He charged into the creek, taking it an angle so he could use his powerful strokes to cross the thirty feet and reach the other bank. The current pushed him past where he wanted to go, but he fought it and made his way to shore and then ran back to where he’d seen the body. When he flipped it over to check for a pulse, he was shocked and disgusted to discover Frank Reynolds, with a grotesque mask of death on his face. And from the looks of it, he’d been battered by the hail before falling into the creek and drowning. What the hell had he done to Jemma? He turned and began to run down the left bank. There was another turn coming up, and he hoped and prayed Jemma was alive. She just had to be. He couldn’t bear to lose her.
He ran around the turn and saw a large outcropping of rock. But still no Jemma. “Jemma!” he screamed. “Jemma, baby, if you hear me call back. Please!”
Angel began to run once more, but still nothing. The creek flowed much slower now, and still no sign of Jemma. Would she have gone much farther? Could the current have taken her this far before spitting her out? He looked behind him at the outcropping. Surely the creek would have thrown her at the turn. He looked back. His eyes searched the area around the outcropping and then a bit of blue caught his eye. Could it be?
“Jemma!” he screamed, but the bit of blue growing larger as he charged toward it wasn’t moving. Had she managed to crawl this far? “Jemma!” he screamed again as he finally reached her. She lay on her side, her face away from him, but he recognized her pajamas.
He landed on his knees in the mud and rolled her over. She groaned when he moved her. “Thank you, God!” he whispered. Tears splashed onto her face. “Jemma, baby. Jemma,” he crooned her name. She groaned again. She was alive at the very least. “Thank you, Jesus,” he muttered and looked up briefly, again giving thanks, before he began to assess her injuries.
She had a huge welt on her arm. Her skin had a bluish tinge, and she had significant cuts and scrapes on her knees and hands. He pulled her onto his lap and checked her breathing, took her pulse. It was slow, but steady. He shook her to try to wake her. Angel had no idea how long she’d been out here. How long she’d been in the creek, or what Frank had done to her before she’d escaped. None of that mattered, though. She was alive and he needed to get her help. But that wouldn’t happen here. He needed to call it in. He grabbed his radio from his belt.
“I found her Pops. She went into the creek, and it took her about two miles east of her home.”
“Help is on the way. Can we get rescue units in there?”
“Yes, sir. There’s an access road on the Clifford farm. Follow that, and I’ll see them coming and wave them over.”
“Copy.”
Now, he just had to wait, and keep his beauty breathing.
Angel stroked her face and held her close, hoping his body heat would bring up her temperature. She moaned occasionally, but so far she hadn’t opened her eyes. A concussion. Probably a bad one. He hoped there was no swelling. He continued to touch her, feel for any hardness that might indicate internal injuries. But he couldn’t tell. He used the fingers from one hand to feel her forehead and then ran his fingers through her wet hair, being as gentle as he could. He found that the rear of her head had a large bump. She must have hit her head on that outcropping.
“Please let her be okay, please let her be okay,” he prayed. And he kept repeating those words until help arrived.
Chapter 23
Five hours later, Jemma still lay unconscious just as dawn broke. The EMTs had brought Jemma to the nearest hospital, and Angel had gone with her in the fire rescue truck. The doctor had come and gone several times. Her cuts had been treated, and she’d been taken for X-rays and a CT scan. The medical team that oversaw her had put her on an IV drip with painkillers, antibiotics, and steroids.
Some of Angel’s firefighting friends had stopped by as they brought in other victims of the storm. They said a few words of encouragement before they headed back out to provide further assistance. All hell had broken loose in the town of Tarpley. He felt bad he wasn’t out there doing his part, but he couldn’t leave her side. Not until she opened those blue eyes and spoke. He needed to hear her, needed to know what happened, and that she would recover.
When the doctor came around six that morning, he gave Angel a full report. “She’s got lots of bruises and cuts. The arm must have been hit by hail. She swallowed some water, lots of it, we can tell from the x-rays on her lungs, but they are clear now. We have her on antibiotics for that and pain medication. Thankfully, nothing broken. There is a large bump on her head, but the CT says no brain swelling, so that is good news. She’s unconscious, but I think she’ll wake soon, son. The pain medicine is keeping her under, but we are reducing that now to get her to wake up. There are several deputies outside dealing with others, but one would like to come in when she’s up for it to take her statement.”
Angel nodded. The doctor said she’d be okay, and that she would wake up soon. But nothing mattered to him until he saw her eyes. He couldn’t think of anything until his beauty woke and spoke to him.
The doctor gave him a sympathetic pat on the back. “Her body went through a lot, and it just needs time to heal.”
“Thanks, Doc.” He let his breath out shakily. “So, she’ll be okay?”
“That’s what I just told you, son. She should be fine. But, er…”
“What? What is it? What aren’t you telling me?”
“I, er, um, didn’t see any signs that she was raped. But, um, I can’t be sure because she was in the water so long. So, we have a counselor standing by for her if she needs one.”
“Thank you,” Angel stated once more as the doctor took his leave. The thought of Frank Reynolds hurting her that way twisted him in knots. The bastard may have raped her. His heart clenched in anguish. He would have, could have, killed that man, for what he’d done to his beauty. If he wasn’t already dead, he wouldn’t have long to live.
Angel glanced at Jemma as she slept. Her face had small bruises and scratches from her ordeal. But she looked peaceful. The scars he could see would heal. He just hoped that if anything else had happened to her, she would heal from that, too. He moved a wisp of her blonde hair out of her face.
“I’m not going anywhere, baby. I’m here. I love you, Jemma.” He would be by her side and help her get through this, he promised her and himself. “Just wake up, Beauty. Let me see those beautiful eyes of yours.” He held her hand and prayed. Prayed for the future that he wanted to have with this woman.
“Mm, er,” she groaned again.
“Please, baby, open those eyes.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“Ang… Angel.” Jemma fought to open her eyes. Her head felt so fuzzy, and the bright light made her wince. “My head hurts.”
“Oh, God, thank you! You’re awake. I was so worried. You hit your head. You’re going to be okay. I’m here. I’m here.” He kissed her cheek after whispering words of love in her ear. Tears streamed down his face, but he didn’t care. He was just so damned glad she was awake.
Her eyelids fluttered open once more, but didn’t stay open. “The lights hurt.”
“You hit your head; you’ve got a concussion. But the doctor says no brain swelling. He promised me you’re going to be okay.”
Jemma nodded and wet her lips. “Can you dim the lights, please?”
Angel jumped to do her bidding, switching off the overhead lights so just the emergency ones behind her bed remained on. “Thank goodness you’re awake. I’m so glad I found you.” He came back to her side and reached for her hand.
She sighed and then opened her eyes a bit more. Seeing Angel standing beside her with tears running down his cheeks made her want to comfort him. “I’m okay, baby. Thank you for finding me.”
“Thank me? No, thank you! Thank you for being okay! I am so thankful. Truly thankful.” He bent at the waist and gently kissed her on the mouth. His heart leaped with joy when he felt a returning pressure as she kissed him back. “I was so sc
ared when I didn’t find you in the house. When I saw the living room furniture turned over and found your boot by the creek bank, I feared the worst.”
“Frank attacked me. He tried to rape me, but I got away. I tried to get to the storm cellar first to lock myself in. But he was too fast and got in front of me. I lured him to the bank, praying it would collapse. I was going to push him in. I didn’t know what to do. But it collapsed with both of us on it.”
“You did fine. You’re alive. That’s all that matters.”
“What about Frank, what if he…” she stopped and shuddered at the thought of what he could try next.
Angel shook his head. “You don’t have to worry about Frank anymore. I found his body. He drowned in the creek about a mile and a half from your house. I found you two miles downriver.”
“Oh, my goodness.” She absorbed the news with shock, and, guiltily, a little bit of relief. “It was horrible. He was out of his mind.”
“Perhaps it’s better this way,” Angel stated simply. “He was obviously a sick man.”
Jemma nodded her agreement. He had to have been sick to try to do what he did to her. Those were not the actions of a sane person. His students would mourn him, but perhaps it was better this way. With him dead, the students would never have to know what kind of monster he was and see him being escorted off to prison on the news.
“A deputy is here to take your statement when you’re ready.”
“Will you stay?” She didn’t want him to leave her side while she told the whole story.
“Of course.”
“I’d like to have something to drink. My mouth is so dry. Maybe sit up, too. My head is so foggy.”
“That’s the pain medication they gave you.” Angel helped her to sit up just as the doctor came in once more.
“Finally awake, Miss Haner. Did Mr. Murphy fill you in?”
“He did, but I’d like you to tell me.”
The doctor explained to her everything he’d told Angel. “We’d like to keep you here until at least noon, and then if you have someone to watch over you for the next few days, we can release you. You’ll be going home with a few prescriptions. Follow the instructions on all of your medication. You need to take the antibiotics until they run out. Don’t miss any doses. The creek, because of the flash flood water, was probably full of nasty stuff that might make you sick. You’ll need to take a course of steroids for your lungs, the X-rays showed some evidence of aspiration. We can also give you some painkillers too, if you want some. Three days’ worth, if you like, but take them only if you really need them, and then dispose of the rest properly.”
“No thank you on the painkillers, Doc. They make my head feel fuzzy, and I think I’ll be fine with just some Tylenol.”
“That’s fine. The arm isn’t broken, just badly bruised.”
“The piece of hail that got me looked like a golf ball.”
“I’m sure. I have treated four other people who were hit by hail last night.” The doctor shook his head. “I don’t know why people don’t stay inside when it hails. Baffling, really?” He scratched his head, but then quickly added, “Your circumstances being much different, though.”
Jemma tried to smile. “Must be a madhouse out there.”
“It is, but all hands are on deck. Six vehicle accidents, four injured by hail, three heart attacks, and then countless others whose homes or businesses were damaged with them in it. And that was just the ones brought to this hospital so far.”
“That’s horrible.” Jemma could not imagine what the town had been through. Just the memory of the two tornadoes she saw churning up the soil and spitting it out would never leave her.
“It was. But thankfully these men were out in the thick of it and bringing us the injured. The worst was Randy’s Hellhole. The place was demolished.”
Jemma recalled having dinner with Angel there over a month ago. The night he’d helped the young boy get his kite out of the tree. She’d gotten to meet some of his friends at the bar and eatery. The owner, named Randy, had been very welcoming, and she’d enjoyed playing trivia that night. The hostess, Nadia, had really made it a rousing experience for the patrons. She hoped both Randy and Nadia were okay.
“Thank you, Doctor. For everything.” Angel offered his hand.
“No need to thank me. Like you, just doing my job.” And then to Jemma, “You be sure to thank this man here who found you and brought you in.”
“I plan to,” she told the doctor and gave Angel a small smile. And she would, she vowed, when her body would let her.
After the doctor left, Jemma felt tired and told Angel she wanted to sleep a bit before she answered the deputy’s questions.
“Yes, yes, that’ll be fine. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Promise,” she whispered, already fading.
“Promise,” he repeated. “Always and forever.”
Her eyes fluttered open once more. “And can you find out if Calliope is okay? She was chasing those monsters last night,” she stated, trying not to yawn.
“I’ll have that answer for you the minute you open those baby blues again.”
“Thank you, Angel, I love you,” she sighed as she drifted off to sleep once more. The pain medication they had given her was powerful voodoo she thought as she drifted off once more. She just couldn’t fight it any longer.
Chapter 24
On a beautiful August evening Jemma couldn’t imagine being anywhere else than here at the Community Center on her wedding day. She checked her dress once more. Calliope had helped her choose it.
Originally, she and Angel had wanted to have a fall wedding, but after the storm and the tornado the town had rallied together to begin the process of cleaning up. It was Jemma who had suggested it after three weeks of clean up.
“How about we get married at the end of August before I go back to school?”
“Anything you want!” Angel happily agreed. He wanted this woman to be his wife more than anything. The sooner the better.
It wasn’t an overly large affair. Jemma had invited all the firefighters from the Tarpley VFD and their spouses and significant others, and several of her colleagues from work. She’d also invited Calliope, who was serving as her maid of honor, and all of her storm chasing colleagues. Angel’s parents were also in attendance, and his handsome twin brothers had come all the way from Florida.
Calliope had volunteered to help Jemma get everything ready at the Community Center for the outdoor ceremony. Jemma had thought about having her wedding at home on her ranch. She’d always planned to wed there when she was child, but there was much work to do yet on the grounds. But the Community Center had been the first place to be cleaned up after the storm, and the town needed a celebration. Life would go on. They would rebuild, love, and live again.
And of course, the Center was named after her father, so she felt like he was there in spirit if not in body. She had asked Pops to give her away, and though he hadn’t cried when she asked him, his eyes had been red-rimmed after he’d accepted. Standing up for Angel was his friend Tank, and the other guys in the crew served as groomsmen. All looked so handsome, Jemma thought as she peeked out of the Community Center window. The men all took turns taking guests by the elbow and escorting them to their seats under the large white tent they’d rented. Chillers kept the interior cool from the Texas sun.
Angel had hired a band, and she’d chosen the caterer. Dinner would be served in the hall after the ceremony, and then after dinner they would return to the tent for dancing and festivities.
“So, are you ready?” Calliope asked softly from the doorway. “It’s time to get hitched, girlfriend.”
“More than ever,” Jemma replied, laughing.
“And to a firefighter no less?” Calliope teased.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” she laughed as she took Calliope’s arm, and together they walked into the hall where Pops took over to lead her into the tent, so she could marry the man who loved
her and saved her. To marry the man who made all her dreams come true.
“May I present to you all,” called the DJ from his sound table beside the wedding party’s table, “Mr. and Mrs. Angel Murphy.” The crowd roared as Jemma and Angel made their way back into the tent after the catered dinner. “The bride and groom will be starting us out this evening with the first dance.”
Again, there were more cheers from the crowd. Everyone was ready for the partying to begin, Texas style. Jemma and Angel made a show of walking around the dance floor as a waltz began to play. Angel took her into his arms in preparation for the first dance as man and wife. Their friends continued to cheer and clap and several took out their phones to snap pictures or take video of their first waltz together.
“The bride and groom would like to ask that you join them after a stanza or two on the dance floor. They want to share this song with you.” The crowd once again cheered.
But when the first chords played by the band switched tempo and the music suddenly cut out, the popular song Jemma and Angel had danced to at the fair months ago came over the speakers. The new bride and groom wanted to have fun with their friends, and the expected traditional waltz wasn’t going to happen.
Jemma and Angel separated from one another and took their positions with their hands on their hips. “Git up, ya’ll!” Angel called.
“And get loose, right now,” Jemma replied.
And then, just like they had practiced they shook their shoulders from side to side and beckoned the audience to join them while taking a few steps back.
“Woohoo!”
The End
Note from the Author
I hope you enjoyed Fighting for Jemma as much as I loved writing it. It was so much fun to create the Tarpley Volunteer Fire Department world that was hinted at in Susan Stoker’s book Justice for Erin (Book 9 in the Badge of Honor Series). When I read that book, I fell in love with Smokey and knew that I wanted to write more about the mini cantankerous donkey that is rescued by Penelope.
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