Whirlwind Love: Libby's Journey

by Hendley, DiDi

  In his British accent, the man replied, “Bret Puckett.”

  Joe stood back and eyed Puckett for a long moment. “It’s been you all along, hasn’t it?”

  Puckett stared at Joe, then his mouth formed an evil grin. “I almost had her.” His sinister laugh grew louder by the minute.

  Joe left the room, returning a few minutes later with a roll of duct tape. Pulling a long piece, he stooped beside Puckett and taped this mouth. Standing, Joe checked his watch and turned to leave the room.

  * * *

  Scott moved forward quickly and pulled Bret to his knees, “is that true?” he asked as he ripped the tape from Puckett’s mouth.

  Bret let out a loud yelp as the tape tore across his lips, then he pushed against Scott. Libby stumbled back against the wall, her face even more pale than before.

  “You were behind the attack in Oklahoma! It was you! You paid that guy to attack me, didn’t you?” Libby’s shaky, angry voice shocked everyone in the room.

  Joe quickly stepped beside her and put his arm around her.

  The sheriff put his hand on Bret and motioned for Scott to untie his bounds.

  “You bitch! You think you’re better’n me! Somebody needed ta take ya down a peg or two! Think you can waive your money ‘round my nose and not expect for me to take what was mine? Yeah...I had special things planned for you! You thought you got away from me in Oklahoma...ha! I trashed your RV but good, didn’t I? Planted a tracker, I did! Took me too damned long to find you in Oklahoma. I waited in Lead...but he was always around.”

  Scott freed Bret’s feet, and Bret began kicking wildly. The sheriff slammed him to the ground as Scott put his knee in Bret’s back to finish untying his hands. Before the knots were loosened, he slapped cuffs on him then took the pressure off Puckett’s back. Bret rolled over and tried to spit on Joe. The sheriff grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, “Son, if you do that again...you’ll not be conscious for the rest of your...interview. You got one more shot...better be smart ‘cause it’s the only one you’ll get with me. Deputy, read him his rights.”

  As Scott began telling Bret his rights, the sheriff stepped over to Joe and Libby. Seeing Libby’s pallor, he held his hand up for the two of them to leave the room, and he followed.

  “Libby, this incident in Oklahoma—did you file a report?”

  “Yes, the paperwork is in the RV. We can go home and get it for you,” she turned toward the door but the Sheriff put his hand on her arm to stop her.

  “Later, yes, I’ll need to see it. Just tell me what happened,” he motioned for them to sit on the sofa.

  Libby recounted the story of her attack at the Oklahoma fairgrounds.

  “So, they caught the guy that attacked you?”

  “Yes, but they didn’t know who was behind it. They called a few days later and talked with Chuck.”

  “Who’s Chuck?”

  “Chuck’s my brother—he’s in there with your deputy.”

  “I’ll talk to him later, then.”

  “Sheriff, while we were at my folks in Oklahoma some weeks back—before the fairgrounds attack, her RV was ransacked. We didn’t see where much was taken, just a few hundred dollars and a GPS. We filed a report there, too,” Joe eyed Libby cautiously. Her face was terribly pale. He reached for her hand and found it cold.

  “And the hotel room in South Dakota was trashed!” Libby added with exasperation.

  “This guy really has a gripe with you...why?”

  “It’s so stupid!” Libby exclaimed, as she thrust herself to the back of the sofa. “It was a stupid singing contest. Laura roped me into it, Sheriff. The contest at her place put me in the regionals, and up against his band. All this, because he didn’t win! And, I gave his band the recording contract—I didn’t want it!”

  “I’m gonna need you to document all this, Libby. I know this is your wedding day, so it can wait for now. Can you be at my office first thing tomorrow?” Looking up from his notebook, he added, “Well, at least sometime before lunch,” and smiled at the couple.

  Joe nodded and looked at Libby. She nodded as well, pulling her hand from Joe’s and wringing them in her lap. Seeing her stricken face, Joe stroked her hair then pressed his forehead against the side of her head.

  The sheriff nodded at them, then returned to the bedroom.

  Joe put his arm around Libby’s shoulder and pulled her into his neck. “You okay? Don’t let him upset you Libby. It’s all over but the paperwork.”

  Libby turned to look at Joe’s arm, “He cut you!”

  “Yeah, a little, it’s no big deal. I patched myself up—good as new.”

  The Sheriff and Scott took Puckett from the house as Chuck joined Libby and Joe in the den.

  “Libby, congratulations. I hope you and your husband will be happy together,” Scott Walker called back as he was walking out the door.

  Libby managed a faint smile and nodded at her former beau. “Thanks, Scott.”

  “I can’t believe Tigger was behind all that!” Chuck laughed, trying to lighten the room.

  Libby looked curiously at Chuck as he sat on a loveseat across from them. Libby’s worried expression faded as a full grin took its place. Chuck flashed his most charming smile.

  “Tigger?”Joe smirked, eyebrow raised as he looked from face-to-face.

  Joe, Libby and Chuck returned to the pool among their friends for hours, offering stories of how they met and their decision to bring their closest friends together in such a manner, but no one mentioned the attack on Joe.

  Lee and Marshall made their way to the bride. “Libby, we’re both so pleased to have you as a member of the King family. You know, Joe was always more...level-headed about women than Chuck. Heaven help us when he brings one home,” Lee laughed. “Well, I just wanted you to know that we’re so happy for you and Joe.”

  “But...I gotta ask why you didn’t tell us!” Marshall laughed. “Sneaky...you two. You gotta promise me...in the future you let us know about these little surprises. We’re both gettin’ old! You can’t just spring this kinda stuff on old folk!” Marshall’s hearty laughter could be heard over half the island.

  “Shootout…to my big brother, Joe!” Chuck raised a shot of whiskey and someone grabbed a bottle from a table to pass around.

  Laughing, Joe grabbed Chuck’s shoulder, “Nah, man. I appreciate the sentiment. But I haven’t had a hard drink in over thirty days. Don’t think I care to raise a glass now. I’m good.”

  “What?! No drink for over a month?” Chuck grabbed his heart and stumbled backward. “That’s unheard of! Woman! What have you done to my brother?” Chuck laughed as he threw back his shot, poured himself another and filled cups in the crowd until the bottle was dry.

  Joe kissed Libby’s cheek, then headed toward the buffet, laughing with friends along the way. Libby proudly smiled after Joe.

  * * *

  The moon rose high in the sky as the party shone brightly in the sky, Libby excused herself, kissed Joe and returned to the house. With all the excitement and the champagne, her head was feeling light. The exhaustion of the last couple of weeks had caught up to her, and she decided to lie down for a while. The room was still a mess, but she lay across the bed and drifted off to sleep.

  As the evening grew later, the guests scattered, some retiring to their cabins while others went after their instruments. The party gathered around the pool, which became alive with the talented voices of family and friends, musicians who were too far away for far too long. The open bar on the porch proved a lively point of interest, even as the wee hours crept in around them. Time passed quickly as the music played on, although no one seemed to notice the missing bride.

  Island off the coast of South Carolina, Day 61 - Saturday

  Libby awoke from her deep sleep to poolside laughter beyond the sleeping porch off the master bedroom. She was appare
ntly asleep for several hours. As she sat up, her head and body argued against the notion of rising, but she felt she should be participating in her celebration, somehow. Taking a few deep breaths, she sat on the edge of the bed and removed the pins from her hair. Once all were gone, she crossed to the dresser and brushed the loose curls. “Well, now that helps the headache, but I really need to wake up!”

  Libby stepped out onto the porch from the master bedroom, making her way around to the poolside porch. Her head was still spinning a bit and she felt very tired. The party had dwindled down to the band and a few other stragglers. She saw Megan sitting beside Rick. “They look kinda cozy,” she said to herself.

  Stepping down to the poolside deck, she stood by the lounger where Joe was sitting with his guitar. “I’ve come to collect my husband,” she announced.

  The animated vocals of the crowd indicated just how much drinking had taken place since Libby disappeared.

  “Now, you’ve had him long enough...he’s mine,” she smiled.

  Joe slid to the edge of the lounger and took Libby by the hand, kissing her palm and smiling up at her.

  “You looked exhausted, so I hope you don’t mind I let you sleep.”

  She smiled back at him without a word. Her thoughts were on her achy body and the realization that she couldn’t have joined them if she’d wanted to, but she didn’t want to be a buzzkill by complaining.

  Having visited the facilities, Chuck stopped by the open bar for yet another drink. He was flying high, enjoying time and songs with his brothers and friends he had missed during last months. Seeing Libby, he set his drink on a table as he walked up behind her. Throwing his arms around her back in an attempt to dip her, he loudly announced, “It’s my turn to kiss the bride!”

  Still holding her hand, Joe registered the look of shock and terror on Libby’s face as Chuck’s arms came from seemingly nowhere. As Chuck removed his arms, laughing, he felt the weight of Libby fall against him, which caused them both to fall to the wooden deck. Joe threw his guitar aside, kicking the lounger off the deck as he scrambled to her side; and grabbed Libby’s face.

  As Chuck struggled to slip out from beneath her, Joe yelled, “She’s not breathing!” He listened closely to her mouth, then her heart. “Oh, God! Call an ambulance!” he repeatedly called out. He began desperate attempts at CPR. Rick joined him to do chest compressions while Joe breathed air into Libby’s lungs. It seemed an eternity to Joe. “Libby, breathe! Please, dear God, breathe!”

  Ten minutes after she fell, the local volunteer rescue squad appeared, followed some minutes later by an ambulance.

  Charleston, South Carolina - Day 62 - Sunday

  Joe paced, barefoot, in the emergency room. Rick held on to Megan while an ashen, barely sober Chuck sat by a window. Joe’s parents arrived with Grace, Jane and Will.

  “How is she?” Will asked as he approached Joe. As they huddled around Joe for any news he could share, Lee handed Joe his shoes.

  Joe shook his head and shrugged as he stared down the hallway, hoping someone would appear to give him positive news of Libby’s condition. He turned to look into the eyes of the crowd, “I haven’t heard anything,” he blinked back tears as he turned to again face the hallway while slipping on his shoes. As he stood, Lee wrapped her arm in his, her eyes rimmed with tears as her worried face showed heartbreak for the pain of her eldest son.

  Joe put his arm around his mother’s shoulder and pulled her close. He laid his forehead against hers as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close.

  Joe’s broken demeanor hit the newcomers hard. Will and the powerhouses hadn’t witnessed Libby’s fall, and they knew Joe only to be happy optimistic, and in deep love with Libby. Seeing him, so frail and worried, they realized just how afraid he was to lose the woman they all loved so. Taking seats in the waiting area, everyone prayed hard as they waited.

  Hours passed before any news came. Dawn was peeking into the windows when the doctor came into the room. “King...” he asked expectantly.

  Joe, who saw the doctor coming down the hall, was standing beside him before he spoke the name. “How is she?”

  The doctor looked worn as he pulled his sweat-soaked cap from his head. “Not good, I’m afraid. We’ve done all we can for now...we’re still waiting on some test results. We’re going to have to wait and see for the next few hours. She’s tough...I’ll tell you. I’m sorry I don’t have better news for you Mr. King. We’ll be keeping a close eye on her and her heart. She’s lucky you were there, as I hear it.”

  “When can I see her?” Joe asked hopefully. “Well, you can go back soon, I’m afraid we’ll need to limit exposure for now. I don’t want to take any chances. She’s unconscious, of course. I have to prepare you, so I don’t mean to sound blunt: but if she wakes at all, it’ll be a while. I’ll be around to talk to you more in a bit.” The doctor put his hand on Joe’s shoulder, nodded to the group and returned down his original path.

  Joe’s haggard expression spoke volumes. “How...” tears filled his eyes. Megan put her arms around his neck and held on tightly. Joe leaned on her, hugging her. “I’m sorry Megan, I’m not exactly here for you, am I?”

  Megan didn’t move for a while, then shook her head, “Joe, we’ve got each other...we just have to keep praying.”

  Joe took a deep breath, stroked Megan’s hair and again watched down the hall for any hint of news. The group returned to the seats and began another vigil of prayer and consolation for one another.

  Half an hour later, a nurse came for Joe. As he walked back, he called to Megan, “I’ll come get you as soon as I can.” She nodded and motioned for him to go.

  Joe quietly walked to Libby’s bedside. Although she was in CICU, she was in a more private space than the other three. Joe pulled up a stool and slipped his hand inside Libby’s hand. He studied her face, beyond the tubes, willing her to open her eyes and be okay. For the next hour, he didn’t move. “Hey, remember when you chewed me out in the parking lot? I never told you, but that was singularly the most exciting thing any woman’s ever done to me...no woman has ever had the nerve to call me out like that.

  “I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on you. I think, truly, you melted my heart that day. My precious speedbump...” Joe laughed. “Suits you, you sure slowed me down. You’ve shown me how to appreciate being still, how to listen to nothing and hear everything. But you know, none of that matters if you’re not here with me...Libby, please don’t leave me.” Joe placed his cheek on her hand as his tears fell across her fingers.

  As if his silent prayers were heard, he felt her feathered touch brush against his cheek. Joe sat up quickly wiping his face to see Libby’s tired eyes smiling at him. “Thank you, God,” he said softly with his head raised to the sky. He stood and leaned over her face, kissing her forehead. “Hey, you! What do you think you’re doing, you gave us a helluva...flarflebloo-ey scare!”

  Libby smiled slowly. “Sorry,” she said weakly.

  “Well, okay, if you don’t let it happen again,” he tried to laugh, but she knew it wasn’t real.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure...the doctor hasn’t explained things yet...he was waiting on some tests.” Libby closed her eyes. Joe watched her closely, “Sleep, my sweet.”

  Joe breathed a heavy sigh just as a nurse came into the room to check her IVs and vitals. “She woke up,” Joe said, trying not to show his excitement.

  “That’s a good sign!” the nurse replied taking Libby’s other hand to check her pulse as she watched the monitor above the bed.

  Joe asked, “Would it be alright if I bring her niece back? She’s her only blood relative...”

  “Yeah, but not for long...she’s very sick, and we normally just let one family member back at the time.” Joe nodded.

  “Is it true you two got married yesterday?”

 
; Joe looked at Libby and nodded his head. “Well, we need to get her well so you can go on a proper honeymoon, don’t we?” she smiled.

  Joe walked quickly to the waiting room, everyone stood as he entered the room. “She woke up! Megan, come on back,” he said excitedly. Joe held out his hand for Megan. “I’ll be back...” he called over his shoulder to the group.

  Joe brought Megan to Libby’s room, “I’ll go talk to them while you visit, I’ll be back soon.”

  Joe returned to the group, telling them what happened. “It wasn’t long, but she talked to me...keep praying,” his voice trailed as he realized Louie had joined the crowd. A large, square, white gift box with a blue bow was sitting on the chair next to him while his luggage sat beneath it on the floor.

  “Louie, I didn’t know you were here.” Louie stood and shook his hand, “Joe, I’m so sorry to hear about Libby. She invited me to the party, but I missed my plane. By the time I got to the address she sent me, well, I heard what happened and came straight over to see if there was anything I could do.”

  Joe replied, “Thanks man, that was nice of you. We’re all just waiting and praying. I’m going back.” Joe said to the group and quickly disappeared behind the door.

  Libby and Megan were laughing quietly. He smiled as he entered the room. “That’s music to my ears!” Joe whispered as he put his hands on Megan’s shoulders.

  The nurse came in to check on Libby. “Hey, good to see you awake! Keep it up, and we can move you to a more private unit.” Libby smiled at her and nodded. The nurse turned to acknowledge Joe and Megan. Joe whispered to Megan, “They don’t want both of us back here, I’ll go...”

  Megan stood, kissing Libby on her cheek, “I’ll see you in the next room...show ‘em how we Morgan girls do it!” she smiled at Libby. As she stepped back, “we’re tough—they don’t have a clue!” Libby gave her a thumbs-up and smiled.