Her Rocky Mountain Defender

by Jennifer D. Bokal

  Chapter 11

  Oleg lay on a gurney, an oxygen mask covered his mouth. He was wheeled into the back of the ambulance and it sped away. The bodies of both Serge and Anton had been removed by the coroner only moments before. Even with those vehicles gone, the street in front of The Prow was still full of lights and people. A barricade had been set up at each end of the block. A mix of newscasters and neighbors huddled next to the barrier. They yelled questions to officials on the scene, trying to make sense of the situation.

  Roman stood next to Madelyn. She was on another gurney at the rear of a second ambulance. A paramedic swabbed her face with an antiseptic wipe and she flinched.

  “You okay?” Roman asked. It was an inane question to be sure, but all he had.

  “I guess,” she said. “What now?”

  “You can go back home and never worry about Oleg Zavalov again.”

  “Not for me, but for you and the case?”

  “Now every law enforcement officer in the country starts looking for Nikolai Mateev.”

  “I’m sorry that I went to see Ava. If I hadn’t, then Nikolai wouldn’t have gotten away.”

  “All of this has been awful for you, I know,” Roman said. “But it is because of you that we have Oleg Zavalov in custody and know that Nikolai Mateev is somewhere close. It’s only a matter of time before he’s found.”

  “I feel I made the wrong choice twice over, and ruined everything.”

  Her words of contrition squeezed Roman’s heart. “You don’t know what would have happened or not. None of us owns a crystal ball,” he said. “And if we did, then we’d play the lottery and retire to an island.”

  She laughed a little. It was exactly what he needed to hear.

  Still in a suit and tie, Ian Wallace approached at a fast clip. He cut through the knot of uniformed police officers and crime scene technicians in their nylon blue windbreakers.

  “It’s been a hell of a day for you two.”

  “What’s going on in there?”

  “Oleg Zavalov’s computer has been opened. It seems he hacked into the cellular network and had record of Ms. Thompkins’s final cell tower contact near the turnoff by the bridge. I assume it’s how he found the safe house.”

  “How’d he get my number?” Madelyn asked.

  If Roman was a betting man, he’d wager that Oleg had gotten it from Ava. But he didn’t need to add to Madelyn’s heartache over her sister. “He’s good with computers,” Roman said. “There’s very little he couldn’t have found.”

  Madelyn shrugged. “I guess.” Maybe she suspected Ava, as well.

  “Anything else?” Roman asked.

  “There is,” said Ian. He held up an evidence bag with three prescription bottles inside. “We found these in the duffel bag belonging to Nikolai Mateev. Of course, they’ll be analyzed at the lab, but since you’re a doctor, I was hoping you could tell me what they might be used to treat?”

  Ian handed the bag to Madelyn and she looked through the translucent plastic. “This one is for nausea. And these two are immune boosters.” With a sigh, she handed the bag back. “It’s a pretty typical regimen for cancer patients undergoing chemo.”

  “Cancer?” asked Ian. “Nikolai Mateev has cancer?”

  “It makes sense if you think about it,” Roman said. “His sudden need for an heir—first his grandson and then his great-nephew. More than that, the United States has advanced medical care, so he might come here for treatment. Finding any newly filled prescriptions for these drugs could help locate Nikolai.”

  “An interesting thought,” said Ian, “and one that I promise to act on. Since Oleg’s car was found abandoned seven blocks west of here, we need to be creative in our search efforts. You’re a hell of an intel officer, Roman. I hope you plan to stay on this case to the end.”

  Roman accepted with a nod, although there was no way they were going to take this case from him. “And Oleg? How is he?”

  “He’s on his way to the hospital now, but things don’t look good.”

  Roman had seen enough battlefield trauma to know that a human body could withstand serious injuries and survive. Yet, he’d also seen enough to know that Oleg was close to that limit. “To me, it looked like he sacrificed himself so that Mateev could get away.”

  “Maybe there is honor among criminals. Or maybe it was easier to get shot by the cops than to have Nikolai order jailhouse justice. Who knows, at least Oleg’s not part of the equation anymore.”

  “At all?” asked Madelyn.

  “Oleg’s influence in the criminal underworld was based on his family’s association with Nikolai Mateev. And if he loses Nikolai’s blessing, which he might after all this...? Let’s just say that he won’t be able to rouse too many thugs to his aid,” Roman said. “On the off chance that he survives, he’ll be in prison for the rest of his life and you’ll be safe.”

  Madelyn exhaled and nodded. “That’s a relief. And what about Ava?”

  “She’s being held at the University of Colorado Hospital in a detox unit,” said Ian. “But your sister is technically in custody of the Boulder City Police Department as an accessory to your kidnapping.”

  “My sister’s not a criminal,” said Madelyn. “She needs help. Is there any way I can speak to her?”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Ian said. He withdrew his phone and typed out a text. “Hopefully, the hospital will approve.”

  “And what about Jackson?” Roman asked. “He’s the Boulder PD officer who frequented The Prow.”

  “He’s cooperating fully with authorities, but I don’t know what will become of him,” Ian said. The phone in his hand beeped. He looked at the screen. “Good news, Madelyn. You’re able to speak to your sister.”

  “When?”

  “As soon as you can be transported,” Ian said.

  As if on cue, two paramedics stepped forward. “Excuse me, sir. We need to get this patient to the hospital. Doctor’s orders.” One lifted Madelyn’s gurney into the back of the ambulance and followed. The other shut the door and rounded to the front, getting into the driver’s seat.

  The ambulance maneuvered through the police barricade. Once on the street, it gathered speed before disappearing around the corner.

  Roman stood in the middle of the road, staring. People walked by, jostling him as they passed. He’d never been more alone in his life.

  Ian clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”

  Roman shook his head.

  “Let’s get you checked out, too. Come on, I’ll give you a ride to the hospital.”

  “I’m fine,” he said. His words a faint echo of his feelings. “It’s just...”

  “It’s just, what?”

  Roman looked away from the place where the ambulance had turned. “It’s just that I think I let the best thing that ever happened to me walk out of my life.”

  * * *

  Upon arriving at the hospital, Madelyn had been ordered to remain in a wheelchair until she’d been thoroughly evaluated. But first, she was given the opportunity to see Ava. A visit such as this was uncommon. Madelyn supposed it was a perk of being enrolled in the hospital’s teaching program. An orderly pushed Madelyn down that hall, stopping in front of a door that was unremarkable except for the police officer stationed outside.

  “You have five minutes,” the officer said to Madelyn. “And if you need me, just call. I’ll be right here the whole time.”

  “Thanks,” she said, as the orderly wheeled her into the room, retreated and shut the door behind him.

  Ava lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. A white sheet and blanket were folded across her chest. An IV was attached to one arm. Several bags of clear fluids hung from a pole and dripped medications into the tubing. Ava’s other arm was handcuffed to the bed.

  Madelyn sat in silence, not sure how she felt or w
hat she wanted to say.

  “I guess you came to yell at me.” Ava cast her gaze to Madelyn and then back at the ceiling.

  “No,” said Madelyn.

  “You aren’t mad at me?”

  Madelyn gave a snort. “I’m so far beyond mad that you can’t see mad in the rearview mirror.”

  “So, you did come to yell.”

  “Would it do any good?”

  “Probably not,” said Ava. She paused a beat. “Why did you come?”

  “To make sure that you’re okay.” She paused. “I talked to Mom and Dad for a second and let them know you’re in the hospital. They want to know how you’re doing.”

  Ava rattled her handcuffed wrist. “I’m splendid. Thank your boyfriend for having me arrested. It’ll be fun to talk about when the family gets together next Thanksgiving.”

  Madelyn hadn’t expected contrition, or even an apology. Yet, she didn’t have the stomach for Ava playing the defiant victim.

  “Ava, you’re my sister and I will always love you, no matter what you do. I want to help you. If you ever care to accept that help, let me know.” Madelyn pushed the wheels on her chair back, maneuvering toward the door.

  “I don’t want my life to be like this, you know.”

  Madelyn stopped. “I know.”

  “I am sorry, Maddie. I don’t know why I did what I did. I didn’t really know what kind of person Oleg Zavalov was, you know?” Ava took in a shaking breath. “That’s not true, I do know. I wanted drugs—the next high is all I think about. It frees me from my own body, my own life, and all the crappy things I’ve done. Getting high is all I care about sometimes. But I do love you, too.”

  Turning back to her sister, Madelyn wheeled next to the bed and reached for Ava’s hand.

  “Can you forgive me?” Ava asked.

  Could she? Ava’s quest for easy drugs had almost cost Madelyn her life several times over. More than that, there was the constant worry and the heartache to their parents. Ava should be told and held accountable for it all. Madelyn recoiled, shocked by her own thoughts. Had she come to gloat? She refused to be that kind of person.

  Madelyn squeezed Ava’s hand tighter. “I forgive you, Ava.”

  Tears streamed down Ava’s cheeks. She lifted her hand to wipe them away. The handcuff rattled and Ava’s arm jerked to a stop. Madelyn grabbed a tissue and dabbed her sister’s eyes.

  The door opened and the orderly entered. “Time’s up,” he said.

  Madelyn lifted from the seat and kissed her sister on the forehead. “I love you, Ava.”

  Still crying, Ava smiled. “Maybe this time it’ll be okay.”

  Madelyn sank back into the wheelchair and gave a little wave. Maybe this time Ava was right and it would work out just fine.

  * * *

  Madelyn reclined on the hospital bed, feeling healthy and ready to be released. All she needed was to be given the results before being allowed to go home. The story of the shoot-out at The Prow had hit the press, so she called her parents a second time and gave them a complete rundown of the events before they heard about it on the news. They were on their way from Cheyenne. Both were horrified for what she’d endured, but thankful that Ava was once again undergoing treatment.

  It seemed that every person with whom Madelyn had worked—even briefly—had stopped by for a visit. Far from finding the constant parade of companionship annoying, Madelyn felt cared for and respected. There was one person who she wanted to see and he had yet to arrive: Roman. At this late hour, she doubted that he would come.

  Madelyn turned to the window, the world outside dark. She wondered how much longer she’d be asked to wait—never mind how she’d get home if the buses were no longer running.

  “Knock, knock.” A familiar voice came from the doorway. Roman leaned a shoulder on the doorjamb, one foot crossed over the other. A white hospital band encircled one wrist and he held the canvas bag she’d gotten at RMJ filled with her clothes. “I wanted to return this to you,” he said as he entered her room. “I figured it’d be best to give them to you now, since we’re both here.”

  “Sure,” she said, swallowing down a huge helping of disappointment that he’d only come to return her shirt and jacket. “Thanks.”

  “Do you have a minute?”

  Here it comes—The Speech. She knew the one. It was where Roman told her how she was an amazing person, but that she was too focused and ambitious, and there was no room in her life for anyone else. Did guys not understand how badly it hurt to be rejected for having goals? It was why she’d given him all those excuses already.

  Roman sat on the edge of her bed. “You’re an amazing person,” he said. “I’ve never met anyone with the same amount of drive or determination as you.”

  She wanted to laugh or cry or maybe throw up. No matter how badly Madelyn wanted a career in medicine, or how much more she’d need to sacrifice to get it—she could not hear Roman give her The Speech.

  She held up her hand, halting his words. “But,” she continued for him. “But. But. But my life plan is so set that it’s hard for you to see a place where you’d fit. I was right all along. You don’t need to explain yourself. Really.”

  “I’m not letting you push me away,” he said. “I have goals, too. But when I didn’t know where you were or what Oleg had done to you. Well, it was the worst moment of my life.”

  It took a second for his words to make sense and even then, Madelyn could hardly believe what he’d said. “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “The only way I won’t fit into your life is if you don’t want to make a place for me. I’m not going to give up on us, so get used to seeing me around. That’s what I came to tell you.”

  Roman reached for her hands, clasping both of hers between his own. “Madelyn, I love how you’re competent and don’t back down from any challenge. I love how you work twice as hard as anyone else and don’t need to be praised for your accomplishments. I love how you’ll risk everything for someone you care about—although from now on—you can ask me for help.”

  Tears filled her eyes and her chest tightened with emotion. “You do?”

  “I want to be with you,” Roman said. “I don’t want to take care of you, I want us to take care of each other. Madelyn, what I’m trying to say is that I’m in love with you.”

  “After a day?”

  “Well, it has been a weird day...”

  * * *

  Roman held himself completely still. It had been a little more than two weeks since the shoot-out at The Prow and that part of the Mateev case had been closed. Yet, Roman found himself at another pivotal moment.

  Madelyn was at his side and he reached for her hand.

  “How long has it been?” he asked.

  “About thirty seconds since you asked last time,” she said. There was a smile in her voice.

  “Long enough, right?”

  He grabbed the white, plastic tube from the bathroom counter. He peered at the opaque screen. It had one word on it: pregnant.

  “A baby,” he said, drawing Madelyn into his embrace. His chest tightened with emotion. A moment like this had, not so long ago, seemed alien. Now it was the most natural feeling in the world. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I want us to be together always.”

  “Are you sure that’s what you want?” she asked, pulling away slightly and looking at up at him. “To raise a baby with me? Medical school is hard enough, and babies definitely don’t sleep much either. Are you sure you know what you’re signing up for, Soldier?”

  He kissed the top of her head, loving her sense of humor. “There’s nothing I want more. I was born for this mission.”

  Epilogue

  Oleg’s mouth was dry. His throat was raw. His chest burned. He wondered if these physical tortures meant that he had finally died and gone to hell. A r
hythmic beep, beep, beep matched the sluggish beating of his heart and Oleg knew that Death had rejected him a second time, throwing him back to the living.

  He would’ve preferred hell.

  “Mr. Zavalov? Can you hear me?” a man with a British accent asked. Maybe he was dead. Oleg always imagined that the Devil would be English. Satan continued, “My name is Sir Ian Wallace.”

  Oleg opened one eye. A blond man wearing a navy suit and yellow tie stood at his bedside. He’d have preferred to find the Devil. Oleg tried to tell the proper Brit to properly sod off. His words came out gurgled.

  “You have a breathing tube down your throat,” Sir Ian said. “Until that’s removed, you won’t be able to speak.” Ian placed a pen in Oleg’s hand and set a legal pad on his stomach. “There are a great many charges that will be filed against you. Colorado is a de facto capital punishment state and nobody has been executed in years. Exceptions will be made in your case. Then there are a bevy of federal charges that also hold the death penalty. If you care to live, albeit in prison, you need to share what you know about Nikolai Mateev.”

  Oleg scribbled two words on the page.

  “Get away?” Ian read. “Do you mean Nikolai? Are you asking if Mr. Mateev got away?”

  Oleg nodded.

  “Yes, he did. Do you know where he might have gone?”

  If Oleg gave information to RMJ about Nikolai Mateev, he was as good as dead. Oleg wrote one word. “No.”

  “Are you sure? Right now, the media believes you to be deceased. You can stay that way and go to prison under an alias. If not, well, let’s just say that Nikolai Mateev has enough influence, especially in the penal system, to take care of any problem in any jail in this country. I assume he’d consider you to be a problem, but not if he knew nothing about you.”

  He wrote another word.

  “Parole?” said Sir Ian. “Are you asking if you could be paroled?”