New Chapter:

Greg sat holding Jenny’s hand. The woman had her eyes closed, and had been sleeping for some time. She was sporting a black eye and there were several bruises on her face. He caressed his wife’s dark black hair, seeing only her beauty. 

Doctor Lizzy Grimes came in. Initially Greg had kept a wide berth from her, still harboring bad feelings concerning the woman. He knew she had been controlled by the witch’s magic, but the feelings had been present. After a few encounters with the woman in relation to work, he grew to respect her intelligence.
“It looks like she has no major injuries, but we’re gonna keep her overnight, just for observation.” Lizzy checked the monitor and then the IV, before leaving the room. 

When Greg looked back at Jenny, her eyes were open and she was staring at him. “Lenny? Did you . . .”

“No. Bill Watson talked me out of it. Lenny’s back in prison where he belongs.” Greg continued to caress her hair. 

“Good. You don’t need to live with that.” She sighed.

“Did he . . . “ Greg hesitated. 

“No, baby. He tried, but he was too drunk and stoned to get hard. I’m okay.” His wife smiled at him. “I heard they’re gonna keep me overnight.”

“Yes. Your mom still has the kids. I’ll stay right here with you.”

“You don’t have—”

“No argument. I’m staying,” Greg cut off her protest. 

“How’s my brother?” she sounded tired.

“He’s gonna have a sore shoulder for quite some time, but thankfully there’s no permanent damage. Barry’s out of surgery and it looks like he’s going to survive. The FBI agent who was shot is also gonna be fine.” Greg smiled. We were lucky none of us were killed. Damn lucky.

“I saw her, Gregory.” Jenny’s eyes started to close.

“Who?”

“My spirit animal. She was so beautiful and wise. When the drugs had me so messed up, she told me you were coming. Told me to hold on.” Jenny’s words started out groggy and after speaking, she drifted off, mumbling, “I think I’ll keep her. My turtle.”

Greg slept in a chair, with the top half of his body resting on the hospital bed while he held the hand of the woman he loved. He woke up with a sore back and knees, but being with Jenny after nearly losing her was worth every uncomfortable kink in his body.

After dropping Jenny off at her mother’s apartment, behind the Nooner Cafe, he drove to the Ladies Auxiliary Picnic where he was supposed to give a speech, although he had no intention of doing that. When he walked up he saw there were at least two hundred women in attendance, with a familiar face already on the mic at the podium. 

“Wolf packs eating people, aliens running amuck and serial killers butchering women right here in town under this mayor.” Sally Benslow wrinkled up her nose like she was smelling something foul. “It’s time for new leadership. And a new police chief. Those two men are creating chaos. Why just yesterday, three law enforcement officers were shot during an illegal raid led by the incompetent Chief Harsen.”

Mayor Calvin Whittis slid up beside Greg and placed a hand on his shoulder while Sally rambled on. “Three down officers is not what I had in mind when I told you not to make any trouble or bad press.”

“They took my wife, Mayor. Besides, I don’t think two dead escaped convicts and one back in jail constitutes bad press.”

“Well, Greg, you better have one hell of a speech prepared to pull us up from this ratings dive.” Whittis frowned.

“Trust me, Calvin, I’m going to do you one better than that. I’m just waiting for . . . oh, there she is now.” Officer Kelsey pulled up in her police Blazer, and after exiting it, handed Greg some papers. The two cops made their way to the podium. 

Katie took the microphone from the confused woman. “Sally Benslow, I’m placing you under arrest for Conspiracy to Kidnap and Aiding and Abetting Escaped Felons. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can not afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand your rights as I have read them to you?” 

“This is police brutality! You’re all witnesses. Police brutality.” The obese woman pointed at the crowd. 

Greg grabbed the rotund woman’s hands and, while placing cuffs on her wrists, leaned in and whispered, “I guess we aliens finally got you, Mrs. Benslow.”

Mayor Whittis approached. “Is this solid? Is it a good arrest?” 

“Relax, Calvin, we got her dead to rights on at least two felonies.” Greg pulled the mayor aside as Katie led Sally to her police unit. “We have her linked to cabin #7 as well as the truck the felons used to escape in. Her fingerprints were all over it, plus she signed the bill of sales. We also have her phone records showing calls to the jail before the escape and calls to a cell phone Lenny had that she also bought. It’s as solid as it gets. She’s going down, leaving you the last man standing for mayor.”

“Geez, Chief, it’s not even Christmas and you came with gifts.” Calvin Whittis was beaming. “Hiring you was the smartest decision I’ve ever made.”

“Until the next incident.” Greg found himself grinning. Things are working out. 

Just then, the mayor’s cell phone rang. “Yeah, he's standing right next to me.”

Greg grabbed the phone when Whittis held it out. “Yeah, I don’t get much signal, Harkins. Another body? Where? Yep, that definitely sounds like a Lilith victim. Officer Kelsey and I have to lock someone up at the station and then we’ll be on our way.”

“Everything okay?” Calvin took his phone back.