She's The Sheriff (Superromance Series No 787)

by Duquette, Anne Marie

  The doctor smiled. “Lozen’s been casted,” she said. “Yes, we do have an ice pack, and your deputy’s right here.”

  “Virgil’s here? Where?” Desiree opened her eyes again, only to see the doctor Hash a pencil-thin beam of light at her pupils. “Please get that out of my face, would you?” she said irritably. She tried to wave it away and cried out. “Ouch!”

  “Pupils good and reactive. I’d say you were lucky to escape with only a mild concussion and a dislocated shoulder.”

  No wonder my arms hurts.

  “It’s back in the socket now. I’m afraid there’ll be some bruising, and you’ll need a sling for a bit. We’ll keep you overnight—and maybe another day or so to observe you...make sure there’s no further cranial swelling. Ready for a room?”

  “Any bed beats sleeping on the gro—Oh, no! My dog! I left him at the campground!”

  “Don’t worry, he’s back at the ranch. Hello, Desiree.”

  Desiree relaxed visibly at Virgil’s words. “Did you pick up Jondell?” she asked.

  “You can talk shop later,” the doctor said firmly. “Ms. Hartlan, I want you settled in your room, and you, Mr. Bodine, are next on the table. I need to clean and dress those feet.”

  “Virgil, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine—and I’ll come see you as soon as I’m through here. I promise. You get into bed now.”

  Since the nurse was already wheeling her down the hall, Desiree had no choice but to obey. Fifteen minutes later, she was aching all over from the effort of undressing—even with help—and getting into bed. Her arm throbbed, her head throbbed, and the ice pack didn’t seem to be helping very much.

  I’ve certainly started my first twenty-four hours on the job with a bang. I thought this was supposed to be a quiet little town!

  A lab technician showed up to check the IV that had been started in the emergency room, and to take some blood. “Just a precautionary measure.” A few minutes after that, Virgil knocked on the door.

  He looks terrible! Desiree frowned, which sent a stab of pain through her skull. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  He sat down on the room’s only chair, his smile weary, almost forced. “That should be my question.”

  “I’ll live.” She wondered why he was wearing a hospital scrub top. “What happened?” She couldn’t remember much after getting hit.

  “You passed out, Lozen panicked, so I went in after you.”

  “You...you carried me out?”

  “Yep.”

  She stared at him. No one had told her that part. “Were you hurt?”

  “I’m fine.”

  Desiree saw him shift uneasily. Then she noticed the bandages peeking up from the slip-on paper shoes he was wearing. “What happened to your feet?”

  “A few blisters. Nothing serious.”

  “Blisters? From your shoes?”

  “Mmm...yeah.”

  “Don’t believe a word of it,” a nurse said, walking into the room with a pitcher of water and a clean glass. “This man ran into the fire after you—barefoot and shirtless. Then ran right back out again with you and Mrs. Cliffwalker.”

  Desiree looked at Virgil, who watched the nurse pour her a drink.

  “My God, Virgil, you could have been killed!”

  “But I wasn’t.”

  “You could have been!” Tears formed in her eyes.

  “We make ’em tough in Tombstone, right, Deputy?” the nurse said with a smile.

  Virgil gave her a faint smile in return, and she left.

  “Are you badly burned? Are you going to be okay?” Desiree asked.

  “Just fine. I told you, it was only a few blisters. I had shoes on most of the time. The nurse was exaggerating.”

  “How can I ever thank you?” The tears trickled from her eyes.

  “Skip it. I’m only out a pair of loafers.”

  Desiree lifted her head to see Virgil better, then froze. Ouch... That hurts. She lay back down. Virgil reached for the controls and slowly raised the bed.

  “Thanks.” Tears continued to flow. “Thanks for everything. I’m so grateful.” A strange feeling deep in her heart mingled with admiration and respect. “No one’s ever saved my life before,” she said in awe.

  “Yeah, well, let’s not make a habit of this, okay?” Somehow his hand had found hers. He held it tightly. “Now I want to hear how you’re doing—and what happened before I got there. If you’re up to it,” he added.

  “I am.” She calmed herself, tucked away Virgil’s bravery to treasure and review later, when she was alone, and leaned over for another tissue and a glass of water. Only then was she able to relate the evening’s adventure to Virgil.

  “And when I couldn’t find Jondell, I headed out toward the flames and Lozen. The rest you know, I guess.”

  “You never saw Jondell, either at the campground or the parking lot?”

  “No. I’m just glad no one was killed. At least, I don’t think anyone was,” she said, worry creasing her brow.

  “Not even a bat, Jasentha said.”

  “She was there?”

  “Yes. Fortunately, most of the bats were out feeding. Any smoke that made it into the caves did little damage.”

  “Thank heavens.”

  “We have an APB out on Jondell. It shouldn’t take long to track him down.”

  “That’s good. Only somehow, I don’t think that’s going to help. Jondell isn’t the type to go for bold, brash actions. He’s a sneak who strikes in the shadows. Blowing up a parking lot—advertising his actions—isn’t his style. Which means we have two dangerous people loose in Tombstone.”

  “We’ll talk about that later. Right now, I want to talk about family.”

  “How’s Jasentha’s mother?”

  “Her right arm’s broken, the doctor said. She’s not going to be doing any pediatric surgery for a while.”

  “Poor Lozen!”

  “Poor nothing.” Virgil’s voice was harsh, clipped. “She’ll have a good two months while her bones knit to think about her stupidity. She nearly got you both killed!”

  Desiree was inclined to be forgiving. “But we weren’t killed. Virgil, she was oxygen-deprived. I could tell from her speech.”

  “She panicked. She made a mistake.”

  “We all do, you know.”

  Virgil was unrelenting in his anger. “Lozen knows better.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “At the Silver Dollar. Rogelio and Jasentha are with her. I’m sorry, but we had to give her your bed.”

  “She’s welcome to it,” Desiree said. “You know, this works out nicely for Caro. Someone‘Il be around to look after her and the baby, and Jasentha will be able to spend more time with her mother.”

  Was it her imagination, or did Virgil suddenly look uneasy? “What? What’s wrong?”

  “About Caro...”

  I don’t like the tone of your voice, Virgil. “What about Caro?”

  Virgil scooted his chair closer to her bed and took her hand again. He held it between both of his.

  “She showed up on horseback soon after I did, Desiree.

  “My sister?”

  “Yeah. The three of us rode together in the ambulance.”

  “Ambulance?” Desiree actually lifted her head from the pillows again. “Was Caro hurt?”

  “No, but... Desiree, she started having pains at the parking lot”

  “Oh, no!”

  “She’s here. They admitted her.”

  “Is she okay? Did they stop the miscarriage?” The look in his eyes was all the answer she needed. “She lost the baby,” she whispered.

  “Yes.”

  Damn. Desiree closed her eyes. “How is she?”

  “Physically, okay. As for the rest...” Virgil sighed. “Wyatt’s with her.”

  “Caro wanted that baby so much. She really wanted to carry this one to term. She was so sure the doctor was wrong.” Her eyes filled with tears again as she slowly, carefully turned he
r head toward her phone. “Is there a phone in Caro’s room? Where is she?”

  “Just down the hall. They have her phone turned off so she can rest. But you’re not going anywhere,” Virgil warned. “They’ll turn it on tomorrow.”

  The tears spilled over. “Would you tell her I’m sorry? That I’ll say a prayer for her and the baby?”

  Virgil nodded. There was an awkward silence.

  Desiree couldn’t stop the tears. She started to wipe her eyes with her good hand, but Virgil was immediately there with a tissue. “Thanks.” She tried to sound calm. Virgil needed rest himself, and she doubted he’d leave if she fell apart.

  “You’d better go back to the ranch,” Desiree said as firmly as possible. “Jamie’s going to need your help tomorrow.”

  “Got it, boss.” Virgil rose, yet seemed unwilling to depart. “Do you need anything from home?”

  “Just a change of clothes.”

  “Anything else I can do for you?”

  Desiree almost smiled, his tone was so solicitous. “Could you track down my weapon?”

  “Wyatt picked it up. He couldn’t find your gun belt.”

  “It’s in Pearl Drop’s saddlebags.”

  “Then it’s back at the ranch with my horse. Rogelio’s probably already locked it up. I’ll make certain.”

  “Thank you. And thanks for coming to my rescue.”

  “Hey, it’s all part of the job. And don’t worry about Oscar. Jamie collected him from that so-called office at the campground. He’s annoyed but otherwise fine. Travis will look after him until you get home.”

  “Thanks again.”

  “Would you stop thanking me?” he asked gruffly.

  She nodded, her heart aching over Caro’s loss.

  “I’ve got to get going. Wyatt’s giving me a ride home as soon as Caro falls asleep. You should do the same.”

  “I will. And, Virgil?”

  He paused, still holding her hand.

  Gently, she tugged him down, tugged him close, kissed his cheek. His nearness actually made her feel better, even about Caro and the baby. Never in her wildest fantasies would she have thought that possible. Who is this man? she thought, then said, “Take good care of your feet.”

  “I will,” he whispered. “Good night, Desiree.”

  He left her room, his paper shoes making soft crinkly noises down the hall.

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE NEXT FEW HOURS WERE hectic ones for Desiree. Doctors and nurses kept coming in to check on her. Morgan, Wyatt and Jasentha peeked in, as well. All steadfastly refused to discuss the crime with her, supposedly following doctor’s orders. Head injuries could be serious, they said.

  Desiree didn’t argue. She was saving her strength until everyone was gone, when she could go and see Caro. Phone or no phone, nothing was keeping Desiree away from her sister.

  Finally, the time came. It was already midmorning. She rose from her bed, slung the hospital robe over her shoulders, unhooked the IV bag from the pole and slipped it into her robe pocket.

  All right, so I should be lying down, she thought as her head pounded at the activity. But I want to see Caro. Why didn’t they put us in the same room?

  She couldn’t find any hospital slippers. Barefoot, she padded down the hall to her sister’s room. Caro’s door was open a slit. Desiree peered inside, hoping to see that her sister was sleeping. She wasn’t; wide-awake, her eyes red and swollen, Caro lay staring up at the ceiling. Desiree knocked lightly.

  “Go away! I told you, I don’t want to talk to a counselor!”

  “Caro? It’s me.”

  “Ray?”

  “Can I come in?”

  “Yes, but why aren’t you in bed?”

  “I wanted to see how you were doing.” Desiree entered, then closed the door behind her. “Virgil said your phone was turned off, and I guess Wyatt got us private rooms.”

  “Stupid place. Stupid rooms. Stupid doctors.” Caro’s voice trembled. “Stupid male nurse who pats my hand and says see the hospital shrink. As if that’s going to make me feel better! As if a man knows what it’s like to miscarry.”

  Desiree went to the chair at her sister’s side. “Shall I go kick him for you?”

  “I want to kick him. I want to kick and yell and scream at the whole world! I wanted that baby. I really did.”

  “Then kick and yell and scream,” Desiree replied. “No sense holding it all back. At least cry.”

  “I couldn’t cry. Wyatt was so upset. He...he wanted the baby, too, and he was worried about me. And you, and Virgil, and Lozen.”

  “Well, Wyatt’s gone. You don’t have to be brave for me. Let it out.”

  “I ought to.” Caro’s fists were clenched.

  Desiree placed her hands on Caro’s shoulders. “Do it, Caro. I’m serious. I did the night after I found Linda.”

  “Did it help?”

  “yet.”

  “I wish I could scream, but I’m in a hospital.”

  “I was at Mom and Dad’s—that’s even worse. I put a pillow over my face and howled all night. Try it, Caro. It beats talking to some shrink.”

  Caro nodded. She pulled the extra pillow from beneath her knees and hugged it to her chest.

  “Take a deep breath and scream it out,” Desiree said. “One...”

  Caro sucked in air.

  “Two... ”

  She lifted the pillow to her face.

  “Three.”

  There was no scream, only a harsh, tearing noise that was Caro’s sob. It was followed by another, then another. Desiree placed her arms around her sister, pillow and all, and held her tight as Caro cried. She silently stroked Caro’s head and back and shed tears with her.

  After a long, long while, Caro stopped. Desiree eased her sister back onto the bed, then reached for the box of hospital tissues. Gently she wiped her sister’s eyes, then her own.

  “Here’s a fresh one,” she said, discarding the first and holding a second under her sister’s nose.

  “I can blow my own nose,” Caro said weakly, then exhaled a big, shuddering sigh. “Life sucks.”

  “Today, I agree with you.”

  “I always wanted lots of kids, and my body’s a lemon. A damn, useless lemon. I want a refund.”

  “I know.”

  Caro exchanged her used tissue for a fresh one. The two sisters sat quietly together until Caro broke the silence.

  “How come I didn’t get a body that works, Ray? I want new parts,” she moaned, but she sounded much more like the Caro of old.

  “At least you got good hair.” Desiree raised a hand to her own burned, scraggly mess. “This mop probably looks as bad as it feels.”

  “You never could grow it long,” Caro said, plucking out another tissue. Desiree did the same.

  “I hate my hair. Back to the scissors again.”

  Caro squinted up at her sister and grimaced. “For heaven’s sake, don’t do it yourself this time.”

  “My favorite hairdresser’s back in Phoenix.”

  “Then let me trim it for you. Better yet, use my beautician here in town. You look like something the cat coughed up. We both do.” Caro scrubbed at her eyes.

  “Yeah, well, it’s not like I have any prospects.” Desiree deliberately led Caro onto more familiar ground. “You’re the happily married one, not me.”

  “You could be, too, if you’d try a little harder...look more feminine. Guns aren’t exactly lace and flowers, and heaven knows, those black suits and string ties you’ve taken to wearing—”

  Caro broke off as Desiree grinned.

  “God, I sound just like Mom,” Caro groaned. “I can’t believe I said that.”

  “Next, you’ll be calling me an old maid. Well, you always were a bossy big sister. Keep it up, and I’ll go back to bed.”

  Caro hugged her. “You shouldn’t have left it in the first place.”

  “Hey, you needed someone to cry with.”

  “I know.” Caro sniffed and leaned back against th
e pillows. “I hate crying.”

  “You’ve forgotten your chemistry classes,” Desiree said smugly. “The amount of manganese stored in the body affects our moods, and the body stores thirty times as much manganese in tears as in the blood. Crying is very healthy for the emotions.”

  “I know that,” Caro said irritably. “I was being brave for Wyatt.”

  “Dork.” Desiree used the childhood insult affectionately. “He was probably being brave for you. You should have sobbed on his shoulder. He should have cried on yours. Then you’d both feel better.”

  “I know.” She gave a shaky sigh. “I’m glad you came, Ray.”

  “Think you’ll be able to sleep now?” Desiree took the extra pillow and settled it back under Caro’s knees.

  “I guess. You should get back to your room, too.”

  Desiree jokingly flung back her youthful chant. “Try and make me.”

  “Come on, Ray! You have a head injury. And a bad shoulder.”

  “Mild concussion.” Nothing like what you’ve just been through.

  “How are you? Wyatt said the doctor told him another inch and you could have been—”

  “I had a glancing blow to the head, no skull fracture and a scalp wound that looks much worse than it is. I only needed a few stitches. As for Wyatt, he has a big mouth. Those Bodines all do. They’re worse than old grannies at a quilting bee.” Desiree shook her head. Caro had had enough trauma without Wyatt telling her all the doctor’s gory details. Besides, the doctor shouldn’t have been talking about Desiree’s case to him, anyway. “Those Bodines just have to stick their nose in everyone’s business.”

  “When it comes to family, you bet they do. If one of them came in and saw you here, we’d both catch holy hell.”

  Desiree actually smiled. “Scared of your own husband, Mrs. Bodine?”

  “I am not!”

  Desiree lifted an eyebrow.

  “I just don’t want to upset him.”

  “You are scared of him. I knew it.”

  “Shut up, Ray,” Caro said fondly.

  “Hey, you’re the one who married into that crazy family. Not me.”

  “You’re wrong. You are family.”

  “Lord spare me. I don’t know if I can take all this attention.”