Part 4
In the hall, AJ looked around and spotted a coffeepot. It was going to be a long night since they’d given her a sedative to sleep and there was no way he was leaving ‘Stormy’ now. She’d touched him deeply and he had to know more about her. What made her trust him? He was nothing more than an addict…a loser…according to his ex.
Pouring himself a cup, he walked out to the sheltered smoking area to watch the rain pouring down and the lightning flashing across the sky. What a night? He’d come home to see his mother, to make peace with her, and to do the German TV show, Popstar, with his best friends. He was supposed to head back out to LA the next day but for what…an ex-girlfriend whom he was still supporting? No thanks. That bridge needed to be burned soon and now he had a reason to burn it. His mind was made up. He’d stay in Orlando until ‘Stormy’ left but he was determined not to let her leave. That meant he’d have to open up his house so that ‘Stormy’ could stay with him. He wasn’t sure she would be comfortable staying with his mother given that strangers scared her.
Pulling out his cellphone, AJ made a call.
"Hello."
"Mom….I know it’s late but I need you to go to my house and open it up."
"Alex, it’s late."
"I know but I’ll explain when I get there."
"Son, are you in some kind of trouble?"
"No, ma’am. I’m bringing a girl home. And Mama, when I get there….I need you to disappear."
"Alex?"
"Just go in the kitchen until I come back down. I’ll explain as soon as I get her settled."
"You’re being extremely mysterious."
"I’m sorry, Mama, but it’s hard to explain on the phone. I promise, you’ll understand."
"How long will you be?"
"I don’t know for sure. It might be morning before I get there but I’m not going back to LA for a while."
Denise sighed in relief. "I’ll see you when you get home, son."
As AJ closed the phone, a police officer tapped him on his shoulder. "Excuse me…Mr. McLean?"
AJ looked at the officer. "Yes."
"Are you the one who brought in the ‘Jane Doe’?"
"Her name is ‘Stormy’."
"Oh!" said the officer with surprise. "The hospital reported her as a ‘Jane Doe’, no ID."
Nodding his head, he said, "She doesn’t have any ID. I just decided to call her ‘Stormy’…like tonight. What can I help you with?"
"I just need to ask you some questions about her."
AJ proceeded to tell the officer how he had found ‘Stormy’ and answering the questions to the best of his ability.
"What happens to her now?"
"The hospital will keep her until we can run a missing person’s check on her."
"Then what?"
"They’ll let her go if we don’t find anything."
"How long will it take you to see if she’s a missing person?"
"Could take ten minutes, could take several hours. It depends on how many missing persons fit her description."
"Would you let me know what you find out?"
"Why do you care?"
Staring at his coffee cup, AJ said, "She’s…..different."
"I imagine you meet a lot of women in your line of work."
"None like her. I’m gonna take her home as soon as the doctor gives the all clear until she’s strong enough to go where it is she’s gonna go."
"I wouldn’t advise that, Mr. McLean. You’re setting yourself up for trouble given your celebrity status."
AJ shook his head. "I don’t care. She put her trust in me and I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt."
"Where can you be reached?"
"My cell number is 407-555-2136. I’m staying with my mother while I’m in town."
"I’ll call you as soon as we have something. Thank you for your time."
AJ watched the officer pull his coat up around him and head into the night. Finishing his cigarette, he headed back into the hospital to sit with ‘Stormy’ until she woke.
