"I should hope not. He is cruel and a blight on society. I don't know how anyone can treat an animal the way he does." Rooney lifted her hands above her head and stretched. "At least the customers are starting to come in. With luck you might get a pay packet this week."
"You know I don't care about that. I'm just glad to get out of the house."
The skid of wheels screeching to a halt in the car park made them both look up.
"What the…" Rooney raced to the window and looked out. "Shit, it's Stubbs. Rhian, go now. Out the back and don't come back. Call the police." She pushed her assistant out through the back way and turned in time to see Mr Stubbs walking in the front door. A chill went down her back and her stomach threatened to give her breakfast back when she saw the knife in his hand.
"Mr Stubbs. Do you think you should be here with that weapon?" She stood her ground, doing her best to stay the shaking legs.
"You bitch. Couldn't mind your own business, could you?"
He approached, waving the knife in his hand, and the smell of alcohol washed over her face. "You weren't satisfied with getting a good deal on a dog for your kid, you had to go and open your mouth to the cops."
Sweat built up on Rooney's top lip and she resisted the urge to wipe it away in fear any sudden moves would make him attack. "Mr Stubbs, let me be clear about this. My first thought is always for the animals and I can't help it. It's how I was brought up and part of my training as a vet. I have to stand for those that cannot stand for themselves."
"Pansy bloody fools. How is a man supposed to make a living, eh? They were fed, they had a life. Nothing wrong with breeding dogs. Your father bred horses and cows."
"Yes, he did, but at no time did he treat his animals with the contempt you have. They were fed well, unlike the pup you brought in here. Mr Stubbs, that dog was so malnourished, it broke my heart. You can't do that to an animal, it's inhumane." Rooney doubted she would get through to him but she had to try, at least until help came.
He laughed bitterly, the spittle running down his chin. "Inhumane. Fuck you. Because of your meddling, I've lost my livelihood. That's going to cost you, lady."
He stepped forward and Rooney backed away as he pointed the knife at her.
"Mr Stubbs, please stop and think about this before you do something you'll regret."
"Already done that. Regret selling you and your nosy brother the dogs. Bet he had something to do with this as well. Bloody upstarts you are."
The sound of sirens in the distance gave Rooney a small glimmer of hope, but she didn't count on the quick reaction of the drunken man in front of her. He grabbed her in his hulking arms and wrapped one arm around her throat, pulling her back to his chest. The smell of grease, sweat and alcohol made her stomach lurch and she swallowed it back, hard.
A car screeched to a halt, followed by another. A door slammed and feet pounded on the stones outside, slowing as they neared the door.
Rooney let the tears come when she saw Stevie standing in the door. "Let her go, Stubbs."
"No. She's ruined me, she has to pay." He lifted the knife and held it at the side of Rooney's throat.
Stevie took the gun from the halter at his hip and lifted it. "I will use this if I have to. Put the knife down, now." He spread his legs and took a quick look at Rooney, then back to Stubbs.
"Back off, cop, or she gets her throat cut." Mr Stubbs walked backward with his arm still around her throat and she gasped for air.
Help me please, Stevie. Don't let him kill me. There is too much for us to discover, a child to raise and maybe more to come. She begged him with her eyes, but he kept his gaze firmly on her captor.
A sound at the back door made her ears prick up. There was someone out there too. Covering all bases, they wouldn't let him take her out of here.
"You may as well throw the knife down and give up. The place is surrounded." Stevie held the gun pointed straight at them, his hand steady, gaze hard.
"If you don't back off, I'll slice her now." To show he meant it, the knife moved closer, the pressure of the sharp blade cutting the skin.
Rooney gasped as the cut stung, her breathing rising as panic set in.
He was careful to keep himself behind her and his back to the wall, not giving the police a clear shot at him. "Tell them to back off and come around front where I can see them or I'll cut her deeper. The next time might be harder." He waited five seconds and ran the knife over the side of her throat.
"Dennis, stand down and come around the front, now!" Stevie held his stance, his glare reserved for Stubbs alone.
Rooney closed her eyes. He was going to get away with it, taking her away and hurting her in return for what she did to him. There was so much more she wanted to do. She wanted to watch Tam grow up into a young woman and fall in love. She wanted to give Stevie a chance to change her mind and sweep her off her feet. Now her future was disappearing in front of her eyes. All she had worked for was going to be swept away with the stroke of a blade at her throat. That was if he didn't make her suffer before he got that far.
She opened her eyes and tried to read something, anything, on Stevie's face, but he was intent on Mr Stubbs. Dennis walked in behind him, holding his hands up to show he had put his weapon down.
"Don't even think of following us or she's dead."
Tears ran down her face as Stubbs dragged her out through the back of the surgery. He held her in front of him and dragged her backwards until they reached his car. Mr Stubbs took his hand off her arm and reached for the handle, pulling the door open. Rooney looked toward the front door and saw Dennis standing inside watching, his hands down at his side.
A crunch of footsteps sounded on stone and the blade dug into Rooney's throat, slicing deeper as a scream rose in her throat. A shot rang out and she fell to the ground, the warmth of blood covering her face and running down her throat.
The last thing she heard was Stevie calling for an ambulance.
Chapter Thirty
"I guess that was money well spent then," Russ cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear, listening to Tory give the report regarding his soon to be ex-wife Paula. "I can't wait to call and tell her what I know."
"Would you rather I did it through her solicitor, might carry a bit more weight that way."
"Makes me seem a bit weak doesn't it? But I guess you're right."
"I'll send a follow up letter to her and her solicitor as well. I'm sorry about this, Russ. I thought everything would go through without any hassles."
"Wasn't your problem Tory. It was my fault for using someone I didn't know. Thanks again." Russ hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. It was only a matter of time before Paula came back into the hospital to see him. So far he had avoided her phone calls and invitations to dinner to 'discuss' their future as she saw it.
His pager beeped and he frowned looking at it. With reflexes a quarterback would be proud of, he bolted from his office and ran down the hallway to the emergency room as the ambulance pulled in. Lizzie was already there, directing staff as the door burst open and Stevie rushed in, blood over his hands and on his shirt followed by the ambulance attendants pushing the stretcher.
"It's Rooney. Looks terrible but the ambo's say it’s superficial. They think she collapsed from shock."
Russ hurried to her side, letting the nurses do their job while taking her vitals and making sure for himself she wasn't in any danger. When he saw everything was under control, he grabbed Stevie and took him to one side. "What happened?"
Stevie shook his head, his hands on his hips. "We got a call from Rhian, screaming that Stubbs was at the surgery with a knife. Rooney had pushed her out the back door when they saw him approaching. He got her, Russ. When we arrived he was standing with the knife at her throat and taking his time slicing her bit by bit until we backed off, giving him a chance to escape. Christ, he could have killed her." He dropped his head, a look of defeat crossing over his eyes.
"Tell me the rest." Russ folded h
is arms and waited for Stevie to get himself together.
"I had no choice. I shot him when he dragged her out to make his getaway. He'd cut her twice by them and, shit, it's my own damned fault. He heard me creeping up behind him and cut her again."
"You couldn't have tasered him earlier? I thought that’s what you did these days."
"Are you accusing me of not following regulations, Russ?" Stevie lifted his head and glared.
"Not at all. I just don't understand why you went in with your gun if there was another way."
"There wasn't. He was holding her too close and in cases like this, it’s up to the officer’s discretion. Stubbs was ready to kill her, make no bones about that. I'll face a committee about this, without doubt but I have no qualms about killing the man who was going to kill my future wife."
"Sure of yourself, aren't you?" Russ walked over to the bed and glanced down at his sister, who was starting to come too.
She waved her hands in the air and screamed, a sound that ripped straight to his gut.
Stevie was beside her in seconds, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed.
Russ pulled the curtain blocking out the staff and other patients. Lizzie stepped away and tried to walk out too. "I need your help, if you don't mind, Nurse Stanley."
She nodded her head and stood at the end of the bed waiting for direction. Russ gave them another couple of minutes before tapping Stevie on the shoulder. "We need to sort this out." He took his sister’s hand. "Honey, it's okay, you’re safe and not in any danger. I need to check out your throat. Okay?"
He watched the tears running down her cheeks and the way she gripped onto Stevie as she nodded. "He…he tried to…kill me…Russ." Her lips quivered as she tried to get the words out.
"I know, babe, but he can't hurt you anymore. Now, let's get you sorted out." Russ reached for the trolley and Lizzie pushed it forward. She tore open a sterilizing pack while he pulled on gloves and looked at the cuts on Rooney's throat. With gentle fingers he probed and inspected the knife wounds.
Russ asked for a suture kit while he cleaned blood from her throat exposing the slashes along one that ran from just below her ear to her collar bone.
Stevie looked up and questioned him with his eyes.
"It was pretty close but I think we can glue the two smaller ones together. Unfortunately I have to stitch the bigger one, Rooney. Can I have some local please, Nurse?"
Rooney watched his face while he cleaned the wounds, wincing when it got too painful for her. "Sorry, but you know better than most we need to do this first." He threw the swabs onto the trolley and waited for Lizzie to return with the local anaesthetic.
"Is that her?" She looked at Russ.
"Yes."
"She's very pretty but she looks sad."
The curtain opened and Lizzie walked back in with a small glass bottle and handed it to Russ. He checked it and took a syringe, filling it before turning back to Rooney. "Going to sting for a bit. Hold her hand, Stevie."
He leant over his sister and injected the anaesthetic along the biggest cut, apologising when she cursed at him. "Sorry. If you only needed one stitch I wouldn't bother but you need quite a few. If you don't want a scar, stitching is the best way."
"I know, just being silly. Take no notice of me." She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye before it fell.
"Rooney, I don't have to tell you about shock. You might want to think about staying in overnight."
"No, I have Tam to think about. She would be worried if I didn't come home." She glanced at Stevie. "I've never hidden anything from her and I don't want to start now. We don't have to tell her everything, not all the details."
"I can stay with Rooney if that will make you feel any easier, Russ." Stevie looked up at him, his look daring Russ to object.
"That would ease my mind. I might not be back til late tonight and it would be better if there was someone close to you for a while—just in case." He picked up the syringe again and poked at the area around the biggest cut. "Can you feel that?"
"No." She shook her head.
"Great, let's get started then. Sutures please, Nurse."
When he was finished, Russ took off his blood-stained gloves and threw them in the waste. He reached up and took a fresh pair from the box on the wall and took a small tube of glue from the trolley. "This won't hurt a bit. Can you give me a hand here please, Nurse?" He waited for Lizzie to help hold the skin together before he glued the two smaller cuts together.
"There you are. They will heal nicely. Don't worry about the glue, it will come away with the scar. Any questions, either of you?" He stood, threw away the gloves and put his hands in the pockets of his white coat.
"No. Can I go home now?" Rooney tried to sit up but Stevie placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Sure, I need to see to some paperwork, so if you wouldn't mind hanging back here for a few minutes, Nurse Stanley can get you a cup of tea. I want to make sure you don't pass out when you stand up." He smiled at her and nodded to Lizzie. "If you could see to that, I'll do the paperwork." Russ brushed the curtain aside and walked out.
He remained calm until he reached his office. Slamming the door, he groaned. His own sister. That hurt, seeing her brought in because some crazed bastard had attacked her with a knife. Russ paced his office trying to get his temper down to simmering point. If the police hadn't killed the guy already, he would do it. No one threatened his family like that.
For a minute he was taken back. Him, Russ the peacemaker thinking of hurting someone. What was happening to him? Violence had never been his thing. Even when he was angry, he was the one who soothed everyone else. No wonder his ex-wife had walked all over him. It was time for him to stand up and tell her what he thought.
Tory could contact her solicitor, at least it would be more professional that way but he was going to visit her on the way home and tell her some home truths. Some he should have told her years ago.
Once he was calm enough, Russ walked back to emergency and took the paperwork waiting on the counter. He sat down and filled in his sister’s chart, happy now he’d made up his mind. Then he went in to see how she was doing.
Lizzie had raised the head of the bed and propped a couple of pillows behind her head. Rooney sat up, drinking a cup of tea. Her face was still pale and her blue eyes looked huge in her face, but she would be alright. Stevie would keep her safe from the nightmares that would no doubt plague her sleep when she closed her eyes tonight and probably for weeks to come.
"How are you feeling?" He stood at the end of the bed and gave her a professional once over.
"A bit weird actually. Not sure how I'm going to go, but I think I will definitely be better at home."
"Don't go in tomorrow, Rooney, and that’s my medical opinion, not my personal one. If you were asking me as your brother, I would tell you to shut the place down and not go back at all."
"She won't be able to anyway. The place is locked off."
"I have a patient in there. I was going to operate this afternoon." She looked dismayed.
"What is it and who does it belong to? I'll get one of the boys to take it home."
"The Bells, they live in Lorn. You know the older couple who used to own the bakery?"
"Yeah, not a worry. I'll get them to reschedule or go elsewhere." He stood and took her cup. "Ready?"
Stevie held her arm as she put her feet over the side of the bed. When she swayed, he put his arm around her shoulders. "Sit for a bit, there's no hurry. I have to wait for Dennis to bring my car over anyway."
"You can stay here as long as you like." Russ gripped the end of the bed, watching his sister struggle.
"No, it's okay. I want to go outside. This place is making me feel closed in." She stood and held onto the edge of the bed until she seemed stable. Then she walked over to him, Stevie holding onto one arm to support her. "Thanks, Russ." Rooney reached up and kissed him. "See you later tonight."
"Take care of her."
"
I've got it, stop worrying." Stevie nodded and helped her out.
Russ looked at his watch. Another couple of hours to go and he could go and deal with Paula.
***
"Darling, I was beginning to think you were never coming. You were supposed to come over the other night, remember?" Paula opened the door of the motel room and stood aside to let him in.
Russ walked in, his glance going around the room. Her clothing was strewn over the bed, makeup covered the bathroom counter and a bottle of wine was opened on the small table beside the television.
"Can I offer you a drink before you join me for dinner?" She hovered close to him and he resisted the urge to push her away.
"No, thank you. I won't be staying. A word of advice, Paula. Alcohol isn't good for your baby."
"Our baby, Russ. It's ours." She simpered and tried to link her arm through his.
"It isn't mine and I can prove it. You've been banging your office manager and we have photos, so you can't deny it."
"You bastard, you had me followed?" She gaped at him with shocked eyes and an open mouth.
He looked down at her and wondered what he’d ever seen in her. "I gave you everything, Paula. We had a good life, yet you felt the need to stray. Was I not good enough for you?"
"Not by a long shot. If you’d really cared about me, you wouldn't have left me alone for so long. You have no idea how lonely I got, Russ. All those late nights you did at the hospital, the weekends you were on call when it could have been someone else. Is it any wonder I strayed and fell into the arms of another man?" She pouted and batted her eyelashes at him.
"You’re the one who married me knowing what I had to do to get my MD. We agreed I would do what I had to, to get where I am today. If you couldn't handle the workload, you should have said so a long time ago."
"I was waiting to see if it got any better. You can't blame me."
"But I do. You see, Paula, I've always been the soft guy, the one who lets everyone else walk all over him just to keep the peace. I think you’ve cured me of that. From now on, I will take what I want. And what I want now is for you to sign the divorce papers or those photos will find themselves in the wrong hands, understand?"
Coming Home (Williams Siblings) Page 18