Detective Partners (15 page)

Galen closed his phone and moved toward the nurse's station. "Excuse me, ma'am," he said to a nurse. "Would you please tell me what room Nicole Goodwin is in?"

The nurse looked at him. "Are you any relation of hers?"

"Maxwell," a voice behind him said.

Galen turned and found an officer standing there. "Stevens, were you just in with Goodwin?"

"I was," he said. "Walk with me."

"How is she?" Galen asked as they walked up the corridor.

"She's in a lot of pain." Stevens sighed heavily. "I suppose you want to know what happened to her."

"I do."

"Her father beat her." They stopped walking and he turned to face Galen. "The sick bastard used his cane and his fists on her. You should see her face. It turned my stomach when I looked at her. Thankfully, I convinced her to press charges. I'm heading to his house to arrest him."

"I'm coming with you."

Stevens studied him for several seconds. "I don't think that's a good idea, Maxwell."

"I don't give a damn what you think," Galen snarled. "She's my partner. It's my business."

"Will you behave yourself?" He smirked. "I don't want to have to arrest you too."

"I won't touch him," Galen said coolly.

Stevens shook his head and sighed. "I'm going to pretend I believe you. Let's go."

C
hapter  15

Galen parked behind Officer Stevens' police cruiser and got out of the car. He led the way up the yard and onto the porch. Reaching out, he rang the doorbell. "I want to talk to him before you arrest him," he said, turning to
took
at the officer. "I won't hurt him." He clenched and unclenched his hands. "I want to, but I won't. Will you stand by quietly and not interrupt me?"

"You do whatever you need to," Stevens told him. "I won't get in your way. I have to say though. I'm glad you didn't see your partner. If you had, I believe you would be busting down the door to get to him. He did-"

Hearing the door open, Galen spun around and came face to face with Nicole's father. The older man was wearing a t-shirt and boxer shorts. In his hand he had a beer can. He raised the can to his mouth and took a drink. "Enjoy that," Galen sneered. "It's going to be a while before you get another one. Now you're going to invite us in and you and I are going to have a little talk."

"I have nothing to say to you," Stuart said.

"Wrong!" Galen grabbed him by the arm. "I think you have plenty to say."

"Take your hand off of me!"

His eyes as cold as ice, Galen said, "And if I don't? What are you going to do? Call the police. I am the police. After what you did to her no one would blame me if I were to beat the hell out of you."

Stuart smirked. "Go ahead. I'll sue."

"Do you honestly think a judge would side with a violent drunk over an officer of the law?" Galen smiled coldly. "You don't want to mess with me, old man. You would lose. Now move!" He and Officer Stevens followed the older man to the living room. The sight that met them filled Galen with revulsion. Beer cans and garbage littered the carpet. He watched as Stuart cut a path to a dirty old recliner and flop down into it. His gaze moved over him and he couldn't help but wonder how a beautiful and kindhearted woman like Nicole could end up with a filthy and vile father. "She deserves better than you."

Stuart snorted. "She has you fooled, boy." He downed the rest of his beer in one gulp, crushed the can, and threw it on the floor. "I bet she has you thinking she's a perfect little angel. Well let me tell you she's nothing but a lying, worthless-"

"Enough!" Galen kicked aside a pizza box and moved toward the recliner. "You will not talk about her that way."

"This is my house," he growled. "I'll talk
how ever
I want to. You are trespassing and I-"

"Just like you trespassed onto Nicole's property
. "
Galen paused in front of the chair and glared down at Stuart. "Why did you go to her house? Were you in a bad mood and needed someone to take your anger out on?"

"I was in a decent mood until she started running her smart mouth." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I get there and she won't let me in. She told me to go away and leave her alone. Then when I finally get inside she demands to know what I want and then she tells me that she's not giving me any money. I got angry and I slapped her. I told her to apologize for running her mouth. When she refused to, I slapped her again and demanded that she apologize to me. She told me to get out."

"And that's when you beat the hell out of her, isn't it?"

"She had to be taught a lesson," Stuart said. "I am her father. She needs to respect me. She knows what happens when she doesn't."

The anger that Galen had been carrying with him ever since he found out about the beating intensified until he thought he was going to explode from it. His heart pounding in his chest, he bent down until he was
mere
inches from the old
mans
face and placed his hands on the arms of the chair. The smell of body odor and alcohol filled his nostrils, making him want to gag. "Monsters don't deserve respect," he snarled. "And where you're going you're not going to get any."

"Go ahead and send me to jail," Stuart said coolly. "I'll be out in no time."

"That may be true, but you'll never lay a hand on her again," Galen vowed. "Your days of abusing her are over."

Stuart narrowed his eyes. "She started disobeying me when you came into the picture. You're turning her against me."

"I'm helping her get away from you." He turned his head and spotted Stuart's cane on the floor. Seizing it, he straightened up. "You beat her with this. I should use it on you." The urge to do just that came over him. He thought of Nicole and knew she wouldn't want him to hurt her father. For her, he would control himself. "Stevens, he's all yours. You know what to do."

Officer Stevens retrieved his handcuffs from his belt and stepped forward. "Mr. Goodwin, please stand."

Stuart got to his feet slowly and turned to face Galen. Smirking, he said, "You think you can keep me from my daughter. Think again."

Before he could stop himself, Galen jabbed him hard in the stomach with the tip of the cane. The old man doubled over, grunting in pain. "Not smirking now, are you? Stevens, get this piece of trash out of my sight."

"Mr. Goodwin," Officer Stevens said, handcuffing Stuart's hands behind his back. "I am arresting you for the battery of Detective Nicole Goodwin. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand what I just told you?"

"Yes," he hissed.

"Then let's go."

"She doesn't want any visitors, sir," a female nurse informed Galen, later that day. "She made it clear that she didn't want anyone-"

"I'm not just anyone," he growled softly. "I'm her partner and I'm going to see her. Now tell me her room number."

"Please, sir," she muttered. "Don't make me call security."

"Call them," Galen said through clenched teeth. "They touch me; I'll arrest them for battery. Look, I just want to see her. I promise I won't stay long."

"Very well," she sighed. "Down the hall, room 208."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She turned away, shaking her head and muttering under her breath.

Nicole's room was the fifth door on the left. Quietly, Galen slipped into the room and made his way toward the bed. He stopped beside it and gazed down at his partner. The sight of her bruised and swollen face brought unexpected tears to his eyes. He sank down into the chair next to the bed and buried his face in his hands. Taking a deep shuddery breath, he let it out slowly and fought for control of his emotions.

"Galen," Nicole whispered.

His heart skipping a beat, he raised his head and found her staring at him. He cleared his throat. "Did I wake you?"

"No," she breathed.

Galen moved his chair closer to the bed so he could hear her better. "Is it difficult for you to talk?"

"A little bit." Nicole closed her good eye. "It takes a lot of energy for me to talk." She sighed softly. "I'm so tired and they have me doped up. I don't feel much."

"It's probably for the best," he told her.

"I - I must look horrible," she croaked.

He reached out and gently brushed the hair back from her face. "I won't
lie
to you, sweetheart. You've looked better."

"Thank you for being honest."

"I'll always tell you the truth." Galen stroked the curve of her jaw. "You need to rest. I'll leave so you can get some sleep."

"No." Nicole opened her eye once again. "Stay for a few more minutes. Please."

He arched an eyebrow. "The nurse told me you didn't want any visitors."

"I didn't want anyone to see me this way," she murmured. "I didn't want anyone to ask questions."

"I don't need to ask questions." Galen leaned forward. "I know enough."

"My f-father-"

"You don't need to concern yourself with him." He took her uninjured hand. "He's been taken care of. Officer Stevens and I saw to it ourselves."

"Did you hurt him?" Nicole asked.

"I wanted to," Galen stated, "but I controlled my anger. I didn't want to cause you any more grief." He studied her for a moment. "I don't understand it, Goodwin. He put you in this bed and yet you're still concerned about him."

"I'm not concerned about him." She moved slightly. "I'm concerned about you. When someone does something to my father, he doesn't forget it. If you had hurt him, he would've found a way to hurt you in return. That's why I'm glad you didn't beat him up. He's vindictive and-" She paused and took a deep breath.

"No more talking," he uttered softly. "It's too much for you. I want you to rest and-" The ringing of his cell phone interrupted what he was going to say next. Releasing her hand, he removed the phone from his pocket, flipped it open, and pressed the talk button. "Maxwell."

"We have a homicide," Parker informed him. "Everyone's meeting at the station."

"I'm on my way, sir." Galen closed the phone and returned it to his pocket. "I have to go."