Page 46 of Finding English

Jack shook his head muttering. “Bloody stubborn women.”

Cassie didn’t take offense ,the cool side of her recognized what he was saying, but the part that loved Henry with every breath in her body wouldn’t accept that he was alive and going to be okay until she saw him for herself.

“Fine, but you do what I tell you to do.” Jack was already at the door, pulling it open.

Cassie nodded, knowing she’d won a significant battle.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the carpark at the hospital, and Jack got out and opened her door. Cass fought the desire to rush ahead and get to Henry, the sense of urgency had her muscles tense with stress. Jack walked beside her as they went into the Emergency Room, and she saw Calder standing with a uniformed officer. He saw them coming and excused himself to walk to her.

“What are you doing here, Cass? This isn’t safe.” His eyes flickered to Jack, who remained silent.

“Don’t you start, Cal. If this were Hope you’d be here too so don’t go all double standard on me.”

Calder’s lip quirked, but he said nothing for a moment. “Let’s get you back to see him then.”

He guided her down a corridor with curtained cubicles, pulling back the last one for her to enter. Her eyes instantly flew to Henry, who was covered in blood but sitting up, then Cass let the fear and worry out by promptly bursting into tears.

“Hey, I’m okay.”

Cass rushed to him and his hand came out to slide around her and pull her to the side of his body less covered in blood. She touched his face, inhaled the scent of him mixed with the metallic smell of blood and shivered.

“Shh, it’s alright, Cass. It’s just a flesh wound. They’ll need to stitch me up, and then I can go home.”

Cassie pulled back to look at him, trying to determine if they were keeping anything from her. His face had color, and he sounded fine, but people could still die from unknown internal injuries.

“What happened?

“Yeah, that’s what I’d like to know,” Jack asked from the edge of the curtain.

Henry glanced at his friend and then back to her, kissing her head as he pulled her back to his body. She took comfort in the strong beat of his heart.

“I was following up on a sighting on the east side of town close to the old railway. When I got to the address, nobody was there so I had a quick look around and was about to head back. I opened my car door and the bullet hit me in the shoulder. I saw a dark blue Ford truck driving off. I was going to go after them, but had four flat tires. So I called Calder.”

“No visual on the shooter?” Jack asked.

“No, nothing.”

Everyone apart from Jack tensed as the curtain was pulled back. Cassie got the feeling there wasn’t much that surprised Jack or made him tense.

A doctor of about thirty-five looked at them all and then his clipboard. “Henry English?”

Everyone moved back while the doctor stepped toward Henry. He pulled back the bandage on Henry’s shoulder, and Cassie swallowed at the ragged wound.

“Hmm, this is going to take some stitching.” He turned to the rest of them. “I’d suggest you wait outside and give me some room.”

“Go with Jack and Cal, honey. I won’t be long, and then we can go home.” Henry kissed her lightly as he cupped her cheek, and she nodded.

“Fine, I’ll be in the waiting room.”

“That’s great.”

“Actually, I’m going to stay here,” Cal added.

“Why?” Henry challenged.

“Because you were shot while answering a call about Bunce and I don’t want to leave you unprotected.”

“I don’t give a shit about me. You look after Cass.”