Crossroads (Chance City Series Book Three)

by Robin Deeter

  They rushed inside, Vern guiding Nora down to the cellar where the rest of the family had gathered. If Wheels had been with them, Vern and Carl would have carried him down the stairs to safety. The Ellises had turned half of their large basement into a family room. They often spend evenings down there in the summer to escape the oppressive heat.

  Two comfortable sofas and various chairs lined the walls and a small table and chairs stood off to the side. Like the rest of the house, it was a homey space with a welcoming energy.

  Vern and Nora informed the others of Wheels’ whereabouts.

  Rena said, “Well, I’m sure he’s fine. He knows enough to stay put until it passes.”

  Nora smiled tightly, holding both Ollie and Clyde on her lap. The toddler and monkey hugged, finding comfort in Nora’s and each other’s embrace. As the family sat together, the adults tried to keep the kids occupied and silently prayed for their absent member. Little did they know that he needed every prayer that was lifted to the heavens.

  *****

  Wheels came to in stages, his fuzzy brain and aching head making it hard to concentrate on where he was or to remember what had happened to him. As he lay there, he slowly became aware that he lay on grass and that he was soaking wet. In fact, water still poured down on him and for a few moments, he wondered if he’d fallen asleep in his shower. He’d done that a couple times when he’d been hungover.

  Then he remembered the grass and knew that he wasn’t in his shower. The fog in his brain gradually faded and he recalled what had happened to him. His left shoulder suddenly throbbed and burned, stealing his breath for a few moments. Wheels groaned from the pain, but he also relished it. It meant that his spine hadn’t been damaged further. In fact, from the waist up, his body hurt almost everywhere.

  Wheels lay still, assessing each ache and pain. His uncle was a great doctor and had taught the rest of the family about various injuries over the years, so Wheels knew what to look for in certain instances. He was fairly certain that his left shoulder was dislocated, but his right arm and shoulder seemed all right outside of his skin burning.

  Raising his head slowly, he looked at his arm, noting that his forearm was badly scraped. Dizziness swept through him, along with nausea and he retched, which jarred his injured shoulder. When the nausea passed, Wheels spent several minutes catching his breath from the agony that coursed through his body.

  Trying to get his bearings, he looked around, searching for anything that looked familiar in the darkness. The sky was black, indicating that it was overcast. At least if he’d had some moonlight, he might have been able to make out buildings or something. Since he couldn’t stand up, it was even harder for him to see anything because he was forced to remain at ground level.

  After careful thought, he decided to start moving. Hopefully he was close to a road or someone’s home. There was no way for him to tell how far he’d been tossed by the monster twister. Hoping he was still close to the road leading from Sundance ranch into town, Wheels used his good arm to crawl along. One foot at a time, he dragged himself forward, determined to find help and get home to his family.

  *****

  “Uh oh. Haven’t seen that in a while. Your uncle is at it again.”

  Daniel Lone Wolf followed Benny’s gaze, spotting Cotton sitting at a far table in the bar. He sat alone, but was conversing as though someone sat in the chair across the table from him. Daniel sighed at Cotton’s unusual behavior. This was why some people considered him touched in the head. Judging by the irritated expression on Cotton’s face, it wasn’t a friendly conversation.

  Daniel was loath to approach his uncle because Cotton became very angry when he was confronted about talking to people who weren’t there. He insisted that he could speak with spirits and sometimes became furious when people doubted him. Daniel decided to just keep an eye on Cotton, hoping that whatever was happening would cease and Cotton would stop conversing with the air.

  Cotton rubbed his forehead in frustration. “This is why people should not speak the name of the dead for at least a year. You need to go to the next life!”

  Jim Gallagher leaned toward Cotton, an intense light in his eyes. “You need to tell Sandy that I’m okay and that I love her. Will you do that for me? You’re my friend and I need your help. She’s a wreck and I’m scared for her.”

  Jim had first appeared to Cotton last week and they’d been arguing every time Jim returned to Cotton.

  “You must leave Sandy be, Jim. She’s strong and she will get through this. It’s natural for her to be lost right now. Her love for you is powerful, which means it will take longer for her to heal. There are many people who will help her. It’s time for you to go,” Cotton insisted.

  Ever since he’d been a little boy, spirits had come to Cotton, wanting him to do various things, including relay messages to the living. Sometimes Cotton was able to ignore them and they would leave and other times, like now, they were stubborn and wouldn’t let Cotton alone until he’d carried out their wishes.

  Jim said, “I know her inside and out, Cotton. She’ll do better if she knows that I’m all right. She needs to know that I’ll be at peace, but I can’t be at peace until I know she’ll be ok!”

  Cotton tossed back his whiskey and stood up. “I’m leaving. Don’t follow me.”

  Jim made a noise of frustration, then seemed to listen to something. “If you don’t talk to Sandy, I’m not going to tell you where Wheels is.”

  Cotton arched an eyebrow. “Where Wheels is?”

  “Yeah. He’s in trouble and needs help.”

  Cotton grabbed Jim’s shoulders and shook him. “Tell me where he is!”

  “Talk to Sandy for me!”

  Cotton growled. “Fine! I’ll talk to her! Now tell me about Wheels!”

  His shout startled the people around him and Daniel went over to him.

  “Uncle, are you all right?” he asked in Comanche.

  Cotton dropped his hands from Jim’s shoulders. “Yes, but Wheels is not. He needs our help. Come with me!”

  Daniel gave him a dubious look. “Uncle, I think you have drunk too much.”

  Rage sparked in Cotton’s eyes and Daniel backed up a little. Daniel didn’t back down from anyone except his father and Cotton, whose wrath was fearsome to behold.

  “You will come with me now, nephew, and you will see that I am right. Perhaps then you will see that I am not insane and that what I have been telling everyone is true.”

  He didn’t wait for a response, rushing from the bar and leaving Daniel no choice but to follow. Their horses were tied in the barn out back of Benny’s and they ran through the storm to retrieve them. The hardy Indian ponies were used to being out in bad weather and did their owners’ bidding without complaint.

  They raced away into the night, Daniel following his uncle’s lead. He didn’t completely doubt Cotton, his Comanche upbringing having taught him that there were many things that were beyond human comprehension. He prayed that if Wheels really was in trouble that they would be successful in finding him and getting him to safety.

  *****

  The going was rough, but Wheels wasn’t going to give up. He stopped to rest a moment and movement to his right startled him. Hot breath blew on his face and a whicker sounded close to his ear.

  “Flash?”

  His horse had come back for him. Relief that Flash had found him and love for his buddy flooded Wheels.

  He patted Flash’s muzzle when the horse nudged his face. His fingers encountered Flash’s bridle and he wondered if there were any long harness straps trailing the gelding. If so, Flash could at least pull him to a road where someone was sure to come along.

  Flash nudged him again, urging Wheels to get up. His horse didn’t understand that he couldn’t walk like other people, but that didn’t stop him from trying to convince Wheels to stand.

  “Stand!” Wheels commanded. “Stand, Flash!”

  Slowly, he scooted backwards, searching in the wet grass for
a strap to grab onto. Flash was well trained and stood quietly as sheets of rain sluiced him and his master. Finally, Wheels’ hand encountered a longer piece of harness. He grinned in triumph as he firmly grasped it.

  “Walk, Flash. Home! Let’s go home! Ha!”

  Wheels didn’t delude himself that he would tolerate being dragged all the way into town, but if Flash at least took him to the road, he’d be out in the open. The fact that Flash had found him, gave Wheels hope that he wasn’t too far from it.

  Sensing his master’s weakened condition, Flash walked carefully, heading unerringly for the road and home. As with most animals, his strong sense of direction enabled him to head in the right direction.

  Rocks and twigs scraped Wheels’ skin as Flash pulled him, but he didn’t stop the horse, stoically bearing the pain. When the grass gave way to stone and dirt, Wheels let out a weak shout of victory and let go of the harness. He sank down onto the road, giving in to the fatigue and pain. Laying his head down, he let the darkness engulf him and was soon unconscious.

  Chapter Nineteen

  As Cotton and Daniel rode through the horrible weather, the rain gradually abated, improving visibility.

  “Where is he?” Daniel asked, riding closer to his uncle.

  “Not far from your ranch.”

  “How do you know this?”

  Cotton glanced at Daniel. “The spirit that visited me tonight told me.”

  Daniel frowned and shook his head.

  Cotton’s expression darkened over his nephew’s disbelief. “You will see that I am right.”

  He urged his horse faster, the need to find Wheels driving him onward.

  “Uncle! There is a horse in the road ahead!”

  Cotton saw a horse standing off to the right side of the road and slowed his mount. The other horse whinnied and trotted over to them.

  Daniel said, “It’s Flash.”

  Flash returned to where he’d been standing and pawed the ground. Dismounting, the men went to him and saw the inert figure lying on the ground.

  “Wheels!” Daniel dropped to his knees, and shook his friend’s shoulder gently.

  Cotton had also knelt and ran his hands over Wheels. When he came to Wheel’s left shoulder, he felt the unnatural bulge in it. “His shoulder is dislocated. We need to put it back before we move him.”

  Daniel shook his head. “I don’t know how.”

  “I do. I’ll tell you what to do.”

  Cotton guided Daniel through the process of reducing the dislocation. Daniel grimaced slightly at the grinding in Wheels’ shoulder and the popping noise when it went back into the socket, but he watched everything Cotton did, committing it to memory. It was a good skill to have, he reasoned.

  Cotton finished and stood up. Flash had been hovering close and Cotton made him stand still. He helped Daniel lay Wheels over Flash’s back. They lashed him to the horse and slowly headed for the Lone Wolf ranch.

  *****

  Someone pounded on the Ellis’ door and Nora flew to answer it even though it wasn’t her house. She’d been pacing, unable to sit down. Wheels should have been home hours ago, but he hadn’t arrived. The storms had finally ended, but her husband hadn’t shown up. Dread filled her as she pulled open the front door.

  Her eyes widened and her heart throbbed painfully at the sight of Brock on the other side of the threshold. She beckoned him inside, her eyes searching his face intently. He wore his deputy’s face, which didn’t comfort her any.

  “Where’s Wheels?” she asked.

  The rest of the adults had arrived in the parlor, looking expectantly at Brock.

  “He’s up at the hospital. I’d have called from there, but the telephone lines are down. Vin’s working on him.”

  “What happened?” Nora asked.

  “Near as we can tell, he got caught in a tornado that went through out near our place. He’s alive, but not in great shape.” Brock called on his professional detachment to continue. “Cotton and Daniel found them on their way out to their place. His left shoulder was dislocated, but they got it back into place. Scrapes and whatnot. He was still unconscious when I left the hospital a few minutes ago.”

  “Take me there,” Nora demanded, desperate to get to her husband.

  Brock nodded.

  Carl said, “Mama, Daddy, you go on with Nora. Call us when you know more.”

  They all promised to do that and left with Brock.

  *****

  Dr. Vin Ellis rubbed his tired eyes and made one more notation in Wheels’ chart. He handed it to a nurse, looked at his nephew, and sighed. He’d seen him look better, but at least he was alive. Then he went out to the waiting room to face the rest of his family.

  “Hello, everybody,” he said, spying them off to the side.

  Nora and her in-laws stood up. Johnny and Ray had also come to the hospital and joined them.

  Vin’s dark eyes reflected the gravity of the situation and his frustration. “Cotton and Daniel did a good job putting his shoulder back in place. He’s most likely got a concussion and he’s full of scrapes and cuts. His left ankle is broken, but that’s the least of his worries since he can’t feel it. It was a simple fracture and I casted it.

  “It should heal fine. Honestly, I don’t know any more than that because he hasn’t woken up. I can’t determine if there’s been any further damage to his spine or not. His back looks fine outside of being scraped up, though. We won’t know anything else until he comes to. C’mon with me.”

  He led them back to Wheels’ room. Nora rushed to his side, putting a hand to her mouth over his bedraggled appearance. Scrapes and bruises covered his arms and his left temple had also been bruised. Nora could only imagine what other injuries lie beneath his sleepshirt and the covers.

  Gingerly, she took his right hand, noting the bandages that covered his forearm. Then she pulled the bedside chair over and sat down, taking his hand again.

  “I’m staying right here,” she said emphatically.

  Susan nodded approvingly. “I think it’s only right. After all, you are his wife.”

  A silent understanding passed between the two women. Even more than on the day of their wedding, this was a symbol that Nora had become the most important woman in Wheels’ life, and Susan had just passed the baton to Nora.

  Vern hid a smile, knowing exactly what had just occurred.

  As she looked at her youngest son, Susan’s mind replayed the memory of his birth, how he’d been impatient to come into the world, arriving a month early. He’d been in a hurry most of his life, including when he’d been a baby. Walking early, grasping abstract concepts and talking sooner than many babies.

  Although her other two children had good senses of humor, Wheels was their funniest child. He’d always been an instigator, getting his siblings in trouble by coaxing them into being accomplices in whatever mischief he’d thought up.

  He’d been an excellent student, particularly in mathematics and science, learning with ease. Watching him grow had been a joy. He’d gone from an adorable child to a tall, handsome man in what seemed like the blink of an eye to Susan. She felt the same way about all of her children.

  Since Vin gave the family permission to stay for a little while, a couple of other chairs were brought in for them to sit on. Susan sat down, her gaze settling on Nora, who sat holding Wheels’ hand. The love and worry in Nora’s expression only reconfirmed her good opinion of her daughter-in-law.

  Wheels had chosen his mate well and Susan knew that with Nora’s help, Wheels would get through whatever trials lie ahead. They would all help, but it would be Nora’s love that would help the most.

  Nora felt helpless, wanting to help Wheels, but not knowing how. Everything that could be done for him medically had been done, so there wasn’t anything left for her to do. Except pray, and she did that fervently, asking God to spare Wheels any more damage to his spine and for fast healing.

  After an hour, it became apparent that Wheels wasn’t going to wake u
p anytime soon, and Vern and Susan went home. Nora was steadfast in refusing to leave Wheels’ side, and settled in for the night.

  *****

  Humming filtered through to Wheels’ mind and at first he thought that maybe he’d died and was now in Heaven, hearing angels hum. Then intense pain hit him and he knew that he was still alive because there was no pain in Heaven, no suffering or strife.

  No, he was alive. Someone must have found him. As he listened, he recognized Nora’s voice and smiled. He struggled to open his eyes and finally managed it. She held his right hand against her cheek and relief flooded through him because he could feel the softness of her skin and her hand against his palm.

  He squeezed her hand even though it caused him pain. “Hello, sugar.” His voice was weak and rough, but at least he could speak.

  Nora let out a little gasp and kissed his hand as she looked into his eyes. “There you are.”

  “Here I am.”

  She smiled as tears welled in her eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes that he loved so much. He hurt everywhere he could possibly hurt, but instead of being upset, he relished it because it meant that his spinal cord was still intact.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Like I was in a twister.”

  She laughed through her tears. “And even then, you’re funny.”

  It hurt to laugh, but he didn’t care. “Well, laughter is the best medicine. Besides, it could always be worse. I could’ve broken a leg or ribs or something.”

  Nora’s mouth twitched. “Your left ankle is broken.”

  Wheels’ smile widened into a grin and he erupted into laughter. It threw him into agony, but he was helpless to stop. Nora laughed with him, unable to hold back since he found it funny, too.

  Vin came in, smiling over their laughter. “You’re finally awake, I see.”