Between the Pipes

Chapter 20

Sarah took the stethoscope from around her neck and sat down at her desk. The aftereffects of the day before were catching up with her. The morning clinic had seemed interminably long, but it was done. She leaned back in her chair and stared at the pile of paperwork on her desk. She had packed herself a lunch – not that she had much of an appetite – and she'd eat while she tackled that.

A letter in her inbox caught her attention. Comcor's made a decision. Please be good news. She scanned the letter, and her heart sank. The board had decided to give a small stipend to the mobile clinic, but the bulk of the money would be going to the senior's centre. A lump formed in her throat. Why was it so hard to find support for those kids? They'd been through so much and deserved a break. She set the letter aside with a sigh. It wasn't over. She'd have to dig deep and find the energy to get out there and campaign on their behalf. But it'd have to wait until another day.

She was half way through the stack of paperwork when her phone rang.

"This is Detective Ranter. Is this Sarah Jain?"

"Yes, it is."

"Dr. Jain, I'm one of the investigating officers from the incident yesterday. I wanted to let you know that we've apprehended two male individuals."

Relief flooded through her. "That's wonderful."

"Yes, thanks to your tip we found their vehicle and their hide-out near the river. We have enough evidence to take them into custody and charge them for the murder of Henna Sanger last summer. At this point, we don't require anything more from you, but we'll keep your contact information in case we need to be in touch. We'll be holding a news conference this afternoon, but as requested, your name won't be mentioned."

"I appreciate that, Detective. Thanks very much."

"You're welcome. Thanks for your help."

They disconnected, and Sarah set her phone on the desk. That had been quick work. Thank goodness. It was unlikely that the men knew where she worked or lived, but even that niggling doubt was scary. She could lay that to rest. With the thugs behind bars, no one else would be harmed. It might take a bit of time before the community felt completely safe again, but it was a start.

She wondered how Henna's family felt about the news. Did it provide closure? Would it make a difference knowing that the men responsible were found and, if the police were correct, would spend time in jail? Did it balance the scale? Or did the overwhelming sadness at the utter senselessness of the act weigh too heavily for the family to find any solace in the arrest? She didn't know.

Sarah felt a core of deep gratitude that her family wouldn't have to deal with what Henna's family was going through. Life is preciously short. She shouldn't take it for granted.

Her mind wandered to Mike. Maybe they should be looking at the big picture and think about what they could have together, despite their differences. If they looked beyond those differences, they shared important values. Respect, trust, loyalty. Love? she thought, slightly panicked. She sighed. Love. It fit for her. They may not share that one, she thought ruefully. And the fit wasn't entirely comfortable, but it fit. She just had to figure out what to do about it.

There was a knock on her door, and Danni poked her head in. "Busy?"

"No, I'm just finishing."

" I just wanted to say congratulations. I hear you got the money for the mobile clinic."

Sarah smiled sadly. "Thanks, I guess. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for." She pointed to the letter on her desk. "Comcor was sympathetic, but the bulk of their money is going to be earmarked for the senior's centre."