Renegade Ridge

by Arabella Steedly

  The blackness was all around, swallowing him. Jake could hear voices, but they seemed far away. He trudged forward with his gun. His brothers were gone — he was alone. Jake was stranded in hell, waiting to be ambushed by an enemy he couldn’t see. All the sudden, there was a whirring sound from somewhere in the distance. Then nothing, he was surrounded by — quietness.

  ****

  When he opened his eyes, he realized that the light was filtered. It took a moment to sort it out in his head. A bandage. It was a bandage of some sort. He must have gotten hit in the building. It was bittersweet. Hopefully, it wasn’t too bad, but maybe he could finally go home. He wanted so badly just to go home and never see these things again. He moved, and suddenly there was a hand on his. It was small. A nurse perhaps.

  “Jake, it’s me. It’s Vanessa.”

  Jake felt confused for a moment. Vanessa? Who was Vanessa? He struggled to think, but couldn’t conjure up her face, and still, he couldn’t speak. Something was blocking his throat. He had to get it out. Struggling to raise his hands, he found the tube and began to pull at it. The small hands stopped him, trying to hold him back.

  “Nurse! Nurse!” the woman called out.

  He could hear feet running in his direction. Who were they? American voices. That was good. Maybe he was home. Maybe his father was on his way.

  “Mr. Morrow, can you hear me?” a voice said to him.

  Jake struggled to speak, but only managed a gurgle. He felt a hand on his again, but not the small one from the first woman, the one who called herself Vanessa.

  “It’s okay. Don’t try to speak. My name is Hannah. I’m your nurse. You are in the hospital. You’ve been shot, but you’re going to be just fine. Squeeze my hand if you understand.”

  Jake squeezed as hard as he could, but she repeated her request. He squeezed harder, and she let go, patting his hand softly.

  “You’re weak, but I could feel you respond. You’re going to be fine.” Weak? He should have been breaking her hand as hard as he was squeezing! Maybe it wasn’t as hard as he thought. What did that mean for him?

  Fear enveloped him as he heard a male voice now speaking. “Mr. Morrow? This is Dr. Blakely. You came through surgery just fine. The bullet grazed your temple and skull but didn’t enter the brain, so that’s good. There was some damage which we were able to repair and a significant loss of blood. Plus, there was some swelling from the trauma. It will subside in a day or so, but you may be a bit woozy and unfocused until then. We will be transferring you to intensive care shortly until you stabilize and then we’ll move you to a regular room either later in the day or possibly tomorrow. The good news is that you are going to heal and be back to normal before you know it.”

  “Oh, thank you, doctor. Thank you so much,” the voice called Vanessa sounded incredibly relieved.

  “You’re welcome. I’m going to have to ask you to step out for now, but as soon as Mr. Morrow is moved to ICU, they will let you visit with him briefly,” the doctor said to the woman.

  The sound of footsteps retreated. They were leaving him here alone. Jake tried to move an arm back up to take out the tube but discovered his arms were tied down. Bastards! Where had Vanessa gone? He couldn’t quite place who she was, but he found that he missed her. How was it possible to miss a stranger so much?

  11

  Hours later, Jake drifted in and out of consciousness. He was still alone in the darkness, but the tube was gone now, and his hands seemed to be free, though he could barely move them. Jake managed to raise one to his face, feeling the bulky bandage wrapped around his head. He wondered how bad it was? Was Vanessa ever going to want to kiss him again? Vanessa! He knew who she was now. His mind drifted across the moments with her and then to today. She had said she loved him. She loved him! He loved her too. “Vanessa,” he said aloud.

  “I’m right here,” she replied, much to his surprise.

  Jake turned his head to look for her. “What happened?” he attempted to say, the words mouthed more than spoken.

  Rushing, she moved to sit in the chair closest to his bedside. “You don’t remember anything?”

  By the sound of her voice, he could tell she was concerned about him possibly having a memory loss.

  “Not much,” he croaked.

  “Don’t worry about that right now, my love. Just focus on getting well. The doctor said you should be in a normal room soon and I’ll be able to stay with you all the time,” she told him.

  Rather than speaking, he merely nodded. Speaking was still difficult. His throat felt as though someone had used steel wool in there. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Vanessa for a few moments as she sat flipping through the pages of a magazine. Jake was pleased that she stayed with him until a voice on the intercom system announced that ICU visitation was ending. Kissing him on the forehead, she spoke softly against his skin.

  “I love you, Jake,” she whispered before heading out of the unit to the waiting room.

  He tried to tell her that he loved her too, but nothing came out. It had taken everything he had just to speak the few words earlier. Before she got down the hall, she paused at the door and was talking to someone whose voice was familiar. It took him a moment before the fog cleared and it came to him Vanessa was talking to Tucker. Jake moved his pillow and cocked his head to one side so he could hear their conversation more clearly.

  “How is the big guy doing?” Tucker asked.

  “He’s doing as well as can be expected after being shot in the head.”

  “He’s a tough guy.”

  “The last several hours he’s been sleeping a lot, but he was able to speak to me a little bit.” Jake could hear her began to sob. “I know he’s going to be alright… he’ll be okay… it’s just that —” Vanessa’s sobs grew louder. Jake wanted to get up and go hold her in his arms or at least yell out that he was going to be just fine, but his body wouldn’t cooperate.

  After a few minutes, it sounded as if she got a grip on herself as Tucker continued to talk to her.

  “What about you? How are you doing?” Tucker asked.

  “Just a bump. I have a hard head. I got a few stitches…. that’s all.” Jake heard Vanessa say. The next thing he knew both of them were inside his room sitting across from his bed speaking quietly to each other.

  Tucker had a scowl on his face when he said, “They still don’t know who it was but….” Jake could feel himself slipping back to sleep again. His last thought was one of thankfulness for Tucker. It made Jake feel better just knowing Tucker was around and he knew he would take good care of Vanessa as well. Tucker had always been his right-hand man.

  Jake was awakened by the voice of someone standing at his hospital room door calling out, “Mrs. Morrow?” Jake’s eyes flew open. It was dark outside so the shift must have changed and he didn’t recognize the nurse.

  Then to his surprise, he heard Vanessa ask, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  Jake felt confused. Had he forgotten something? Not too long ago he had thought he was still in Afghanistan. Then, he had not remembered Vanessa for a bit. Now, he remembered her, but not them getting married. He couldn’t say it was a bad idea, but he was concerned about not remembering such an important occasion.

  “No, no. Nothing is wrong,” the nurse replied. “I just wanted to see if you are spending the night. If you are, I will put you on the log for the private waiting room,” the woman was saying to her.

  “Reserved waiting room?” Vanessa inquired.

  By this time the nurse had come further inside the room and was speaking softly to Vanessa. Jake figured they thought he was asleep. “Yes, there is a special waiting room for the families of our patients in ICU. There are recliners, pillows, and blankets for them in there. You’ll be much more comfortable than in here. Plus, you won’t have security waking you every time they make rounds,” she told Vanessa.

  Jake was alarmed. Security, was there a security guard at his door? He swallowed, but he couldn’t form the w
ords to ask.

  Then he heard Vanessa say, “Listen, I appreciate it, but I have to be honest. I’m not Mr. Morrow’s wife. We aren’t married, just dating,” she said apologetically.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I had in my notes that you are his wife,” the nurse replied.

  Ah, Jake thought. So, I didn’t forget, after all. What a relief, though he wouldn’t mind marrying her. There was another thought in there, but he couldn’t quite grasp it.

  Then Vanessa said, “Yes, I know. It was a misunderstanding, and I had other things on my mind so didn’t really bother clearing it up. I’m sorry. I just don’t feel right about taking up an area reserved for family.”

  “Listen dear, don’t worry. Let’s just keep it our little secret. You won’t be taking anything from anyone,” the nurse told her.

  Jake could hear the sound of footsteps moving away from the door, and their voices drifted away. No! She was going away from him. Without her, the darkness would return. He knew it would, and he wasn’t wrong. He fell back into the dream. He was down in a tunnel, and he could hear her calling him, but he couldn’t find her. There were only bodies, more and more of them, everywhere. He was brought back from his dream by someone touching his arm. He struggled to speak.

  “Vanessa. Please get Vanessa,” he managed.

  “Okay, Mr. Morrow. I will see if we can find her for you. There is one more visitation before they end of the day.”

  A few minutes later, he felt Vanessa’s hand pat him and calm swept over him. He found his voice again, still raspy, but a bit stronger.

  “There’s my girl,” he said.

  “How are you feeling?” she asked as his hand covered hers on the railing.

  “Like someone shot me in the head,” he replied with a smile

  “Then you remember what happened?” she asked.

  “Unfortunately, I do. Are they still out there? Are there officers still here to protect you?” he asked, looking very concerned.

  “Don’t worry about all that. We are safe in here. They have an officer at your door 24/7,” she told him.

  Jake drew in a deep breath and said, “Vanessa, I need to speak to Carl. I want to know who did this to us. We have been under attack, one way or another for several weeks and no one seems to know anything about who or why it is happening.”

  Vanessa patted his hand not wanting to get him upset and explained. “I’m worried too, so is Tucker and all the guys out at the ranch. I have spoken to Carl. They are still checking the surveillance cameras in the area and doing their investigation. We don’t know much yet.” She stood up and gave him a quick peck on the lips and changed the subject. “Look at you with your head all wrapped up keeping all your brains inside.”

  Jake could tell she was changing the subject, so he went with it. “I’m going to have a hell of a scar, huh?” he replied.

  “Since when are you vain enough to worry about a scar? Don’t you know that chicks dig scars?”

  she laughed. It was the first time he had heard her laugh since all this had happened.

  Suddenly Jake grabbed her hand and said, “I heard your conversation with the nurse earlier.”

  “Which one are you referring too, Jake?” Vanessa replied.

  Jake grinned. “The one when they thought you were Mrs. Morrow.”

  “I didn’t tell them I was Mrs. Morrow, they made an assumption,” she said, blushing a little.

  “You took your time correcting them,” Jake said, still smiling at her.

  “I was afraid they wouldn’t let me see you if I did.”

  “Or maybe you just like the sound of it,” he coaxed.

  “I’ll never admit such a thing,” she said with a sheepish grin.

  “I think you just did, Mrs. Morrow.”

  “And I think you are feeling a lot better if you feel like picking on me,” she replied.

  “Other than a killer headache, I’m feeling much better,” he said. Jake heard the announcement over the speaker that the visitation for intensive care was over and frowned.

  “I guess that is my cue,” she told him, leaning down to kiss him softly on the lips.

  “Okay. I will see you in the morning. I still wish you would go home and get some rest though,” he replied.

  “I’ll go home when you do.”

  “We will see about all that. What about your practice.” Jake pointed out.

  “I found someone to cover for me,” she told him. “I’ll see you in the morning, my love. Goodnight.”

  All night Jake struggled to stay awake, wanting to avoid the nightmares. His weakness got the best of him, and he kept drifting off. It was a relief when he was finally awakened by the doctor the following morning and even more of one when he heard a nurse speaking to Vanessa outside his door.

  “Oh, Mrs. Morrow. You just missed the doctor. They are in the process of moving your husband down to room 832 if you’d like to go ahead and wait there. It’s straight down the hall.”

  “Thank you!” Vanessa replied excitedly.

  He heard her heels clicking down the corridor. He had wanted to see her right then, but he guessed he would have to wait now until he got moved. He was shocked when they had him stand and helped him into a wheelchair rather than a gurney to be moved to another bed. At the same time, he felt incredibly woozy.

  But by the time he got to his new room he was feeling better, “You ready to do some wheelies down the hall?” he asked Vanessa playfully as the nurse wheeled him in.

  “Someone is feeling much better,” she replied.

  “You bet I am. The drugs don’t hurt either,” he laughed. She smiled at Jake as the nurse helped him up and into the bed.

  “Come here and kiss me,” he told her after he was situated and the nurse turned to leave.

  Vanessa walked to the bed and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, before placing her head on his shoulder in a half hug, half cuddle. They lay there against one another, grateful to be alive. The worst was past them now, and it was only a matter of getting back to their lives together. After a moment or two, Jake noticed an armed officer pulled his door shut to give them privacy — or was it something more.

  12

  Three months later, when the leaves from the hardwoods that graced the ranch were changing to an array of golds and reds Jake’s life had settled down a bit. Vanessa was still living at her own house and ran the clinic from there, but to his delight she spent many nights at Renegade Ridge with him, moving a few things of her own to his place rather than hauling clothes and personal items back and forth. There was still no indication who had to attack them or who had burned the barn. It left them both a bit fearful of whether someone might try something again. Overall, though, they were just grateful that things were back to normal and they were together. It was on a late Saturday afternoon that Carl had pulled up in his patrol car and sat on the front porch with Jake and Vanessa for the latest update on the investigation.

  Jake watched as Carl sat in the rocker and sipped the fresh squeezed lemonade Vanessa had prepared especially for their meeting. “Jake, I’m sorry to tell you, but things have gone a bit slow. As soon as the sheriff noticed it was you… Jake Morrow… well…” Carl shook his head and shrugged. “Your paperwork got shoved under other investigations he deemed more important.”

  Vanessa turned to Carl and leaned forward in her chair saying, “What? I don’t mean to sound rude but what about me!”

  Jake was peering down at his hands in his lap but noticed Carl turning to face her before he replied. “Vanessa, I didn’t say the investigation stopped, it was not a priority at first… but now… things are moving along much quicker. Let me explain.”

  Carl went on to tell them there had been several conflicting reports from the witnesses to the shooting. One lady had reported it was a man in the car… another person said the shooter was a woman with red hair… and yet another said the person who shot Jake had a mask over their face. The surveillance cameras only picked up the shadow of the car as it pu
lled away after the attempt on Vanessa. There was also evidence from a few minutes before the crime that a dark Lexus with no license plate was parked near the courthouse.

  After taking a sip of his lemonade, Carl continued his explanation and said, “When we tracked down the VIN it was listed as belonging to a man who had died a year ago and lived in Dallas —”

  Glancing at his watch, Jake cut Carl off when he said, “Sounds like what you’re telling us, Carl, is that very little progress has been made! And I assume there is nothing on the arson who tried to burn down the barn and kill Vanessa either.”

  Carl nodded and glanced over at Vanessa his mouth in a straight line. “Unfortunately, yes you’re right.”

  Jake looked down at his watch again, but this time he stood. “Thanks Carl for stopping by. Now, Vanessa and I have reservations for a special dinner date. Please excuse us… we need to go and get ready.” Jake extended his palm to Carl to shake his before Carl moseyed back to his patrol car and drove away.

  An hour later, Vanessa and Jake sat at a cozy country restaurant on the Anderson farm that was adjacent to the north boundary of Renegade Ridge. “I don’t know if the meeting with Carl made me feel better or worse. I’m just thrilled, though, to be out with my girl” Jake whispered as he pulled Vanessa’s chair out for her.

  Vanessa nodded as she sat and adjusted the full skirt of her stylish western outfit. After Jake had taken his seat across the table, she gestured toward the fire in the fireplace and said, “Look, Jake, this place is so amazing… nice and private. Let’s just forget about what Carl said and enjoy ourselves?”

  Jake nodded and gave her the thumbs up sign and changed the subject. “You know, they have a little band on Saturday’s, so we can dance after dinner,” he replied.