The news announced that only first responders are allowed to roam free while the rest of us will get a hall pass for three hours after which we better be home. I called the captain and she immediately reinstated me as a detective since my mental health was deemed OK. Dimka had begrudgingly confessed that he had spiked my beverages as punishment for choosing someone else over him. I was to report as soon the doctor gave me the clean bill of health. My husband on the other hand made it abundantly clear that under no circumstances am I to join the first responders. He just got me back and now she is preparing for my funeral. He had a few things to say and Cheryl took her turn giving her a piece of her mind. Then she hung up and took me to the empty room on the second floor which was turned into an art studio. I took a paintbrush and started painting. I painted a black and gray painting showing the anguish and pain of losing loved ones to illness. When I was done I remembered my babies so I took a knife and stabbed the painting in several places. I took a step back and saw everyone was staring. I explained the painting and it was taken to the next room which was turned to resemble an art gallery. On one wall was the largest flat screen known to man was the curator. This is his nickname as he caters to people's specific needs. He asked why the painting was damaged.
DD casually named it 'Fighting the pain' after which he explained to the curator that the stabbing represents how we wish we could cut the pain out of our system. The curator had a look of surprise, "Savage" The next painting was one from storage. It was a sort of three dimensional painting. It was done with bright red, sky blue, florescent green, gold and other colors. It was a bird's eye view of the park. There were picnics, barbecues and flying kites and drones. I explained that this was the wish of everyone who is overworked. This was named 'Wishful thinking' the last one pulled from storage was a sunset or sunrise depending on who sees it. Again the bird's eye view of an island with turquoise water with the edge of the waves glowing with what appears to be pearls. The island had a few coconut trees, a small hut with a faint smoke billowing from the side. Birds flying over and a few puffy white clouds and a faint hint of a rainbow. The gradation to the deep blue sea was a challenge but I recalled that after a few tries I managed to get it right. I had thought of painting a shark or two but I remembered that it won't be appealing so I left the paint as is. DD asked me what this was. I replied that it was my dream vacation since he and I became parents. I fantasized about going somewhere quiet because one of the twins would be awake and screaming. DD named it 'Mom's day off'. An hour later the curator came to collect my paintings and he happily said that there are a few buyers already interested since this is for a charity. Particularly for displaced people around the world.
Cheryl asked nicely what he meant and Henry jokingly explained that I am amongst the artists all over New York who paints so that the money made from the sales are sent to various charities. I use it to make the world a better place. It has so far been used to put roofs over people's heads, paid for medical treatments and even helped people pay overdue bills so they won't be evicted. The charity I love most is the ones that go international. People get brand new clothes, the best medication, enough food for two years and toys for kids. Cheryl stared at me weirdly so I asked her nicely, "Sweetie did I sprout wings and a horn?" Everyone burst out laughing. Cheryl stared and I waved her off as I sat down to change my dressing. DD asked me what was going on. I smiled, "My wound is itching. I need to change the dressing I am afraid that I might get infected." DD immediately carried me upstairs as security called the doctor to come over for a house call. After he was sterilized properly he was allowed in and he examined me at length. He applied ointment and changed my dressing and my meds. I asked him if I had an infection and he said that I had nothing to worry about. He walked and explained that the wound was infected but he cleaned the outside but now I need to take antibiotics to clear out the inside. He recommended an IV as well. He said call if things get ugly. Henry growled, "Thanks for nothing. How much did you pay to hire him for a house call?" DD frowned, "Today is his last paycheck so it is irrelevant." Henry called the military hospital and had me admitted till further notice.
After the doctor discharged me I was brought home. I was told to stay indoors since we were still in lockdown. I sat down to read when I got a message. It was designated as a red notice. The culprit was a man who was promising to deliver meds to elderly people only to take their money and disappear. My mission was to hunt him down and put him down. I got up and walked out to see Henry was in the porch leaning against the banister sipping piping hot coffee. The international space station can see the steam coming from the cup. He smiled, "What's up?" I chuckled, "Stop trying to blend in and just be you." He smiled, "No outdoor activities remember" I explained that a man was roaming around stealing from old people after promising to help them with buy and transport meds. Henry spat out the coffee and yelled, "Take that back." Henry grew up with brother and his grandfather. His father was a deadbeat who had left his mother with a fist full of debt and a bunch of loan sharks chasing her for money. His grandfather had cleared her debt but she died of a broken heart. Henry was young when his grandfather was duped and lost his entire life savings too. It took four years to recover a fraction of the money. So this hits hard like a wrecking ball. He asked me, "One more time. I think I need to see a doctor. Did you say that someone was going around stealing money from the elderly?" I simply showed him the report. He gripped the mug so hard it shattered like glass. Hot liquid poured all over and he didn't even flinch.
As he was frozen to a solid ice sculpture I quietly walked out of the house and hopped on my modified car. Henry damn near ripped the door open as he invited himself to the hunting party. He sat down as I was given directions to the perpetrator's location. I had to go through a few check points but that went fluidly as most recognized me as an ex-cop. They did a cursory before waving me off. Henry was so pissed that he couldn't say a word. It felt he wanted to say something but a better words popped in his head and he was trying to decide which one is best. I told him to wait in the car so I could go in and study the place before we grabbed him. He only heard the grab him part of the sentence since he came too. I reminded him that this is an area where cars are usually stolen. He told me that he wanted a chance to give this a piece of his mind. I promised him that he can have sixty minutes all to himself and he went back to the car. A team of pretend health workers were waiting for my signal. These guys even borrowed a real ambulance for God's sake. I changed into a medical outfit and we walked in and declared that this individual was infected so everyone went indoors and locked themselves in. I knocked on the door and he opened the door out of niceties. I said that we were doing random tests to ensure public safety. He happily leaned forward and I swabbed his nose and declared that his test showed that he was infected so he must be transported to a facility. He tried to reason with us but he was dragged out kicking and screaming. He was given a sedative and knocked out.
After Maya confirmed that this was the crook we moved him out of the building. An elderly lady asked me what happened and one of the fake orderly said that he just gasped for air and passed out. The young girl next to her shrieked and grabbed the woman as she ran for cover. I think she said she was going to burn her clothes to ensure no infection. She will mention this incident in the building's official chatroom. As we made it out Henry had driven the car to the front door and was holding the steering wheel with such a death grip I swear that he is going to rip it out. The fire in his eyes was a raging storm. I secretly hope not to get on his bad side. He followed us from a distance in a manner that would not attract police attention. We managed to get him to an abandoned building before he came to. He was dangling by his ankles and the others stepped out. I happily waved at Henry to come in and have his sixty minutes. After which he is mine to toy with. Henry got the location of the USB drive holding his ill-gotten gains.
As the others went back to collect his personal effects pretending to be his relatives. After a few tosses and turns they got the drive and other personal effects. They got to their respective destination and started returning the money to its rightful owners. The amount was a few thousand short and that was recovered with the sale of a few dozen items bought using this money. Expensive paintings, comic books and other items. Henry waited till the confirmation and then he looked at his watch reminding me that time is almost up. He came in to see that I had already flayed him and was using wires to arrange him in a specific manner. An angel with wires twisted to resemble wings spread as far as possible. With one hand reaching out as though extending a helping hand. The floor was being disinfected as I was doing the finishing touches. Henry gave a low whistle as he asked me why I chose this. I retorted, "This is an idea that has been floating in my head for the past few weeks. This guy pretended to be an angel so I am depicting him from his point of view." Henry requested that I bend the wings to say that he is fake. So as per his request I twisted the wings and broke a few here and there to make it look like he was damaged goods. I spray painted him in all white and then we went home.
One of the hackers called Nine One One and said that he would like to report a break in. The police came and saw the place untouched. The place was seized under federal forfeiture so the Feds walked in to report that the only odd thing was the statue. A rookie accidentally poked it and realized he was touching human flesh. Homicide detectives filled the place and a full blown investigation was conducted. I had friends in the department who would call to see how I am. I would tell them that I am still forbidden to join the police department. DD thinks I am better off as a civilian. A few calls later Van Pelt called me to ask for a plausible theory. I said I can't say anything definitive unless I have the evidence. Since I am a civilian the repercussions will be bad. It may or may not hold up in court. She said that needs a fresh pair of eyes. Usually I would get the answer before the forensic team. I chuckled, "Sweetie. You were made detective on your own merit. Don't let this prove otherwise. Just keep looking. The answer will present itself if you just relax. Overworking the mind won't solve cases. By the way did you and your new boyfriend enjoy the dinner I set you up with" she temporarily got the mumps and took a total of ten minutes before the gears in her brain functioned again. She complimented me for her happily ever after and hung up. I turned to see my staff staring with amusement. I simply waved and their smiles grew. I had chicken and miso ramen and a slice of devil's food cake. DD came looking stressed so let's see what we can do to relieve him.