With interlaced fingers, he moved his hands to her sternum above her xiphoid process. In quick succession, he did thirty chest compressions, and then lowered his mouth to hers once again. Two breaths. Chest compressions.
Billy Clyde touched his shoulder. “The trucks are coming. They’ll be here in a minute. I’ll go back around front to direct them back here.”
Dylan nodded but stayed focus on keeping Reggie breathing. “Was Theresa—”
His mouth moved back to hers.
“No, she wasn’t in there.”
Billy Clyde sprinted toward the front of the house.
He heard the squeal of sirens. Stay focused. Nothing mattered but keeping Reggie breathing. Even if he was the one doing it for her. He lost track of time until hands touched his shoulders. “Sir, step back. Let us get her on the oxygen tank.”
He brushed their hands away. “No, she’s my wife.”
“Then let us help her. You’ve done great, let us do the rest.”
“Come on, Monroe. Let them do their job.” Billy Clyde put his hands on his shoulders and gently pulled him away from Reggie. From his wife.
If she died, his life would be over.
CHAPTER 37
Dylan stared at his precious wife and prayed. How had this happened? He’d tried to keep her safe. Instead, she’d ended up exactly where he didn’t want her. A part of his knew this was his fault.
If he’d told her what was going on, she wouldn’t have walked into a bad situation.
The ambulance pulled into the hospital parking lot and headed toward the emergency room entrance. Billy Clyde followed behind them in his van.
The medics found a pulse on Reggie once they put her on oxygen. She was alive but unconscious. They assured him she would be fine, but he’d given the same empty promises to loved ones at emergency scenes, too.
Even knowing he had no idea if they would survive or not.
It didn’t make sense to his EMT mind. She’d been conscious when she crawled out and now she wasn’t. Had they drugged her?
The ambulance stopped and Reggie was rushed into the emergency room.
Billy Clyde laid a hand on his shoulders. “Have faith, brother. Have faith. God hasn’t forsaken us.”
Words he needed to hear. He’d faced danger many times and was willing to die for things he believed worth, but the thought of Reggie dying was too much. The thought of never hearing her laugh or feeling the warmth of her hand in his. “I know. It’s just hard.”
He looked down. An oxygen mask hid most of her face. Reggie’s face was dirty with smoke smudges. Her eyes fluttered.
Hope surged.
The EMTs ignored him and kept moving her toward the door.
He touched her shoulder. “Reggie, honey. I’m right here.”
Her eyes fluttered for a second and then closed again.
The EMTs pushed her through the door and he followed.
“My wife’s diabetic. I don’t know when she ate last.”
Of course, that was probably why she’d lost consciousness. Low sugar levels. Why hadn’t he thought of that before?
The woman EMT looked at him and nodded. “We’ll be sure to tell the doctor.”
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, no
thing 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.
He squeezed her hand.
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.
Lillian Duncan - Until Death Do Us Part Page 13