The men all gathered around Sam and Caleb.
Wade was still upstairs in the bedroom, and Sam wondered just how bad he had hit him for the first time.
He looked at the police and nodded. "I hit him. I hit him hard. I think I killed him…" He stuck out his hands for the cuffs.
The policeman looked at him and then at Caleb.
"What happened here, sir?" the policeman asked.
And then Caleb stood before the policeman and began peeling a layer of make-up and what looked like some sort of special rubber made mask that had distorted his real features. Everyone gasped. "I'm George Bennett McKay sir. And this is my ranch, and my daughters."
Everyone in the room gasped again.
"My God!" the girls all screamed.
"Officer, I'd like to talk to you," he said in an authoritative voice.
The girls all stared in disbelief. "Dad?"
Chapter Seventeen
George Bennett McKay was alive!
All of his girls, except Wendy, stared as their father explained what had happened there tonight.
They heard every word.
"Sam heard her screaming, woke Hank and told him to call the police. Sam broke in the window to get in, because he heard her screaming. He heard them upstairs and went up there. He found Wade about to molest her, and he warned him not to do it. But Wade kept on trying, and Sam hit him with a lamp I guess, as it was laying on the floor. But Wade wouldn't stop attacking my daughter, and Sam threw the radio at Wade. Wade hit the floor. He's up there now… As you can see, my daughter had been beaten nearly to death and Sam here stopped the man in the act," their father was saying.
"Will you testify to that, sir?" the officer asked. "Will you?"
"I certainly will. Wade Weston tried to rape my daughter and perhaps even try to kill her. Thanks to that young man there, he didn't get away with it," George said, as he looked at his girls now.
They all stared with shock.
"Dad…we don't understand…" they all tried to say at once.
"I know that….and I'll explain later. Now is not the time." He stared at Julie and Letty then glanced at Mike's car following behind the ambulance. "I'm going to the hospital to be with Wendy. When I return, we'll all sit down and talk; that’ll be when Wendy comes home," he said, his head bent, his face torn with emotions unspoken. "Until then, suffice to say, I've been here heart and soul all along and I am so glad you all came home."
"But Dad!" Julie shook her head, and he turned to look at her. "I can't believe it!"
He nodded. "Believe it."
They huddled around him, hugging him, but the terror was still fresh and the tears kept flowing.
Like a parade, the cars lined up in the drive and everyone followed the ambulance to the hospital.
Sam was in a stupor as he rode with the police. They hadn't put handcuffs on him, nor arrested him, but he was in their custody. He didn't understand that. They should have cuffed him. They should be charging him. He was certainly guilty according to his own way of thinking.
But what was on Sam's mind more than anything was how badly Wendy was hurt. His concern was driving him crazy, because they wouldn't let him see her.
He was taken to headquarters and remained there the rest of the night. They put him in a holding cell.
He was totally beside himself about Wendy. He couldn't control his thoughts.
Sam didn't know what the others had said, he didn't know how bad Wendy was, all he could think about was how she looked lying on that bed, her face swollen, her body bleeding.
He confessed that he thought he killed Wade. That alone should have been enough to arrest him officially. The fact that he had actually hit him in the head twice scared him witless now. He had never killed anyone before and the realization that he could startled him.
He looked up and whispered a prayer, "God forgive me."
Cade had stayed behind to help tend to his brother. Only now did Sam worry about Cade. How hard this all had to be for him.
Sam thought about that and cringed. He'd killed Cade's brother. Nothing could change that fact, and he knew he was headed for prison; that's why it became so important to see Wendy one last time. He needed to know she would be alright.
He had no idea what condition she was in. He'd seen the blood all over her. He'd seen the huge bruise across her cheek and eye. And he knew she wasn't conscious. That was enough to worry about.
~*~
It was early the next morning before Sam had heard any word on Wendy. Hank came by to see him.
"How are you, buddy?" Hank asked, concern lacing his words and face.
"I'm fine, how's Wendy?" Sam asked, swallowing hard.
Hank nodded. "She's got a concussion right now, and she hasn't woken up yet."
"Hasn't woken up?" Sam's mind processed that for a second. "God…I need to see her. One last time, Hank."
Hank sensed that same need. "I know you do, Sam. And George is going to take care of this. He's putting up your bail, so you can get out of here. You'll be home with us in no time. I hope you realize that this time you really are the hero."
Sam looked up with a startled expression. "Hero?" He shook his head sadly. "I'm no hero, Hank. I killed Wade Weston."
"No you didn't, but you saved Wendy. She wasn't raped," Hank uttered the words quietly, and a slow smile spread across his face. "Her father is so grateful to you. He knows you are in sort of a bind, but he can help and he will."
"I don't care about me…I just keep thinking of how she looked lying across that bed, her eyes swollen, her body beaten, and him trying…"
"I know. It had to be hard to watch. I'm just glad you got there in time. Nothing would have stopped Wade. Nothing. Look Sam, I'd have done the same, if I'd got there first."
"Hank…I killed Cade's brother." Sam shook his head and tried not to let the tears fall down his cheek. "How can I even go back there, Hank? How can I look Cade in the eye?"
"Wade isn't dead, Sam. He's unconscious, but not dead. Cade doesn't blame you, and after seeing Wendy, he made the remark that 'he'd have done it himself, if he'd been there'."
"George can't put up my bail…" Sam said sadly.
"Why not?"
"I'm guilty. I was on probation. I attacked Wade. How many things can they stick me for? I'm guilty and I want to pay for it."
"He's not dead, Sam. So stop the worry. Mr. McKay won't let anything happen to you."
"I even broke into the house, I was so scared for her."
"That's understandable. Look, I don't think you fully understand this. George Bennett McKay is nothing but grateful for what you did. And he told the police so. He also said he'd be here first thing this morning to get you out of here. This isn't where you belong."
"Where do I belong, Hank?" Sam mumbled. "How can I face everyone on the ranch? How can I face Wendy? She cared about Wade…"
Hank seemed to study what Sam said seriously. "Look Sam, you belong with Wendy, helping her through her recovery. Holding her hand. Telling her it will be alright. And most importantly, telling her how much you love her."
"But I'm going to jail. I can't tell her all that."
"You can and you will, for both your sakes. Listen to me, Sam. I was in your shoes not long ago. I was pigheaded and thought myself not good enough for Letty. But I loved her. Just like you love Wendy. I'd have done anything for her. Just like you. Love like that don't grow on trees, boy. You have to grab it and hold on to it. It's God given. Do you understand that? Money doesn't mean anything, it's love that's important. And we all know how much you care for Wendy."
Sam stared at Hank for a long time…. "But Hank, I'm going to jail. I can't say the things I want to her. And besides, I'm just a darn cowboy. That's all I'll ever be. She's a McKay."
"You think I don't know that? I have been there. That's why I'm standing here right now. I'm the only one that knows how you feel. Exactly how you feel. But the woman you adore needs you right now, Sam. We all know that. She's in a
coma for goodness sake…" Hank explained.
"What?"
Hank suddenly realized that with all that was going on, Sam didn't understand the gravity of the situation yet.
"Sometimes it happens. A blow to the head like she got, and he also suffocated her. Do you think they are going to keep you in here when they find out that you saved her life? George would rather tear down the walls to this jail first. The man respects you. You've earned it. Everyone on that ranch respects you. Now get your butt out of this depression you've got yourself into and get ready to go see Wendy."
"Oh God…they'll let me see her? Wait…George? You keep calling Caleb George."
"That's right, he's their father. He's George Bennett McKay. And yes…you can see her as soon as the paperwork is done. Sam, do you love Wendy?"
"Of course I do…"
"Then you've got to tell her over and over until she hears you. You've got to pull her back. You are the only one that can."
Sam let a tear fall down his cheek. "Oh God, how could this have happened?"
"It's going to be alright, Sam. But you've got to help bring her back to us. The girls are still afraid for her."
"I'll do anything…" Sam cried.
Hank smiled. "That's what I came to hear. I'll go check and see how long it's gonna be. Hang in there, it's all going to be alright."
In less than an hour, Sam was out on the bail bond that George had arranged. He was riding to the hospital with Hank and George and wondering how he could ever make this right again for himself or Wendy. He didn't say anything but thank you to George.
But George sat beside Sam, and he eyed him with precision. He was calm for an old man, but holding back his emotions was costing him; his face looked old tonight, and haggard.
Sam hung his head. "Look…I'm going to jail for this. But…he was hurting her…I had to do something…"
George shook his head. "It's alright, son…it's going to be alright now."
"It'll never be alright again. I'm going to prison…"
"No, you're not." George frowned into his face. "You did what had to be done…And I'm damned proud of you. But there will be a hearing. We'll get through this, don't you worry about that. Right now, we need you to talk to Wendy, to bring her back to us…"
The old man's voice played out and he turned his head away.
Hank nodded with a vague smile. "I told him he was the only man for this job."
"When I heard the screams, I was the first one out of the bunkhouse. I knew from the screams it had to be Wade. I didn't stop to think about the probation, about what I was doing. I went to the house, but it was locked. I heard her scream again, so I broke a window and got inside. I went upstairs because I heard Wade. I saw him throwing her on the bed, and trying to undo his pants. I warned him to stop. He wouldn't. So I started throwing things at him. I knew he was stronger than me. I knew I had to have some kind of weapon against him, but I also knew I couldn't let him do what he was about to…" Sam cried out.
George glanced at Hank. "You did right, son. You did the right thing. Don't beat yourself up. Man up, boy. You admitted the truth, that's what is important. But I'll be beside you every step of the way, and do you know why?"
"No…" Sam frowned at him.
"Because you saved my daughter. And any man that does that is an Ace in my books."
"You're George McKay? I don't understand…." Sam stared at him. "You're Wendy's father?"
"That's right. I am."
Sam seemed to give that a lot of thought. "I don't understand…We all thought you were dead!"
"I'll be explaining myself soon, and everything will be put right. So stop worrying. The only thing you have to worry about is Wendy. She needs you, and that's why I bailed you out. That and the fact that you saved her life last night and I'm grateful."
"Lord, I hope she's okay," Sam muttered as his eyes went upward.
Chapter Eighteen
When Sam walked into the hospital room the first thing he noticed were the beeping machines that recorded her heart beat, and all the vitals. He saw the oxygen mask on her face, and his heart went out to her. He saw how they had put compression tubes around her legs to keep her circulation moving. She looked so wired, and so tiny in the bed. He moved to the side of the bed and leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. She didn't move, didn't stir.
He drug a chair up by her bed.
He wished he had showered and shaved, but in her condition, she'd never know.
"I'm here, Wendy, I'm here," he whispered as he kissed her lips once. "I never in a million years thought this would happen. Maybe I should have, but I didn't. I know you were scared. I know he hurt you. But everything is going to be okay now, Wendy. I promise. Everything is going to be fine. So wake up. I just want to see that beautiful smile of yours, hear your voice again," Sam said, moving her hair away from her face.
Her face was pale, and he wished he could see her eyes.
He took her hand in his and felt how cold it was, as it felt as though the life was draining from her. He squeezed her hand.
"I know you can hear me, somewhere, down deep you can hear me. I've read about people in comas, they can hear things all along. So I got a few things to tell you. First and foremost is how much I love you, Wendy. I want you to get well. I'd do anything for you, you have to know that. I gotta admit, I'm scared. I don't know how to deal with all of this alone. I'm trying, but I don't know how to reconcile it. All I know is that I saw him hurting you. I had to act. Forgive me. Wake up and tell me you forgive me. Please. I need you to wake up and forgive me," he cried. "I need you, Wendy. So much. I need you to show me how to live with this."
A tear fell, and then another and before long he found himself crying aloud.
"Please come back to me, Wendy. There's so much we need to talk about. So much I need to tell you."
~*~
George and Hank waited in the waiting room. They wanted to give Sam some time alone before they checked on her again.
"I don't know whether to call you Caleb or George." Hank laughed.
George glanced at him. "It don't much matter at this point. You can call me Dad if you like, ’cause I've already accepted you, Mike and Cade as sons-in-law and couldn't be happier about it. And I'd like to accept Sam in the family too, because he sure is a part of it."
Hank snickered. "You know you are in a world of trouble, don't you, with the girls….?"
George squirmed in the chair for a moment then looked at Hank.
"I figured as much. But all will be explained in good time. When I can get all of you home under the same roof and talk to you. I had a reason in the beginning for doing this, and for the most part, it worked. But I knew it was sort of a cruel joke on them. I hated doing it this way, but I couldn't figure out any other way of getting all their attention."
"You don't have to explain a thing to me. You are their father and you had their best interest at heart, I am sure. You brought them all home, didn't you?" Hank smiled.
George hung his head and then raised it with a smile. "I guess I did at that.
"I sure didn't think it would turn out this way though. But maybe my disguise helped in the long run. Who knows. You knows Hank, you go along thinking that a man has your back so long, you trust them and you give them what you think they deserve. And then something like this happens and you wonder how you could have misjudged it so badly. I had no idea Wade would go out of his head like that. And now he's hurt Cade, and most of all Wendy. His actions reflected on everyone in some way."
"He almost had you that night Sam jumped in the middle of things, you know."
"Yes sir, I owe that boy a lot. I owe all you boys a lot and things are going to be different from now on. I have learned a lot through this experience. I actually kind of liked playing Caleb, because I could talk to the girls and listen without them worrying what I was thinking. But I tell you Hank, sometimes you have to distance yourself from everything to understand. And I almost lost a lot too…"
he said, his voice going soft as a tear threatened to spill over.
"She's gonna be alright, George. Sam won't dare let anything happen to her," Hank reassured him. "He's scared right now. He doesn't see much future in his life and that's why he was leaving. He felt he had nothing to offer her."
"You are mighty certain about things working out, aren't you? How come?"
"Because he feels for Wendy like I felt for Letty. I'd jump through fire for that woman. And Sam would do the same. He loves her. He really loves Wendy. Maybe it's a little strange how quickly they latched onto each other, but in my thinking, they needed each other and they were meant to be together. But I'm afraid he's got the low down cowboy blues." Hank shook his head.
"What is that?" George's brow shot upward.
"It's when a cowboy thinks he's got nothing to give a woman. It's when he don't feel he's good enough. Sam wants to marry Wendy, but he don't feel he can support her like he should. He was packing to leave the other night when he heard Wendy scream."
"You don't mean it."
"I watched him. He thought I was asleep, and I just about was, but I saw him packing."
"That's foolishness."
"Foolish or not, he was leaving. He loved her that much."
"Well, I'm going to set things straight around here once and for all. And then I might just live to a hundred."
Hank laughed. "I bet you would, out of pure cussedness."
George laughed.
Chapter Nineteen
A week went by, and Wendy hadn't come out of the coma. But Sam was there every day. He took books to read to her, he took music she liked to listen to. He talked about the plans they never made, and for the first time in his life he prayed every day for her to heal.
He exercised her legs and arms too, so that her circulation would be good.
He was with her almost all the time.
And he vowed to stay with her until the trial started.
Stand By Me (Book 4 of the McKay's) Page 13