They disappeared through the double doors. A nurse stepped in front of them blocking his way. With a sympathetic smile she said, “Sorry, you’ll have to wait out here.”
He nodded without argument.
He knew the rules. He looked over at Billy Clyde. “Did you get burned?”
“I’ll live.” Billy Clyde lifted an arm revealing a burned away sleeve. Blisters decorated his arm. “I couldn’t find the dogs, though.”
He wasn’t going to debate with Billy Clyde this time. He turned to the nurse and called. “Nurse, he got hurt in the fire, too.”
Billy Clyde shook his head. “I’m—”
Dylan held up a hand and turned toward the nurse who was rushing toward them. “Make sure he sees a doctor. I don’t care how big he is.”
She nodded. With a gentle touch on his arm, she said, “Come with me.” She turned to Dylan. “You can come back, too. Just make sure you stay with him and out of your wife’s room.” She gave him a look. “Agreed?”
“Agreed.” He nodded wondering why it was okay for him to be with Billy Clyde but not with Reggie. If only he could be with her, hold her. It didn’t’ make sense but he’d given his word.
She led them down the hall. Dylan’s gaze scanned the area wanting to see where Reggie was. A group of people clustered in a cubicle. A lot of activity. Probably Reggie.
The nurse led them to another cubicle. She slapped a blood pressure bracelet on Billy Clyde, walked to a computer and began getting his name and address.
Dylan loitered at the front of the cubicle trying to listen to what was going on with Reggie, but without much success. He eyed the nurse. Maybe, she was so busy she wouldn’t notice if he left.
She looked up at that precise moment. She shook her head and smiled as if she knew what he was thinking. Dylan sighed.
Moments later, a tall skinny man who looked like Ichabod Crane pushed the curtain aside and walked in. He wore a doctor’s smock. He walked over and shook Billy Clyde’s hand. “Billy, I didn’t know you were the patient. What’s the problem?”
“I’m fine, Steve. I’m trying to tell everyone, but this nurse of yours won’t listen to me.”
“That’s because she’s a very smart woman.” The man nodded with a smile. “Let me take a look. Take off your shirt.”
“Uh, it’s just right here.” Billy Clyde pointed at his forearm. “I don’t need to take the shirt off.”
The nurse glared at him. “This is how he’s been the whole time. Very uncooperative.”
The doctor nodded. “That’s fine, but take off your shirt anyway.”
Dylan’s eyes met Billy Clyde’s he shrugged. The burn was on the same arm as the gunshot. “Let the doctor fix you up.”
The doctor nodded. “Sounds like good advice, Billy. I know you’re the tough guy, but even tough guys need doctors sometimes. And by the look of that arm, this is one of those times.”
Billy Clyde took turns glaring at Doctor Steve, the nurse and Dylan as he unbuttoned his shirt. Not a happy camper but it couldn’t be helped. He needed medical attention. When the shirt came off, the doctor’s gaze fell on the gunshot wound for a moment, then moved on down to the burn.
Dylan half listened to their conversation but his focus stayed on the frenetic activity in the cubicle beside them.
“How’d you get the burn?”
“House fire.”
“Yours?”
Billy Clyde sighed and nodded.
“Where’s Theresa? Was she in the fire? Did she get hurt?”
“She wasn’t home.”
“That’s good. Why isn’t she here yet?”
Billy Clyde mumbled an answer and coughed at the same time.
“Maybe we should get some oxygen on you.”
“Don’t need it, Steve. Really. How’s the arm?”
“Not too bad. You were lucky. Only third degree burns.”
“Good, then I can go.”
“I didn’t say that. Nurse, I need a moment with the patient in private.” She looked up with a surprised expression, but left without comment. The doctor moved closer. His voice quiet. “What’s this, Billy? It looks like a gun shot.”
Dylan turned his whole attention toward the two men.
“It’s an old wound. Nothing to worry about.”
Dylan’s eyes moved to the doctor to see how he’d handle this new information.
He said nothing for a minute, then looked back at Billy Clyde. “You keep saying that, but I’m worrying. You had a house fire, you got burned, now I see what looks like a gunshot wound and…Theresa is nowhere to be found. Seems mighty strange to me.”
“Steve, you need to trust me on this. Okay? I’ve got everything under control.”
Dylan thought about his friend’s words.
In fact, nothing was under control. Billy Clyde only wished it was. God was in control but only God knew what was happening. They sure didn’t. Reggie was fighting for her life and no matter how hard they’d tried, they hadn’t been able to find Theresa.
Maybe, that was the point of all this.
Both, Billy Clyde and himself thought they could handle any situation, no matter what it was. Perhaps, God was trying to teach them to be more humble. To depend on Him.
He heard coughing, then he heard his name.
Reggie’s voice drew him to her like a magnet.
CHAPTER 38
Reggie’s eyes fluttered open but the bright light hurt her eyes so she clamped them shut once again. She opened them again—but slower. As her eyes adjusted to the brightness, she saw the IV and the monitor.
Hospital.
Why? Where?
The memories crashed in around her. The man. The closet. Fire. Dylan’s arms around her.
She gasped and jumped. Monitors beeped as her pulse jumped through the roof.
A nurse touched her arm. “Don’t panic. You’re fine, you’re in an oxygen tent to help with your breathing. Nothing to be frightened about.”
“Dylan? Where’s Dylan? ” The word came out as a croak reminding her of all the smoke she’d breathed in from the fire. The fire at Theresa’s.
And then the coughing started.
****
Dylan charged through the emergency room with only one thing on his mind. Reggie. He’d heard her say his name, he was sure of it. She needed him.
Reggie lay propped up in the hospital bed surrounded by a bevy of nurses and doctors. Her head and shoulders enclosed in an oxygen tent, coughing with tears streaming down her soot-covered cheeks. Her eyes grew wide when she saw him.
Her hand reached out toward him.
And just like Moses, the sea of people parted allowing him to reach her. He grasped her hand. “Why aren’t you helping her?”
“The coughing is a normal reaction.” The nurse explained. “Are you a relative?”
Still clutching Reggie’s hand, he nodded. “Her husband.”
“Wonderful. She had us worried for a minute but not anymore. Her blood sugar had dropped but once that stabilized she was fine.”
The coughing continued.
“She doesn’t sound fine.”
“Coughing is a normal reaction to the smoke she breathed in.”
Dylan nodded. As a volunteer fireman, he knew that. But it was a whole different ball game when it was his wife doing the coughing. He’d never be so blasé with emergency victims again—that was for sure.
“We’ve got her on an IV to stabilize her glucose levels. She regained consciousness only a moment ago. I was heading out to find you.”
He looked down at her tiny hand in his. It felt like home.
Minutes before he hadn’t known if he’d ever hold that hand again. He closed his eyes struggling for composure.
Reggie squeezed his hand, but continued coughing. Not able to talk. His heart broke watching her coughing and gasping for breath. “Reggie, it’s ok. Don’t try to talk. And take small breaths but slow them down if you can.”
She nodded.
More tears.
Two of the nurses in the cubicle left. Doctor Steve walked in. “Mrs. Monroe. The coughing is good for you so don’t fight it. It will clean out your lungs. You inhaled some smoke but not enough to do damage. Your sugar level was low but that’s been stabilized. I’ll be in to check on you in a little bit.” He looked toward Dylan. “Any questions?”
“Are you going to be admitting her?”
He shook his head. “I don’t believe so, but she’ll be here for a few more hours. In the meantime, she should stay calm and keep coughing. The coughing helps expel the nasty things from her lungs.” He turned and walked out leaving only the one nurse.
She smiled at Reggie. “It’s a busy night. But I’m here if you need me. Just hit the button.” She handed Reggie a button attached to the bed with a long white cord. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
“Water?” Reggie’s voice was croaky and just about the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard.
The nurse pointed to a white Styrofoam cup. “Ice chips only. And only a few at a time.” She patted Dylan’s arm on the way out of the cubicle and whispered to him. “She was a very lucky woman.”
It wasn’t luck. It was God. For whatever reason, God had answered his prayers and kept Reggie alive. Thank you. Please keep Theresa under your protection wherever she is.
Dylan moved to the other side of the bed and picked up the cup. He shook out two ice chips on Reggie’s hand. Her hand moved back under the clear tent and she popped them in her mouth.
A moment later another coughing bout put an end to any conversation attempts on Dylan’s part. Instead, he clasped her hand and prayed, thankful Reggie was alive.
After more coughing and more ice chips, Reggie’s gaze focused on him. “Dylan?” Her voice raspy and barely discernible.
“I’m right here, sweetheart. The doctor told you not to talk.”
She wiped away more tears and shook her head a stubborn set to her mouth. “Need to know.”
“None of it matters right now. All that matters is you’re safe.” She must have a ton of questions.
She shook her head which set off another bout of coughing.
He squeezed her hand while she gasped for breath. He talked in a slow calm voice while she coughed. “I love you. Everything about you. The way you smile. The way you have so much fun with Joni’s kids. The way you love me. When I couldn’t find a pulse...” His voice broke. “I…I thought my life was over. You are my life.”
She nodded as she coughed.
“Without you I might keep on breathing, but something will be forever missing.” He reached out and touched her cheek through the oxygen tent. “Do you know what would be missing?”
She shook her head. Tears streamed down her face.
“My heart. You are my heart, Reggie. I know it’s hard for you to believe in forever after love, but it’s real. It’s not a fairy tale, it’s our life.”
She squeezed his hand, her raspy voice barely above a whisper. “You might change your mind.”
“Nothing will ever change my mind about loving you.” Reggie’s tough upbringing was at fault. Going from foster home to foster home and thinking your parents had abandoned her because of her diabetes made her lack of trust understandable. He’d thought she trusted their love, but she needed more time. “You’ve never had forever love—until now. You’ll learn to trust it in time. Just as God’s love is for eternity, so is mine.”
She coughed. Breathing hard, she wiped the tears from her face, smearing the soot even more. With her black hair a mess and her blue eyes peeking out of the soot-smudged face, she looked beautiful.
She took a deep breath, coughed a few times, and then squeezed his hand.
“Do you believe me?”
Another nod...and another round of coughing. When she regained her breath, she looked up at him. “What’s going on? Where’s Theresa?”
CHAPTER 39
Theresa sat there listening, waiting, and praying.
It had been a long time since the vehicle and her captor had left. Time to get moving. She was done being a victim, but she needed to be able to see. Her hands were tied behind her back, so that wouldn’t be an easy feat.
But it was doable.
Using the wall as an anchor she began twisting and at the same time moving her arms down below her butt. It was hard work and the heat inside the building was stifling.
Sweat trickled down her back and her face.
But her hard work paid off. Not to mention all the years of yoga.
Her arms slid down and her hands were in front of her not behind her. She reached up and tore off the blindfold. Blinking, she let her eyes adjust to the dimness in the building. Light came in through the one small window.
It looked as if it was some sort of utility building. She shook her head in wonder. Either her captors were just plain stupid or they’d seriously underestimated her.
Hadn’t it occurred to them, just how useful the tools in this building would be? She had no plans of waiting around to ask them. They could come back at any time and she planned to be long gone before they did.
She walked around, her eyes searching the tools.
Perfect.
A saw. She turned it over and within moments her hands were free and then her feet. She moved to the door and pushed. It wouldn’t open. She tried again and again.
It wasn’t opening.
No wonder they hadn’t cared if she was in a room full of tools. All that work and she was still stuck. Still at their mercy. She wiped at the tears of frustration.
Her gaze landed on the window.
It was high up and small.
But she was smaller.
The problem was getting there. She looked around and smiled. Moments later she climbed the step ladder, but could barely reach the window. No way she was going to be able to open the window to slide through it.
It felt as if time was ticking away.
Her captors could come back at any time. She had to get out of this building. Getting off the ladder, she found a hammer and ran back to the ladder.
The glass shattered as she slammed the hammer against the window.
It sounded like thunder to her ears. She prayed there wasn’t a guard out there. After brushing the glass off the sill as best she could, she pulled herself up to the window. It would be a tight squeeze but she could do it.
She looked out.
All she saw were trees.
Unfortunately, that didn’t tell her much.
West Virginia had a lot of trees in a lot of places. She could be anywhere and more importantly, miles away from help.
When she was half way through the window, she looked down. It was higher than she realized. She took a deep breath and slid through.
The ground rushed up to meet her. Hard.
She moaned and allowed herself the luxury of resting for a moment. Then, she moved to a standing position. Nothing seemed to be broken. Cautiously, she moved to the front of the building. Staring at the door that had blocked her escape, she saw it was padlocked.
No wonder she hadn’t been able to open the door.
There was a small dirt road in front of the building. A part of her wanted to run down the road to freedom, but it would leave her exposed. If her captors came back, she could run right into them.
And since she didn’t know what they looked like. Not a good idea.
She ran into the trees.
CHAPTER 40
Before Dylan could answer, Billy Clyde walked around the corner. A bandage covered the better part of his arm, but a broad smile bloomed on his face when their eyes met. “There’s my girl. Glad to see you awake.”
Through her clear oxygen tent, Reggie pointed at his arm. “What’s going on?”
Dylan asked, “What did the doctor say, Billy Clyde?
“Not bad. Only third degree burns. Hardly a burn at all.”
“What about the other thing?” Dylan’s voice was quiet.
“Not a problem. Dr. Steve’s a good guy.”
She looked back and forth between the two men. They were hiding something. She tugged on Dylan’s hand. “What other thing? I want to know what’s going on.”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about, Reggie.” Dylan gave Billy a meaningful look and a shake of his head.
“Yeah, listen to your husband. You should be resting. We’ll talk later.”
“No.” She shook her head. Her breath raspy and wheezing. “Now. What’s going on? Where’s Theresa? Why...did you come down here?” She took several deep breaths and coughed. Each word was a struggle, but she wasn’t going to let them off the hook. Forcing the cough down, she locked gazes with Dylan. “Know something’s wrong. Tell me.”
The nurse walked in. With a big smile at Dylan, she adjusted Reggie’s oxygen tent. “How are you feeling? Better?”
Reggie nodded. “Much better.”
Billy’s cell phone buzzed. Without looking, he walked out of the room. Dylan looked at her. “Be back in a minute.”
Reggie wanted to scream for the two men to come back in. Something was going on and she wanted to know what it was. She wasn’t some fragile woman who would fall apart at the drop of a hat.
“Get this thing off of me.” She tugged at the plastic prison.
“Sorry. It has to stay on for now. Doctor’s orders.”
“I don’t need...” More coughing.
The nurse turned and smiled at her waiting for the coughing to subside. She arched her eyebrows. “What were you saying about not needing it? Just lay back and relax. You’ve been through a lot and you need your rest.”
She didn’t want to rest, but she was so tired. Maybe, she would only rest for a minute. She laid her head down on the pillow wishing Theresa was here. If Theresa was here, she could stop worrying. Where was her friend?
****
Theresa collapsed on the ground beside the brook. She scooped water from it with her hands. First she drank it, then she put some on her face to cool off. She was exhausted and had no idea how long she’d been trudging through the woods. And hungry.
For all she knew, she might have been going in circles for the past few hours.
Killer Reads: A Collection of the Best in Inspirational Suspense Page 98