CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
WHITNEY
Labor Day was quiet for Whitney. With the play behind her she could relax. Sitting on the patio reading a book filled her with a sense of peace. When was the last time she’d read a book? she asked herself. Life at this slower pace was pleasing. She’d asked Barbara to let her know of any other threats, but to date, had heard nothing. Even Taylor was quiet about such social media news.
She thought of Bud Thompkins and his behavior. When she and Nick talked last night, he told her that Bud might be a bully but only seemed to show those colors when he’d been drinking. Still, he promised to keep an eye on him.
The day became better when she received an email from the furniture company that shipment was underway for some of the pieces. And then that afternoon, Nick called.
“I’m covered for the rest of the day. How about we take a picnic to the cottage and have a swim there?”
“That sounds perfect,” said Whitney. “Pam sent me home with a lot of leftovers, so we have a variety of food choices. I’ll add some things to it, along with a bottle of wine, water, and a thermos of coffee.”
“Sounds great. Why don’t I meet you up there in a half hour? I’m ready to relax and enjoy being with you. It’s been a busy weekend.”
“Okay, see you soon.” Whitney set down her book and went into the kitchen to begin packing for the picnic. She filled a cooler with containers of food, water, plastic wine glasses, and all necessities for eating. Then she placed the thermos of coffee and a bottle of pinot noir in a canvas bag with her beach towel.
After she dressed in a bikini and a coverup, she loaded the car, called to Mindy, and took off for the cottage, thinking Nick might already be there. She was pleased he enjoyed the cottage. They’d had some special moments there, sitting on the rock talking and kissing like the teenagers they’d been. It pleased them both to continue something that had started years ago.
###
At the house, she was disappointed not to see Nick’s car there. She went inside, stored the food in the kitchen, and went down to the rock to sunbathe while she waited for Nick.
After some time, she checked her watch and sighed. Nick was late. She’d left her phone in the kitchen which meant missing any message he might have sent.
She was dozing with Mindy beside her when a voice said, “Hey, sorry I’m late.”
Whitney sat up and smiled. Nick had changed into his swimming trunks. Seeing that body, knowing what he could do with it, her heart sped up. He was gorgeous, and hers.
He sat beside her and took her face in the palm of his hands. “Hi, beautiful.” His lips met hers and she lost herself in his embrace. He always made her feel so safe.
They were still kissing when Mindy began to growl.
Whitney pulled away from Nick and jumped to her feet.
Bud Thompkins was headed their way down the grassy slope, and it didn’t look like a friendly visit.
Nick got up and pushed Whitney behind him. “You stay here. Let me handle this.”
He climbed the slope. “Hey there, Bud. How’s it going? What are you doing here? This is private property.”
“I have as much right to be here as you do,” growled Bud. Rocking unsteadily on his feet, he lifted his arm.
“Oh, my god! Nick! He has a gun!” Whitney cried moving toward them.
Bud turned to her. “Stop and shut up. Nick and I have personal business. No one makes a fool out of me and gets away with it. After the barbeque, when I went to get my car, he’d had it towed. Then he said I couldn’t get it until I got some help for my drinking. And now my wife is talking about leaving me. It all started with you. Both of you.”
“Whitney, I want you to go back to the rock,” said Nick calmly. “Move slowly but go. And take Mindy.”
Whitney remembered the phone Nick had brought with him and scooped Mindy up into her arms. Then she began to move backwards, careful of her footing. She had to get to the phone and call for help.
As she moved, she heard Nick speaking to Bud, trying to convince him to put the gun down. “That’s it. Give the gun to me,” Nick said, quietly, evenly. “You’ve had too much to drink. We can talk later when you sober up.”
She neared the rock and saw the phone sitting on his towel.
“No, Bud. Don’t,” cried Nick, drawing her attention.
Whitney watched helplessly as Bud lifted the gun and aimed it at Nick.
“I got you now,” Bud cried. “You and all the other people against me.”
Whitney thought she saw a shadow behind him and blinked, confused by what she was seeing.
The sound of the gun going off roared in her ears.
She screamed as Bud was thrown off his feet, dropping the gun away from him as he toppled over.
Nick fell back and lay on the ground.
“Bud! You bastard!” Whitney cried. She snatched the phone up and ran as fast as she could up the slope, punching in 911 as she moved.
Bud jumped to his feet, trying to fight off Mindy who was attacking him. Kicking her away from him, he turned and ran away. Yapping, Mindy chased him.
Helpless to chase after them, Whitney cried into the phone. “Help! Please help! There’s been a shooting at the cottage at the Lilac Lake Inn. The police chief is down.”
“Hold on,” said a calm voice. “You say the police chief has been shot? I want you to stay on the line while I call for police and ambulance service.”
Whitney reached Nick, knelt beside him, and dropped the phone. “Nick! Nick! Are you alright?”
Nick sat up and grabbed hold of his left shoulder. “A lucky miss. Just a flesh wound, I think. Where’s Bud?”
“He ran away. Mindy is chasing him.”
“The gun?” Nick asked.
“There,” said Whitney, pointed to it lying on the ground. “Bud dropped it when he fell.”
Nick took the phone, called his dispatcher, and issued orders before disconnecting the call.
Whitney handed him her coverup to staunch the flow of blood from his wound. “Please don’t die,” she whispered, feeling sick to her stomach.
“Hey, I’m going to be alright,” Nick said. “It’s lucky Bud was unsteady on his feet.”
Whitney remembered the shadow but didn’t speak of it. “Thank God, he only wounded you. You might have been killed.” Looking at the bloody garment Nick was holding to his arm, Whitney felt faint. She bent her head, trying to erase the spinning inside it.
“Stay here. I’ll look around for Bud,” said Nick, getting to his feet.
“No! I’m going with you. You’re hurt, for god’s sake. You can’t be running after him. Chances are he’s so drunk he won’t get far,” said Whitney.
“You’re right,” said Nick, settling on the ground beside her.
Mindy came trotting back to them, her tongue hanging out from the exercise.
Several sirens sounded nearby and three police cars and an ambulance pulled into the driveway and skidded to a stop.
The three of them were sitting together when the first policeman ran down the slope to them. EMTs were close behind, and three other police ran off starting to search the area.
After checking Nick over, one of the EMTs announced, “We’re taking you to the hospital.”
“Would you like go come along, Whitney?” asked one of the policemen. “It’s not safe for you to be here until we catch the man who did this.”
“Yes, thank you,” said Whitney getting to her feet. They hadn’t reached the ambulance when an announcement came that the suspect had been apprehended and was in custody and heading to the jail.
“The damn fool,” muttered Nick. “Now he’s going to be facing serious charges. Putting him in jail might be the wakeup call he needs. It was so not necessary. We need to check on his wife.”
“Do you want me to go see Sandra?” Whitney asked. “She trusts me.”
“In time. Now, I need you to fill out a police report about what you saw. We need all the evidence we can get to get this guy some help,” said Nick.
“What about you? You say it’s only a minor wound but, Nick, you could’ve been killed.” Tears filled Whitney’s eyes and overflowed. “And there was nothing I could do to save you.”
Nick put his good arm around her. “It’s all part of the job, Whitney. Don’t worry. I’m in great shape.”
Whitney shook her head back and forth, crying in earnest now. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“Let’s get you both in the ambulance,” said one of the EMTs, glancing at Whitney.
“First things first,” said one of the policemen. “Help for you, Nick. Then we can get to the reporting and you two can work things out with your cars and all. We’ll take the dog to headquarters until Whitney can pick her up. She’s quite the hero.”
Nick gave Whitney a pleading look. “You okay, now?”
Whitney nodded, but she wasn’t at all sure she’d ever be okay after what had happened.
###
At the hospital, Whitney sat beside Nick’s bed in the emergency room, holding onto his hand, waiting for a doctor to inspect the wound. The EMTs had already cleaned and bandaged it and had told the staff that stitches were in order. A nurse took Nick’s vital signs.
A few minutes later, a man pulled aside the privacy curtain and stepped inside.
“Ah, my pal, Nick,” said an older man wearing a white coat, a stethoscope hanging around his neck. “What do we have this time?”
“Just a scratch on the shoulder,” said Nick. “Only needs a stitch or two.”
“We’ll see,” said the doctor whose name tag red, Dr. Johnstone.
Whitney rose from her chair to give him room. “I’ll wait outside.”
Feeling wobbly, Whitney went back to the waiting area. She couldn’t block the image of Nick getting shot and falling. She’d thought he was dead as she’d stood by helpless.
A short while later, Nick emerged from where he’d been treated, his arm in a sling. He gave her a weak smile. “There goes our picnic. Sorry about that.”
Whitney got to her feet and rushed over to him wanting to hang on to him, keep him safe.
Later, As Whitney gave her story to the policewoman taking it down, she felt as if she were reliving every moment. To Nick, it had been a scare. To her, it was the most frightening moment of her life. Guilt filled her. Nick could’ve died, and she’d been powerless to help him. She had, instead, caused Bud to become even angrier. She couldn’t stop her flow of tears.
“Are you alright? Need a drink of water? Coffee?” the policewoman asked.
Whitney shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ll be fine once I get over the shock of it all.”
“Nick’s an exceptional cop. He’ll be fine.” The policewoman smiled at her.
“You don’t mind working in a job that could kill you so easily?” Whitney asked.
“Danger is part of the job. That’s why we train,” she said. “Working in Lilac Lake isn’t the same as working in a big city, but we have to be prepared for anything at all times.”
Whitney lowered her face into her hands. She’d always felt as if Nick made her feel safe. Now, after seeing how vulnerable he was, she’d constantly worry about him. She wasn’t sure she could live a life like that. The thought sickened her.
Dani showed up at the police station. “I got here as soon as I could. Are you alright, Whitney? How about Nick?”
“Nick’s going to be fine,” Whitney said, and burst into tears.
Dani wrapped her arms around her. “Look, let me take you and Mindy home. You need some time to recover from this shock.”
“Nick is with some other officers,” said Whitney. “Let me say goodbye to him.”
“Okay. I’ll wait here,” said Dani.
Whitney went to another interrogation room and knocked on the door.
Nick looked up at her and smiled. “Are you done with your statement?”
“Yes. Dani is here to take me and Mindy home. Promise me you’re alright.”
“It’s just a flesh wound. A couple of stitches, that’s all,” he said, giving her an encouraging smile.
The smile she returned to him was uncertain. “See you later.”
“I’ll come by when I can,” he replied. “Tell Mindy she performed like a champion. One of Bud’s pant legs was chewed up a bit.”
Trying not to cry, Whitney kissed him, lingering a moment, and left the room, so upset she couldn’t speak. She loved Nick, had wanted to live with him. Now, she wasn’t sure she could.