“She’s out of surgery and in recovery. I won’t go into detail, but they were able to repair the internal damage. Barring any unseen complications, she should make a full recovery.” He beamed.
Tuck looked at the floor, exhaled deeply, and brought his face back to the doctor. “Thank you.” He extended his hand and the doctor took it.
“If you hadn’t found her when you did, this wouldn’t have a happy ending.” He let go of Tuck’s hand. The doctor walked back to the ER doors, but took one fleeting look. Tuck’s head was against the wall, his eyes closed. The weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders.
“Mr. Johnston,” the doctor called his attention. “Are you staying?”
Tuck could leave with a clear conscience. She was going to pull through and her family was on their way. There was no reason for him to stay.
“Her family won’t be flying in until late this evening.”
The doctor could read the unspoken words.
“Follow me.” Tuck obeyed. They meandered through the hallways until they got to RC140. “You’re welcome to stay with her. She’ll be out for a while yet. It’s quieter in here. You look like you could pass out yourself. Take a nap.”
“Thanks.” The doctor’s comment obviously meant he looked like shit.
“I’ll let the attending know you’re with her. You won’t have any problem.”
Tuck felt a sudden pang of angst, but ignored it and proceeded into her room. She looked as though she had barely escaped death. The machines attached to her beeped and chirped. She had what looked like IVs in both arms and was on oxygen. He felt relief in seeing her, reaffirming that she was alive, but little more. Tuck called her parents and reached their voicemail. They were in the air, but would get the message when they landed. He then called her editor.
“Tell me she is okay,” Paul answered in his usual short manner.
“The doctor said he expects her to make a full recovery. She’s out of surgery and resting.”
“Thank God.” He exhaled. “I should be able to sneak away within the next hour. I’m trying to move this meeting along.”
“There isn’t anything you’ll be able to do. Don’t kill yourself trying to get here.”
“I’ll be there. Thank you.” He hung the phone up. Obviously this man didn’t handle stress well. Tuck sat in one chair, propped his feet up in another, and slid his hat over his eyes. He wouldn’t sleep, but the light intensified his pounding headache.
Tuck passed out in a deep sleep until footsteps at his side woke him. Abruptly he shot up from the chair, his hat plummeting to the floor.
“Stand down.” The nurse was as startled as he. “I’ll only be a moment.”
He wiped off his face with his hand. The pain in his head was debilitating, but he tried to get past it. Tuck looked down at his watch. 3 p.m. He’d slept for nearly four hours. He had several missed calls on his phone, all from Paul and her parents.
“How is she?” he asked the nurse.
“She’s doing well. She’s a fighter.” The nurse flipped a sheet of paper on her clipboard. “If I ever need help, I hope you’re the one who comes to my rescue, warden.” She flashed him a flirty smile and winked at him.
“Part of the job.” He didn’t return her playfulness. Under different circumstances he might have been interested in this cute flirty nurse, but on that day his interest could be measured in negative degrees. She continued to smile and admire him until she got the message that he wasn’t interested.
“Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
She retreated out the door. Tuck listened to the messages. Her parents had landed in Ohio at 2 p.m. Paul’s message said he’d been at the hospital, but they would neither give him any information, nor let him see Chance. Frustration was heavy in his voice. After an hour of bickering with bitchy nurses, he went back to work. Paul requested Tuck call when he was available. Tuck closed the phone. He had no intention of returning Paul’s call. His standing in Tuck’s opinion was only slightly above the shooter. Paul had sent her into those woods alone. When she didn’t return, he called the wardens to check for her, too lazy to do so himself. When he was informed of her injury, he didn’t drop everything to be at her side, he was concerned about his meeting. Hell of a friend.
Chance stirred beside him. Her head shifted from left to right. He swung his feet off of their perch and pulled the chair so it faced her bed. Her eyes opened and surveyed the room confused.
“Welcome back,” Tuck greeted. She pulled the oxygen down from her nose. “No, no. Leave that there.” He leaned over her and positioned it back under her nose.
She locked her eyes with his. “This—it wasn’t all a bad dream.” She moved the oxygen again.
He shook his head slightly. “I wish I could tell you it was.” She closed her eyes and furrows formed at her brows.
“Then tell me it was, please.”
“It’s over now.” He sat on the edge of his chair. “A few stitches and you’re good as new, just like I told you.”
“I don’t feel new.” She opened her eyes and tried to smile, but she couldn’t follow through with the motion.
“You’re hurt.” She spied the large bandage on his head. “What happened?”
“Nothing. It’s a scratch.”
“Liar.” She had great difficulty keeping her eyes open. “I hope it wasn’t my fault.”
“God, no. No, it wasn’t your fault.” He laughed a little at his clumsiness. “It was all me.”
“Tuck.”
“Yeah.”
“The plane is out there. I’ll show you.” She fought to keep her eyes open.
“Try to rest. Your family will be here soon.”
She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She fell asleep as quickly as she’d awoken. She was adamant about the plane, didn’t even ask about the poachers. Maybe she was trying to protect herself from the trauma of being shot. The plane story would be unfounded. There hadn’t been a plane crash in those desolate woods during any era. Should be an interesting tale none-the-less he thought. He took a few Tylenol he had in his cargo style pants which he’d stowed away on his trip to his truck earlier. They didn’t even take a slight edge off the pain.
5 p.m.
The following two hours dragged. Dragged was an understatement. They crawled. Every tick of the clock above him a reminder of how slow time passed. A nurse came in now and again to check on her, but otherwise the clock and the machines were the only noises to break the silence.
Hushed voices exchanged words outside her door. A middle aged woman with a worry laden face walked into the room cautiously.
“Warden Johnston.” She forced a smile.
“She’s been asleep for a few hours,” Tuck whispered.
Mary Phillips leaned over the bed.
“You gave us quite a scare Chance.” She kissed her forehead. “We’re here honey.” She stroked the side of her daughter’s face.
“I’m going to head home. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.” Tuck moved toward the door.
“Mr. Johnston.” Tuck turned. She closed the few steps that separated them and wrapped her shaking arms around him.
“Thank you. Thank you so much. You saved our daughter and for that we can never repay you.”
“Her doctors deserve far more credit than I do.” She released her grip on him. “I’m glad she’s going to be okay, ma’am.”
“What about the men who did this to her?”
Tuck wished he had a better answer.
“We don’t have any suspects as of yet.”
She sighed.
“We’ll find them.”
“Thank you for all you’ve done.”
“When she wakes and is able to answer a few questions, call this number.” Tuck took a notepad from his cargo pocket and scribbled a number on it. “That is Sergeant Michael Kerr’s number. And if you aren’t able to reach him, you have mine.”
&nb
sp; Mary clutched the paper. “Okay.”
Jacob Phillips had to take a different connecting flight and therefore wouldn’t arrive until later. Tuck exited the hospital and jumped into his truck. He wanted to pass out, unfortunately it was an arduous drive to his house. Another large cup of coffee and he headed for home.
*****
Tuck’s cell phone rang over the pop music he had blasted in an attempt to keep himself awake. It was Kerr.
“Where are you?” Kerr sounded less than impressed. Tuck’s Sergeant was a patient man, but Tuck had pressed him. Tuck pulled the truck over and composed himself for the upcoming lecture.
“I’m on Route 25.” He regretted spewing the truth as soon as it left his lips.
“I believe, no, I KNOW I told you to go home when I talked to you nearly twelve hours ago.” Yup, Kerr was pissed. Very pissed. “Did you go home? No. Do you know how I know this?”
That’s a good question. How did he know?
“I know this because 610 saw you a few minutes ago on his way home.” Fucking state troopers. They gossiped like little girls. “I don’t want your ass driving around with a serious head injury.”
“It’s not serious,” Tuck tried to interject.
“Johnston, shut the hell up and listen. You shouldn’t be driving around in a marked car in your condition. That was why Mitch was instructed to drive you home. But apparently neither of you can follow orders. Do you need to be reminded of how the chain of command works? I give the fucking commands, you follow them. Is that easy enough to understand?”
“Yes, sir.” Tuck felt like a child being scolded. His Sergeant was vocal and did not hide his anger when his men acted beyond their scope, or went against orders.
“The minute you get home, call me. Park that truck and don’t even think about touching the damn keys until you have clearance from your doctor in writing.”
“Yes, sir.”
Silence settled as Kerr calmed his quick, but appropriate temper.
“Minus your insubordination…” Kerr paused. “You did a good job. More than was, or should be expected. Which is why I suspect you stayed at the hospital, against your better judgment. You didn’t want her to be alone. Is that correct?”
“Someone needed to be there.” Tuck wasn’t going any further. Some form of law enforcement should have been there. Period. They could have spared one of the state troopers at the scene. It wasn’t like those boys were going into the woods and getting their boots dirty. Instead Kerr wanted a note left with a nurse to call them if she regained consciousness. It was bullshit.
“It’s a dangerous thing, getting personally involved in your professional duties. You need to work on that, keeping the two separate and in check.”
Tuck didn’t answer. The two were separate, but he was human. He couldn’t treat the situation with absolute detachment because it was unnatural to do so. And he knew as much as his Sergeant spewed, he would do the same.
“Have you found anything?”
“The dogs followed her scent halfway up the ridge then went off the trail. They followed the scent for about six miles and found the dead deer and two sets of ATV tracks. The tracks led to an ATV trail about ten miles away and no tracking them from there. They could have come out on ten different trails and had more than twelve hours to get out of the woods.”
“Six miles off the trail?” Tuck didn’t comprehend that part.
“Yeah. Any idea why she wandered that far off?”
“No idea.” He thought. “She said something about a plane. There haven’t been any plane crashes up there?”
Kerr hesitated. “No.”
“She mentioned finding an old plane in the woods, but there’s nothing out there.”
“No, there isn’t.”
“Did you get her bag?”
“Ryan has it. It’s time for you to stop worrying about the case and relax. Go home and get some sleep. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow; I need you to file a first report of injury. Another one.”
“Will do.”
Kerr hung up. Tuck was known for his heroic actions. Others would call them outright stupid. To him, in most situations it was the “right” thing to do.
Tuck didn’t waste any time when he walked through the door of his old Victorian house. He took a shower, shut off his cell phone, and passed out before 8 p.m.
Chapter Three
6 a.m. the following morning.
God, couldn’t they give her more pain meds to knock her ass back out? Ugh.
“Paul.” She nudged his head not so gently with her elbow.
“What the…?” Paul’s head lay on the bed next to her, his body slumped over in what had to be the most uncomfortable chair in the hospital. He’d spent the night at her side after booting her parents, telling them to get some rest. “Good morning to you too.”
“Go home.”
“Not a chance, Chance.”
You are so lame.”
“I love you too.” He leaned over her bed, took her face gently in his hands, and kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been shot.”
“I guess you’re feeling about right then.”
Paul and Chance had a give and take relationship. His banter would always bring a smile to her face. If one listened to the idle gossip at the Tranton Times, the two of them had a steamier sex life than any couple portrayed in an erotic novel. He was yummy and the women at her work were green with envy. He looked good even at 6 a.m. with bed head and stubble on his chin. At thirty nine, he looked more distinguished than he should, Anderson Cooper white hair matched his sterling silver eyes. His build was sleek and toned, a result of the massive amount of time he spent in the local gym.
“You have a lil’ spot on your shirt.” She pointed to his white dress shirt and baby blue tie, both of which were stained in brown. A lot of brown.
“Coffee. Dog. Brakes.”
She laughed.
“Owe—ah, son of a—don’t make me laugh.” She caught her breath and tried to hide the pain that seared through her like a hot iron.
Paul pulled his chair as close to the bed as he could and then looked down at the floor.
“What’s wrong?” She detected his instant change of mood.
“I can’t help but feel responsible for all this.” He brought his hand to his face. “If I hadn’t given you the assignment, you wouldn’t be in that bed. It’s my fault. It’s on me. I should have never made you Outdoor Contributor, doing all these bullshit pieces by yourself. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“You shouldn’t have gotten bumped from your position in the first place—so Malcolm, that illiterate jackass, could get the job his daddy wanted him to have.” Anger boiled in his voice.
“I could have taken the job you lined up for me in Portland. I made the decision not to. It was my sacrifice to make.”
“Because you didn’t want to move away from Lyman.”
“That’s why I stayed. It was worth the tradeoff. How could I leave? You’d be lost.”
“I would. You’re my girl.”
Chance rolled onto her side painfully so she could face him.
“The game warden sergeant is supposed to be here after eight to talk to you, if you’re up for it.”
“He won’t believe me.”
“You were shot, they are going to believe someone shot you. You know, with the bullet hole in your side an’ all.”
She shook her head. “They’ll commit me.”
“You were shot by poachers. Why is that so unbelievable?”
“That’s not the part that‘s unbelievable.”
He waited for her to continue.
“So, let’s hear it. Tell me your story. I’ll give you feedback like a proper editor would.”
“Do you believe in ghosts?”
Paul’s face cocked to one side and his eyes squinted.
“See, you‘re looking at me like I’m crazy!”
�
�A ghost shot you? Is that where you are going with this?”
“Jesus. Right there, that is why. Never mind.”
“Come on. What happened?”
She glared at him.
“I found a plane crash, but it was old, the type of plane you’d see in a history book.”
Paul’s face wasn’t any more convinced.
“Ah.”
“I have proof. I found a rucksack with the wreckage, it had a journal and a photo in it. And an old compass.”
He nodded his head in fake belief. This was pointless. She wasn’t going to tell ANYONE else about her discovery. She would have to figure it out on her own. The few small quips she’d told Paul were the believable aspects of her nightmare and apparently it all was still mind-boggling.
“Ghosts from a plane crash shot you?” Paul tried to fill in the gaps.
“I’m tired. Go home, get some sleep. You look like shit. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Come on Chance, talk to me. I don’t mean to be skeptical, but ghosts and a plane crash?”
“The more I think about it, the more I know it had to be a dream. I’d lost a lot of blood and the warden said I was delusional.” The warden said no such thing. “What happened is two poachers shot me. Then I went through hell trying to hike down from that fucking ridge. That’s it.”
“I don’t believe you.”
And you wouldn’t believe the truth either. She thought.
She rolled onto her back and pulled the blanket up to her neck. If she pretended to sleep, maybe he would get the hint.
“Okay, I’ll drop it. But, you need to tell the warden who comes here the truth. Whatever the truth is, so they can catch who did this to you.”
“Mhmm.” Yeah, when hell freezes over.
“I’ll be back this afternoon.” He kissed her hand and left the room.
Sergeant Kerr showed up in the early morning after he’d signed on duty. She gave him a story she’d rehearsed, the same basic story she told Tuck, minus any mention of a plane. Bare basics. The shooting she described to a tee, the remainder wasn’t important. When asked why she wandered off the trail, she explained she’d simply gotten lost.
Truth Avenged (Green Division Series Book 1) Page 4
