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She flinched and took a step back.
“What?” came a loud voice from the closed door behind him. Hayley took another step back toward the front door. The door behind the counter swung open and apparently Bert was a woman, not a man, because a rounded, blonde haired older woman stepped into the lobby. “Now what on Earth-” she began, glaring at the man but then her eyes fixed on Hayley. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!”
Both of them turned to look at the muted television mounted in the corner of the lobby. Hayley followed their gaze and was perplexed to see a familiar face looking back at her from the screen.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” the woman proclaimed again.
“Well, while you’re calling them,” the man said, “might wanna put a call into Hal Klines. Might get a quicker response.”
The woman fumbled for a phone hanging on the wall behind her. She dialed a number, or attempted to, had to hang up and dial again. “Rose!” she practically shouted into the phone. “Rose, get the Sheriff!”
Hayley turned her attention to the smiling young woman on Channel Five who had her smile but no trace of sadness in her eyes.
*******************
Caleb had gone outside to meet a squad car that pulled up. It seemed that the officers assigned to the house were changing shifts. Chris picked up the phone to try Hayley’s cell again with Caleb burst back through the door. “They found her!”
Hawk, Tex, and Easy scrambled out of their seats.
“Is she alive?” Easy blurted out.
“Yes,” Caleb said, “but she’s hurt.”
“How badly?” Chris demanded, practically sprinting to the door.
“I don’t know,” Caleb admitted. “The dispatcher didn’t say.”
Instead of taking the truck, all of them piled into two RCPD squad cars that peeled away from the curb as soon as the doors shut. It was over a hundred miles an hour this time, as well, but at least they had the benefit of lights and sirens this time.
It was farther from Rapid City to Lead than it was from RC to Sturgis and Chris was white-knuckling it the whole way. Caleb even pulled his cruiser up to the ER doors rather than park to let Chris and Tex out.
Chris sprinted through the doors and sought out the triage nurse. He had to explain who he was twice and she still wasn’t inclined to let them through until Caleb showed up, having parked the car, and flashed his badge. Everyone except Chris stayed behind and Caleb escorted him through the secure doors.
A doctor and a Sheriff were speaking in hushed tones in the hallway and Caleb strode purposefully toward them. He flashed his badge again and both men eyed Caleb and Chris. The doctor introduced himself as the one who’d treated Hayley when she first arrived in the Emergency Room. The Sheriff introduced himself as Hal Klines from here in Lead. Caleb introduced Chris as Hayley’s fiancee, which caused some suspicion since the media had only released her real name and photo. Caleb had to explain that Hayley was in hiding from the very man who’d taken her and that seemed to garner some sympathy from both men. Chris didn’t argue about the fiancee part since he knew it would give him greater access to Hayley.
Caleb remained silent and melted into the background as the Doctor described Hayley’s injuries to Chris. The Doctor kept his voice low. “She says she wasn’t raped,” he told Chris, as well as the Sheriff who was still with them. “But the nurse found blood in her underwear. So far she’s refusing a rape kit. She’s exhausted and traumatized and she’s resting right now.”
“Where is he?” Chris demanded. “How did she get away?” If he was still out there, he could try for her again. And Lead Regional wasn’t as secure as a hospital in a larger city.
The Sheriff looked grim. “Well, based on the reports of my deputies when they checked out the cabin, I’d say traumatized about fits the bill. He’s dead, Mr. Sullivan. Apparently she was forced to stab him to death with some broken glass. Now that’s a helluva thing for a woman, for anyone, to have to do. But he’s ‘caught’, so-to-speak. He’s right where he needs to be. So if she needs to take her time coming to terms with what happened, well, she’s got time.”
Chris nodded, thanked the Doctor and the Sheriff and ducked into the private room.
She was lying in bed, eyes closed, face toward the window. She looked so…damaged…was the first word that came to his mind. She’d clearly been struck full force in the face judging by the bruise on her cheek and her right hand was bandaged.
“Baby,” he said softly.
She opened her eyes and turned her head to him. He felt his entire body relax. Until now he hadn’t let himself believe it was over. Not even when Doc had announced she’d been found. It wasn’t until he could see her that he’d allow himself to let go of all the fear, anxiety, and rage he’d been holding in.
