Page 88 of Justice for Samara

“That’s us,” Michael called out.

“No. That’s us,” her dad said as he stepped up to the nurse who’d called their name.

“She’ll want me in there,” Michael insisted.

“You don’t have any rights. We’re her parents,” her mother barked.

“Officer, are you her husband?” the nurse asked.

“Well, no, but?”

“Sir, without her express written permission, I can’t talk to you about her condition. Just her family. HIPAA laws and all. I’m sure you understand.” With that, the nurse whisked the Futrells away and Michael was left standing there, Carter right behind him.

It was quiet for a few seconds before Michael turned slowly to face Carter. “What just happened here?” he whispered.

“You’ve been cancelled. Come on. I need to get some coffee into you and?”

“I can’t leave here.”

“You don’t have a reason to stay. They won’t tell you anything. But I’m the sheriff, and I can get some information. Let’s go get some coffee. You can go home, clean up, get dressed in fresh clothes, and we’ll come back down here. Maybe by then they’ll have a change of heart and you can see her.”

Michael let Carter lead him out of the hospital and to the sheriff’s car. They went to the diner, got some coffee, and then back to the hospital to get his truck so he could go home. As soon as the door closed behind him, he fell onto the sofa face down, fighting the urge to cry. His arms ached to hold her, but he had no idea when that would happen. Hell, he didn’t even know how badly she was hurt.

All he knew was that he loved her, and he wanted to see that beautiful face.

* * *

Carter drove straight backto the hospital and marched in. “I need to see a staff member who’s treating Deputy Samara Futrell.”

“Sir, I?”

“This is an active murder investigation, and the deputy was involved. I need to talk to someone responsible for her care. Now. Right now. I don’t have time for this silly shit.”

“Yes, sir. Hold on.” The woman punched a few buttons on the phone and then rested the receiver on the cradle. “They’ll be out here in just a minute.”

In two minutes, the door flew open and a man in scrubs stormed up to him. “Sheriff, what is the problem here?”

Carter rose and straightened himself to his full height. “I have an active murder investigation. Not only was her assailant murdered, but she was injured, and she was present when he murdered another individual. Kentucky Department of Criminal Investigation will be investigating, the medical examiner’s office and the coroner’s office will be investigating, and I’m expecting the Kentucky State Police to want into this investigation too. My own office will be doing its own investigation. We’re going to need to talk to her and?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but she’s not here.”

“What do you mean, she’s not here?” Carter was growing more frustrated by the minute. What the hell was going on?

“I mean they took her by ambulance to one of the hospitals in Paducah.”

“Which one?”

“I think Baptist, but I’m not sure.”

“Who authorized this move?”

“Her doctors. She’ll be having surgery there.”

Carter was quickly growing frustrated. “And I suppose her parents authorized this?”

“Sir, they’re her next of kin. They have every right to?”

“Obstruction of justice. That’s the charge. Thanks. I know who to have the district attorney list as the defendants.”