by A. A. King
“Take her in and book her for attempted murder. Don’t let her out of your site until she is behind bars.” Brian ordered.
With that, he peeled out of the driveway and raced to the hospital.
Chapter Fourteen
Brian paced the halls of Mercy Hospital. It was one of the best in the country but that did little to settle his nerves. In the five hours he had been there he had not spoken to anyone except the doctors and nurses. Cheyenne had been brought into emergency surgery four hours ago and he had been given no new information. The paramedics had been correct with their assessment of her condition.
Brian took a break from pacing to grab a cup of coffee and to check in with the chief.
“Chief, this is Russell. Has Maria given any indication why she shot Cheyenne?”
“None. She had refused to speak to anyone, including her own lawyer. If anything breaks I will let you know. How is the Wingate girl doing?”
“There is still no news. She is in surgery.”
Brian hung up, disappointed and wanting vengeance.
How stupid had he been to think that he could just walk out on her that morning and never look back. It would be laughable if it weren’t so heart breaking.
After another two hours, the doctors came out of the surgical suite.
“Detective Russell, Ms. Wingate is out of surgery. She is going to be touch and go so we will keep her in ICU. Is any of her family here yet?”
“Cheyenne does not really have any family. I am the closest she has for now. She does have a brother in North Carolina who is military. I will contact the Red Cross to see if we can get a notification to him. Can I stay with her?’
“Normally, we only allow family but I think we can make an exception in your case.”
For the next three days, Brian Russell sat beside Cheyenne’s bed without flinching. Occasionally he would leave for a bathroom break but the nurses had begun delivering him a lunch and dinner plate. His devotion was unquestionable. Maria was still refusing to speak and the case was at a standstill. There was no question who did it, but to Brian the why was just as important.
Daily, Brian brushed and braided Cheyenne’s long hair, put lotion on her hands and feet and prayed like he had never prayed before.
“Detective Russell, we have the results of the testing that we have been doing. There is really not much else that we can do until her brother gets here, but so far there doesn’t seem to be much brain activity. She is being kept alive by the ventilator but her prognosis is not good.”
“I won’t accept that. It’s only been three days, give her time. We can’t give up on her; she is going to come out of this.”
The tears welled up in his eyes. Brian had not truly cried since he was a child but today was the day. Sobs escaped his lips as he touched Cheyenne’s hand to his face. For a moment it felt as if she caressed his cheek. Brian’s heart surged with hope. He screamed for the nurse who bolted into the room.
“She moved! She responded when I put her hand on my cheek! The doctor is wrong…”
“Detective Russell, it is common for loved ones to think they see movement. Sometimes we want it so bad that we actually convince ourselves that we see it. It’s only setting you up for disappointment. I know that you want it badly but test results don’t lie.” The concerned nurse clearly had a soft spot for him and rubbed his shoulder as he sat back down beside the bed.
For the next two hours he didn’t take his eyes off of her hand. He begged her to move it, willed her to move it but nothing happened. It lay perfectly still and he began to convince himself that the nurse was right; he had imagined it. But, a small part of him knew what he felt. She was still in there and he would bring her back to him.
Suddenly, a man appeared in the doorway. As he opened the door he introduced himself as Cheyenne’s brother Matthew. Brian extended his hand to shake Matthew’s and both men stared at her helpless body lying in the bed.
“Has there been any improvement?” Matthew asked.
“The doctors say that there has not been but I swear to you that she caressed my face today. As sure as I am standing her, she responded to my touch. I don’t like the direction they are heading with their test and I am begging you to not give up on your sister. She is a special person.”
“Detective, are you in love with my sister?”
“Yes, I am. I didn’t realize it until she was shot but I am more in love with her than I have ever been with anyone in my entire life.”
“My sister is strong and has endured a lot during her life. She can beat this.” Matthew said full of conviction.
“I guess that you have some questions as to how all of this happened. Take a seat and I will fill you in.” Brian said as he gestured to the chair on the other side of the small room.
Hours later, Brian had finished his story and Matthew sat in silence. The story was unbelievable but was obviously true.
“Are you going to be here a while. I didn’t want to leave her alone and I need to go to the office. I haven’t left here in three days and the chief is getting pissed. I will be back as soon as possible.” Brian said.
“Yes, I will be here for the night. Thank you for staying with my sister. I got here as quick as I could but it was comforting to know that she had someone with her.”
Brian arrived at the office about twenty minutes later. He brushed off the concerned stares of his coworkers who obviously knew about Cheyenne. Brian knocked on the chief’s door and walked in.
“Chief, Cheyenne’s brother just flew in on emergency leave so I came in for a bit. I want to interview Maria.”
“If you think that you can get her to talk then have at it. Brian, I know that this girl mean something to you. Try to be objective and not ruin the case.”
“Okay Chief.” Brian said as he walked out of the office.
He headed straight for the holding area. His stomach was in knots and his body felt like he had pulled a drunk even though he had not drank in days. With his palms sweaty he pulled his badge out of his pocket and flashed it at the jailer.
“Please bring Maria Garza to interview one.”
The jailer nodded and Brian proceeded to the room to get settled in. As the older woman ambled into the room, she appeared frail and scared. The thought made Brian happy. He hoped she was miserable. There was no sympathy for her in his mind.
“Maria, this interview will be recorded. I would like to ask you a few questions regarding you involvement in the attempted murder of Cheyenne Wingate.”
“I won’t speak without my attorney present.”
“From what I can understand, you won’t even speak to him.”
“Then I guess you have your answer. I’m not going to speak to anyone.”
Brian felt his blood begin to boil. He wanted to jump over the metal table and strangle the life out of this arrogant woman. Abruptly he left the room before he acted out one of his fantasies. On his way to the locker room to shower and change clothes, he looked at the chief and shook his head, signaling his inability to make her talk. After his shower, he headed back to the hospital for the night.
FOR next two weeks, Brian and Matthew stood vigilant by Cheyenne’s bedside. After a third and fourth opinion, her prognosis hadn’t changed but both men were adamant that she would get better and each refused to give up on her. She meant the world to the men in her life and now they just needed her to wake up so they could prove it to her. The doctor’s moved her to a private room after the second week and she seemed to rest more comfortably. Brian was dying inside and needed her to wake up. Just like he needed air, he desperately needed to hear his name on her lips and see her smile again. She was a shell of her former self at this point and no matter how hard he willed her to wake up she hadn’t come back to him yet. Brian was a stubborn man though and he knew that if he prayed hard enough or made the right deal with god that she would wake up. It was only a matter of time.
Chapter Fifteen
Cheyenne awoke to bright lig
hts overhead. Disoriented and scared she tried to sit up and could not. Brian and Matthew both flew to her side, each grabbing a hand trying to comfort and calm her. Brian hit the call button and a nurse appeared by her side.
“You are in Mercy Hospital. You have been in a coma for three weeks.” The unknown nurse stated. Cheyenne tried to speak but it felt like a pipe was down her throat.
The nurse hit the red button beside the bed and a doctor quickly appeared.
“Miss. Wingate, you are intubated at the moment; if you will bear with me we will remove it and you can speak.” With that, the doctor and nurse set to work. In a moment the horrible experience was over.
“Can I please have some water?” Cheyenne croaked. The nurse held a cup of water while Cheyenne took small sips from the plastic cup. As she looked around she saw Brian’s face. He had obviously not shaven in a few days and looked like hell. In a sea of confusion his presence felt like a lifeline being tossed to her. She immediately smiled and was genuinely glad to see him. He looked tired and haggard as though he had not slept in days. She looked into his eyes and felt like she was home.
Suddenly, Matthew came into her view.
“Stop hogging my big sister!” He said to Brian with a laugh.
He bent and scooped his sister up in a huge hug.
“I love you Cheyenne. You are one lucky lady. This man hasn’t left your side since you got here.”
She was shocked and confused. Her head ached and her chest burned but she knew that she needed to figure this out. Was Matthew saying that Brian had not left her bedside? The man who walked out on her and left her on her own had not left her bedside? In her head she knew that the chief had ended his assignment but she still felt abandoned. She had so many questions for him but for now, Cheyenne wanted to enjoy the company of her little brother.
Brian excused himself from the room for a while so that Cheyenne and Matthew could catch up. When he returned and hour later, Matthew was asleep in a chair and Cheyenne was looking at him like a protective mother hen.
“Brian, I am glad that you came back. Matthew told me how dedicated that you have been and I want you to know that I appreciate it.”
“It was nothing. I just didn’t want you to be alone. Do you remember anything that happened?” He asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his.
She looked into his eyes and was afraid of what she saw. Yes, she saw anger and frustration but she also saw the softness of love. It scared the hell out of her.
“After you left that day, I fell apart. Walking around the house, looking for something to get my mind off of you, I decided to finally go through Charles’s room. I found a hidden safe and inside, the threat letters you told me about and a will. You were right about the missing money, by the way.” Cheyenne paused for a moment before continuing.
“I took a break and heard a knock at the door. It was Jason. I let him in and told him about the will and also showed him the letters. I let him know that Maria felt like he was the one who had sent them. He was clearly hurt and angry and left. I went back to the room to look through the folder more carefully and Maria burst in, demanding that I get out of the room. She was crazed.
I found a gun while I was looking through his nightstands and had put it on the bed and when I heard one of the stairs creak before she came in the room, I stuck it in the waist band of my jeans. She pulled a gun of her own and ordered me out of the room at gun point. I left the room and midway down the stairs her gun went off, so I ran and hid. I struggled with her and at one point, knocked the gun from her hand. But, Brian, she was so strong. Eventually, she got the gun back and that’s when she shot me.”
“You are lucky to be alive. Maria left you for dead. If I had not found you when I did…” he trailed off.
“You found me?” Cheyenne asked, puzzled.
“When I heard that Jason had posted bail, I came over to let you know. When I got there, you were barely clinging to life. I am sure that Maria was startled by my arrival and fled but she was arrested only a few blocks away by a patrolman. We were not sure initially that she was involved but when we performed a gun powder residue test on her, she failed. The bullet barely missed your heart, Cheyenne.”
She lay in her hospital bed, soaking up the information.
“Cheyenne, I know that I left you that morning, but I want you to know that it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I realized that I love you and I cannot be without you. Please tell me that you love me too? I came so close to losing you and I can’t do it again. I need you in my life.”
“I love you too Brian but you really hurt me. I don’t know if I can get over it that easy. I want you in my life to but I have to make sure that you’re not going to leave again. You just made it look so easy.”
“Cheyenne, if you never trust anything else, please trust this. I love you and I’m not going anywhere.”
A light knock came at the door and in walked the doctor.
“I need to speak with Miss. Wingate in private Detective.”
With that, Brian bent to kissed Cheyenne’s forehead and walked out of the door. Once the doctor was sure that he was gone he turned to her, “Miss. Wingate, you gave us quite a scare,” he began.
“Your vitals look great but I need to tell you something.” Cheyenne’s heart began to race. “Miss. Wingate, you are pregnant.”
“What?” she said aloud. “How can that be?”
“You are about four weeks along. The damage done by your injuries has not affected your baby at this point. It seems to be a viable pregnancy.”
Cheyenne was in shock. She knew that she could support a baby by herself but she had never intended to raise one alone. Her life had become a constant assault on her emotions. Looking back, she knew that she should have never let Brian chip away at her resolve. She had not been interested in a relationship and now she was in love and pregnant. “Doctor, when can I get out of here?” she asked.
“As I said before, your vitals are good but we would like to keep an eye on you for at least another week,” the doctor informed her. “Miss, Wingate, you have just come out of a coma. Until an hour ago, you had not breathed for yourself in three weeks. I strongly recommend that you stay here for observation.”
Cheyenne knew that she needed to tell Brian but she could not bring herself to. He had just declared his love for her and this may be too much for him. The last thing that she wanted was to drive him away. Cheyenne decided that for now she would keep the news to herself.
Time crept forward, but day by day, Cheyenne could feel her strength returning. Brian and Matthew were always by her side, willing her to get better so they could take her home. Cheyenne was grateful that Brian had arranged for Matthew to come to her. She had missed him more than even she had known.
Chapter Sixteen
For the past few weeks Brian Russell had went through life on auto pilot. Cheyenne Wingate had wormed herself into every fiber of his being and he had no chance at a happy life without her. Their lovemaking had tormented his every waking moment. His body cried out for her as if she was oxygen. Now, she was awake and his life was complete again. He had her back and vowed to never lose her again.
“Russell!” the chief cried as he sat stiffly in his chair. Brian heard his name and looked over his shoulder to see his boss motioning for him.
“This can’t be good,” he told himself. Laying his papers down, he strode to the older man’s office.
“Chief, you wanted to see me?” He questioned.
“Russell, we have a big problem. The maid finally broke during questioning this morning. Do you know where the Wingate girl is?” he asked with concern in his eyes.
“Yes sir. She’s still in the hospital. Why do you ask?” Brian stated.
“Well, that crazy woman has told a horrible tale and if any of it is true, that young lady is in danger. We need to get her secured immediately,” he exclaimed.
“Chief, can you tell me the specifics?” Brian pleaded.
“We don’t know a lot right now. She has implicated Ed Crowley and Jason Turner in the murder of Charles Wingate,” he paused. “What?” Brian said, taken aback. “Yes, but that’s not all. Close my door and take a seat,” the chief instructed.
By the time Brian left the office he had lost all color in his face. He rushed to Mercy Hospital as fast as he could go, knowing that he had to get to Cheyenne. As he raced through traffic his thoughts turned to her.
Brian entered through the emergency room doors and ran three flights of stairs to Cheyenne’s room. It was empty. He flagged down a nurse and asked, “Where is Miss. Wingate from 323?”
“Sir, she is on a walk with her brother on the hospital grounds.”
“Has anyone else been here today besides me and her brother?”
“There was an older gentleman here earlier.” Brian knew instantly who had been there and exactly what he had wanted. His sense of urgency had just doubled and he knew that there was no time to waste.
His head began to spin. Just when he felt the desperation swallowing his body, Matthew and Cheyenne walked into the room.
Brian rushed to her side and swept her up on a bear hug.
“Matthew, we have to get her out of here. Circumstances have changes and she is no longer safe here.”
“Do you have a safe place to keep her?” Asked Matthew.
“Can you two quit talking about me like I’m not standing here?”
“I’m sorry. We have to get you out of here. I can explain later.” Brian said as he handed her a set of clothing he had brought for her weeks ago.
She quickly changed clothes and was escorted out of the hospital by Matthew and Brian.
Once on the road, Cheyenne demanded to know what was going on.
“Well, this affects you and Matthew so I guess now is as good a time as any.”
“Ok. Maria finally confessed this morning.” He could see the confusion in her eyes. Know that she was wondering why she was here if Maria confessed, he continued his story,