Page 32 of Special Agent Raven
Noah waited to close the door and spoke to them, sharing his immediate plans. “I’ll get more information from the patsy back there and figure out our next move. Can you guys get back here as soon as possible? I’d like to use your jeep, Raven. At least, until I can get a hold of Palmer’s police car.”
“Sure, we shouldn’t be long. The hospital’s on high ground and most likely safe from the flooding.” Raven waited for him to step back and then took off.
After driving for a few minutes, she opened the conversation. “Cane, what’s your take on Dale? Where do you figure he’ll be heading?”
“Don’t know. Obviously, he took Brody to show him where he’d left his truck. Jesus, I fucking hope that sicko didn’t kill him.”
“Yeah, me too. Brody’s a sweetheart… both him and his wife Julie. He works at the lumbermill here in town, and they have four little kids who need their father. Wait… if the truck wasn’t parked in front of the jail, where did he leave it?”
Suddenly, Raven made a U-turn and drove to where Brody might have parked near the schoolhouse. After all, he could have brought stuff to be dropped off there and walked to the jailhouse. Scanning the parking lot, a dark shape in the corner caught her eye. As they drew closer, the outline of a mound like a body curled into itself became clearer. Yelling a warning, she headed there and carefully hit the brakes.
Jumping from behind the wheel, she rushed over and slowly turned the blood-soaked, mud-spattered body to see the man they’d been talking about. Brody’s voice was thin and filled with anger. “Thank God, you found me. The prick sh-shot me. In the leg. The black-hearted son of a bitch, he sh-shot me and didn’t even look back.”
“Calm down, pal. We got you. Any other injuries besides the leg?” Raven wanted to keep him talking while she sussed out the gaping hole just above the kneecap. Seeing that the bullet had most likely gone through because of the exit wound, she whipped off her belt and tied it above the shredded mess. Pulling it tight to stop the bleeding meant hurting Brody but he just grunted words of permission. “Do what you have to do, Raven. I’ve got a family I need to get back to.”
“A beautiful family they are too. Can you tell me what happened?”
After he stopped clenching from the pain she’d inflicted, he answered, “I pulled out the truck keys he wanted. When he reached to get them, I threw them into the gravel and tried to grab his gun. It went off. The bastard ran for the keys, and I crawled behind the rock. Thank God, the slimy sicko just drove off. It took some time before I revived and decided to use the rock to get to my feet. I wanted to get to the parking lot where I’d have a better chance of being found, but I only made it a little way before I passed out again.”
Hugging his head to her shoulder in the familiar way between old friends, she spoke tenderly, “You did good, Brode. Lost a lot of blood but it looks like we got to you in time. I need you to be strong and help me get you to the jeep. We’re headed to the hospital with your dad now.”
“My dad. He’s alive? Thank Christ.” Brody’s voice turned husky with relief, and his body began shaking. “Dale hit him so hard, I figured the old man was a goner. I tried to stop him, but the asshole snapped. Said he’d shoot Dad in the head if I didn’t cooperate. Unfortunately, Dad went for him, and Dale smacked him good. Made me leave him there. Rattlesnake bastard’s meaner than a mutilated bear.”
Raven turned to see Cane approach, and without more fuss, they each took one of Brody’s arms to help him into the rear seat with his father. Cane, now sitting next to Raven, found the number to the hospital to alert them that they would be bringing in two patients and gave their medical status to forewarn the emergency team to be ready.
The next hour was a bit of a blur with doctor’s questions and having to wait for Dwayne and Brody’s families to arrive, but they were finally free to go with the good news that both men would make a full recovery.
Driving back to the jail, Raven didn’t notice the blood-soaked look of her, but Cane brought it up. “You’re really something, you know that?”
Grinning from the supposed compliment, she smiled his way. “What makes you say that?”
“I’ve been waiting for you to fuss over the blood on your clothes… figured you’d be wanting to change or something. But all you did was wash your hands and get on with it. Guess I’m not used to anyone out of uniform acting so casual about the danger you’ve faced in the last twenty-four hours. You’re an amazing woman.”
“Hey, don’t be painting any haloes over my head. I had my share of shaking and crying when the hot water washed over me in the shower. I guess training kicks in when the shit flies. It’s afterwards when we deal with the pain and then let it go.”
Cane’s look made her squirm as much as his words. “It’s easy to push the grief into the past when it wasn’t you who caused the damage.”
Raven’s heart stopped for a few seconds while she mulled over his meaning. It didn’t take an Einstein to know he’d done something that ate away at his soul… something he couldn’t get past, and it made him hate himself.
Jesus, how could she ever get beyond that kind of a barrier. Not knowing the words he needed to hear, she spoke the one truth she knew he couldn’t dispute. “You’re the only man I’d want with me on a day like we’ve just been through, Cane. Twice, I’ve trusted you with my life, and you haven’t let me down.”
“Yeah… well, we’re all tested.”
“Okay then, let’s just say the past couple of days could be God’s way of helping you find your way to retribution.”
Cane lifted his head to look at her, the amazement on his features making her smile gently. Reaching out her hand to pat his arm, she added, “Did I hit a nerve?”
“Guess so. Yeah.”
“Sorry, let’s just back up then. But I won’t apologize for telling the truth. I’ll always be glad that today you were my partner.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Cane’s rebuttal stuck inside, clogging the area that most often clenched up. When this happened, it didn’t allow him to speak, or oft times, to even breathe. He sensed that Raven’s praise didn’t come lightly and therefore meant more than a sack of riches to a poor man.
Rather than stick to a subject that made him wholly uncomfortable, he sat straighter, cleared his throat, and changed the topic. “What now? Are you going to work with Noah?”
“No one can argue that he needs the help, so yeah. Figure I’ll stick around until the authorities can get through the pass. Probably be late tomorrow before they can repair the road. With the high winds, no one’s gonna make it by plane. I know Henry said they were able to use their helicopter earlier but look around. Over the last few hours, the wind’s meaner than ever, and the rain’s picking up again.”