Finding Purpose (Colorado Veterans Book 1)

by Tiffani Lynn

  “Okay, buddy. It’s okay. It’s over. I need you to calm down. There’s another guy in the yard I have tied up, but I need to check on him, okay? Come with me. Close your eyes and climb up in my arms. I’ll carry you. It’s gonna be okay.” I stand, my legs shaking as the adrenaline exits my system as fast as it came. Carlo jumps right up in my arms and wraps his little kid legs around my waist. I grip his thighs and limp my way out to the living room. The fire is almost out and doesn’t seem to have spread to the barn. Thank God.

  I carry him outside and see the man’s feet kicking and pushing like he’s trying to get up or get to something so I set Carlo down and say, “Get against the house by the door and crouch down. I’ve got to take care of that guy.”

  “Yessss, yessss, sir.” His whole body is shaking. His little legs buckle and he stumbles to the side of the house where I told him to go. I hustle down the stairs to the man on his belly. He’s now rolled to a weird angle. I’m almost to him when he lifts his hands the little bit the belt will allow and I realize what he was crawling to, a little too late. My 9mm catches the light and he fires two in a row. I dive left just as a searing pain burns through my right shoulder and then in my gut.

  Carlo is screaming again and the sound draws the attention of the man with the gun wiggling to get to his feet. Fuck! I force myself up and tackle him, holding my body over his. I can feel both hands and know the gun isn’t in them, but I have no idea where it is. About that time, I can hear the sirens quickly approaching as the emergency crews speed up the driveway. The man under me panics and swings his head back, connecting with mine, and everything goes black.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Quinn

  A couple of hours after I speak to Judson, a picture of the dead guy pops up on my phone and I’m expecting to see D-Rock. It’s not D-Rock. It’s just some poor schmuck with a bullet between the eyes, who happened to drive the same type of car as D-Rock and be approximately the same size and race. We’re back to square one of trying to find this guy. He went to ground around the time Carlo moved in with us and no one has seen him who’s willing to admit it.

  I turn to Dex, “It’s not D-Rock. I don’t know who this joker is, but it’s not him. Let’s go home for the night. I’m done.” He nods and stands, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair. As I’m holding up my phone to show Dex the picture, it rings. I answer and it’s Gary from dispatch.

  “We’ve just dispatched to your address. A kid called in a fire on the property and said your man was outside with a gun. I don’t know what’s going on but you’d better get there.”

  Terror floods my system. I don’t say a word as I hit end on the call and sprint through the office with Dex on my heels yelling at me to stop.

  “I can’t. Carlo called in a fire on the property and Judson’s outside with a gun. I don’t know what the hell is going on but I’m leaving.”

  I jump in the squad car since it’s closest and fire it up. Dex hurls himself inside as I’m peeling out of the space. We haul ass all the way to my house, coming in right behind the fire truck and police car they dispatched. An ambulance pulls in behind me as we hit the last part of gravel driveway leading to the house going 60 miles per hour. Halfway up there’s an older model, shiny emerald green, pimped-out Chevy Impala pulled off to the side, lights out.

  “Who the hell is that?” I blurt.

  Dex doesn’t bother responding.

  A second later we barrel into the driveway. I throw the car into park and jump out, running for the back door, and that’s when I hear the screaming from the other side of the back porch. Smoke is heavy in the air and the shed is burnt almost all the way to the ground. I pull my gun and keep running. I assume the owner of the heavy footsteps behind me is Dex. My heart stops when I round the porch and find Carlo holding the limp hand of a bloody Judson, looking like a scene from a war movie. I drop to my knees by Judson’s head.

  “Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Don’t die. Don’t die.” I push my fingers to his neck looking for a pulse and feel the warm blood covering his skin. Carlo’s cries grow louder across from me.

  “Oh God. Oh God!” I can’t find the right spot or he’s dead, I don’t know which and I’m hysterical. Dex yanks Carlo back into his arms and turns away, attempting to calm him. The paramedics push me out of the way and start to work on Judson. The cop who pulled in before us wraps his arms around me and pulls me away saying, “Let them work. It’s going to be okay. Let them work.”

  It takes a second for me to stop struggling and scan the area. Three feet away is another man down with his arms at a weird angle behind his back. One of the paramedics is working on him. He has a gunshot wound to the leg, a bloody face from a huge gash in his forehead, but is still conscious and cussing.

  “Did you shoot him, you piece of shit?” I scream at the bastard on the ground. “I’ll kill you with my bare hands,” I continue, and do my best to pull away from the officer holding me. I’m held tighter. “Let me go!” I screech.

  “Hannigan, calm down. Not gonna happen. Not letting you go. Calm down.”

  About that time the paramedic yells, “We’ve got a pulse, let’s move.” They grab the board Judson’s now strapped on and lift him into the ambulance, flip the lights and sirens back on, circle the driveway and pull off faster than they were driving to get here.

  “What about me?” the asshole on the ground shouts.

  “Unfortunately, you’ll live. I’ve got another one coming for you soon,” the paramedic replies.

  It suddenly occurs to me that Carlo was kneeling next to Judson.

  “Carlo,” I yell. “Carlo, are you okay? Let me go. I need to get to him!” I wrench free and run to where Dex is holding Carlo in his lap on the steps of my back porch. Another cop is standing close by, but isn’t saying anything. I drop to my knees and wrap my arms around them both.

  “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t save him. I’m sorry!” he wails.

  Perplexed, I pull away and look up at him. “Save who? What are you talking about?”

  Dex speaks up. “He thinks he should have saved Judson.”

  “Oh God, Carlo, no. It’s his job to protect you, not you to protect him. You did well. You got help here. It’s going to be okay. We’ll go to the hospital. It’ll be okay.”

  “I didn’t listen. I didn’t listen.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He told me to stay by the house, but when the man shot him I had to help. I found the gun on the ground and I shot that dude, but I couldn’t save Judson.”

  “Oh my gosh. You shot the man over there with his hands behind his back?”

  “Yes,” he cries harder.

  “It’s okay. It’s okay.” I do my best to soothe him. “Are you hurt? Who’s that guy? Do you know him?”

  He shakes his head. “No, but D-Rock is in the house. He’s dead. Judson killed him.” The horror Judson and Carlo experienced washes over me and I wrap my arms tighter around Carlo and Dex. My limbs begin to shake and it’s not long before I can’t hold myself up.

  Dex’s deep voice grounds me. “Quinn, get it together. We need to go to the hospital. I’ll drive.”

  He’s right. I pull away as I continue to shake, nodding. I need to be there for Judson.

  “Yo! Rogers! Taking these two to the hospital. You got questions, you meet us there,” Dex yells over to the officer cuffing the guy on the ground as the paramedic tries to stop the bleeding from the gunshot wound Carlo apparently gave him.

  “Oh, and check in the house. The boy says Demarius Jenkins, aka D-Rock, is dead in there somewhere. Said Mr. Rivers killed him.”

  Officer Rogers’s eyes widen as he nods and strides past us into the house. Everyone in law enforcement in this town knows who D-Rock is, so I’m sure he’s more than surprised to hear this news.

  Dex drives as I ride in the backseat with my arm around Carlo. His tears have stopped but his sniffles haven’t.

  “Carlo,
when the officers come to the hospital you’ll have to tell us the story of what happened, okay?”

  He nods.

  “You sure it was D-Rock in that room?”

  He nods again but doesn’t say a word. I squeeze him to me and we continue the ride in silence.

  When we arrive in the emergency room waiting area, the receptionist takes one look at us and gestures for us to step in to the triage area. It’s oddly empty here tonight and I’m so thankful for that.

  “Is he hurt?” the receptionist asks me, her eyes locked on the blood that seems to be covering Carlo from head to toe. He doesn’t answer. I’m a little worried he’s going into shock. He’s seen so much in his life and I’m afraid this may be what breaks him.

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so. Can we have him examined to be sure? I’m not sure he could even tell us right now.”

  “Yes, let me get a nurse and we’ll handle this. Just relax in that chair for now.”

  After I’m seated in the plastic chair, I look around the tiny room noticing the blood pressure cuff, the small cart with bandages and gauze, the little cart with the digital thermometer, the metal desk next to me and the stool rolled up under it. The walls are clinical white, the room sterile. I pull Carlo to my lap and hold him close to me and hope nothing from my uniform scratches him. “Are you hurt, buddy?” He shakes his head but doesn’t speak. “Where is all this blood coming from?” I ask.

  “D-Rock,” is the only word he says. I have no idea what that means but I don’t push him. The receptionist returns with a young nurse in green scrubs and she says, “Hi, I’m Melanie. We’re going to skip triage and take you to an open bed in the back. No need to poke and prod him more than once if we don’t have to.”

  I’m grateful for the calming presence of the sweet young nurse.

  After Carlo’s been examined and it’s been determined that the blood is not his, we’re led into a small private conference room I imagine they use for speaking to families when they have to deliver bad news. Dex’s huge body dwarfs the metal folding chair he’s seated on. Carlo is between us with his head resting on his crossed arms on the table. The social worker and a detective are on their way to question us. I’m so afraid of what will come out of Carlo’s mouth. I’m afraid of what he witnessed. Judson’s in surgery now. They had a problem stopping the bleeding from the wound to his abdomen. I’m trying not to think about that as we wait. If I let too much come to mind, I’ll lose it and I can’t afford that with Carlo to take care of. At least he’s still alive, I remind myself. Judson’s lived through worse and he’s strong and healthy now. It’s going to be okay.

  The frumpy social worker pushes through the door first and takes in the scene with assessing eyes. I’m sure she’s wondering why Carlo’s in a hospital gown and I dread telling her it’s because his clothes were too bloody to wear.

  “What happened?” she blurts.

  I shake my head. “He’s not answering any questions until we’re all together. I don’t want him repeating it again and again. The detective should be here any minute. I can tell you that he was at home with Judson alone when everything happened. I was working late. In fact, I think me working late was a diversion of some sort.”

  “Well, I have to file a report and get him assigned to another home for tonight if he’s free to leave when we’re through.”

  My hackles rise like a pissed off pooch. “He’s not going to another home. We’ll stay in a hotel until the house is cleaned up, but he’s not going anywhere. I’m sure you mean well, but I won’t let anything happen to him and I’m not sure anyone else can say the same.”

  “Well, we are in a hospital having this conversation, officer, so I’m not thinking you can honestly say you’ll keep him safe.”

  “Ms. Winsted, I can promise you this, if he was anywhere else when all of this happened you’d be burying him instead of interviewing him. I have no doubt Judson did everything in his power to keep Carlo safe.”

  She crosses her arms over her chest and sits back, realizing I’m not in the mood to be messed with. She’ll have to peel Carlo from my cold dead hands. He’s not going anywhere.

  Within 15 minutes the detective arrives and we all listen to Carlo tell what happened. I can’t help the tears when he explains how Judson saved him and how he got pinned under D-Rock’s dead body. The worst though is when he picked up the gun and saved Judson. By the time he’s finished, both my despair for Judson and my pride in Carlo’s quick thinking and selflessness has grown. Now, I just need for Judson to be okay and I need to call his mom and brother.

  Hours later, Judson’s brother, mother, Ms. Polly, Dex, Carlo, our chief, and a few guys from the department are all in the waiting room with us. Ms. Polly stopped and bought Carlo some clothes so he didn’t have to wear the gown, and he’s resting with his head against Dex’s shoulder, eyes closed. I would say he’s sleeping but every time the door from the back swings open, his eyes flip open and he watches for the doctor.

  In my boredom, I’ve noted every dust bunny in the corners, each handprint on the wall near the bathroom and the number of times Judson’s brother has paced in front of me. Stir crazy doesn’t even begin to touch what I’m feeling right now.

  About the time I’m contemplating taking a walk outside, a tall, thin gentleman with a long face wearing scrubs and a blue hair cover pushes through the double doors and looks around the room before he announces, “Family for Rivers.” We all push forward and the doctor looks a little alarmed by our reaction.

  Looking at Mrs. Rivers he asks, “Are you Mr. Rivers’s mother?” She nods. Tears are pooling in her eyes but it looks like by the firm set of her jaw, she’s fighting them.

  “Mr. Rivers made it through. He lost a lot of blood and it was touch and go for a bit, but he’s a fighter. How long ago did he lose his leg?” Mrs. Rivers looks like if she opens her mouth to answer, she’s going to lose it, so I answer, “About two years ago. Combat. IED. He was a Navy SEAL.”

  “I saw the tattoo so I guessed that was the case. Are you his wife?”

  “No, sir. I’m his domestic partner.” This is the first time I’ve ever used that term and felt like an idiot. Why did I refuse to get married again?

  “Do you have paperwork as his power of attorney?”

  Shaking my head, I respond, “No, sir. We haven’t made it that far.”

  “I hate to tell you this but with the HIPAA laws I won’t be able to share any of the information with you unless he wakes up and authorizes it.” Damn it. Another reason I should have made this official. Why am I so damn stubborn?

  “Mrs. Rivers, you can share whatever you want with whomever you want but as his next of kin you will be who our staff communicates with and you’ll have to make any necessary decisions should they arise. I’m sorry to put this all on you. You’re more than welcome to confer with your family, but I’m only allowed to communicate with you until he tells me otherwise.”

  “I understand. When can we see him?” she asks.

  “Once they get him settled in the ICU I will let a couple of you go in to see him. I’m sorry but the boy won’t be able to go in. Hospital policy.”

  I send Carlo home with Dex and they follow Ms. Polly to make sure she gets home okay. The chief and the guys we work with leave us for the night and the only ones of us that remain are his brother, his mom and me.

  It was the second longest night of my life. The first being in Germany when he cried out in pain all night long. Thank God I know he’s tough or I’d be a basket case by now. When we go in to see him there are wires and tubes everywhere. The covers are pulled all the way up to his neck so I can’t see any signs of the mess his body is below.

  Late the next afternoon, Judson finally wakes up and asks for me. Dex has Carlo with him and I’ve refused to leave the hospital since I arrived, so now almost 24 hours later, I look like shit. I follow the nurse into the room and step right up next to the bed. His eyes are droopy like he’s sleepy and a small smile tips his li
ps.

  “Judson,” I whisper before I burst into tears.

  He pulls his hand out from under the covers and reaches for me. “Don’t cry, Daisy. I’m okay. Is Carlo okay?”

  I nod quickly and say, “Yeah, he’s staying with Dex until we’re ready to take him back. You saved him. He only had a few bruises and some sore muscles from where D-Rock landed on him.”

  “Good, but I was more worried about if he is okay in the head. He killed that guy. It’s the last thing I remember.”

  “He didn’t kill him. Just wounded him. Carlo’s shaken up but he’s okay. He’ll be glad you’re awake. How do you feel?”

  “Like shit.”

  “I’ll call your mom in a minute. I sent her and your brother home a few hours ago to get cleaned up and get some rest. They’re worried something would happen and no one would tell me since we aren’t married.”

  His brow furrows but he says nothing. He’s probably exhausted.

  “I love you, Judson. I was so scared.”

  “I know, Daisy, me, too.”

  His grip on my hand loosens as he drifts back off to sleep. I stay with him a little bit longer and then call everyone to let them know he’s awake.

  Epilogue

  Quincy

  It’s been three months since the shooting and things are changing in our house. Judson is finally back to working in the stable and on the property. With rehab, he’s getting stronger every day. Gone is the quiet somber man I’ve always known, replaced by the sexy, smiling, share-happy man seated at the kitchen table talking animatedly with Carlo. Sure, he’s still a good listener, able to shut his mouth long enough to absorb what another person is saying, but now his feelings come out often. He never misses a moment to tell me he loves me or appreciates me and has become vocal with Carlo too on those issues. What those two went through together that day bonded them for life. Carlo is back in counseling for that incident and everything else he’s faced in his young life.