'Black and White' - The White Bridge Crime Series 2 - LGBT, manXman

14

The doctor went into Eli's room and examined him for a long time.

Dom and Rex waited outside until the doctor came out again.

"He seems to be coping remarkably well, considering what he's been through. His ribs are just bruised, and should be fine in a few days. The worst injuries were to his throat. His windpipe wasn't severed, but there may be some damage to his vocal chords. We won't know for a few days... I've recommended he sees a therapist, but he's insisting he doesn't want to."

"A lot of people refuse at first," Dom said quietly.

"He's asleep again," Rex murmured, glancing into the room. "I said I'd stay with him. You might as well go home, Dom."

Dom nodded.

"Oh, before I forget. Could you go back to Eli's house, and fetch his cat? Her name's Maki. Take her to my place, and lock her in the kitchen, away from Aeacus."

Dom nodded again.

"I'll stop by to check in on you in the morning. Good night."

Rex went back into Eli Shan's room.

He settled himself in the chair beside the window. He'd spent almost twelve hours of the last twenty four in the hospital, using the peace and quiet and spare time to finish off mountains of paperwork.

He watched Eli sleeping for a while.

A large white bandage encircled the man's throat, hiding what would become an ugly scar. There were no other visible wounds of the man's ordeal; Rex knew from working many similar cases that many of the scars Eli bore were on the inside.

He stopped thinking about the case for a moment, and took the time to look at Eli properly.

After all, they were dealing with a living person now, not a corpse.

Eli had thick, wavy brown hair, grown almost down to his shoulders. His eyes had been hazel brown, intelligent and expressive. He was slim - of a slighter build than the other victims - and younger too, barely into his thirties.

He looked so small, lying in the hospital bed.

*

Eli was already awake when Rex woke the next morning.

His brown eyes were watching Rex as he slept, his expression half-curious, half-annoyed.

You didn't have to stay all night.

He wrote on his board and showed the detective, although part of him was glad the big policeman was there.

Rex shrugged, yawned and stretched. He got to his feet and rubbed his stiff neck and rolled his shoulders.

He glanced at his watch and was surprised to find it was almost nine o'clock.

"How did you sleep?"

Not bad. You?

"Mm... alright. Though I'm stiff now."

Eli smiled.

"I'll go and fetch a cup of coffee, and then we can talk," he said, rolling his stiff shoulders again. "I'll ask a doctor if you're allowed any food, but I doubt you will be."

*

The detective returned ten minutes later, carrying a large Styrofoam cup of black coffee and a bacon and egg muffin wrapped in a napkin.