Honey and Leonard Read Online Free

in love with her, the better off he would be. Honey was in denial. She decided not to tell the detective about the time Leonard fell asleep watching television at her house and awakened to shout at her, "Who are you and what are you doing in my house?"
    A nurse came in to say dinner was on the way and to ask if anybody else wanted a meal. Right behind her was a chunky woman in a business suit who announced in a Spanish accent, "I am Maria Gomez from Adult Protective. Are you Leonard Atkins?"
    Before Leonard could answer, Ms. Gomez looked at Honey and said, "And you must be Honey Waldrop."
    "What's this about?" Perkins asked.
    "Who are you?" Ms. Gomez glared at Perkins.
    "I am Detective David Perkins of the Wabash County Sheriff's Department. I'm in charge here."
    "Not any more," Ms. Gomez snarled. "Read this."
    Perkins took the document and reviewed it.
    "It's an emergency restraining order issued by Judge Jonathan Fee of the Wabash Circuit Court," Ms. Gomez explained, "the court in charge of Gretchen Atkins' petition to establish guardianship over Leonard Atkins. This order clearly states that Honey Waldrop shall have no contact with Leonard Atkins, either directly or indirectly, pending the outcome of the criminal investigation regarding the poisoning of Leonard Atkins."
    "What does this mean?" Honey asked.
    "It means you must leave this hospital room immediately," Ms. Gomez said. "If you choose to not comply, you will be charged with invasion of privacy, a Class D Felony, punishable by up to three years in jail."
    "You can't do this," Leonard said, struggling to get out of bed. "I know my rights. Tell her, detective. She can't just march in here and tell me I can't be with my woman."
    Perkins looked at Honey, who was beginning to lose her color, and said, "I'm afraid she can, Mr. Atkins. This court order is basically a no-contact order. Judge Fee has signed it. Honey, I'm afraid you and I are going to have to leave."
    Honey fainted on the spot. She hit the bed first, which broke her fall, then slid to the floor before anyone could catch her. Besides a few bruises that would show up later, she was not injured. Fifteen minutes later, she awoke on a gurney in the nurses' station down the hall from Leonard's room.
    "Where am I?" she asked while trying to bring the ceiling into focus. Detective Perkins' concerned face came into her view.
    "You're in the hospital. You fainted in Leonard's room. Don't try to sit up. You've got a tube in your arm. It's an I.V. The doctor thinks you might be dehydrated."
    "I never got a chance to drink my tea," Honey said, struggling to sit up. "Where's my Leonard?" She flopped her head back down on the pillow, "Oh, yes, it all comes back to me now. They kicked me out of his room because they think I poisoned him. What am I going to do Davey? What can I do?"
    "For now you need to rest and try not to worry."
    "Who was that woman who came in with the court order?"
    "That was Maria Gomez, one of the toughest women you'll ever meet. She works for adult protective and she's seen enough abuse of the elderly to put her on the warpath forever."
    "Didn't you tell her I would never hurt my Leonard?"
    "I don't think she much cares what I think," Perkins said. "Don't worry, the investigation will prove you're innocent."
    "I thought I was innocent until proven guilty."

Two
    THE FRONT PAGE banner headline of the
North Manchester Herald
seemed to scream, "Waldrop Home Searched for Poison." Beneath the headline was a four-column photo of Honey's house, wrapped with yellow tape and surrounded by emergency vehicles.
    Honey had spent a fitful night at her home after being released from the hospital. She was up and waiting for the paper when it arrived at 5:30 a.m. The news hit her so hard she nearly fainted again. Breathing deeply, she returned to her kitchen and drank a tall glass of water and took a blood pressure pill before sitting down to read the story. She was still in her robe.
    "Oh, my goodness," she cried