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“We’ll get you feelin’ better once we get you in the ambulance.” He really looked at John now. “You got a head wound, pal. You need to be transported?”
“No.”
“I had a feeling you’d say that.” He dug in his bag. “Let me check you anyway. Okay?”
Fine. He allowed Jimmy to examine his head.
“She wasn’t in there...she’s...she’s not...wasn’t in there.” Violet raised her hand as if trying to reach out for John.
“I’m here. Rest, Violet,” John said.
Jimmy frowned. “You should really let us transport you. I don’t think you need stitches, but it’s a serious bump. Were you knocked unconscious?”
Yes. “I’m fine. Really.”
“Head wounds shouldn’t be taken lightly, Detective.”
“He didn’t have them together...why... John... Ruby...” Violet was slurring her words and murmuring. “My head hurts.”
“I hear ya.” Chris knelt by Violet. “Hush now, Agent Rainwater. We’re gonna take care of you.”
“But—”
“Rest. Okay?” He strapped her to the board. “We need to hurry, Jimmy.”
Jimmy left John, slipped off Violet’s shoes and socks, felt her pulse in her foot and then cut her jeans up the front to the crotch, cut her sweater to her sternum and her sleeves to her armpits to check for other signs of injury.
Once they had Violet secured to the Gator, Jimmy headed down to the ambulance and Chris cleaned and butterflied John’s injury.
“I’ll be okay.” He didn’t have time to go to the hospital when Cecil was still out there and Ruby was missing. He walked with Chris through the path and out to the road leading to the cave. Once they got there, Jimmy counted to three, and they lifted Violet into the ambulance. She cried out, and Jimmy rested his hand on her hand.
“Time to get feeling better.” He administered pain meds through an IV. “Any minute now.”
“I’ll be at the hospital soon. You take good care of her.”
Chris saluted. “We will.”
They closed the doors and hopped into the ambulance. John turned to the deputies. “I need a radio stat.” He jumped in the front of one of the vehicles and hit the radio. The team had been keeping it on to hear calls, and it was the only way he knew to get to Ty since he’d given Bella Dawn his phone, not that he could get a cell signal up here anyway.
Ty heard him. “Talk to me. I was back at the SO when I got a call from the emergency clinic that Bella Dawn was in there ranting about Cecil Johnson and needing me because he hurt Violet. I’m back at the clinic now. Bella Dawn is with the doctors. Is Violet okay? What happened?” He continued to pepper him with questions.
“She’s on her way there now. We need an APB on Cecil Johnson.” He gave him the CliffsNotes version of what transpired.
“You go get that piece of dirt.”
“I will. I promise you I will.”
After ending the call, he radioed Sheriff Modine, got an APB out on Cecil Johnson as they headed straight for the SO to talk to Regis. If anyone knew where Cecil might have gone or taken Ruby, it was him, and if he talked, he might get leniency on the tampering with evidence charges.
Cecil could run, but he couldn’t hide. And if Ruby was still alive, he was on his way to her right now to finish her off before fleeing town.
He might be crazy enough to try and get rid of Bella Dawn and Violet.
She’d need extra protection at the emergency clinic.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Monday, October 23
