“Decky, Charlie’s pretty banged up. There was some internal bleeding. He thumped on her like a punching bag. She’s out of surgery and everything looks fine. It was just a small bleed from a cracked rib. She’s in the room behind yours. You are both in this special care unit.”
Brenda patted her hand as tears rolled down Decky’s face.
“She’s never going to forgive me for getting her into this mess,” Decky cried.
Brenda let out a little laugh. “Honey, every time that girl’s eyes have been open, she’s asking about you. I don’t think you are going to be able to get rid of her that easy.”
Decky brightened, “Can I see her?”
Brenda assumed the role of mother again, “Not right now. She needs to rest and so do you. You’ve been through a lot and you are both lucky to be alive. God Bless the NRA and R.C. Bradshaw!”
Decky relaxed a little. Charlie was okay. She was hurt, but she still loved Decky. They would get through this. Together they could do anything. She took the pain meds when the nurse brought them and drifted off to sleep.
#
She awoke again in the wee hours of the morning. The activity in the hall had quieted down. A pair of crutches leaned against the table beside the bed. A note was tied to them.
Thought you might need these. Dixie is okay just bruised ribs and a sprained ankle. Must run in the family. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love, Dad.
Decky’s head and ankle throbbed in unison as she made her way to the bathroom. She didn’t ask anyone if she could get up, she was afraid they would bring a bedpan. She stood in front of the mirror, examining the bruises developing under both eyes. Her lip was swollen. There were a few other scrapes and dings, but she looked better than she felt. Her ribs ached. She thought about Charlie in the next room.
Decky was overcome with pangs when she thought of Charlie waking up scared and alone. She slipped her head out the door. No one was in the hallway. The nurses were all talking at the nurses’ station several doors down. Decky slipped into the hall and into Charlie’s room unnoticed. As unnoticed as a hospital gowned woman with her ass hanging out and on crutches could be. She went to the side of the bed where a chair was positioned. Brenda had probably sat with Charlie so she wouldn’t be alone. Decky would have to thank Brenda for being there for Charlie when she couldn’t.
Charlie looked better only because there was no blood all over her. Someone had washed her face and arms; her clothes had been taken as evidence. Her hair still contained dried blood in places. Decky fell down into the chair. She put her head on the side of Charlie’s bed and cried. She tried to be quiet, but her shaking must have awakened Charlie. Decky felt Charlie’s hand on the back of her head, gently stroking the huge knot left there by the bat.
“Brenda says… your hard head… saved your life.” She was hard to understand through the split lips and swollen cheeks, but Decky followed her perfectly.
“That’s what they tell me. I hear you’re pretty tough, too.” Decky took Charlie’s hand in hers.
“I guess… we’ll be postponing… that trip to Rodanthe.” Charlie tried to smile.
Decky squeezed Charlie’s hand, “I’m so sorry, Charlie.”
Charlie was trying to help Decky get through this. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We can reschedule it… for recovery time. I’ve always wanted… to go to the shore to recover… like rich folk do.”
“I’m sorry I let this happen to you. Can you ever feel safe with me again? Can you trust me to take care of you?” Decky was at rock bottom, a place she had never been before, not even with Trey.
“Decky, look at me… You did not do this… You are my knight… in shining armor… didn’t you know that. Instead of a horse…you brought a dog… but you saved me… You saved us both.”
“If my dad hadn’t come…”
“But he did come… because you called for him… you knew you needed him… You saved me… from a crazed maniac. I am yours… from now until… the end of time… you can bet your sweet tight ass on that.” Charlie laughed and it hurt her. She squeezed Decky’s hand again, “I love you Decky Bradshaw, more than life itself.”
Decky laid her head down next to Charlie’s leg. She cried softly for a while, and then leaned back in the chair, propped her ankle up on the end of Charlie’s bed, and fell asleep still holding Charlie’s hand. A little while later, she heard someone enter the room. Decky did not open her eyes. The person seemed to stop and take in the two women. She heard the person go to the other side of the bed to check Charlie. Then the person put a blanket over Decky and let her sleep.
#
When the nurses came in the morning, they escorted Decky back to her room and took Charlie down for a sonogram or ultrasound, Decky couldn’t remember which. They were checking for more bleeding before taking her off the special care floor. Decky was being moved to a private room. She asked about the prospect of a double room for her and Charlie. When she was told it would not be possible, she told the lady behind the clipboard that she would pay anything, just make it happen. The woman agreed to try.
Charlie came back from the test with great results. She could move into the room that had suddenly opened for the two of them. They would be together even if it wasn’t at home. Decky called R.C. to check on Dixie. She was being treated like the hero and princess that she was, and loving every minute of it. Decky told her father to stay with Dixie. She was sure they would be let out of the hospital tomorrow, and then he could bring Dixie home and visit with her.
They hadn’t talked about what had happened. It had all been such a rush, neither of them had time to discuss the events that led up to R.C. pulling the trigger. Decky was glad her father shot first and asked questions later. She was also glad he was such a good shot.
Decky thought about what she would say to him, when she had the chance. Thank you did not cover the range of emotions she had experienced in the last 24 hours.
Decky had been moved into the new room when the orthopedic surgeon came to see her. She had previous surgery on her ankle to repair ligament damage. The screws from this repair had remained in place, but the ligaments they held to the bone had ruptured. A new surgery, requiring much more extensive repair, would be needed. He suggested she make arrangements with her own doctors in Chapel Hill. He said she should remain in the cast until doing so, to prevent any further damage to an already beleaguered joint.
The doctor ordered an I.V. with saline, to replace fluids Decky had lost. He also okayed some pain meds introduced intravenously. She was in the clear on the brain injury, but they would hold her one more night. Decky thought about her throbbing ankle. She would eventually need ankle replacement surgery in old age, but for now Decky would repair, rehab, and pray it would hold up a little longer.
Maybe by then they would have bionic ankles. The pain meds kicked in and she was lost in dreams of flying around the bases with a bionic prosthesis, faster, stronger, better than before. The sound effects from the bionic woman played as she beat throw after throw. N-n-n-n-n-n-a. Safe!
“Hey Decky, we brought you a roommate,” a jolly nurse, much like Kitty on “That 70’s Show,” was wheeling Charlie into the room with the help of two orderlies. “My name is Mary Jo. You girls just push that call button if you need anything. It seems I have been hired as a private nurse just for you two. Isn’t that sweet? Somebody must really love you.”
Mary Jo talked non-stop until she left the room. She made sure everything was just right, and then left to see about lunch. When Mary Jo finally left them alone, Decky and Charlie remained quiet for a moment. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing. This made both of them wince in pain, so they breathed shallow breaths until they had regained their composure.
Decky had requested her bed be on Charlie’s right side, so Charlie wouldn’t have to try to see her through the swollen left one. Decky lay on her left side with a pillow between her legs to support her ankle. She could see Charlie, but not touch her. It was much better than
separate rooms. After lunch they lay like that for hours, while Charlie, who was speaking much easier, now, told Decky what had happened at the cottage, before she got there.
It had all begun back at the restaurant. The man from the boat the day before was sitting at the bar. Charlie hadn’t noticed him until he came over to the table to speak to one of the other guests. He was being introduced around the table, and when he got to Charlie, he recognized her. He said nothing, but he glared at her as he walked away from the table. His last name was Bagley. She didn’t remember the first.
“He saw me leave. He must have followed me out. I didn’t notice I was being followed, but I did stop for gas. How else would he have been able to beat me to the cottage?”
Decky added, “Alan Jr., must have shown him where it was. Did I tell you he came by to apologize?”
“What did you say to him?”
“Nothing. He didn’t give me a chance to say anything. He walked in, said he was sorry and left.”
Charlie, who Decky was learning could find something good about anybody, said, “He loves you, Decky. He was just hurt. He didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
Charlie went back to the story, not giving Decky enough time to argue that Alan Jr. was certainly partially responsible for their current physical condition, even if he didn’t mean for it to happen.
“I noticed the lights were off right away. I knew I had left a few on to make it look more lived in. Besides, the outside motion light did not come on when I pulled up and parked. I didn’t think anything of it. It was probably a fuse or something. I thought it was strange that the alarm was not on, because you had shown me the backup battery. All of those warning bells, and I just went right on in.”
Decky reassured her, “You couldn’t have known he was in there.”
“This is the stuff you scream at the movie screen. Don’t go in there, you idiot. It’s dark and scary and you have been warned.”
Decky laughed and winced again. She might as well laugh as cry. She didn’t think she had any tears left.
“After I shut the door behind me, I went to the bedroom to get my flashlight. I keep it by the bed. He was on me before I knew what was happening. We fought, but he was so big and he knocked me loopy. He yanked my pants off but I kicked him in the face. That’s when you drove up I guess, because he stopped, like he heard something. He tied me up and gagged me in the kitchen. I thought he was going to kill you. I tried to warn you, but I couldn’t talk.”
“I probably should not have set the gun down on the floor. Not the smartest thing I’ve ever done.” Decky again felt a wave of guilt wash over her.
“I know. We really have to work on that being stunned in my presence thing.” Charlie laughed and winced, which made Decky laugh and wince. They went back to the shallow breathing.
They napped and talked the rest of the day. After supper, Brenda stopped by with a report that Miss Kitty had been retrieved from Decky’s and was now Chip’s best friend. Charlie was on official medical leave until she felt better, which could be August as far as the administration was concerned. They were afraid Lizzie’s association with the U. could be tied somehow to this whole thing and wanted no part of a lawsuit.
Decky’s house was locked up tighter than a tick. The crime scene tape was now down at the cottage and the local ladies had cleaned it. It was spotless, not to mention that now the local ladies knew everything Charlie had at the cottage. There were no secrets in a small place like this. Brenda assured them everyone was praying for them and very angry that this had happened. She kissed them both and went home to break up the love affair between her husband and the little queen, taking up residence in her house.
R.C. came by even though Decky had told him not to. He was officially introduced to Charlie and she thanked him for saving their lives. He mentioned he imagined her daddy would have done the same. He gave Decky another update on Dixie. She was living it up on the couch in the den as they spoke, he surmised.
R.C. sat on the edge of Decky’s bed so he could see both women. His tone became serious. “I had a visit from the sheriff today. Seems this man’s name was Jim Bagley, from over in Chowan County. His folks have old money.”
Charlie cocked an eyebrow in question.
R.C. explained, “Old money comes with power new money only dreams of. This Jim Bagley has been accused of this sort of thing before, been arrested more than once on sexual assault charges. The sheriff said the word was the family bought him out of it. Witnesses left town, the prosecuting DA refused to press charges.”
Decky was incredulous. He had done this before and he was walking the streets. She looked over at Charlie, whose expression she thought surely mirrored her own.
R.C. went on. “Well, the Bagley family has decided charges should be pressed on the three of us. The same DA that dismissed the charges against the Bagley man agrees. My lawyer says that both the Bagleys and the county are trying to head off a civil case holding them responsible for allowing Jim Bagley to walk free, knowing he was a sexual predator.”
“You bet your sweet ass, I’m going to sue them. Those bastards knew he was dangerous and they let him out of their sight. What idiots!” Decky grabbed her head. She had raised the volume just a little too much.
Charlie took over where Decky left off. “How does blaming us relieve them of culpability in this? What possible motive could we have?”
R.C. cleared his throat. “Now, remember, this is just a cover story to save their hides. It seems you, Charlie, met Mr. Bagley at the restaurant earlier in the evening. You invited him home to your cottage…”
“What!” Decky and Charlie said at the same time, followed immediately by a simultaneous, “Bull Shit!”
R.C. raised his hand. “I know, I know, just listen. Be quiet and let me finish. Charlie, after allegedly bringing him to her house, agreed to some sexual bondage play. Charlie would agree to this because of her lifestyle as a homosexual. Decky, meanwhile, drives over to the cottage. Sees through the bedroom window what is happening and in a jealous rage broke in. She attacked you, Charlie, then pulled a gun on Mr. Bagley, when he tried to stop her. He had just wrestled the gun from Decky and was attempting to save his own life when I shot him, misunderstanding the situation.”
Decky was crazy with anger. What in the hell was wrong with these people? “What about the fact that the wires were cut and the alarm disabled? Did I do that on my way up the steps?”
R.C. said quietly, “No, I supposedly did that after the shooting, before the sheriff was called. They claim it was to give you, Decky, an alibi. There is such a short time between when the alarm went off and when the shooting occurred, it is possible for that to have happened.”
Charlie tried to help, “But the twins, she called the twins. They came and got you didn’t they?”
R.C. sighed, “They figure Decky called them after the shooting and I let them find me at home. Then we called the police after I arrived back at the cottage. If we had done it that way, and been quick about it, it’s conceivable.”
“Too bad Dixie can’t be a witness.” Charlie was trying to find a lighter side to this mess.
Decky remembered something from that night. R.C. had called out to someone. “You told somebody to call 911. Someone else was there. Who was it?”
“Your mother.”
R.C. then explained that the prosecutor of record wanted all the facts out in a public venue, to insure no one would ever accuse him of not investigating the incident thoroughly. Therefore, there was going to be a preliminary hearing to weigh evidence and decide if it was a lawful death.
In the meantime, Decky and Charlie would have to appear at the jail to be processed. He had already been there. He assured them it was only a formality. They would be on their own recognizance until the hearing. He said he would be by in the morning to take them home. The doctor had told him it would be all right.
Decky and Charlie were left alone again. They stared at the ceiling for a while, not kn
owing how to respond to such ludicrous accusations.
Finally, Charlie said, “Well, look on the bright side, after this we won’t have to worry about being careful in public. Everybody in the whole world will know about us by the time the hearing’s over.”
Chapter Twelve
By the time Decky and Charlie were picked up at the hospital, Decky had already called the lawyer she used for local business to meet them at the courthouse. He would do for the formality of receiving the charges and arranging their release. They were duly surrendered, charged, fingerprinted and released.
When they arrived at home, Brenda was waiting for them. She had Miss Kitty with her, who she now called the demon child. She was carrying on, busying herself around the bedroom, making sure her patients were comfortable and prepared for anything. If they needed ice or water, it was right there. Ice bags were in a cooler, to be switched out at a moment’s notice. Prescriptions filled and at the ready, food waiting downstairs. All laptops, phones and remotes within reach. Brenda was a born mother. Maybe she had been a nurse in a former life.
Out on the Sound Page 24