“Do we have any idea on the extent of injuries, or if the patient’s attacker’s in custody?”
“The paramedic report says she’s awake and alert now. She was unconscious when they found her at the scene.” Sharon searched the paper in her hand, “Her vitals are stable. Open wounds to her head and face. As for the perp, I’ll have Jan call dispatch and find out.”
“Man this day just got a lot longer.” Lucy winced at her callous and uncaring tone.
The solemn expressions on the faces of the paramedics when they pushed through the doors seconds later, assured Lucy that she wasn’t going to like what she was about to see. Nausea swelled, threatening to expel the meager contents of her stomach. Would she ever get used to the horrifying things people did to one another? The queasiness subsided enough for Lucy to force the young woman’s pain from her mind and concentrate on helping charge instead.
With great care, Lucy slipped the oxygen mask over the woman’s mouth and nose. A multitude of cuts slashed across the terrified face staring up at her. A pang of anger shot through her as she examined the worst of the injuries first. Fury welled in her as she examined the largest, a laceration that zigzagged its way down the forehead and across the bridge of her patient’s nose. It faded out near the outer corner of her eye. The jagged edges attested to a blunt force impact.
“You’re doing great,” Lucy murmured and the broken gaze locked onto her. A shaky smile lifted the corners of the woman’s mouth. “What’s your name?”
“Sheila, Sheila Davenport.” The tip of Sheila’s tongue darted out and moistened her cracked lips. “Where am I?” A twinge of sympathy rolled over Lucy when the cervical collar on Sheila’s neck halted any attempt to turn her head.
“You’re in the emergency room of St. Marys’ Regional Medical Center. I’m Lucy, a nurse here.” Lucy kept her voice low. Talking in a loud voice served no real benefit for the patients in her care. It only managed to cause even more stress than the emergency that had landed them in the hospital in the first place, did. “After the doctor takes a quick look at you, we’ll get you off this hard backboard.” Lucy tapped an index finger against the long board Sheila was strapped to for emphasis. “Can’t be too careful with neck and back injuries.”
“Okay.” Sheila’s response not much more than a whisper.
Over the next several minutes, Lucy split her time between tending to Sheila and the needs of Dr. Jameson. Finally, satisfied Sheila faced no immediate danger, he ordered C.A.T scans and x-rays before he left them alone.
“Was I in an accident?” Uncertainty shone bright in Sheila’s pale brown eyes. Tears pooled within her eyes.
“No, you weren’t.” Lucy smoothed a hand over Sheila’s arm beneath the coverlet. “There’s a few questions we need you to answer for us though.”
“I’m not sure how much I can tell you but I’ll try my best.”
“That’s all I’m asking for.” With any luck, the smile on her lips didn’t look as forced as it felt.
Lucy plunged ahead. The sooner she started the quicker it would be over for Shelia. At least until the police showed up and began their line of questioning. With any luck Sheila would be in a room upstairs somewhere by then. Then Lucy wouldn’t have to witness the confusion and fear in her eyes again.
“Can you tell me the last thing you remember?”
Sheila’s brow furrowed. “I don’t remember anything after getting out of my car in the parking garage.” Her eyes filled. “Do I have amnesia?”
Panicked eyes sought Lucy’s.
“I can’t tell you for sure, Sheila.” Lucy scooped a trembling hand in a tender grip and squeezed tenderly. Whether to allay some of Sheila’s anxiety, or her own guilt for causing it, Lucy couldn’t decide. “The tests will help to determine. I can tell you that sometimes when our bodies sustain a substantial injury like yours it will shut down parts that may not be needed at the time. When you’ve healed, you may start regaining bits and pieces.”
Or she could be like you and still have a blank space.
With a mental shake, Lucy brought her attention back to her patient. “Let’s not worry about that right now though. Right now you need to focus on recovering.” Patting the arm beneath her hand, she straightened. “Is there anyone I can call?”
Let whatever officer they sent over do the dirty work. After all, wasn’t that what taxpayers paid them to do?
Sheila’s eyes drifted shut for several long seconds and Lucy began to fear she’d slipped into unconsciousness again. She gave the young woman’s shoulder a quick shake just in case. The unsure chocolate-brown eyes opened staring up at Lucy. “My mom,” The tears trickled their way down Sheila’s cheeks. “But I can’t remember her phone number.”
“How about her name?” Lucy wiped the moisture away, her stomach twisted with sadness at the despair in Sheila’s guarded gaze.
“Thank you for being so kind.” Sheila blew out a shaky breath.
“You don’t have to thank me.” Lucy gave Sheila’s shoulder a quick pat before she changed the subject. “What do you say we get this over with?”
“Okay.”
Lucy could feel Sheila’s gaze as it followed her movements around the room. She fished a gown, several towels, washcloths and brown paper sacks from a cupboard. This was one part of her job Lucy would prefer didn’t exist. Subjecting a human to more humiliation and trauma than they had already sustained was a tough pill for her to swallow. Even if it was in their best interest, it sure didn’t make it any easier. Still, she had to do it. Lucy sucked in a breath and delivered the news.
“I need to do a full exam.” Sheila’s frightened eyes locked on Lucy when she continued. “It includes checking for sexual assault.” She hurried on before Sheila could assume the worst. “It doesn’t mean that you’re a victim. It’s simply routine procedure. Is that alright with you?”
She heaved a deep sigh when Sheila bobbed her head in silent approval.
“It won’t take long.” Lucy gave Sheila’s shoulder a quick, comforting squeeze. “I’ll do the majority of the exam, but the doctor will have to do a pelvic exam, too.”
Finishing the task in quick order, Lucy noted all of Sheila’s injuries in her chart. She included several pictures as well. The clothing went into separate bags sealed with a piece of evidence tape. A label with Sheila’s information, today’s date, and Lucy’s signature secured the strip of tape in place.
“Now let me go find the doctor so we can get his exam done and over with, and then you won’t be poked or prodded, again. At least, not for a little while.” Lucy offered a smile, resettling Sheila on the bed.
Before Lucy could make her way across the room, movement in the doorway drew their attention. Her gaze locked on the man standing in the doorway. An instantaneous zip of alarm whizzed through Lucy’s body.
Geesh Lucy, you have to stop jumping at shadows.
She forced a smile. But it wasn’t simply a case of the jitters that caused her reaction. Something about Adam Rogers put Lucy on edge, but now wasn’t the time to delve into it. Lucy ignored the uneaseiness crawling down her spine; instead, she gathered her composure and turned her attention away from him.
“Adam’s here from x-ray, so we can get those out of the way real quick. Then I have to get those down to the security office.” She nodded her head in the direction of the counter holding the bags. “Are you ready, Sheila?”
Lucy watched a myriad of emotions, fear being the most prominent one, flit across Sheila’s face as Adam maneuvered a large machine to her bedside. Had she been the victim of a sexual assault also? Lucy wondered.
There had been no outward signs of rape during the physical exam, but Lucy knew from experience there wasn’t always visible evidence. She filed Sheila’s noteworthy reaction away for analysis at a later time. After things settled down, she’d document it. Over the years, she had learned that you never know when the smallest piece of information could be what solves a crime.
“Do I have a cho
ice really?”
“You always have a choice, Hun.” Lucy replied empathetically. “I know this is no fun. Trust me. I understand exactly how frightened you are. If we get this done now, it will be that much sooner that we can get you more comfortable.”
Sheila’s wide-eyed gaze searched Lucy’s over the space for a beat before giving a hasty nod.
“Good.” An encouraging smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “We’re ready any time you are Adam.”
“This won’t take long.” Adam’s soothing voice was oddly unsettling. His smile faded a little when his gaze landed on Lucy. Apprehension she had managed to tamp down moments ago, flared up again.
“I’ll stay until the x-rays are done.” Lucy swallowed hard, dropping her gaze to Sheila’s.
“Thanks,” Sheila’s hands twisted together in her lap, “I’m so tired. All I want to do is sleep.”
“The second that Adam finishes you can take a little nap.”
“Thanks.”
Lucy engaged Sheila in idle conversation around Adam’s instructions. Ten minutes later, he packed up his equipment. “Well, ladies,” Even though he addressed both women, his eyes locked on Lucy. Goosebumps pebbled her body. This man is off kilter for sure. “We’re all set here. I’ll get these down to the radiologist and let him take a look at them.”
“Thanks Adam,” The nicety stuck in Lucy’s throat, threatening to choke her. She wasn’t exactly feeling appreciative at the moment. “Hopefully those will be enough.”
Her gaze shifted to Sheila. The rapid rise and fall of Sheila’s chest caught Lucy’s attention. She didn’t need her patient hyperventilating from the anxiety racing through her body.
“How soon before you can get to them, Adam?”
“It shouldn’t take too long, Luce.”
A shudder ripped through Lucy. Her family, close friends and a select few coworkers used the nickname. Adam fell into none of those categories. The familiar way he used set off alarm bells.
Her eyes drifted closed and Lucy silently counted to ten before she opened them, feeling minutely calmer.
“Sharon will come in and sit with you for a few minutes while I run your property to security.” She smiled her first genuine smile in the past half-hour. “She’s my boss, so make sure you let her know I’m working hard or she’ll find something else for me to do.”
“Ok.” The sound of the soft chuckle that escaped Sheila’s lips, was like music to Lucy’s ears. “I’ll make sure she knows.”
She gathered up the bags and crossed to the door. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”
Clutching the bags to her, Lucy headed for the security office. A sense of foreboding she couldn’t shake trickled down her spine. Could Sheila’s response be a simple reaction to the trauma she had endured? The tiny niggle of dread deep in the pit of Lucy’s stomach made her think otherwise.
Deep in thought, she rounded the corner into a rear hallway. A scream escaped Lucy when she careened into a large, unmoving obstacle in the usually vacant space. The impact sent her toppling backwards. If not for the two strong hands that shot out and hooked her upper arms in a firm grasp, Lucy would have landed in a heap.
“Oh geez!” She struggled to maintain her balance and her grip on the packages simultaneously. The last thing she needed was to have them break open and spill their contents in the middle of the floor. Lucy could only imagine the untold number of germs the surface, that to the naked eye, looked shiny and clean. “I’m so sorry. My mind was somewhere else.”
She glanced up and found herself staring at one finely muscled chest. Her breath caught in her throat. An electrical current zipped through every cell in Lucy’s body. A well-fitting black tee shirt hugged taut muscles. His black leather coat topped off the magnificent display.
Lucy lifted her eyes, her gaze locking with a familiar green one. Her heart pounded so hard in her chest, Lucy was sure he had to see the movement. One corner of his full mouth tilted up in a devastatingly masculine grin. Her stomach did a flip in response. The faint scar on his left cheek still stretched downward from the corner of his eye to the top of his cheekbone, just as she remembered. On most men, it would have been jarring, but not on this one. She didn’t need to see the slight bump on the bridge of his nose. Her mind struggled to come to terms with the man now standing before her.
Detective Jackson Tabor, Charleston Police Department’s finest.
In the back of her mind, Lucy had waited for the day to come when she would see him again. She just hadn’t expected it to take almost eight years. And she sure never imagined it would be like this.
A tickle of exhilaration flowed through Lucy, threatening the already tenuous control on the emotions rampaging through her.
Detective Jackson Tabor had been her rock during the darkest days of Lucy’s life. A man who possessed the power to tie her gut in a knot at the mere notion of him. Yet, at the same time, he scared the hell out of her.
Let’s not forget, he was also the same man who turned his back and walked away from you.
Excitement took a quick backseat to the humiliation burning hot up her face when Lucy finally met his gaze. A mysterious glint danced in the brilliant green depths.
“Not a problem. No damage done.” The deep boom of Jack’s voice caressed like a physical touch. Desire sparked low in her belly. “How have you been, Lucy?
She clutched the paper bags tight against her body. The loud crinkle of the coarse paper brought Lucy’s attention back her mission. Praying her body’s traitorous reactions were not obvious to Jack, she swallowed down the emotion, and straightened to her full height. Lucy didn’t have time for this foolish banter.
“I’ve been good, Detective. How have you been?”
“I’ve been good, but I’m better now. I didn’t realize you worked here.”
He flashed an irresistibly sexy grin. Were his lips as soft and sensuous as they looked? Lucy gulped hard and dropped her gaze from his mouth that was so mesmerizing to her.
“Yep, I’ve been here for about six years now. I’ve worked in the emergency room the entire time. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.” She felt powerless to stop the rambling words flowing like water across a dam. “What about you? Are you still with CPD? I’ve often wondered about that since I never see you around here.” Oh cripes Lucy! Pull yourself together already! It’s not like she’d never been in the company of a good-looking man.
Had she really stood here and divulged to Jack Tabor that he’d been on her mind a lot? Good Lord, if she didn’t rein her mouth in she’d end up telling him about the wild dreams, too.
Lucy licked her suddenly dry lips before continuing. “Not that I think about you often.” Talk about too little too late Ms. Obvious!
“Ahh shucks sugar, and here I’m getting all excited because you’ve been pining away over me. Sounds like I’ll have to work a little harder on that, won’t I?” His hands shifted on her arms. “Got your feet back under you now?”
Goosebumps dotted Lucy’s skin as the soft rumble of his words sluiced over her. She blinked, and the warmth of his hands registered in her muddled mind. “Um yeah,”
Determined to get her feelings back on an impartial level, Lucy took a step back, breaking the bond between them. “What brings you here, Detective?”
Once more, his face displayed an uncanny awareness. Lucy had no doubt he saw right through her ploy to change the topic.
“I’m looking for an assault victim who came in a little while ago. Would you happen to know which room she’s in?”
“I might. What’s her name?”
“Sheila Davenport.”
“You’re in luck. It just so happens she’s my patient. Follow this hallway down to the next set of double doors and ring the buzzer, someone will let you in.” She tipped her head toward the bags still clutched firmly in her grip. “I’d go with you, Detective, but I need to get these to security.” Some of her discomfort faltered as Lucy shifted back and forth on her feet.
“We’re not complete strangers Lucy. I think we can dispense with the formalities, don’t you?”
Lucy’s gaze locked on the sexy line of his jaw. “All right, Jack. I guess I’ll be there in a few minutes then.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Mortification reared its ugly head as she made her way toward the security office. The last time she’d laid eyes on Jackson Tabor, she’d practically attacked him. And he’d turned her down flat. Not that Lucy could blame him. What did a scrawny eighteen year-old child have to offer a handsome man who could have any woman he wanted? He had brushed her feelings aside assuring her they were nothing more than gratitude and would fade away in time. Lucy had believed him until ten minutes ago when she found herself pretty much falling all over him again.
Well, you sure blew that theory out of the water didn’t you? she thought to herself.
Where There's Smoke: The Heroes of Hammonds Bend(Romantic Suspense) Page 20