Chapter 9


The shower stopped running in record time. Darcy looked away from her computer screen and lifted up her glasses so she could read the time on the wall clock. He was usually in the shower twice as long but, somehow, this did not surprise her. When Norm had come stomping in the kitchen door he looked as if he was of a single minded determination the likes of which she had not seen in a long time. The man barely even noticed her and pretty much brushed her off while on his way to the bathroom.

Somehow, the only real answer he gave her did not help matters any. When Darcy questioned him about why he was wearing hospital scrubs and, consequently, what had happened to the clothes he left the house in, all Norm had said was, "they had blood all over them, baby."

Norm came strolling out of the bathroom, still partially wet, and rapped in a towel. Darcy pointed over to the bed where his phone lay on top of the scrubs he had discarded, "somebody called you."

"I don't want to talk to nobody right now," was all he said as he began rummaging through his drawers.

Darcy turned around in her desk chair, let her glasses fall to the end of their chain, and got stern, "why is it you're trying to act like I'm not even here, Norm?"

At least this time he partially looked back before he went about his business, "I wasn't expecting you to even be home right now."

Why was it that this did not make Darcy feel any better, "it's a teacher work day. I decided to log in from home and grade papers here. I did that mainly because I thought you'd be home early."

Now Norm was at his closet looking for pants. He gave a quick turn to his wife and smiled at her, "and so I am."

"Yeah Norman," Darcy did not return the smile, "but you're running right back out. You're running around here like you're a cop, all over again. You promised me when you left the department that all of that was behind you." This time he did not bother to answer her. He was definitely moving to only one tune this morning.

Darcy crossed her arms and huffed. Then she asked, "who called you last night?"

He was almost mumbling as he slipped into a shirt, "I told you that last night. It was Danni."

"And where is she right now, Norm?" Darcy stood up after that question and then asked her original question one more time, with a qualification, "and who really called you last night? I can't remember the last time anybody from that fucked up little office ever called here and drug you out in the middle of the night. Even Barbara has got more sense than that."

When Norm did not reply, Darcy went on, "why don't I just call Danni, right now, and ask her?"

Norm slipped his jacket back on, put his phone in his pocket, and then his gun in the small of his back. He walked by his wife, gave her a quick kiss, and then went back to his chest of drawers. He took two extra magazines of ammunition out from under some socks and slipped them into his jacket pocket.

Finally, he told his wife, "you can't do that Darcy."

With her hands on her hips she replied, "and why can't I?"

Norm gave his wife one more kiss. She was just as non responsive this time as she was the first. Then he told her, "cause she's in surgery right now Darcy. She took two bullets, one in the chest and one in the abdomen."

Darcy felt her stomach turn. She fell to a sitting position on the bed and gulped. She knew Norm was not kidding. He seldom joked about anything and would never do so about something like that. Darcy huffed out a few words, "is she going to be all right?"

"I don't know babe," said Norm as he walked to the bedroom door, obviously on his way out.

Darcy called out to him, "where are you going Norm?"

He actually did stop this time. Norm sniffled and rubbed at the hair on his chin as he thought about what to say. Then he told her in no uncertain terms, "you know you can't ask me that. It's better if you don't."

Now Darcy was back on her feet. She wanted to grab him, stop him, as he was on his way to the door. Darcy chased after him and when Norm tried to go out the kitchen door, Darcy put her hand on it and stopped him, "why Norm? Why?"

Norm licked his lips and then looked at his wife. He was trying to be patient. She could see that in her husband but, as in the past, it was a loosing battle. Yet he was calm when he told her, "Danni got herself into something. Whatever it was, it involved some dangerous people Darcy."

Darcy got in his face and made him make eye contact with her, "this is about revenge isn't it? This is about that little girls father, isn't it? That wasn't your fault Norm."

This time, Norm did blow up, "I know that!" He backed off and composed himself before trying to explain, "look Darcy. I can't tell you what I got to do right now but, you're just going to have to trust me. I have to do this."

This time he did walk out. This time Darcy let him go. This time she did not want him to see her cry.