Читать книгу Randall On The Run - Judy Christenberry - Страница 9

After staring at him, Jessica said, “Sorry. The steak is for Murphy, not you.”

“The dog? I need steak to help replace the blood I lost.”

“No, you’re still running quite a bit of fever. This is all you get for a while…unless you want to see a doctor?”

“No!” he protested, though his voice was weak.

She’d left Murphy’s door open, and he jumped into the seat and put his head over the back of it.

“Damn it! He’s big enough to be a horse!” Steve exclaimed.

“No, he’s not. Murph, you’re drooling on our patient. Sit!”

As always, Murphy obeyed her at once and disappeared from Steve’s view.

“Now finish your broth so we can get on the road again,” she said, trying to be patient.

“I don’t want anymore,” he grumbled.

“Don’t be a baby just because you didn’t get steak.”

“That’s not it. I—I need to use the facilities.”

“Oh.” After a minute she said, “I need to stop for gas. You can take care of things then. But first we’ll need to take off that bloody shirt.” She rummaged in the back of the vehicle and found an oversized zippered sweatshirt that had been her favorite on a damp morning.

With assistance from her patient, she carefully took off his bloody shirt, which she tossed in a trash can, and zippered him into the sweatshirt.

Steve was stoic through it all.

Next she put away his broth, ignored her own lunch and got back on the road. At what she thought was the last gas station outside town, she pulled in. After she stopped, she shook Steve.

“I’m awake.”

“I’m going to put in the gas. Do you need help getting out?”

“No, but the dog’s in the way.”

“I’ll move him.” When she got out, she motioned for Murphy to come to her seat. She’d left her window down, and Murphy hung his head out while she pumped the gas and Steve slowly ambled over to the restroom. She thought everything was going well until the station attendant stuck his head around the back of her SUV.

“Howdy,” the man said, grinning too broadly.

“Hello.” Her hand loosened on the gas handle and she almost spewed gasoline everywhere. She looked over her shoulder to see if she could see Steve returning.

“You headed to Wyoming?”

She stiffened. Even without Steve, she didn’t like to tell strange men where she was going.

“I saw your plates and guessed,” the man added, still grinning.

“Yes, I’m going back to Cheyenne, my hometown.” She patted herself on the back for coming up with another good story. But then that had always been one of her few talents.

“I been there once. It’s a nice city. Lots smaller than Salt Lake.” He moved closer.

“That’s true. Are you from Salt Lake City?”

“Naw. I move around. Don’t like to stay in one place all the time.” He kept staring at her.

Through the windows, she saw Steve coming back. She smiled at the man, wanting to keep his attention on this side of her vehicle so Steve might be able to get in unobserved. “I like Salt Lake City, but I have to leave because my mother is sick. She wants me to come take care of her.”

“Aw, that’s too bad. But you’ll be coming through a lot to visit your friends, I bet. Will you stop by here again?”

“Probably. This is a good location.” She replaced the nozzle in its holder and opened her purse, taking out some bills. “May I pay you?”

“You sure can. I’ll go get your change.”

“Oh, just keep it. You’ve been very kind.”

She opened her door and jumped in, moving Murphy over to make room. Unfortunately, Steve hadn’t gotten in the back. He was sitting in the front passenger seat. She shoved Murphy in the back so they could get out of there.

“Do you think it’s wise to sit up in the front? I can’t hide you if you’re up here.”

“We’re almost in Wyoming, aren’t we?

“In an hour or two. But I’m afraid that man was suspicious. He asked where we were going.”

“He was just hitting on you,” Steve said.

“I hope that’s the reason, because you look like you’ve gone through World War III.”

“I don’t think he even noticed me, right, Murphy?”

Murphy had hung his head over the seat, almost resting on Steve’s left shoulder.

“I can’t believe he didn’t bark when I first put you in the car. He growled at the policeman,” Jessica said, frowning.

“He probably realized I was injured and couldn’t hurt you.”

Jessica didn’t answer because her attention was focused on the rearview mirror.

“What is it?” he asked quietly.

“There’s a car coming up on us fast. I’m worried—” She broke off as the car roared past them. They could see two teenagers in the car laughing hysterically.

She breathed a big sigh of relief. When she turned to look at Steve, he scarcely seemed aware of her panic. Pain was visible on his face.

“I’m having trouble sitting up,” he managed to say.

She eased the car off the road. “There’s a button that will lower the seat for you.” She released her seat belt and leaned over him to find it, which put her very close to him, a fact she noticed at once. Fortunately, she got the chair lowered quickly. Then she reached in the back seat for the pillow and put it under his head. Feeling his forehead told her his fever was still high. She pulled one of the blankets over him.

“Better?” she asked.

“Yeah.” His eyes were already closed and she didn’t think he’d be awake for long.

Jessica pulled back onto the road and pressed down on the accelerator. She wanted to be in Wyoming as soon as possible.

WHEN SHE NEXT STOPPED for food, they were in Wyoming. She’d headed north, working her way across the state. The sun had set and she’d considered stopping somewhere to sleep, but she’d decided to keep driving until she reached Rawhide.

Beside her, Steve hadn’t uttered a sound since she’d gotten him settled hours ago.

She pulled the cover up over his shoulder, entered a burger place drive-through and placed an order.

The girl at the window looked at Steve. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s not feeling well. He has a cold.”

“It’s probably the cold front coming through. My mom always gets a headache when we have a change of weather.”

“Are they expecting snow?”

“In the mountains and farther north they are. Not here, though.”

“I see. Thanks,” Jessica said as she took the drinks and bag of food, then pulled away quickly, wanting to be out of sight of the inquisitive young woman.

“People ask a lot of questions, don’t they?” Steve muttered.

“So you’re awake?”

“Yeah. And hungry.”

“As soon as we get out of town, I’ll stop and get you your food.”

“Do you think you could raise the seat a little?”

Jessica thought about that. Reaching over him would practically put them body to body again. Not a good idea. “How about I put another pillow under your head? After you eat, you’re going to want to lie down again. That’ll be easier.”

“Okay.”

When they were out of town, she pulled off the road and dug out Murphy’s food first. Opening up the paper the burgers were wrapped in, she put them both out for Murphy.

“The dog gets served first?”

“If I don’t fix his first, he eats mine…or yours. Do you want that?”

“Nope.”

“Now, here’s your hamburger and fries. I’ll put your drink in the holder. If you can’t reach it, let me know.”

“We’re not going to stop to eat?”

Jessica shook her head. “Didn’t you hear the girl? There’s a front coming in.”

“But she said it wouldn’t snow here.”

“We’re not staying here. We’re heading north.”

JESSICA HAD BEEN driving for several hours. By her calculations, she had only three hours to go. That was when she saw the first snowflakes in the glare of her headlights. Since she was traveling northeast, she had hopes of outrunning the brunt of the storm.

Some winters the snow held off until mid-November, but here it was only a few days into the month and it was snowing hard already. The farther north she drove, the heavier the snow fell. She pushed a little harder on the accelerator.

The sight of flashing red lights in her rearview mirror made her stomach roil. Immediately she slowed and pulled off the road. Then she made sure the blanket was pulled up over Steve’s shoulder.

It was too late to hide him.

She lowered her window partway and waited for the policeman to reach her side. “Good evening, Officer,” she said.

“Evening, ma’am. May I see your license and registration?”

“Yes, of course.” She bent over and found her purse on the floorboard. Then she took out her license. Thankfully, she’d kept her Wyoming license in her billfold underneath her California license. Now she handed the man both.

“You have two licenses?” the patrolman asked in surprise as he examined the articles with the flashlight.

“I kept my Wyoming license when I got my new one in Los Angeles. Now I’m moving back to Wyoming.”

“I see, Miss…Randall? Are you part of the Randall family in Rawhide?”

“Yes, I am. My father is Brett Randall.”

“Well, Miss Randall, I’m proud to meet Brett’s daughter. You were driving a little fast, but I’m sure— Is there something wrong with your friend?”

Jessica swallowed. “Yes, my fiancé is suffering from the flu. That’s why I was hurrying. I wanted to get home to Rawhide and not have to stop because of the snow.”

“And you’re bringing him home to meet the family? Well, I can see how that would be important. But you must promise me you won’t go too fast and if you have to stop because of the snow, do so. I wouldn’t want you to be wrecked in some ditch somewhere. Your daddy would never forgive me.”

“I promise. I’ll be careful.”

“And be sure to reapply for another license, okay?”

“Yes, sir.” Jessica sent him a thankful smile and watched as he walked back to his vehicle. Then she eased back onto the road again.

“Your family must be awfully important,” Steve muttered.

“How long have you been awake?” Jessica demanded, grateful he hadn’t spoken while the officer was there.

“Long enough to know you’re my fiancée now.”

Jessica gasped. “I—I just told him that because I didn’t want him asking for your identification. Do you even have any?”

“Yeah, I’ve got— Hey, it’s snowing!”

“That was why I was going too fast. Now I’ve got to be careful. He’ll probably call Daddy.”

“At least he hadn’t gotten a bulletin about pulling you over from L.A. I was worried about that,” Steve said with a sigh.

She leaned toward him and felt his forehead. “Your fever is rising again. If I give you a bottle of water and some aspirin, can you take them by yourself?” she asked.

“Of course I can.”

She handed him the water, then dug in her purse with one hand for the aspirin bottle, which she gave him. “It’s a child protection cap. Can you open it?”

“I’m not a child.” The fever was doing nothing to assuage his attitude, obviously.

Steve worked on the bottle but had no success. Still, he never asked for help. After a while, she pulled the SUV over to the side of the road and held out her palm. “Hand it over.”

He still seemed reluctant to admit defeat. “I can’t see the arrows in the dark,” he said, as grumpy as an overtired child.

She opened it and handed him two pills. “Do you need help with the water too?”

He said nothing, merely shot her a testy look and unscrewed the cap. He took his dosage and laid his head back, not saying a word.

“Are you warm enough?” The temperature was dropping and the snow coming down harder as they climbed to a higher elevation. Her wipers and defroster were struggling to keep up.

“I am a little cold,” he said grudgingly.

She dug past Murphy in the back and pulled out another blanket, which she spread over Steve’s long legs. Much to her surprise, Steve muttered a thank-you.

Tucking the blanket over his wounded shoulder, she took a long look at her patient. Considering the circumstances, she guessed he was doing as well as he could. There was something about him that told her his surliness was only a byproduct of the situation, not a permanent part of his personality.

His dark hair fell over his forehead, and she pushed it back with a light touch. She told herself it was only to check his temperature, but she knew better. She wanted to touch him. Judging by the scars she saw on his face, Steve had certainly seen his share of trouble. Or maybe that was part and parcel of his career, roughing it up with the bad guys. For some reason she was suddenly glad that she was the one who’d found him in the alley. She was the one who could bring him to safety. Wherever that may be.

The falling snow had covered her windshield, creating a cocoonlike atmosphere in the car. Tucked in with Steve, and with Murphy sleeping in the back, she realized how tired she was. Lack of sleep was catching up with her now. And the storm was raging worse than ever. She had no choice but to continue. They’d never ride out the storm on the side of the road.

She pulled back out onto the highway, nearly losing control of her car when her back tires spun out. Gripping the wheel tighter, she slowed, steered into the skid and got control of the car. It had been three years since she’d driven in snow; she’d best remember that.

As she drove down the road toward Rawhide, she debated her options for Steve. If she could keep going until they got to Rawhide, she could take him to the small hospital her brother-in-law and her cousin ran. There would be someone on duty all night long.

But that someone would be a nurse, not Caroline or Jon. There would be talk.

Or she could go straight to Caroline’s house. But her husband, Mike, a wonderful man, was also the sheriff for the surrounding area. He would have to report Steve’s gunshot wound, according to law.

Jessica decided it might be better to go to her sister’s house. Tori was married to Jon, Caroline’s partner. Maybe Jessica and Tori could gang up on Jon and convince him to delay reporting the wound for a day or two.

It wasn’t as if Steve had done anything wrong. At least, she hoped not. She’d believed him when he’d said he’d discovered some bad things about his partners and was trying to prove it. Sure, she could have examined the contents of the manila envelope, looking for proof, but he’d trusted her with it, and she didn’t want to betray that trust.

It was almost two in the morning when she pulled into the short driveway to her sister’s house. She didn’t remember to turn off her lights until after they’d hit the house. Jessica hurriedly shut them off and killed the engine, coasting down the drive.

Taking a deep breath, she expelled it slowly, trying to relax after the strain of driving so long. She looked over at Steve, sleeping soundly. She’d need him awake and coherent to get him into the house.

A knock on her side window almost made her jump straight up and bang her head on the ceiling of the car. Her heart slowed down a little when she identified Jon, her brother-in-law, peering in the window.

She unlocked the door and opened it. “Jon! Did I awaken you? I’m sorry.”

“No problem. We’re both up with Jamie’s 2:00 a.m. feeding.”

“Oh. Uh, Jon, I…have someone with me.”

“You mean Murphy?” Jon asked, but his eyes were searching the darkness in the SUV.

“No. He’s a friend.”

“Well, wake him up and come on in.”

“Okay, but he may need some help.”

“Why? Is he sick?”

“Sort of.” Jessica turned to her passenger, pushing against him. “Steve.”

“What?” he growled.

“We’re at my sister’s house. We need to go inside.”

“’Kay.”

Jon said, “Should I go around and help him? Does he have the flu?”

“No, he’s been shot,” Jessica said, knowing she wouldn’t be able to keep it secret for long, even if she tried.

“What? Has he seen a doctor?”

“No. I’ll explain when we get inside.”

“I’m counting on that,” Jon said in a determined voice. He circled the vehicle and pulled open the door. “Here, lean on me,” he said as Steve slipped from the SUV to the ground.

Murphy, suddenly aroused, jumped into the front and followed Jessica out into the snow. He bounded beside her, seemingly thrilled with the events.

“No, Murphy, we’re not going to play. We’re going inside,” Jessica informed her dog, who seemed to understand because he raced ahead of her to the front door.

Tori was standing at the door, anxiously watching. When Jessica came in, she hugged her sister. “Sorry for disturbing you,” Jessica said. “But I didn’t know where else to go.”

Her sister was already looking past her, to the man her husband was helping to the door. “Who’s this?”

“Um, it’s Steve,” Jessica replied.

“Who is Steve?”

“It’s a long story. Oh! I forgot something. I’ll be right back.” Jessica ran back out to her vehicle and got the manila envelope out from under the driver’s seat. If it contained the evidence Steve said it did, she knew he’d want it safely with him.

Back in the house, Jon had put Steve on the sofa and opened his shirt. He was removing the bandage when Jessica got back.

“Does it look bad? I did the best I could.”

“Looks like the bullet is still in there. Why didn’t you take him to a doctor?” Jon asked sternly.

“Because he refused. He said he was a DEA agent and he had evidence that his partners had gone bad. If I took him to a doctor or called the police, he was sure he’d be killed.”

Jon frowned. “You know I have to report the wound, don’t you?”

“Yes, but I thought— I hoped maybe you wouldn’t have to report it right away. I want him to be able to protect himself.”

“First things first. I need to get that bullet out.”

“Are you going to take him to the clinic?” Tori asked.

“But you can’t!” Jessica protested. “Someone might see him.” She moved closer to Steve, wanting to protect him.

“There’s only one nurse on duty right now, and I know her well. She doesn’t gossip about what happens in the hospital,” Jon said.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure, Jess. But even if I delay telling Mike, that will have to happen. You understand that, don’t you?”

She nodded. “Yes, I know. Where can we hide him after you take out the bullet?”

“He’d be safe at the clinic.”

“That would cause a lot of talk. Isn’t there somewhere I could take care of him and no one would notice?”

“How about Mike’s old apartment over the sheriff’s office?” Tori suggested. “We could tell everyone Jessica is back, but she wants to stay in town instead of out at the ranch.”

Horrified, Jessica said, “We can’t tell Mom and Dad that!”

“No, they can be trusted,” Tori reassured her. “You know that, Jess.”

She did. “Then let’s use the apartment. I can take care of him, can’t I, Jon?”

“Sure. And if your sister and her husband come see you every once in a while, no one will think anything of it,” Jon said as he left the room.

“Where’s he going?”

“Probably to get a coat. It’s cold outside. Do you have one?”

“Not unpacked. When I left California, it didn’t occur to me it would be snowing here,” Jessica said with a rueful smile. “Hard to believe I could’ve forgotten, isn’t it?”

“You were gone a long time, sis,” Tori said with a smile. “Borrow my coat. I have to stay here with the kids, so I won’t need it until morning.”

“Thanks, Tori. And do you mind if Murphy stays with you, too?”

Before Tori could answer, Jon came back wearing his coat. He moved to the sofa and shook Steve, who had fallen asleep. “Come on, man. We’re going to take that bullet out of you.”

“No! No doctors,” Steve protested, his voice groggy.

Jon ignored the remark. “Right. Just come with me. It’s going to be all right.”

“Where is she?” Steve asked.

“Who?”

“The redhead. Where is she?”

Jessica stepped to his side. “I’m here, Steve. It’s all right. Jon is going to help you.”

“You’ll come with me?”

“Yes, I’ll be there with you. I promise.”

Jon sent a look toward his wife as he helped Steve to his feet.

“Wait!” Jessica called, turning back to get the manila envelope.

“What is that?” Jon asked.

“It’s the proof Steve has about his partners’ activities. I promised him I’d keep it safe.”

“Maybe you should leave that here. I’ll put it away.”

“I’m afraid someone might’ve followed us, or will come looking for us tomorrow.”

“All the more reason not to take it with you. They won’t come here looking for it.”

“I don’t want to put you in any danger, Tori,” Jessica protested.

“I won’t be. They won’t even know we’re kin.”

“All they have to do is ask anyone in town.”

“Who will send them out to the ranch, not to my house. This way will be safer.”

“Okay. Thanks, sis.” She hugged Tori and followed Jon and Steve out to her SUV.

Jon helped Steve into the front seat. Jessica could hear Murphy protesting her disappearance. She slipped behind the wheel, hoping to get out of there quickly, so Murphy would settle down.

“I’ll follow you to the clinic,” Jon said.