This story is about breast cancer. I know for some it might be difficult if not impossible to read. I understand. I’m not one who likes to give or get spoilers but there are times when they are appropriate. Should you need to know any details before you make the decision to read this please contact me.

Chapter Twenty-four

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Dan pulled out of the parking lot of the Sleepyside Police Department. It was nine o’clock in the morning and he’d just put in over eighteen hours. His shift was supposed to start yesterday at three o’clock in the afternoon but he had come in early to do some research before it started. Then, when he was supposed to be relieved at eleven, a call came in.

There was another burglary. This time it was Richardson’s Jewelry store. Somehow the culprit had gotten past the outside security cameras and broken in. The interior cameras had detected him and sent out a silent alarm, but not before he made off with a large sum of jewelry. Unfortunately, McDaniels was the first officer on the scene and he destroyed crucial evidence again. Dan spent the rest of the night trying to salvage the evidence that was left and trying to keep from losing his temper with McDaniels.

So now it was morning. Dan could barely keep his eyes open. As the radio played, for what seemed like the millionth time, a jewelry commercial, he realized what day it was. “Damn,” he said. “It’s Valentine’s Day.” He had been so busy he hadn’t had time to even think of what to get Hallie. Despite it being the actual day, he knew he wanted it to be something unique and special.

One thing Dan knew he didn’t want to get was flowers. That was too easy. A box of chocolate candy was out as well. He recalled seeing a heart shaped box filled with granola at the local food co-op last week when he had stopped by as part of an investigation but thought better of that.

Dan parked his truck on Main Street and decided to window shop, hoping to find some sort of inspiration. As he got out of the car, his eye caught a display in the window of Martin’s Bookstore. The window was draped in various shades of pink including one so fluorescent it hurt your eyes. Huge red hearts were cut out of the cardboard and each one had a book attached. Dan chuckled when he saw the titles: Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus; The Seven Principles of Making a Marriage Work; The Art of Seduction; The Complete Idiots Guide to Amazing Sex. Only Jane Martin would display such a tacky window for Valentine’s Day.

As he continued along Main Street he thought about the Valentine’s Days of his youth. When he had been in first grade he had had a crush on Molly O’Flannigan. Molly had dark black hair that hung in ringlets that made Trixie’s hair look straight. She had freckles all over her face and was missing her two front teeth that year. Most importantly she could play street hockey better than any of the boys in her class. Dan had been enamored. He had spent an entire Saturday afternoon holed up in his bedroom secretly making a Valentine out of red construction paper and paper doilies. He thought it was the most wonderful Valentine in the entire world. He had carefully carried that Valentine to school and shyly givrn it to Molly. His heart had been broken when he had seen that every single boy in his class had given her a “special” Valentine.

By now he was walking past the courthouse. He looked around to see if anyone else was around. When he noticed no one within earshot or viewing distance he looked up at Hoppy and said “Hi.”

He walked past the Cameo and thought maybe he and Hallie could take in a movie tonight. He remembered when he was a senior and Hallie had come to New York over spring break. They had spent several nights in the balcony of the Cameo. The dates were memorable, but he had no idea what movies they saw. As he looked at the marquee he decided maybe a movie wouldn’t be such a great idea. For some reason the Cameo had decided to show The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, My Bloody Valentine, and Valentine. Someone either had a very sick sense of humor or was very anti-Valentine’s Day.

Dan had reached the end of the Business District on Main Street, and he still didn’t have any idea what to get Hallie. He wanted to find her something that would remind her of him every time she saw it. It couldn’t be anything obvious. He turned around and hoped maybe Hoppy would have a suggestion on his way back to the truck. He stopped in front of Dick’s Pharmacy. He noticed they had a display of crutches. Dan chuckled at the thought of getting Hallie some crutch tips, after all that was what Hallie had been sent to get for Ella Kline that fateful day they both ended up being held hostage by Luke and his old gang.

Dan thought long and hard about getting Hallie something like that. The crutch tips represented their first meeting but they also brought back memories of Luke and the Cowhands, so he decided against it.

As Dan passed the Frayne-Wheeler Detective Agency he thought about stopping. He decided against it because he didn’t want to feel like a third wheel. He knew that Trixie and Honey were trying to hire a new investigator and were not having much luck. Besides if he showed up Trixie would accuse him of doing Jim’s dirty work by checking up on her.

As Dan continued his walk he racked his brain. He thought of getting a pretty picture frame but wasn’t sure what kind picture to put in it and it was too late to enlist Diana’s help. Of course he could take a “for your eyes only” picture but he thought better of that. Why take a picture when Hallie could get the real thing, and besides you never know who might get their hands on a picture like that.

By now Dan was getting a little cold. He decided to head into Crimpers Department Store to warm up and hopefully find some inspiration. When he walked into the store he could hear Muzak playing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" Dan chuckled and wondered himself. He wandered through the department store and stumbled on an end cap that featured the book Guess How Much I Love You. For some reason the title struck him and he picked it up.

He got an idea. After picking out the book and consulting with the cashier, he headed to a scrapbooking store where he picked up a nice red pen and some card stock. Then he headed home. Carefully he covered the name of Big Nutbrown Hare with his name and Little Nutbrown Hare with Hallie’s name throughout the book. Then he hastily wrapped the book using a brown paper bag decorated with hand drawn read hearts. When he was done with his project he finally was able to lie down and get some much-needed sleep.

 

 

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