Chapter 28 Not Much Shakes You
NOT MUCH SHAKES YOU
“What do you mean Rory has been in an accident?” Gale yelled into the phone two hours later.
“He’s unconscious and on his way to the ER,” Ford said. “I don’t know what is going on, but I’m heading there now.”
“I’ll meet you there. Ford. This is related. You know it. What happened?”
“He was past the exit a few miles. He was going up the mountain and then went off the road into the woods. He hit a tree pretty fast head-on.”
She gasped. “Do you think someone ran him off the road?”
“I don’t know. I’ve got men I trust talking to State Troopers now.”
“Go there,” she said. “Please. I’m going to the hospital and texting Blaze.”
Ford hesitated. “Gale, let me get the information from my men first. He’s alive.”
“But probably not meant to be,” she shrieked.
She had her purse in her hand and was running out the door and waving to her staff.
“I don’t need you in an accident either. Clay can come get you and drive.”
“I’m not waiting for him. I’ll calm down. I promise. I’ll see you there.”
She hung up and was in her car driving to the hospital that was less than twenty minutes away.
She didn’t get a ticket. Didn’t hit anything. Didn’t blow through a red light, though that last one had been far too close.
Her hands were tight on the wheel, her heart hammering as every mile screamed the truth she’d been trying to bury.
She wasn’t shielding her heart. Not even close.
This wasn’t about walking in with clear eyes and just trying to help solve a case. This was about Rory.
The way he made her feel. The way she couldn’t help but lose herself around him. The way she wanted to give it all back to him ten times as much.
The thought of him leaving had already been enough to unravel her. But the thought of him dying, of him gone forever, was unbearable. It emptied her out and left her gasping for air, even as she pressed harder on the gas to pull into the parking lot.
She slammed on her brakes, skidding to a stop, grabbed her purse and was running for the door, her heels clicking on the concrete a distant sound.
“I’m looking for Rory Connors? I’m Blaze Ridgway’s sister.”
Yep, she was throwing her family name around and didn’t give two shits what they thought of it.
“You need to get a band to get access and then you can go back and they will direct you to where he is.”
She handed over her license. She knew the routine and had to do it a year ago when Ford had been shot, the same when Meredith had been kidnapped. She was getting fed up with making trips here.
They let her through the doors and she went right to the nurse’s station. Her head swiveled and she caught sight of Blaze leaving a room and dashed toward him.
“Come back here,” a nurse said.
She didn’t listen and shouted for Blaze. He turned and motioned her closer.
“Hey. Calm down,” Blaze said. “This isn’t like you.”
“You know what is going on. You all do.” Just because she saw Blaze and Ash the least didn’t mean they weren’t informed of everything the family did or went through.
“I do. But you’re not next of kin.”
“Don’t give me that shit, Blaze. Let me have his phone and I’ll call his mother.”
“Come in,” Blaze said, bringing her into Rory’s room. She saw him on the bed, his head wrapped up where he must have hit it. “It looks worse than it is. Head wounds always do, but he’s been out since they brought him in.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Thirty minutes. Once I realized who it was I called Ford right away. His phone is over there if you want to get in it.”
“I’ll just hold it up to his face like you can do,” she said. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because right now we are trying to see if he’ll wake up. There doesn’t seem to be any other injuries. We cut his shirt off, and his chest looks bruised but not horrible. It was more from the seatbelt.”
“Ford is on his way and I’ll find out. Can I stay here with him?”
“Sure,” he said. “I’m going to have to send him down for a CT scan soon if he doesn’t wake up, but they are backlogged there.”
She pulled a chair over and sat. “Should I call his mom now? I don’t want to worry her just yet. They’ve been through so much.”
“That’s up to you,” Blaze said. “You know him better than everyone else. And, Gale…”
“Don’t give me a lecture right now,” she said, battling those treacherous tears that never used to fall before. “I don’t need it.”
“I’m not. But I’m worried. Not just about what is happening, but you’re coming undone, and we all know, not much shakes you.”
“Well, this is. No way this was an accident. He was a cop. He knows how to handle himself.”
“I’ll be back. Text me if you need me.”
Her brother left the room and she reached for Rory’s hand, holding it lightly in hers.
“Don’t piss Rene off,” she whispered. “I don’t want her mad at me.”
She didn’t know if Rory could hear her, but she’d keep talking. Keep letting him know she had him. She wouldn’t leave him. And she’d damn well kick his ass when he woke up over this for scaring her.
At least thirty more minutes went by with no change, then Ford came in with Clay. She should have figured they’d be together.
“How’s he doing?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. He’s not responding, but I’m talking to him. Do you know what happened?”
Ford squatted down closer to her to talk. “His brake line was punctured. Not sure when it was done. Those things can be fast or slow.”
She closed her eyes and sank into the chair, her hand gripping Rory’s tighter. “This is too much. This isn’t just getting him to leave town because of some business deal or because it’s bad for tourism.”
“No,” Ford said. “It’s not.”
“Who is looking into this? County or State Police?”
“State Police, but I talked to an investigator and captain I know. I shared what I thought I could.”
“What was on record,” she said. “Right?”
He nodded his head.
She felt pressure on her fingers and spun to see Rory moving his arm.
He let out a moan and then tried to open his eyes.
She got closer and was quietly urging him to wake up.
“Where am I?” he asked.
“You’re in the hospital,” she said, her hand on his face barely touching him, just enough for him to know she was here and it wasn’t a dream. “You got in a car accident.”
He blinked his eyes a few times. “My brakes were gone.”
“We know,” Ford said.
Rory seemed to adjust his vision. “The glove box.”
“Got it,” Clay said, looking at Ford.
Gale frowned and then realized what was going on.
Rory had Clay’s gun in the glove box and that was most likely why her brothers were together. While Ford was talking to the State Police, Clay would have retrieved that quickly so no one got jammed up.
She pulled her phone out and texted Blaze quickly to let him know Rory was awake.
“Do you remember anything?” she asked, her voice as soothing as she could make it. Definitely not something she’d perfected in her life.
“Gale, let Blaze come in and look him over before we ask too many questions.”
“It’s alright,” Rory said. “I was getting close to the exit and went to slow down and the brakes were gone. I kept driving hoping that as I went up the mountain I’d slow enough.
I was, but then feared picking up speed on the way down.
I thought running off the road was the best option.
Guess I didn’t plan it as well as I thought. ”
“Would have done the same damn thing,” Clay said.
“The state police said you were going about forty-five when you hit the tree,” Ford said.
“I lost control of the SUV by then and was just trying not to flip it. It’s better than seventy-five when I noticed the brakes were out.”
He pushed himself up on the bed, or tried to, so she gave him the remote to sit up better.
“Why doesn’t everyone give us privacy?” Blaze said, coming in with a nurse.
“They can stay,” Rory said. “Or Gale can.”
She caught her brothers all exchanging glances.
“I’ll move over here while you do your thing, Blaze.”
“Keep a lid on it too,” Blaze said.
She moved out of the way and ended up in the hall with Ford and Clay but could still see what was going on and hear some of the questions asked of Rory.
“He’s probably not going to be able to stay alone tonight,” she said. “And you’re all going to get pissy if I say he can stay with me.”
“That’s right,” Ford said.
“Bring him to the cabin behind my house,” Clay said. “He’ll be protected there. Whoever this is, they are a local and know not to test me.”
She hated the thought that someone they knew was doing this. Could have it in them to live within the community with no one knowing what evil lurked inside.
“He should have a say in where he is staying,” she said. “Maybe he doesn’t want to go there.”
“There is no way in hell you’re staying with him at his place,” Ford said. “I don’t even want you back there to visit him.”
She wasn’t so sure she wanted to go back herself.
“We’ll talk to him once Blaze is done. Maybe a hotel is the best thing. I’m assuming his car is totaled?”
“Yeah,” Ford said.
“So he has no transportation.”
“If he’s on the farm I’ll get him a vehicle,” Clay said.
“Why are you being so accommodating? That’s not like you.”
Ford, sure. He’d be this way. But not Clay.
“Because we see what is going on even if you don’t want to admit it,” Ford said.
“Meaning what?”
“If you can’t figure it out, telling you won’t make a difference,” Clay said. “You never fucking listen.”
“Come in, guys,” Blaze said.
They moved back in. Rory was sitting up now and drinking water.
“What’s the verdict?” she asked.
“Borderline mild concussion,” Blaze said. “Could have been a lot worse. Everything else is bruising.”
“Yeah. I know what a break feels like,” Rory said. “I’m sure I’ll be sore tomorrow.”
“He shouldn’t be alone tonight,” Blaze said.
“I’m not staying at Gale’s place,” he said. “I don’t want her with me either. I can’t watch out for her if I’m not a hundred percent.”
“The cabin next to me is the best bet,” Clay said. “Gale won’t bother you there. She hates it.”
“He can’t be alone so I’m going to have to stay there,” she said. “Unless Clay does.”
“What’s wrong with it?” Rory asked.
“It’s rustic. And small. There are mice there too,” she said.
“You said mice don’t bother you,” he said.
Blaze laughed. She realized now this was the first time her brother was meeting the guy she was losing her heart to.
Did she know that was what Ford and Clay were talking about? Yep, she had, but pretended she didn’t.
“They don’t. Not when I’ve got the comforts of home. But when I’m in an old building with loud pipes and other noises, I’m not sure what is going on.”
“Stop whining,” Clay said.
“Your car is totaled,” Ford said.
“If you stay on our property, you can use a truck there for now,” Clay said.
“Thanks. I just want to get out of here. I don’t care where I go.”
“I’ll take you back to your rental for your things,” Gale said. “When you’re discharged.”
“Nope,” Clay said. “You’re not. I’m doing it. If he’s being watched that much, I want it known who is with him and where he is going. I’d like to see someone come onto my property. Maybe I’m just itching for it to happen.”
Her bottom lip came out, tears filled her eyes and she rushed out of the room.
She hated anyone to see her crying, but the way her brothers were banding together just reminded her what Rory never got to do for his sister again.
“Hey.”
She turned to see Blaze standing there. “Sorry. I have something in my eye.” She wiped it quickly.
“Yeah, it’s called emotions. Come over here and talk to me.”
Blaze pulled her along through a door and into a hallway where no one was around. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You’re human even if you try to say you’re not. Ford and Clay are talking to Rory anyway. Are you okay? I mean, really okay? Maybe you should stay with me or Ash. We’re good with it.”
“It’s too far away from my office,” she argued.
“Twenty minutes, if that,” Blaze said. “Come on. Stop. I’m not sure I want you alone either. At least not tonight.”
“Don’t tell Clay or Ford, but I don’t know if I want to be alone tonight either. And I won’t be. I’ll be with Rory right next to Clay. No worries there.”
“We are all going to worry,” Blaze said softly. “It’s what we do.”
“I’ll be fine tomorrow. One minute at a time. That’s what I’m telling myself. I just hope this is over soon.”
“You’re not the only one,” Blaze said, pulling her in for a hug. “I mean it, Gale. I’ve got an extra room. I’d feel more comfortable all around.”
“This is about me,” she said, forcing out a laugh.
“Yeah, it always is. Just don’t make me have to work on you next. If that happens, I won’t be patching up your boyfriend, I’ll be helping Clay and Ford take him apart.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she said.
“You keep telling yourself that. I’ve got to get back to work. They will discharge him soon.”
She walked out with Blaze and returned to Rory’s room. He was alone for the moment.
“Where are my brothers?”
“I think they are going to talk to Blaze. They want you to stay with him.”
“I already told Blaze no. I’ll stay with you tonight in Clay’s cabin I hate so much, but we’ll be fine. Then we’ll figure out the rest.”
“I’ll figure out the rest,” he said. “You need to give me some space.”
“No, no, no. Don’t make me yell. You’ll end up with a worse headache.”
“Told you that wasn’t going to work,” Clay said, coming back in. “Rookies.”
Rory sank back on the bed. She moved over and climbed next to him. “You can’t get rid of me that quickly.”
“So I’m learning.”