WindSwept Narrows: #7 Francine Kendall

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “I told you to shut up,” he ground through his teeth.

  She struggled to sit upright, her vision blurred by the tears. “I don’t have my badge…I can’t get us inside the housing area,” she said tiredly.

  “I got a way in…took a badge this morning,” he told her flatly. “And I got this…” He held up a very large knife. “So you be quiet or else.”

  “I don’t want to be here,” she said softly.

  “Then you should have stayed out of my business. I had a good thing going…Patsy worked and I didn’t,” he said with a laugh.

  Frannie saw the bright lights, watched as he drove along the side road to the dormitories, a brisk wave of air sweeping through the car when he lowered the window. He swiped a badge through a reader and waited for the gate to open, the old car driven into the parking lot.

  She didn’t know what else to do except to draw attention to them. With a deep breath, she pushed the door wide and jumped from the back of the car. Her dress cushioned her fall, her legs shaky as she scrambled hurriedly to her feet and took off running. She heard him shouting, wide eyes frantically searching for a place or some people.

  “Where the hell’d you go? Damn it, I’m gonna kill you!”

  She heard his feet pounding on the concrete, dodging between the cars and afraid to look back. Frannie felt something solid hit her in the back and saw the concrete coming up to meet her, rolling to her side as she fell hard on the ground. She scooted back on her behind, bringing her feet up when he approached, his face twisted with the pure anger raging inside him.

  She felt the metal of the fence behind her, pressing into her back. She felt around and looked frantically for something to throw, something to hit him with. Then she heard car doors slamming and a loud familiar voice broke through the fear inside her.

  “Drop the knife and put your hands behind your head,” Cassidy called out loudly, the Beretta held and steadied in her hands.

  Greely made a grab for Frannie at the same time the shot rang out. Frannie knew she was holding her breath.

  Cassidy saw him reach for his thigh, his hand still holding the knife. He took another step forward, reaching for one of the feet Frannie had kicked out at him. The second shot hit his forearm, the knife falling to the concrete with a loud clanking sound.

  “They never listen,” she said with a shake of her head, holstering the gun and quickly moving in with her people.

  Frannie knew there were people rushing all around her. The last thing she saw were those safe blue eyes peering down at her. She saw his lips moving. She felt his palm on the side of her face. She knew he must have been saying something. And then there was nothing. A peaceful darkness sweeping in and taking it all away.

  “Frannie!” Donovan lifted her from the ground, there were rope burns on her wrists and scrapes on her palms. He noticed the dark bruises on the side of her face as he carried her to the waiting EMT people. Cassidy and the police had Greely secure and were dealing with that.

  Donovan stood at her side, his hands out to stop hers from rising when they waved the ammonia beneath her nose. Frannie gulped in a large gasp of breath and bolted upright, eyes wide and frantic. She blinked rapidly, recognized him and threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him and refusing to let go. His arms responded, his face buried in her neck for a long minute before he gripped her palms and eased her back onto the gurney.

  “Let them treat your cuts, Frannie…” He met the unfamiliar fear in her eyes. “It’s okay…Cassidy brought him down. He’s not going to hurt you.”

  “I want to go home,” she moved to leave the gurney. “I can clean them. I’m okay….”

  “No…you sit and let them do it…” Donovan pulled his phone out, tapping out a text and sending it to Alister. “I let your father know you’re okay. Please…Frannie…I won’t leave your side, I promise.”

  She let the firm hands on her shoulders guide her to lay back, pale lashes squeezing tight to free the tears trapped inside. She watched them clean the rope cuts on her wrists, both of them once more wrapped in white gauze. She closed her eyes and felt the cool pack against her temple. She knew she was bruised, she could feel the thumping inside her head.

  “I really think she should go to the hospital,” the EMT suggested softly. “It looks like she hit the window…and something hit her, here…on this side…”

  “No. I’m going home.”

  “Frannie…what happened? How did you get bruised?” He met the sullen green eyes with a long sigh. This was gonna cost him.

  “He hit me…” She stared, blinking and trying to remember. “In the car. And he was driving a little crazy…and I hit the window…I want to go home, Donovan.”

  “She might have a concussion…at least a mild one,” the EMT said, speaking to Donovan softly.

  “Stop talking like I’m not here,” Frannie demanded, wincing and swiping at the tears on her face. “Home. I am going home,” she told them both firmly, shoving her legs over the side of the gurney and pushing against the surface.

  Donovan reached for her waist at the same time she wobbled, her knees not as stable as she wanted them to be. He caught her against him, his arm beneath her knees and laying her back on the cushions.

  “The health center,” Donovan said abruptly, his mind finally kicking in now he knew she was safe. “Take her to the health center, other side of the resort.”

  “Donovan…” Frannie was finding it more and more difficult to see through the mist in her eyes.

  “No, Frannie…” his palms went to her face, holding gently. “I’m not a doctor, honey. Health stuff isn’t my line…no hospital, but the health center…I’ll stay with you, Frannie. I promise,” his exhaled slowly, his mouth on hers. He looked up at the EMT. “Follow me,” he told him, striding off to get the SUV.

  Donovan placed a call to Alister as he led the EMT to the health center.

  “Yes, on resort grounds, Alister. There are signs up. Of course they can come over, I’m forcing her to spend the night…she was hit and banged her head on the car window…you know she’s fighting me, I could use your help,” he signed off and dropped the phone into his pocket as he climbed from the SUV, striding into the emergency entrance.

  He spoke with the attending physician, a gurney waiting in the hall when the EMT parked beneath the over hanging cover. She looked pale lying on the stark white sheets, the ice pack next to her forehead. He frowned when she tried forcing her legs over the side to stand up, his hands out immediately to stop her. He carried her to the waiting gurney, following at the side as she was wheeled into the cubicle they had set up.

  Frannie held his hand, answering questions patiently. She knew they were only doing their job. “I was never unconscious.”

  “Yes, you were,” Donovan corrected firmly.

  “Alright…a few minutes…my head aches…both sides and all through the middle. I know who I am and where I am and the idiot that got me here,” she mumbled testily.

  “Francine,” Alister was led behind the drape, Mitch and Frida close behind him. He bent over, kissing her forehead. His fingers shook a little when he brushed the pale hair from her face. “I hear you’re being difficult.”

  “Tattle-tale,” she made a face at Donovan and closed her eyes. But it was enough to break the tension. Donovan moved to the head of the gurney, allowing his mother and father closer. He gently squeezed his mother’s palm when she held his hand for a moment. “It’s not fair…you brought in reinforcements.”

  “I told you…the doctor recommended you stay tonight,” Donovan told her without remorse. “Besides, I’m a smart guy…”

  “That’s why he gets an office with a window,” Cassidy teased, glancing around at the people standing near Frannie.

  “Hi, Cass…fancy shooting,” Frannie complimented with a sigh.

  “Yeah…who knew I fell in love with Annie Oakley,” Mac said with a wink.

  “I didn’t want to do too much damage,” Cassidy turned the record
er on she wore on her jacket. “Tell me what happened, Frannie. I’ll get it transcribed and you sign it so we can add these new charges. He’s bandaged up and on his way downtown with the police,” she listened and made notes on the paper on her clipboard, listening and asking questions until she finally shut the recorder off, reaching for her friend’s palm. “Rest, Frannie. See you Monday.”

  “Thanks, Cassidy…” Frannie closed her eyes and felt the evening catching up with her. “I just wanted a nice family dinner…”

  “We’ll make it happen another time, Frannie,” Frida bent down and kissed her head lightly. “We’re going to go and let you get some sleep. Call me if you need anything, alright? Promise me.”

  “I’ll call, Mom, and keep you updated,” Donovan assured her, pulling a chair beside the bed and letting the family exit before kicking his feet on the lower rail.

  Alister lifted his daughter’s hand from the bed. “Francine, I do not expect to see you at home until sometime tomorrow morning, is that understood?” The corner of his mouth lifted when she nodded. “Now that’s the adorable pout I raised,” he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Good night, daughter.”

  Frannie sighed thickly. “Good night, father.”

  “Thanks, Alister,” Donovan walked with him toward the exit, aware of Frannie watching him. “I’m not sure we could have got through that one without some shouting.”

  “Believe me, Donovan, my intimidation does not work on Francine all the time,” he glanced back at the fragile looking figure. “She must truly be feeling bad. Take care of her. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he clapped Donovan on the shoulder and walked out with Mitch and Frida.

  Noah Madison waited for Donovan to finish with his relatives before stepping forward. “I’ve got a private room ready for her, Donovan. I’m going to recommend a light sedative for her…”

  “Oh, that’ll go over well,” Donovan ran one hand over his head. “Pill or shot?”

  “I can make it a tablet…” he admitted reluctantly.

  “Crush it in a glass of chocolate milk,” Donovan told him firmly. “I’ll get her to drink it. Yeah, I know, Noah…not exactly what you learned in med school…”

  “We went through some tricky maneuvers, Donovan…I’ll be back in a few. The orderly will roll her into the room,” he nodded to his friend and went to prepare the milk.

  Donovan walked alongside the rolling bed, the tensions that had been a part of him over the last hour slowly, gradually easing free. He looked down at the wet, dirty socks on her feet. Her lashes fluttered to raise when he pulled them free.

  “I have extra in my office, lowest desk drawer,” she said tiredly, fumbling with the pouch at her waist, she pulled her key card free. “I’ll wait here…”

  Donovan took the key, raising one brow. “Promise?”

  “Promise. I think I’m tired…” She admitted with a sigh.

  “I’ll bring you back something to drink,” he told her, long stride taking him to her office at a fast clip. Donovan returned to find her breathing evenly, his hands shaking a little after pulling the worn socks free and slipping the pale silver clean ones over her feet. He spread the blankets over her and for the first time, allowed himself to lean on the rail at the bottom of the bed. The lights were dim and his hands clenched tightly on the stainless steel bar.

  Donovan looked up a few seconds later when she stirred, blinking at him and holding her palm out. He moved to her side, lifting the warm chocolate milk from the stand beside the bed. He helped her sit up and put her fingers around the cup.

  “Drink it, Frannie…all of it…”

  She peered at him, a little confused and sleepy, but she did as he asked, draining the cup and handing it back to him. Frannie rolled to her side, backing against the rail.

  “Will you stay with me, Donovan?”

  “Try and drive me away, Frannie,” he told her.

  Donovan edged onto the bad, his feet hanging over the side and his arm open for the woman to move comfortably into. He pulled the blankets up, their eyes closing together and the dim quiet of the night finally finding them.

  He wasn’t sure where he was jerked from when she bolted upright, both her palms covering her mouth. He saw her gasping, her chest heaving but no breath being inhaled. Donovan shifted on the bed, grabbing both her shoulders and lifting her slightly.

  “Frannie!” He said loudly and firmly. “Look at me!”

  Her gaze swept the room, letting recognition seep in before she drew in a ragged breath and collapsed against him. She felt his palm stroking over her head, his words making her smile through the few tears that eased down her cheeks.

  “I’m okay…it was the…all over again…I was so worried that he would see your mother,” she whispered with a yawn, snuggling down against him and closing her eyes. “Thank you, Donovan…I love you…so much…”

  “I think you have a serious timing issue, Francine Kendall,” Donovan kissed her forehead, watching the corner of her mouth lift.

  “Oh, I think you’re handling things quite well, Donovan. Although blackmailing a girl into marrying you,” she yawned.

  “I’d be lost without the girl,” he admitted quietly. “A smart man doesn’t let the right one get away.”

  And he was positive of that.