When he opened his eyes, he wasn’t sure how long he’d been out. He was lying on his back in some grass between the sidewalk and the street. He looked up to see a big freckled face peering down at him.
“You’re going to be okay Son.”
Jason tried to shake his head to clear it but couldn’t move anything especially his head.
“Oh no you don’t.” A soft feminine voice came to him near his left ear. “Please don’t try to move until we know exactly what kind of injuries you have.”
Jason must have lost consciousness again because the next time he opened his eyes a bright florescent light was hurting his eyes. He still couldn’t move. What had happened? Where was he?
He must have blacked out again. This time, when he came to a man’s face was hovering over him close to his face and he was pulling Jason’s eyelids back. Then he turned on a light on a small gadget he had pressed to his own eye.
That hurt. His eyelids felt like they were being ripped off and the light was too bright. That was when he realized his head was not just hurting, it was pounding so bad it was difficult to even breathe.
Finally, the guy moved away after doing the other eye. Jason could hear him talking to someone nearby but couldn’t understand what they were saying.
The guy leaned back over Jason and said, “Sergeant Walker. Can you hear me?”
Jason started to nod but realized his head was immobilized. He tried to speak but nothing came out.
“That’s okay. Just blink your eyes twice if you understand me.”
Jason did and the guy said, “Good.” Then he left Jason’s field of vision again.”
Finally, a face he recognized appeared above his head. She was a nurse he’d dated a couple of times several years before, but he couldn’t think of her name right then. He could remember that she was now married and had a kid or two.
“Jason?”
He tried to speak again and this time he was able to croak out, “Yes?” But it caused his head which was already almost exploding now to throb even more.
“Good. Can you tell me your full name please?”
He knew this drill. He’d had a concussion playing football in high school.
“Jason Earl Walker.”
“Good, good.”
“Jason, I’m going to be moving the gurney you’re on. We need to take you to x-ray to make sure everything is as good as it looks. Okay?”
“Sure.”
He wasn’t sure how much time passed before he seemed to have been pushed back into the same place he’d been in before.
Then he heard a commotion coming from outside the room. He could hear Floyd’s voice out there yelling at someone and tried to smile but didn’t quite make it.
* * *
When Karen and Daisy entered the coffee shop, they immediately saw Gil’s mother and aunt waiting on tables while Sue Ann’s mother, Wanda was working the counter again.
Karen was a little disappointed not to see either Jo or Sue Ann. Then she heard a little baby crying in the kitchen. Just then Jo came out and when she saw them motioned for them to follow her back to the kitchen.
As they entered the kitchen, Karen saw that Sue Ann was sitting at the small table giving Mary Ann a bottle and Luke was bouncing against the sides of his playpen nearby and jabbering.
She couldn’t help but think that the two women certainly had their hands full.
Karen sat in one of the chairs across from Sue Ann but was startled when Sue Ann stood and placed Mary Ann in her arms.
Karen wasn’t sure what she should do. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d held a newborn baby, if ever. Mary Ann settled down into the crook of Karen’s arm and didn’t seem to be the least bit concerned that she had changed hands. She was mainly concerned with the bottle she was heartily sucking.
As Karen was looking down and smiling at the baby, Daisy spoke next to her. “Just think. In about six months I’ll be holding my own baby.”
Then Daisy giggled and said, “Well, for that matter in another year or so, it could be you holding your own baby.”
Karen was hit so hard by an overwhelming flood of emotions that tears began to drop unexpectedly from her eyes. She leaned back to keep from getting the baby wet.
A few minutes later while she was burping the baby, she heard Jo answer the phone and some of what she said. It just sounded like she was talking to a supplier who wanted her to open the back door. It didn’t occur to her that a supplier would probably just come to the door and knock.
So Karen returned her full attention to the baby who had just burped loudly in her ear. She brought the little girl back down to cradle her in her arm again. It wasn’t long at all before Mary Ann was sound asleep.
Sue Ann leaned over Karen and took the baby to lay her in her bassinet, which was near Luke’s playpen but not too close.
Karen resumed talking to Daisy and saw Jo out of the corner of her eye go to the back door and open it. Before she knew what was happening, Floyd was standing over her in his uniform.
“Karen, I need for you to come with me real quick. Jason’s been hurt but he’s going to be all right. I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”
Karen had never fainted in her life but she knew that right then she would have if Daisy hadn’t placed a hand on the back of her head and forced it down to her knees.
She soon came back around and her first thought was that it sure was nice to have a nurse for a friend. Then she remembered what Floyd had just said.
She jumped to her feet but was still a bit wobbly. Floyd reached out a big hand and grabbed her by her elbow to steady her.
She looked up at him and said, “I’m okay now. Let’s go.”
She followed him out the back door but noticed that he was still keeping an eye on her over his shoulder.
As soon as they were both seated in his Tahoe, Floyd turned on his lights and siren and raced off toward the hospital.
“What happened Floyd?”
She could tell that he didn’t really want to tell her yet, but she persisted. “Tell me Floyd. I’m a big girl. I can take it. You said Jason was going to be okay so I’m going to hold you to that.”
Floyd grinned and said, “Yes ma’am, I do believe that Jason has finally met his match. You are something else Karen.”
He sobered and said, “Now don’t get too excited. He was shot but it seems to be a minor wound. He’s alert and talking.”
Karen felt that overwhelming feeling come over her again and this time she was able to stop it herself. She leaned over and placed her head between her knees until it cleared up again.
“You okay Karen?”
Floyd had slowed down until she raised her head and said, “I’m fine now Floyd. Don’t slow down on my account.”
With that, Floyd resumed his former pace and they pulled into the hospital ER entrance only moments later.
Karen was out of the vehicle almost before it stopped and raced through the double doors and on up to the reception desk.
There was no one at the desk and Karen didn’t think she could wait another minute to find out about Jason.
When Floyd stepped up next to her, she suddenly thought about Granny.
“Floyd! What about Jason’s granny?”
He nodded his head and said, “One of my deputies is bringing her in right now.”
Then the door behind the desk opened and a matronly woman in her fifties stepped out.
“May I help . . .”
“Jason Walker. I’m here to see him.”
The woman looked up at Floyd taking in his uniform then recognition flared in her eyes.
Floyd said, “She’s his fiancée.”
“One moment please.”
The woman went back through the door and Karen just stood there trying not to fall down. Her legs were so shaky she had to lean on the counter.
Just then sounds came from the entrance that could only be made by Granny.
Karen turned around and Gra
nny walked into her arms. When Granny pulled back, she said, “Any word yet?”
Karen shook her head and Floyd said, “I was there at the scene and the paramedics said he’d been shot but that it looked like it only grazed his head.”
The receptionist came back out and said, “He’s just getting back from x-ray right now. But the doctor said you could see him one at a time for just a minute each.”
Granny grabbed Karen by the shoulders, looked into her eyes, and said, “He’s been all mine for his first thirty-three years but now he’s yours too Dearie. You go first.”
Karen didn’t argue. She hurried to follow the receptionist through the door behind the desk. On the other side was a hallway that ran both directions. The receptionist pointed to the right and said, “He’s in the third room down that way.”
She rushed down the hall and peeked into the room. A nurse was just finishing a bandage that covered most of the right side of Jason’s head. That looked scary but then she heard his voice. Even though it sounded a little weak, it was still the sweetest sound she’d ever heard.
She stood back until the nurse finished. When the nurse saw her, she smiled and said, “Just for a second and please don’t make him talk much, okay?”
Karen only nodded as she rushed to Jason’s side. She reached out to clasp the hand he was holding out to her.
He said, “Hi there Karen. I’m all right. The bullet just grazed my head just above my right ear.”
She leaned over and gently brushed her lips over his. “I was so scared Jason. I’ve waited over thirty years for you. I don’t ever want to lose you, you hear?”
He just grinned back at her and Karen heard the nurse clearing her throat behind her.
“I’ve got to go right now, Jason, but Granny will be in right away. And we’ll all be here later when you can have more visitors, okay?”
He smiled and said, “You bet.”
She left the room and walked back down the hallway trying to breathe deeply to keep that faint feeling from coming back again.
Chapter Fourteen
Jason just wanted to sleep. But it seemed like every time he would get to sleep, someone would be standing over him waking him up.
One of those times, he looked up into a pair of pretty blue eyes that he recognized. It was Stella Martin, his doctor. She had one of those gadgets and she was shining the light into his eyes. But this time, it didn’t hurt near as much.
“Hey there Jason. You’re looking much better than they said you were before.”
That was when he realized his head was no longer restrained and he could move it from side to side. But he quickly realized that he didn’t want to do that because it hurt too much when he did.
“Stella.”
That was all he could get out at first. Then he thought for a moment. “Where am I now?”
She leaned back a little and smiled at him. “You’ve just been transferred to a room of your own on the second floor and there’s a whole gang of people out in the hallway just waiting to see you.”
It took him some time to process all that she’d just said. Then she said, “Do you think you’re ready for me to open that door and let the whole bunch of them in here?”
She was grinning at him and he couldn’t help but grin right back at her. “Sure. Send them in.”
He really only wanted to see one of them though and he was pleased to see that she was the first one through the door that Stella was now holding open. He held up his arms to her and she leaned over him for a long kiss.
When she leaned back, she glared down at him. “Jason Walker don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
He just grinned as Granny stepped up to the bed on his other side. She leaned over and hugged him too.
Granny made a clicking sound and said, “Yes sir, that little girl sure is going to be good for you Jason. She just said exactly what I was going to say.”
She stepped over to allow Billy Joe to stand next to her. It felt good though to hear her cackle the way she was.
Billy Joe held out his right hand and Jason reached across his body to place his right hand in it.
“It’s good to see you looking so good already Jason.”
Jason didn’t have time to reply because Floyd was standing at the foot of the bed and his booming voice silenced everyone else in the room.
“Everybody, just say your hellos real quick right now so I can talk to Jason about the shooting. Alone okay?”
Jason was shocked and more than a little proud of Karen when she stepped in front of Floyd and glared up at him.
“Sheriff, you can arrest me if you want, but I’m not moving from Jason’s side now that the hospital finally let me in here.”
Floyd looked down at her as if he didn’t know what to think of her then he threw back his head and laughed loudly.
“Okay, little girl. You can stay but everybody else out.”
Jason reached out his right hand for Karen as Floyd went around to his left side. He pulled her down to him for another kiss and then said, “I love you Karen.”
She smiled and said, “I love you more.”
He laughed and then heard Floyd nosily clearing his throat so he looked that way.
Everyone else was out of the room now so Floyd said, “Okay Jason. You think you’re up to telling me what happened out there this afternoon?”
Jason had been dreading that question. He’d been trying to get things straight in his mind about what had happened to him. But so far, it was just a jumbled up mess.
“Okay, Floyd, I’ll give it a try.”
Karen squeezed his hand and he suddenly felt like he could do anything with her at his side.
“I had just dropped Palmer off in the compound and was leaving it at about eleven forty-five when I heard a crackling sound. That’s it. That’s all I remember before I woke up for a minute on the ground outside my vehicle.”
Floyd looked at Karen and said, “I need to ask you not to tell anyone anything you hear okay Karen?”
She nodded and said, “Of course, Floyd. I want you to catch whoever did this quickly.” She seemed to think of something. “I do know that Ben Winslow was not at the clinic when I left at twelve.”
“Okay, thanks Karen.” He turned back to Jason. “That seems consistent with what we could piece together at the scene and in your Tahoe. There were two bullet holes in the front passenger window. You must have heard the first one hit the glass but not the one that hit you.”
Jason was still processing that and he could see that Karen was getting a little pale.
“Jason.”
He looked back at Floyd.
“You must have turned your head in the split second between shots because you had to be looking at the window when the second bullet came.”
Jason knew what was coming and he squeezed Karen’s hand then pulled her up to sit next to him on the bed. He had his arm around her when Floyd continued.
“If you hadn’t turned like that the second bullet would have gone into your head just above your ear.”
He could feel Karen flinch and he said, “It’s okay Karen. I’m all right now.”
She looked down at him with tears in her eyes. “This time. But Jason if they don’t catch whoever did this, they might try again.”
She looked at Floyd for verification and he only nodded his big red head.
Jason squeezed her again and she looked back down at him and tried to smile.
“That’s my girl.” He looked at Floyd again. “Did you retrieve either of the bullets?”
“Yeah, both of them. They were .223.”
“Not good!”
Floyd snorted. “Yeah. I don’t like it when the bad guys have firepower like that either.”
Jason had been avoiding looking at Karen but he felt her shake and he pulled her down next to him. That was when he saw that she was crying.
“Don’t cry Honey. Everything’s going to be all right. You wait and see.”
She
tried to smile back at him through her tears.
Jason wondered how he was ever going to be able to keep her from crying like this again. But he knew for a fact that he was going to do everything in his power to do just that.
* * *
Karen sat up and dried her face with some tissue Floyd passed to her. Then she leaned back down to kiss Jason again. When she did, she whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry. I’ll be all right. I love you just as you are. You don’t have to change what you do for a living as long as you love doing it. And I know you do.”
The huge smile that he gave her said more than words ever could have. She realized then that her words were very much true. She was all right with him being a deputy. She just knew that Somehow God had given her a peace about everything right then.
Floyd cleared his throat and said, “Well, looks like I need to get out of here and try to catch the varmint who did this to you Jason.”
Seconds after Floyd left, the room filled with people again. This time, Gil Turner led the way. He stepped right up to Jason’s left side and announced. “We’re going to have a word of prayer right now.”
It immediately grew quiet in the room and he began to pray. Karen was so pleased at the words that Gil chose for his prayer. As he always did, he prayed for God’s will and for protection for all of them.
After that, various others passed by on Jason’s left. But she never relinquished her position on his right side.
Both Jo and Sue Ann came by and Daisy was with them. Granny and Billy Joe were sitting in chairs on the far side of the room just giving all the others a chance to see Jason.
Karen felt so many emotions hitting her at once. First, was how much she loved not only this man lying in the bed but also all the others who were passing through the room. She had never felt so complete in her whole life. The feeling was simply overwhelming, bringing fresh tears to her eyes.
When everyone had left except for Granny and Billy Joe, Jason turned to Karen and said, “Did Stella say how long I might be in here?”
She tried to smile encouragingly at him. “Yes, she said that they’ll keep you here overnight and if your concussion doesn’t give you any more trouble then you’ll probably get out tomorrow morning.”
Another Solution (Crowley County Series Book 4) Page 20
