Page 40 of Gotta Dig Deep
The dog followed her out of the room, sending a final threatening growl over his shoulder.
“Oh, stop it. He’s no threat right now, that’s for sure.”
Grabbing the phone from the wall, she dialed a number from memory. She plated the burger and fries while she waited for the call to connect.
“Glenna, how are you today, pretty lady?”
Multitasking while ignoring his opening, she shoved the plate in the microwave and got straight to business. “I need a favor, Cooter. There’s a motorcycle in the ditch right on the corner of my land, there in that bad curve. Can you take one of the boys and load it up, then bring it to my house?”
“You bought a motorcycle?” His voice rose in volume, echoing through the speaker. “And wrecked it?” His voice rose again, this time in at least an octave. “Are you okay, Glenna? My God. How in the hell did you do this?”
Now choosing to ignore his demanding tone, she continued with how she’d seen the conversation playing out in her head. The numbers on the front of the microwave counted down. “Bring your bag of goodies too.” That’s what Penn had called Cooter’s all-inclusive first aid kit, and the memory drew a pang of hurt from her throat. “I’m in the house, so just come in when you get here. Dump the bike up by the shed, if you would. Thanks, Cooter. I appreciate it.”
Hanging up on his sputtering questions, Glenna rested one hand on the receiver, waiting to see if he’d call straight back. When he didn’t, she patted the phone and opened the refrigerator, surveying the contents. Plenty of supplies for a couple of days. Snagging the warmed-up food from the microwave, Glenna leaned against the counter as she scarfed down her burger, tossing Shamu more than his share of the fries.
Done eating, Glenna glanced at the phone, giving thought for a moment of calling the sheriff, but discarded the idea nearly immediately. Neither Jackson nor the stranger warranted that complication right now.
After a quick look in on the patient, still resting comfortably—sort of—on her living room floor, she whistled for Shamu and they went outside, moving the truck up to the shed. Glenna was still unloading the items she’d purchased at the feed store when Cooter roared up the drive. Sparing him a glance, she waved and then picked up the final box of cattle medicine, lugging it into the office in the shed and dropping it on the cabinet there.
“Glenna, what’s going on?” Over his shoulder, she saw two of his nephews wrestling the wrecked bike out of the truck bed.
“Thanks, Cooter. Appreciate it. I didn’t think I’d have enough oomph to lift it.”
The boys half-lifted, half-dragged the bike close to where they stood, letting it come to rest on its side there.
“Whose bike is this?” Cooter’s expression was puzzled and a little wild.
Glenna made a split-second decision. She’d called Cooter with the intention of having him look over the man in the house, but then had wavered in that resolve, the reason she’d still been stalling here in the shed. The raw instinct to protect the unconscious man was visceral and overwhelming, but Cooter was her oldest friend.If I can’t trust him, then who?
“I can haul you home in a bit, if you don’t mind having the boys take your truck.” Staring at Cooter, she waited for him to catch up with her silent communication, and after a few heart-straining seconds, he nodded.
Raising his voice, he called, “Keys are in her, boys. Just leave her at your granddad’s house. I’ll be by to pick it up later.” He grabbed the big first aid kit out of the bed, then turned to the boys who were still staring down at the twisted motorcycle. “Thanks much. Appreciate you helpin’ out.”
After a silent and uncomfortable wait for the truck to rattle back down the gravel drive, Cooter gave her a cool look.
“Tell me why I’m here, Glenna.”
“There’s a man in my house. He wrecked his bike, and I already had him in my truck before I realized how badly he was hurt. Only thing I could think of was getting here and fixing his leg.”
Laid out in such stark detail, she realized it sounded slightly crazy.
Only slightly?
Before Cooter could do more than open his mouth, she continued, “If he’d needed to get to the hospital in Tyler, I’d have called the air ambulance. He was bleeding bad, but I got it taken care of. Now, I need help getting him on the couch, and wanted you to double-check my work.”
“There’s a man.” Cooter took a heavy breath, one hand scraping across his brow. “In your house.”
“Yeah, he had just wrecked when I happened by. Wasn’t yet on his feet.”
“And instead of calling for an ambulance, you loaded him up and brought him here.” Cooter’s arm swept out behind him, indicating her house. “To your home.”
“Is there a question in there?” Glenna was feeling itchy. Being away from the unconscious man for so long was unsettling her. “Let me show you.” She pushed past Cooter, noting that Shamu was already waiting by the back door. “It’ll make more sense that way.”
“Not sure that’s a true statement, but lead on, Glenna.” His footfalls came from behind her, the tread steady and comforting. “Let’s see this stranger. This biker type you’ve apparently decided to adopt.”
“I’m not adopting him. He’s just. I don’t know, Cooter. It felt right to bring him here.”
“It felt right.” He repeated her words, and she glanced back at him. Brows furrowed, he reached around her for the edge of the door, pulling it wide. “It just felt right.”
