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Aw fuck. This isnotgood.
“Why doesn’t she open her eyes?” the boss demanded. “She… she isn’t dead, is she?”
“She’s alive, just unconscious. But we can’t move her.”
“Listen to Butch, okay?” Toby’s voice was low and soothing. “He’s the first aid guy on the ranch, isn’t he?”
“Butch, what do I tell them about her condition?” Teague asked, his phone against his chest.
“Unconscious, broken arm, bleeding from her face, and from her ear. Especially that last part. Tell them I think there’s clear fluid too.”
“Got it.” Teague went back to his call, his voice strained.
“What does it mean if she’s bleeding from her ear?” The boss’s voice shook.
“I don’t know, all right? I’m not a doctor. But…” Butch looked him in the eye. “There’s fluid around the brain, okay? And her head hit the ground with an awful wallop. I’m thinking she could’ve fractured her skull.” He scraped his fingers through his hair. “Look, I don’t have a clue what that other fluid is. I just know it shouldn’t be leaking from her ear.”
He had no idea how bad her injuries were. That would be for the doctors to ascertain.
“Medivac is on its way,” Teague announced. “They’re going to take her to Bozeman Health Deaconess. They’ve got a helipad.”
“Get all the horses into the stable, then everyone clear the paddock,” Toby instructed. “They can land here. All of you, go on up to the house. Let Matt know what’s happened.” He tightened his grip around the boss’s shoulders. “I’ll stay here.”
“Me too.” Butch wasn’t budging until Diana was safely on her way to the hospital. He kept praying for her to open her eyes, give some sign of life, but there was nothing.
Paul and Zeeb rounded up the horses and led them out of the paddock, while Owen drove the quad bike over to the barn. Walt directed the guests to the path that wound its way up the hill to the house.
A moment later came thewhirrof helicopter blades, and dust rose in the paddock as it hovered then lowered itself to the ground. Butch grabbed a horse blanket that hung over the fence and covered Diana with it until the dust settled. The door slid open and two EMTs jumped out, dragging a wheeled stretcher behind them, followed by two more with a board. They hurried over to where Diana lay.
“Okay, stand back, please,” the female EMT said in a firm voice.
Butch stood by as she and another EMT carefully fixed a collar around Diana’s neck, while the other two slid the back board under her. Once she was secured, they lifted her and placed her on the stretcher.
“Can I go with her?” the boss asked.
The EMT’s face fell. “Sorry, sir, but that isn’t possible.”
“I’ll drive him to the hospital,” Toby told them.
With one EMT at each corner, they rolled the stretcher to the helicopter, where a nurse waited for them. Once the stretcher was locked into position, the boss, Toby, Teague, and Butch retreated to the fence, standing together in a huddle as the helicopter rose, its blades slicing through the air, stirring up the dust once more. Then it was gone.
“Okay, let’s get you to the hospital.” Toby sounded calmer than Butch felt. He glanced at Teague. “Make sure everyone gets some food, okay? There’s plenty, but I know they may not feel like eating right now. I’ll call you from the hospital when we have more news.”
The boss leaned into Toby. “I can’t lose her,” he whispered.
Toby held him. “She’s going to get the best care, all right? We have to pray she’ll come through this.” His gaze met Teague’s. “You’re in charge.”
“Gotcha.”
Toby guided the boss toward the path, and Teague stood at Butch’s side as they walked slowly up the hill.
“This is such a fucking mess,” Butch murmured. He’d never seen the boss appear so… fragile, as if a harsh word would shatter him into a million tiny pieces.
“There’s nothing we can do but wait—and pray.”
Butch sighed. “I thought my praying days were over a long time ago, but for her? I’d be willing to give ’em another try.”
Then Teague paled. “Oh God. Someone needs to call Newt.”
