Chapter 13 Mayson “Trucker” Calhoune
MAYSON “TRUCKER” CALHOUNE
I never expected a call for myself and the cadets. They still had to go through their finals, even though I believed they were ready.
According to the rules, though they could go out on calls, it would be to assist other teams in the area.
When it came through, I informed the dispatcher of that being sure they understood my guys were still training. I told her to put the call through the usual channels and if the other team needed back up, we would.
But when Lennox ran into the office, panicking, I focused on him.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“We have a call,” Lennox said.
“I know. I told them to send the regular guys.” I advised him. “We shouldn’t be getting solo call-outs yet. But if they need help, we can do that.”
“Truck—Trucker you don’t understand.”
“Calm down.” I frowned. “Understand what?”
“We have to take this call.” Lennox pushed.
“Lenny, what are you—”
“It’s Taji.” Lennox reported.
“What?”
“The car.” Lennox panted. “It’s Taji and we can’t wait for the others. It’s going to take them twenty minutes to get here. We have no idea what shape she or her car is in. We really can’t wait, Trucker.”
“Gather Andi and the others.” I ordered.
“Were down one.” Lennox told me.
“Ryan?”
He nodded.
“Doesn’t matter right now.” I instructed. “We’ll deal with that later. Let’s go.”
This was against the rules.
But Taji was in danger.
I liked this woman, and she’d been good to my cadets who adored her. I doubted if I tried talking them down they would listen.
Even as we sped to the location Lennox had sweet talked out of the dispatch, I could barely breathe.
“Don’t worry.” Andi told me, patting my shoulder from behind my seat. “I know you don’t think we’re ready—but we got this. We’re going to have her back like we’d have yours.”
It didn’t matter if they were ready or not.
Taji was in trouble, and I had no choice.
How had this happened?
Did she fall asleep at the wheel?
Was it my fault she was tired that she couldn’t stay awake?
Had she been drinking?
Did she swerve to avoid another driver—a moose?
I was getting a headache—so many fucking questions.
When we arrived at the scene a few of them alighted from the truck and went to set up markers to warn other vehicles we were there. Andi began reeling off the hose while Lennox and I set to work looking over the area.
Seeing the car, the firefighter in me knew precisely what needed to happen.
Her lover wanted to panic and go running to the vehicle.
Making sure the area was stable we set Lennox up to repel down. I held my breath, being the belayer for Lennox as he inspected the car and Taji inside.
“I don’t think she’s breathing.” He reported through the radio. “I don’t smell any gas which means the tank hasn’t been compromised but keep the hose handy. Also, we need the jaws.”
We rigged up another of the cadets and had him go down with what was needed.
It took some heavy work before they managed to get Taji from the mangled car, onto a stretcher and prepped for moving.
That took another little while, as I silently freaked out.
She was now wearing a neck brace but when I checked, she had a pulse.
“Get her to the hospital.” One of the other cadets told us. “We’ll stay behind and secure the site for when the other engine gets here.”
“We got your back, boss.” Lennox promised. “Come on.”
They didn’t have to tell me twice.
Quickly, we had her in the truck and was speeding toward the hospital outside Albright, sirens blaring.
Andi screamed at vehicles who took their time getting out of the way.
“It’s okay, Taj.” I kissed her forehead. “I got you. Don’t worry about anything, okay? I got you. Just hang in there.”
Andi called ahead and when we arrived, two doctors and a few nurses were already outside with a stretcher, waiting.
Lennox rambled off all her injuries to the doctors as we rushed with them into the building. Though I wanted to stay with her, I knew I couldn’t go in and as her lover, I was infuriated.
Andi left with the engine to bring it back to the firehouse. It was much too large to remain on the property as it would be blocking the emergency bay.
I stayed behind with Lennox.
He patted my shoulder. I guess it was his attempt at comforting me.
“How does that even happen?” I muttered.
“Now may not be the time to tell you this, but I think someone ran her off the road.” Lennox told me.
“On purpose?” I glanced at him.
The stern look on Lennox’s face told me he was serious.
“You didn’t see that car.” Lennox sighed. “The side of it was rubbed, like whoever did it, tried more than once. The back of the vehicle had damages as if they’d rammed her.”
“It could be from the roll.”
Lennox shook his head. He glanced around then leaned in closer.
“Naw, man. That damage isn’t from the roll. The vehicle rolled side over top to the side. The damage on the back makes no sense unless someone rammed her.”
I frowned.
“She must have been so scared.” I managed. “She must have been so scared, and I wasn’t there.”
“Don’t do that.” Lennox patted my shoulder. “You’re awesome but not a God. You can’t be in two places at once.”
“I’m supposed to—” I lost my breath.
“To what?” Lennox asked.
I don’t know.
“Listen, the truth is, the law in this town is useless.” Lennox glanced over his shoulders again then leaned in to speak softer. “They will have no fucking clue what to do with this.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we haven’t had a real crime here in, like, thirty years. They will have no clue.” He explained. “So, if you have connections, use them. Andi has some experience in law enforcement. I don’t have any such skills, but I’m here if you need me.”
“What you’re saying is, we’re on our own.” I immediately got it.
“Pretty much.”
“Okay.” I told him.
I was used to being on my own.
“So, what’s the plan?” Lennox asked.
“First, we make sure Taji is fine.” I told Lennox. “That she doesn’t need anything. Then we find out who did this to her—”
“and we fuck up all their shit.” Lennox concluded.
Those weren’t the words I would have used, but they described the sentiment perfectly.
Andi returned and when both her and Lennox were asleep on chairs in the waiting room, I asked one of the nurses for blankets and drew them over my two cadets.
I’d told them to go home but they refused. They didn’t have to be at the station the next day, so I didn’t see a problem.
They could sleep after.
When the doctor finally came out to speak with me, I held my breath because of the grim look on his face.
“She’s alive.” He reported. “She’s going to be in some pain for a while because of the the airbag. She is on some low-grade painkillers because she refused the stronger stuff.”
“Sounds like Taji. She is stubborn.” I chuckled.
“Taji had some internal bleeding which we’ve managed to stop. Thankfully none of her vital organs have been affected.”
“Can I see her?”
He nodded. “In about forty-five minutes. We’re waiting for a bed in recovery. Once you can see her, a nurse will let you know.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
The doctor nodded and walked off.
My legs gave out and I crumbled downward. Someone caught me by the shoulders, and I looked back to see it was Lennox.
“She okay?” He asked, leading me to a chair.
Exhaling loudly, I nodded. “She was bleeding internally, but they got it.”
“Can we see her?” Andi wanted to know.
“After she’s moved to recovery.” I rubbed my eyes. “It’ll take a little while for them to move her because they’re waiting for a bed.”
“I’ll be back.” Andi told us.
When she did come back, it was with a bag from the gift shop. She handed it to me.
“What’s this?”
“They didn’t have much, but I found a pair of jeans and a black, plain t-shirt.” Andi replied. “Take it.”
“Andi…”
“Go change.” She told me.
“I’m fine.” I protested.
“Maybe, but Taji shouldn’t worry about you when you see her.” Lennox pointed out. “You’re sweaty and dirty. And is that blood?”
I looked down at my clothes then back at her—helplessly.
“Go change.” Andi pushed. “We won’t leave here until after we’ve seen her.”
I knew I wouldn’t win this argument, so I gave in.
I came back to find only Lennox.
Apparently, Taji had been moved, and Andi was first to go look in on her. Lennox was next and when it was my turn, I managed to get them to go home to rest.
Entering Taji’s room scared me.
Her face was if she’d gotten into a fight with Rhonda Rousey and had lost. She had a splint on her left middle finger, a bandage to the right side of her neck and one on her forehead.
I exhaled.
There weren’t as many tubes and wires as I’d expected, but when I kissed her forehead, her skin was warm.
I watched her chest rise and fall then sat beside her to hold her hand.
Andi hurried into the room to hand me a muffin and a cup of coffee.
“I know you may not feel hungry but eat something.” She instructed. “We don’t need to start worrying about you too. I’m sorry it’s not more but the cafeteria barely has anything.”
I thanked her with a small smile, and she left me alone again.
She was right, I wasn’t hungry—I didn’t feel hungry.
But I sipped from the coffee.
It wasn’t the best, but it felt good to have something warm going in.
While I waited for Taji to wake up from the meds, I called Zulu again.
“Hey, Trucker.” She greeted me.
I pressed my finger to my lips. “Shhh. In a hospital?”
“Wait, what? You okay?” Zulu panicked. “I can have Zoom down to you—if I can find a jet to—”
“I’m fine.” I interrupted. “Stop worrying. I’m okay. I swear.”
When I explained to her what happened and who I thought was responsible, Zulu frowned.
“The stupid shit a bitch would do for a cock.” She muttered. “Listen, Ryan Carling has a record. It’s a juvie one, and it’s sealed but I got it open.”
“What’s in it?”
“Sexual assault.” Zulu replied. “Little fucker went after one of his teachers at his high school. I mean, how do you start being a shit human that big?”
I had a bad feeling.
“As for Esther, she has a record that she started building when she turned nineteen.” Zulu cleared her throat. “Prostitution, theft, DUI, DUI, theft—this woman doesn’t learn she’s too dumb to be a criminal.”
“Are any of those recent?” I asked.
“Her last DUI was about six weeks ago.” Zulu told me. “There is something else coming but right now all it says is pending and who knows how long that will take?”
“Okay, how many vehicles does Ryan and Esther owns?”
“Hold please.”
After a few seconds she was back.
“Ryan owns two. Esther’s was taken by the sheriff—one too many DUIs.” Zulu was still digging.
“Any of Ryan’s have an onboard computer?” Trucker wanted to know.
“Both are newer models.” Zulu answered. “Well, look at that. We’re in luck. They both have onboard computers.”
“Dump them.” I ordered. “I want to know where he’s been. If I’m right, either he or Esther is responsible for this.”
“Do you need Kaos or Zoom?”
“Naw.” I gritted my teeth and glanced over at Taji on the bed. “I got this. If I need some help, I’ll call. Right now, I have people at my back.”
“Okay, I’ll call you back in about twenty minutes.”
Thanking her, I hung up and moved back to Taji’s side. I shoved my phone into my pocket and took her hand in mine.
Lifting her hand, I brushed my lips against her skin and sighed.
“I’m sorry, Taji.” My voice cracked. “I’m supposed to protect you—I know that’s old fashion but it’s in my veins, imprinted on my heart. I can’t help feeling as if I failed you. But that won’t happen again.”
I leaned up to kiss her nose, then stood to press my lips to her forehead in a lingering kiss before sitting again.
“I’m going to make this right.”