A County Girl's Heart

by Dena Blake

  “Okay, thanks. Let me know if you find out anything.” She hit the end button and held the phone to her chest. Everything was falling apart. DJ, the ranch, Virgil. How had her life suddenly gone to shit?

  DJ reached over and glided her hand across Kat’s leg before curling her fingers underneath her thigh and letting it settle there permanently. The warmth sizzled through Kat, and her system jolted. Suddenly the confines of the car seemed very intimate. What the hell was wrong with her? The man she respected most in the world was seriously hurt, and all it took was a single touch from DJ to scatter all her thoughts.

  “This doesn’t change anything between us, DJ,” Kat said, offering her the phone and hoping she’d remove her hand. She did, and after sliding the phone into her pocket, DJ let her hand rest on the gear stick. Kat shifted in her seat, thankful for something besides her leg to occupy DJ’s hand.

  “How did it happen?” DJ asked.

  “They don’t know.” She stared out the window through the droplets of rain into the darkness, trying to envision what had gone on. “George found Virgil in the stall with Minow.”

  “With Minow?” DJ’s voice rose.

  “Apparently this storm went through there tonight too. Maybe the lightning started the fire and spooked her.”

  “Stranger things have happened.”

  “That’s crazy.” Kat shook her head. “Minow doesn’t spook. I trained her myself. She’s the gentlest horse I have.”

  “Do they know when it happened?”

  “No. They’re not sure how long he was lying there before they found him. My guess is it wasn’t too long ago. Virgil checks the stable every night about nine o’clock?” She sat in silence for a moment. “Damn it.” She shook her head.

  DJ looked over at her. “What?”

  “Something strange is going on.” Kat twisted in her seat to look at her. “If a storm was coming, Virgil would’ve already had the stable locked down with the horses in it. Right?”

  “Right.”

  “They said all the other horses were out in the corral when they showed up.” The timing was all off.

  “Maybe the storm came up quicker than he thought.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Virgil can smell a storm coming. There’s no way he would’ve left the horses out.” She slapped her hand to the dash. “I don’t think this fire was an accident.” Only Virgil could tell them what really happened. She just hoped he was all right.

  DJ pushed the accelerator pedal to the floor, sending the speedometer shooting up past the speed limit.

  After entering the emergency room at Austin General, they found that the medical flight helicopter had already arrived. The two of them went straight to the nurses’ station.

  “Can you give me any information on Virgil Jackson?” DJ asked.

  The clerk spun around in her chair to speak to the nurse behind her. “You have any info on Virgil Jackson?”

  The nurse looked up from the chart she held. “They just brought him in. Are you a family member?”

  “I’m DJ Callahan, Virgil’s personal attorney, and this is Kathryn Jackson, his daughter-in-law.”

  “Well, Ms. Callahan, I don’t have a status yet, but if you’ll follow me, we can check with the flight nurse that transported him.”

  Kat followed with DJ firmly in tow.

  “Only one at a time, please. This is a trauma center,” the nurse said before going through the double doors.

  DJ turned to Kat. “Wait here a minute. I’ll be right back.”

  “But—”

  “You’re too emotional now, Kat.”

  “Emotional, my ass.” Kat pushed past DJ and through the door. “You wait out here.”

  DJ rushed up next to Kat as the nurse led them through the doors and down the hallway to the exam rooms.

  “I said only one of you.” The nurse stopped and blocked the doorway with her arm.

  DJ flashed the nurse a disarming grin. “Can you make an exception, just this once?”

  Kat blew out a quick breath of air through her nose to let DJ know she was disgusted with her tactics, but DJ didn’t seem to care.

  The nurse pointed to the woman in uniform, packing supplies into a medical kit. “There’s one of the flight nurses that flew in with Mr. Jackson. She might be able to answer some of your questions.”

  “Thank you so much.” DJ took the nurse’s hand between hers and held it momentarily.

  Kat clenched her hands into fists and swallowed hard. “That smooth charm certainly comes in handy, doesn’t it?” She didn’t know what she expected. DJ had used her good looks and charisma so often, it was probably second nature.

  DJ reached for her. “Kat…”

  She threw her hands up. “Not now, DJ.”

  Without argument, DJ whipped around and headed into the exam room. “DJ Callahan, Mr. Jackson’s personal attorney,” she said, extending her hand. “And this is his daughter-in-law, Kathryn Jackson.” She motioned to Kat. “How’s he doing?”

  “I’m afraid there’s not really much to tell yet. They just took him up to surgery.” The nurse shook DJ’s hand, gave Kat a nod, and continued to pack the kit. “He has multiple chest contusions. I saw that when I hooked him up to the monitors.”

  Kat looked at the bloodied gauze on the floor. “Is all this from him?” she asked and sucked in a deep breath, trying to keep the queasy feeling at bay. Her stomach felt as though it might erupt at any minute. She didn’t know why it bothered her. She saw more blood than this during the animal births she handled at the ranch.

  “I’m afraid so,” the nurse said.

  “How serious is it?” The thought of Virgil lying helpless, tubes running from various parts of his body, and machines hovering next to the bed swept through Kat’s mind, and she felt scared and very much alone. Virgil wasn’t a young man, but he always took pride in his virility. An immovable fixture in her life, he would by no means be considered frail or weak. He was the rock she’d held onto so many times when things got tough. He had to be okay.

  “It’s serious.” The nurse looked up momentarily and seemed to take note of Kat’s fixed gaze on the blood-soaked gauze strewn across the floor. “He could have broken ribs and internal bleeding.”

  “Did he regain consciousness at all?” Kat asked, her voice weak.

  “Just for a few minutes. As I told Ms. Callahan on the phone, he gave me her card.”

  Kat’s body heated, and her vision went fuzzy. The nurse ripped open a pack containing a wet cloth and moved quickly to her.

  “Here. This should help.” The nurse blotted Kat’s face with the cool cloth and then slid it across the back of her neck.

  The double doors swung open, and Rebecca came into the room with Mark following her. “Any news?” Rebecca asked as she wrapped her arm around Kat’s shoulder.

  “Nothing current.” Kat sank into Rebecca and closed her eyes to combat the light-headedness.

  “She needs to sit down. Would you please take her outside while I finish up here?” DJ said.

  Rebecca nodded and led Kat to the door. “Come on. Let’s go out here where it’s a little cooler.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, fighting the darkness blurring her mind. She didn’t want to leave. She didn’t like being handled. She wanted firsthand information about what had happened, but the blood had done her in. Heat pricked her neck, so she went with Rebecca to the waiting room.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  DJ didn’t want to send Kat with Rebecca, but she looked like she might pass out any minute, and DJ wouldn’t be able to gain more information from the nurse if she had her hands full with Kat. Virgil might have said something to the nurse while he was being transported.

  DJ waited for the door to close behind the two women before she turned to the nurse. “Were there any other injuries?”

  “It looks like he took a pretty good blow to the head. He could have a skull fracture.”

  “Damn.” DJ rubbed her hand across her chin. �
�Did he say anything else to you besides asking you to call me?”

  “Nothing coherent.” She stopped packing for a minute and looked at DJ as though she was trying to remember. “After we talked, he did regain consciousness for a few minutes. He started mumbling something over and over.”

  “What was it?”

  “Something about someone named Victoria.” She continued to sort through the supplies.

  DJ reached over and closed the medical kit she was packing. “Listen. It’s really important that you try to remember exactly what he said.”

  She let out a sigh. “I don’t know. It was so loud up there.” She shook her head. “I think he must have been delirious. He said something about a cat and keeping it away from her.”

  “Is that it?”

  “Yeah. After that he was in and out of consciousness. The monitors were topping out, and his blood pressure was going through the roof.”

  “Thanks,” DJ said, and her mind began to spin. Could Victoria have possibly caused this accident? Did she want the land so badly she would destroy the ranch for it? Or did she just want Kat?

  “Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. You might want to talk to the other guy we brought in.” She zipped up her kit and slung it over her shoulder.

  “What other guy?” DJ asked, snapping out of her thought.

  “The guy who carried him out. He’s in the next room.” She pointed through the glass window.

  Even though his shoulder-length hair had been fastened into a ponytail away from his soot-smeared face, DJ immediately recognized George, the bartender from the ranch.

  “How’s he doing?”

  “I don’t know. Why don’t we ask the doc?” The nurse knocked on the glass and waved the doctor over. “How’s the hero, Doc?” she asked as he came through the doorway.

  “He’s doing pretty well. Just a few minor burns and a little smoke inhalation.” The doctor was busy making notations on the chart and didn’t look up. “If he hadn’t been there, the guy they brought in with him would probably be dead.”

  “Can I talk to him for a minute?” DJ asked.

  “That depends on who you are?”

  “DJ Callahan, legal representative for the Jumpin’ J Ranch.” She handed him her card. “I’m also a friend.”

  The doctor read it and handed it back. “Okay, but only for a few minutes.”

  DJ pasted on a big smile and pushed through the door. “Hey, buddy. How ya doing?” She fought to hold her smile as the overwhelming smell of burnt flesh penetrated her nostrils.

  “I’ll be all right. It looks worse than it is.” George lifted his bandaged arm. “Other one’s okay, but all the hair’s gone.” He lowered his eyes. “How’s Virgil?”

  “Don’t know yet. They’re still working on him.” DJ propped herself up on the end of the gurney. “It’s a good thing you were there.”

  “That’s what they tell me.”

  “How did you find him so quickly?”

  “It’s my night off, and I try and stay away from the bar when I’m not workin’. I was out taking a walk when I saw the smoke coming from the stable.” He rubbed his face nervously. “My first thought was the horses, but when I opened the gate to Minow’s stall, I saw Virgil on the ground.”

  “So you carried him out first and then set the horses free?” DJ asked, trying to figure out the sequence of events.

  “No. I didn’t have to let the horses out.” George looked a little confused. “Minow was the only one in there, and she followed me out when I picked up Virgil.”

  DJ rolled her lips together. “The fire chief said the horses were in the corral when they arrived.”

  “If he says they were, then they were.” He stared down at the floor. “But I didn’t put them there.”

  “You have any idea how the fire started?”

  George looked at the door and hesitated. DJ turned and saw Mark watching them through the glass. “Must have been the lightning.” He slapped at the soot covering his pants.

  “Well, anyway, it’s a good thing you found Virgil when you did.” DJ gave him an appreciative smile, but she got the feeling George knew more about this fire than he was saying.

  “Tell Kat I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner,” George said, a sad sort of sincerity ringing in his voice.

  He peered up at DJ, then to the floor quickly. If George was involved, he seemed to be regretting it now.

  “I will.” DJ patted him on the shoulder and headed into the other exam room.

  “Who’s that?” Mark looked through the glass.

  “You don’t know him?” DJ asked.

  “No. Why would I?”

  “He’s one of the bartenders at the ranch.” DJ looked at George momentarily. “You should be very thankful he found Virgil when he did.”

  Mark stepped in front of DJ, blocking her way. “Why do you keep insisting that I’m involved in all this?”

  “Just following the trail, and right now it seems to be leading directly to you.” She pushed by him.

  DJ went through the double doors and met Kat in the hallway. “He’s going to be in there for a while.” She took Kat by the hand and led her into the waiting room. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine. Just a little overwhelmed by the blood. What did she say?”

  “It looks like, along with the multiple chest contusions, Virgil may also have a skull fracture.”

  “Oh, my God!” Kat said, and her knees seemed to buckle beneath her again.

  “You have to stay positive, Kat.”

  Kat began to sway, and DJ held her close. “This is my fault. I should’ve never left him out there alone.” She pressed her face against DJ’s chest and began to sob uncontrollably.

  “He wasn’t alone. You have twenty or more ranch hands on site.” DJ felt the warmth of Kat’s tears through the cotton T-shirt she wore as she held her tight.

  “But they don’t look after him like I do.” She sobbed, tears choking back the words.

  “He’s going to be all right, Kat. You have to believe that.” DJ stroked her hair lightly. Believing Virgil was going to survive this was the only thing helping Kat through this right now.

  Unsettled by this place where people teetered on the brink between life and death, DJ heard her stomach rumble. She knew from experience that anyone could easily lose that balance in a split second. She could handle the blood, but the antiseptic smell stinging in her nose brought back painful memories of her father’s death. The heart attack. The tractor. The reality that his body could’ve withstood the coronary, but the damage done by the tiller was too much. DJ should’ve been stronger. If she hadn’t left the farm, she would’ve been on the tractor. There would’ve been no heart attack, no accident, and her father would still be alive. She stared down at Kat, huddled closer to her, and took in a slow, deep breath. The warmth of Kat against her soothed the feeling of helplessness inside. Kat didn’t know it, but she was comforting DJ as much as she was comforting Kat.

  The double doors flew open, and the commotion revived the waiting room full of sleepy-eyed people. A man dressed in pale-green scrubs appeared. “I’m looking for the family of Virgil Jackson.”

  Kat shot out of DJ’s arms. “I’m Kathryn Jackson, Virgil’s daughter-in-law.”

  He extended his hand. “Hi, Mrs. Jackson. I’m Steven Kane.”

  “How is he?” Kat asked softly, a slight waver in her voice.

  “Well, Mrs. Jackson, he took a pretty good beating, but your father-in-law is a tough guy.” The doctor smiled. “It’s going to take some time for him to recover, but I think he’ll be all right.”

  She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Dr. Kane. Can I see him?”

  “He’s in recovery now. You can see him as soon as he’s settled into intensive care.” The doctor turned to the nurses’ station. “One of the nurses will take you to him in just a little while.”

  “Thank you again, Dr. Kane,” Kat said.

  He nodded and headed to the doubl
e doors, stopping just before he entered. “Mrs. Jackson,” he called to her. “Don’t be alarmed when you see him. He has a few facial lacerations, but they look a lot worse than they are.”

  “There, you see?” Rebecca smiled. “He’s going to be just fine.”

  Kat crossed her arms and paced the waiting room. “I still can’t figure out what happened.”

  Rebecca stood in Kat’s path and made her look at her. “That’s not important now. I’m sure Virgil will fill you in when he feels up to it.”

  She glanced at her watch. “It’s after three, Bec. You should go on home. I’ll be all right.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t mind staying.”

  Kat tensed and stared across the room at DJ. “I’ll be fine.”

  Rebecca put her arm around her big sister. “She cares about you, Kat. Let her help.”

  “I know.” Kat felt the familiar twang in her belly, and her weary voice faded. Even with her anger, the connection she felt with DJ hadn’t diminished. Rebecca’s confirmation of it didn’t help matters.

  After speaking to the nurse, DJ went to Kat and Rebecca. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but they’re ready to take us up now.” She led them to the elevator and held the door as they entered.

  “Call me if you need me.” Rebecca kissed Kat on the cheek before stepping out.

  DJ put a foot into the doorway, making the metal doors bounce into the channel. “You’re not coming up?”

  “No. Mark and I are going home.” Rebecca touched DJ’s arm. “You take care of her, all right?”

  DJ glanced at Kat, and she gave her a tentative look. “I will.” She nodded and backed up to let the doors close.

  After exiting the elevator and walking a short distance past the nurses’ station, the two of them quietly followed the nurse into Virgil’s hospital room.

  “He’ll probably be unconscious most of the night. He’s still heavily sedated,” the nurse said, checking the monitors.

  DJ could see Kat was shaken at the sight of him, and to be honest, so was DJ. Virgil had a large gash across his cheekbone and another small cut above his eye. Both had been neatly stitched and dressed with some sort of ointment.