Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Luke
T his is one of the situations I hate most about my job. All-hands-on-deck, later in the night, on the scene of what's an awful wreck. Rain is coming down, not as hard as it previously was, but the road is slick and we're about to have to stop traffic in both directions.
Troy yells so he can be heard over the roar of the cars still screaming past us. "We're putting out a message on social media first. We'll give it a few minutes because the Life Flight is about twenty minutes out, still. Then we'll slowly move our SUVs in as there are breaks in the traffic. At that point, I need y'all to stand out. If we have to, we'll start handing out tickets."
Like that's gonna stop anyone who's in a fucking hurry and pissed off because something mildly inconvenienced them. Glancing over at the smashed SUVs, along with the semi that hit them, I cross my chest and say a little prayer. It doesn't look as if anyone will lose their lives tonight, and that's something to be thankful for, but life as they know it is going to be different than they anticipated. On the end of that prayer, I include all of us officers who are working the scene.
Cam jogs over to where I'm standing. He's got a hood covering his head, and he's slightly shivering. "This weather is awful. It's not going to be easy to block this interstate."
"Nope." I shake my head. "It's worrisome for sure. Have you been over there?" I nod my chin toward the semi. "They told me to stay over here, but it looks as if he's the one who caused the wreck."
"He definitely did. The cab of that truck is littered with caffeine pills, beer cans, there was a fifth of Jack opened, and a white powdery substance on the dash."
"Cocaine?"
"Yeah. Probably trying to stay awake to make his drop. When he's checked out, he's for sure going to jail."
So fucking stupid. Our job—those of us who know what we're getting into—first responders, soldiers, we know we might be giving our lives for this. But people who play with fire, who feel as if they need to do this shit to hit quotas? It pisses me off. It's so senseless, and tonight there's a family being airlifted because this man wanted to make a load time for his semi. "I can't get that car seat out of my head." I clear my throat. "I can't believe that kid isn't dead." When I got on scene, I immediately went over to one of the SUVs and was shocked at the way the car seat in the back was jacked up. The little girl was crying, but as soon as she'd seen me, she'd reached out. I've never fumbled trying to get seatbelts undone so quickly.
"Yeah, it's an amazing marvel of technology how these things keep us all safe."
I tuck my fingers into my vest, hoping to warm them slightly. That's when I hear someone screaming from where the group of injured have migrated. Cam tags me on my chest, and together we run over.
"You could've killed my kid, you son of a bitch." Someone who appears to be the father of the kid I rescued seems to be holding himself back with every bit of restraint he can muster.
"You don't understand what happens to me if I don't get my semi to the distribution center and loaded within the time provided. Easy for you to judge."
The dad is bouncing on his feet, even though he has blood pouring from his forehead. "Fuck you. There is no amount of money worth hurting an entire family. If my wife doesn't wake up"—he points to where she's on a stretcher in the ambulance—"you're gonna feel my wrath, you piece of shit. Don't think I didn't see everything you had in that fuckin' truck cab. You made goddamn choices that we're paying the consequences for."
Cam and I are crowding in, waiting to see if we need to step in between them. I'm on the edge of the father, Cam's taken point on the semi-truck driver.
The driver rolls his eyes. "Well, join me in hell, motherfucker. What did you do to cause your family to be where they are right now? Consequences have actions—isn't that what you said? You're as much to blame for this as I am."
That's it. The father makes a break for it, and I wrap my arms around his waist, holding on tightly. "I know you want him. I do too. I'm the one who got your daughter out. If it were allowed, I'd fuck him up myself. Your family needs you. Your kid, your wife. Keep it together because when that helicopter gets here, we'll get you on it and get her transported. She's going to need to feel your support. Don't let that anger and negativity get the best of you."
The man collapses into himself, tears streaming down his face. "That's my everything right there. They are it. Why I get up in the morning, and go to work, why I take the extra shifts. That's what we were doing, coming back from a UK game."
I can empathize and sympathize. The only thing I can do is stay here with him and repeat affirming words that everything is going to be alright.
Thirty minutes later, I've moved my SUV across the interstate, blocking it as we watch the helicopter take off. I'm gazing up at the night sky, watching the lights as they fly away from where we're standing.
None of us are paying as much attention to the traffic as we should be. It's then I hear the loud screeching of tires, and I notice a truck hitting Cam's SUV. Running forward, I grab Cam, tackling him to the ground, and out of the way of the speeding vehicle.
"Are you okay?" we both ask each other.
Together we get up, leaning against our sides. I run my hands down my body looking for anything I've damaged, but all I can find is road rash and ripped pants from where we slid across the pavement.
"Son of a bitch." Cam grimaces, holding his hand out. "I used my hand to break my fall, and while I don't think I broke anything, I'm having a hard time moving it."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tackled you so hard."
"You fuckin' kidding me? See that?" He points to where the tire to his SUV is sitting, detached from the body of the vehicle. "I was standing right there. If you hadn't tackled me as hard as you did, I'd be dead. Don't apologize."
"Let me at least ride with you."
"Oh, for sure, I don't want to be at the hospital by myself." He shoots a pointed look at Troy. "Can you go wake up Cass? She's off tonight, and I'd prefer her to hear it from you."
He nods, already walking toward his SUV. "I'll bring her to you."
When we get to the emergency room, I'm surprised to see Deanna standing at the entrance. "Are you okay?" I run to her.
She meets me in the middle, throwing her arms around me. I pick her up, and she slides her legs around my waist. "I'm fine, but I saw on the Bellehaven group where an officer had been injured. The picture they showed was you and Cam. Both of you were on the ground, and all I could think about was you being hurt."
"Did you text me?" It's the first thing that comes to my mind. It's what I would've done if I were her.
"No, all I could think about was getting to you as soon as possible." She kisses me right there in front of God and everybody, taking the type of kiss I only give her behind closed doors.
"I'm fine," I whisper as she pulls her lips from mine. "A little road rash that needs to be cleaned."
"Good. Because I've been wanting to tell you something for a while, and I haven't trusted myself. But seeing you on the ground tonight? It's put everything into perspective for me."
"I'm listening..."