by Vonnie Davis
By now, the zoo had been cleared and closed, the dead bodies covered so Piper wouldn’t be traumatized when she woke up. JJ had an IV inserted in Reece’s arm, although getting him to let go of Piper was damn near impossible. An ambulance stopped beside severely injured Reece and unhurt Piper, who was moaning as the effects of the chloroform wore off. Clint followed with a bagful of evidence.
Chapter 27
The four women were glued to CNN when an orange banner scrolled across the top of the screen: “Two dead in Austin Zoo shooting!” They all gasped and grabbed hands. The newscaster looked appropriately shocked. Gina inhaled what she feared was her last breath and prayed. Please, please let my child be alive.
“A shooting at the Austin Zoo in Texas this morning has left two dead. The popular tourist attraction was filled with elementary students from nine schools attending what was to be a fun-filled field trip. The shootings by CIA operatives ended the lives of two men who were part of a Russian Mafia gang who had reportedly abducted sixteen blond little girls in random cities throughout both Texas and Florida. At the time of the shooting, they were attempting to seize another little girl. The CIA is still on the search for the missing nine children in Texas and seven in Florida. In the midst of the shoot-out at the zoo, one operative was wounded first in the leg and then in the back as he crawled to reach the little girl rendered unconscious by a rag soaked with chloroform. Both have been hospitalized at an undisclosed location.”
“Give us names!” Gina stood, her fisted hands shaking. “For God’s sake, give us names!” She paced for almost an hour. She called Reece again and left another angry message on his voicemail.
Knowing she had to be driving everyone else nuts, she went outside, sat on one of the wooden chairs, and dropped her face in her palms. Her worry over Piper was like shards of glass—jagged, prismatic, and sharp. She’d borne this child against her personal beliefs about post-rape abortion, shielded her from the truth of her conception, and encased her in a world of love. Now there was a very real possibility the squirming, bright-eyed infant the nurse had placed in her arms six years ago might have witnessed a terrible ordeal.
Fran hurried out the back door extending her cellphone. “Here, it’s Clint.”
“Clint? Is my daughter—”
“Piper’s okay. I rode with her and Reece in the ambulance. She was unconscious through the whole thing, although she does remember struggling with a man who had a smelly rag. She’s at Austin General until all the effects of the chloroform are out of her system. Grandpa Clint promised her he wouldn’t leave her alone.”
“Thank God! Thank God she’s okay. And thank you for being there with her. I owe you such a debt of gratitude. You know she’s all I have.”
“Young lady, are you or aren’t you going to ask about the man you agreed in front of the whole town to marry? He played your voicemail messages over and over in the ambulance and I gotta tell you, I’m damned pissed right now. He was shot, not once, but twice trying to save her. Imagine how he felt hearing your voice so damn cold it could freeze hellfire. He’s in surgery now, if that’s of any concern to you. Now give this phone back to a woman who knows how to love a man.”
Fran quietly slipped the phone from Gina’s hand. “Did you have to take any of your heart medicine, Silver Stud?” She smiled and nodded, walking away from Gina. “You did so good, Clint. I’m terribly proud of you,” said Fran, her voice growing faint as she walked toward the front of the yard.
Reece was shot? Didn’t he wear a flak jacket? Where was he hit? She hurried to Fran, who stopped talking at her approach. “Hold on, hon.”
“Could I ask Clint a couple questions?”
Fran pressed the cell to her generous bosom. “He’s pretty upset with you. Do you want him to ream you a new one…again?”
“I don’t care. Please let me ask some questions about Reece.”
“Clint, Gina has a few questions to ask. Just remember, she’s had a rough day, too.”
Gina held the phone to her ear. “Clint, wasn’t Reece wearing a bulletproof jacket?”
“Yes. Until he saw his little girl lying on the ground while bullets were flying. He ripped the vest off and ran to her to cover her body with it. He was shot in the leg and kept hobbling to reach her, telling her ‘Daddy was coming.’ Then he was shot in the back. Did that stop him? Hell no. He kept crawling toward her, talking to her, and damn, we were all crying watching him risk his own life to protect that sweet child. He fought off anyone who tried to pry that little girl from his arms. If I live to be two hundred, I’ll never forget his extreme expression of love.”
She wiped tears from her cheeks. “Have you heard a prognosis?”
“No. Like I said. He’s still in surgery.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Well, don’t be surprised if he doesn’t want to see you. Even a man deeply in love with a woman recognizes a lost cause when it kicks him while he’s down.” Clint ended the call.
“He hung up on me. Your husband is really pissed.”
“Land sakes, it’s not the first time and won’t be the last. Now get your purse. We’re going to Austin General and I’m driving. Just give me a minute to tinkle.” Fran bustled for the back door. “I’ll need my purse, too.”
Gina followed; she’d need Piper’s insurance information she kept in her wallet. In the kitchen, Junebug was chopping vegetables and tossing them into a large Crock-Pot, no doubt doing anything to keep busy.
Ashley’s cellphone rang and she slipped it from her jeans. “Hello? Jerryl?” Her hand covered her mouth and a sob escaped. “No. No, I’m not crying. I’m just surprised you called.” She nodded and a shy smile spread. “Yes, I’ve been very worried. Will you be home soon?” She was silent as she listened to whatever JJ told her. “I think that’s wise. You do what you have to do to bring those children home safely. You’re needed out there. And Jerryl? Kiss Nance for me.” She was quiet for a beat and her cheeks pinkened. “No, I’m not sending you a kiss. Take care of yourself and keep in touch. Bye, now.”
Ashley sounded like a teenager. Poor thing still had some healing to do. Gina finally felt strong enough to help her once she got her own life straightened out.
Ashley wiped her tear-moistened cheeks dry and turned to the rest of the women. “The team is on the hunt for the men in Florida. Some intel in the van at the zoo gave them clues where to go, where the children might be held captive. If anyone can find those little girls, it’s them. They found me.”
The rest of the women surrounded her in a group hug. They all knew the hell she’d been through at the hands of radicals. Being at the ranch was helping her heal. She was surrounded by love here.
Gina filled everyone in on where she and Fran were going before the wild women duo charged out the door, running for the Prius. Fran knew only two foot positions on her car’s accelerator—off and damn near through the floor. She drove one-handed as her other one waved through the air while she talked, flipped the mirror, picked at her teased hair, or changed radio stations. And her jaws? Hell, her jaws burned rubber worse than her tires.
As soon as they pulled into a parking spot at Austin General, both women jumped out and were on the run to the emergency room. Gina could have sworn the car gave a sigh of blessed relief.
They charged into the hospital and Fran grabbed Gina’s arm. “Listen. I hear Silver Stud telling little Piper the story of how he learned to ride a horse. I’d recognize that voice anywhere.” She pointed. “He’s in the second examining room on the right.”
Gina inched the green-striped curtain aside and peered in. Piper was sitting in bed, propped up with several pillows, and sipping a small can of ginger ale through a straw. Gina entered the emergency examination room, breathing a complete sigh of relief.
“Mommy!” Little arms reached out for her as they had so long ago in the sonogram that had changed Gina’s life. On her way to her child, Gina kissed Clint’s bald head whether he wanted her to or not. Then she emb
raced Piper and part of her nightmare ended.
Clint stood and yanked Fran into his arms for an embrace. Their cheeks rubbed, and hushed whispers were shared.
“Any news on Reece?” Her fingers forked through her daughter’s curls. She had to keep touching her.
He shook his head. “Still in surgery.”
“Is anyone on the surgical floor waiting on him?” She didn’t want Reece to feel alone. It helped when you went into surgery if you knew a friend or family member cared enough to wait for your operation to be over. Her throat tightened with oncoming tears. It should be her. If she hadn’t overreacted to the possibility of Piper being hurt and tempered the tone of her voice and her words, he would have known she was there for him in spirit if not in person.
“No. The rest of the team is searching for the missing girls. Last I heard they got some leads from things they found in the van and the Mafia lieutenant’s cellphone.”
“Piper, would you be okay here with Grandma Fran while Grandpa and I go wait on Daddy? He’s all by himself. As soon as you’re ready to be discharged, I’ll come down and sign your release papers. Then you can join us upstairs.”
“Okay. Kiss Daddy for me and tell him I love him so hard.”
Her daughter was more caring than she, for she’d been so embedded in mommy mode she forgot she was also a woman in love with a wonderful man. “I will, my love. Promise.” She cast her gaze on Fran. “Do you mind?”
“Land sakes, no!” Her eyes pleaded to Clint. “Although I could use a Coke and some chocolate to calm my nerves.”
“Whatever my lady wants.” His hand cupped her cheek before he strode out.
Fran squeezed Gina’s fingers. “You’ve got some fences to mend, sugar. A man’s pride, his ego is a fragile thing, especially when he loves deeply. He has to feel needed. Believe me, a man’s man like Reece will walk away before he’ll grovel for your love.”
Once the elevator doors dinged open on the surgical floor, Gina and Clint strode for the nurses’ station. Clint whipped his badge in front of the head nurse. “I’m U.S. Marshal Silver here in official and personal capacity for Reece Browning. What is his current status?”
She clicked a few computer keys. “He’s still in surgery. You may have a seat in the waiting room outside the surgical doors and one of the surgeons will be with you when surgery is over.” She pointed to the waiting area.
“Code Blue! Code Blue! Or three.”
A team of nurses charged for the double doors leading to the surgical arena. Gina grabbed the head nurse’s arm. “What ER is Reece Browning, my fiancé, in?”
The nurse took off running and yelled over her shoulder as she held up three fingers. “Pray!”
Dear Lord, Reece was in Code Blue. She couldn’t even remember her last words to him. Although she did recall her voicemails were demanding and damn near cruel. What if she lost him with those heartless words playing through his mind?
Clint wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Come on. We’ll sit. You look like you need to talk. We can hold hands and pray, if you like. I might be hell bound, but I reckon God will still hear me if I’m praying for someone as good as Reece.”
“He is a good man, isn’t he? My daughter might not be alive if it weren’t for him.”
Clint set her in an orange plastic chair and took the one next to her. “Whoa there. If you come at him with words of gratitude like that, he’ll think you don’t care for him, the man. He’ll think you’re sticking with him out of loyalty or some bullshit gratitude. No man wants that. Not a real man. That expression might sound silly to a woman. But it takes a different kind of male to qualify for and excel in Special Forces, no matter the branch.”
“But I have to thank him for what he did.”
“Later, when the time’s right. For now, you’re going to have to work hard to make him believe a kind word you say. He’s too fixated on the horrible messages you left him.”
She stood and paced. “Me and my overprotectiveness where Piper’s concerned. It’s been the two of us for so long I’m having trouble including him when things go bad. He wants to get married in less than sixty days.” She focused her gaze on Clint’s wise eyes. “I don’t think either of us is emotionally ready.”
He crossed his arms. “No. Neither do I.”
After nearly an hour of agonizing and thinking through a thousand scenarios, the surgeon still in his scrubs sprightly entered the room. “Who’s here for Reece Browning?” Clint and Gina both stood.
“The surgery went longer than expected.” He swept the blue cap off his head. “The bullet in his thigh went clean through. No broken bones, just the repair of muscles and veins. But since he’s such a muscular man, that process took a long while. The bullet to his back lodged in his lung. It collapsed. His heart stopped, but we got it going again. The lung’s working, but he’s in a weakened condition from all the blood loss. I’m going to insist on no visitors for twenty-four hours. Right now, he’s critical. I suggest you come see him tomorrow night around seven. Even then, you can only stay for five minutes.” He turned and exited the waiting area.
Gina and Piper snuggled in the backseat as Clint drove them all to Eagle Ridge Ranch. Everyone seemed quiet, as if lost in their own thoughts. Once they arrived, Clint suggested they go inside to check on Junebug and Ashley. Kelcee’s blue Beetle convertible sat among the cars. She’d probably come for the comfort of being with others left behind. Surely they were worried, too, and could use some support.
Junebug had a Crock-Pot of chili and cornbread made and insisted they stay for supper. Erin talked about her job interviews, excited and relieved she’d been hired for a position at Warrior Falls Elementary. Her news lent a tone of the continuation of normal life amid such a traumatic day.
Both Kelcee and Junebug had received brief calls from ZQ and Dustin, but only to tell them they were all safe except for Reece. They’d also been told the team would be gone for a few days, maybe a week. Dust promised Kelcee he’d check in every evening. Ashley kept staring at a text JJ had sent her.
After conferring with the rest of the adults around the table, Gina called Dr. Raymond. She filled him in on what had happened at the zoo, what horrors the kids may have seen, and asked if he’d come talk to the first graders at school in the morning. He agreed to clear his calendar for two hours. She canceled her physical therapy appointments with her clients, determined to spend the day in school with Piper. Gina didn’t care what Holly Evans had to say about her interference. The mental health of the children came before the ego of a teacher.
Using the list of names on the field trip’s itinerary Gina had in her SUV, Clint, Fran, Junebug, Kelcee, and Gina called parents of the children to see how the little ones were and to inform the parents a trained psychologist would be at the school the next day. All parents were told they were welcome to attend as well.
During this time, Ashley and Piper colored. They seemed to have a connection of brokenness. Seeing that Ashley needed Piper’s sweet healing ways more, Gina decided to ask Ashley to join them at school tomorrow. It would give her a chance to meet and listen to Dr. Raymond in an environment focused on others and not her.
Of course Dr. Raymond would have to be careful not to mention who the members of the black ops team were. Clint’s presence at the zoo could be explained as part of his job, that he’d gotten a tip or something. It all seemed so simple to plan, yet Gina knew tomorrow would be a difficult one for the parents and their traumatized children.
On their way to see Reece the next night, Piper was full of chatter as she hugged Miss Morgan to her. “Mommy, I don’t think Mrs. Evans liked all the parents coming to her class today.”
Gina smiled. “I’m sure she didn’t.” Poor bitch nearly cracked her face with all the smiling she had to do. “But today wasn’t about her. Today was about making sure your classmates weren’t still scared. That they don’t have nightmares.”
“Daddy has nightmares, doesn’t he?”
�
�Yes, from the war. That’s why he talks to Doctor Raymond. So if you have nightmares from what happened at the zoo, you can talk to him, too.”
“Okay. Mommy, I have to pee.”
This made their third restroom stop since leaving the house. Did Piper have a bladder infection? Or was this a physiological reaction to the stresses of yesterday? “Hold on, baby, there’s an exit up ahead.”
When they got off the elevator, Piper crossed her legs and plastered against the wall. “I have to go! Now!” Gina scooped her up and ran to the restroom, clasping the vase of flowers in one hand. Her daughter really did have to use the facilities. What was going on? She’d have to call Dr. Fisher’s office for an appointment tomorrow. Cranky Mrs. Evans would never allow Piper to use the restroom this often.
Gina stopped at the nurses’ desk to get Reece’s room number and make sure they still had the surgeon’s permission to visit for five minutes.
“Hold me!” Piper pleaded as she practically leapt into Gina’s arms.
“What is it with you? Talk to me.”
Her daughter burrowed her face in Gina’s neck. “I got my daddy shot. He might die because of me. And I’ve waited so long for him, too.”
“No. That’s not true. We’ll talk about this after our visit with him. We don’t want him to think we forgot him, do we? Isn’t that why we bought him purple tulips, so he’d think of you?”
Piper nodded and slowly raised her head once the nurse opened the door to let them in Reece’s room. Machines beeped and hummed. Lines indicating heartbeats, pulse, and blood pressure blipped across a monitor. Tubes were attached to his nose, mouth, and hand. Piper trembled against her. “He…he won’t wake up, Mommy.”
“All of his medicine makes him sleep. And sleep helps him heal. So it’s okay. Where should we set his flowers?” Gina was beginning to understand the reason behind Piper’s constant pottie runs.
She pointed her finger toward the window ledge. “There.”
