady in distress. My momma would have beat my ass if I didn't do anything." I replied. "I like your momma. But I am not taking 'no' for an answer" She stands form the hospital bed and is waiting for me to reply. "Well ok. How about we meet at my favorite restaurant Lucciola's...Italian Restaurant..we say in unison. "I have been there, pretty good pasta. Their garlic bread is to die for" ...she stands and is nodding like a happy kid in the candy store. "Well Hutch, when shall we meet. I am off for the next 2 days per my doctors' instructions."