Page 54 of A Touch of Murder
"Bad things happen, even in small towns." Adam saw the onramp to the highway. He checked his mirrors and took the ramp, glad to be able to up his speed. His phone beeped and he nodded to Becky. "Check my messages, it's probably Jacey."
Becky grabbed his phone and laughed. "A flip phone?"
He held up a gloved hand. "Gloves don't work on a touchscreen."
"Oh, I hadn't thought about that." She shook her head and read his text. "Jacey talked to a friend who works at Chubby's. Said one of the killers came in to eat and cops cornered them in the back lot behind the place. Both men are dead, and Barret wasthe only other hurt. Said from what she could see he got shot in the arm. He'll message us if he gets any more information."
"Tell him thanks." Adam was relieved to hear it was just in the arm. How serious could that be? Maybe he'd lost a lot of blood or something. But then, this was secondhand information. There was always the chance the bullet grazed his arm and went into his chest. Adam gripped the steering wheel tighter, not wanting to think those kinds of thoughts. He wasn't about to repeat his thoughts to Becky. She was worried enough.
"The arm isn't bad, right?" Becky grabbed another tissue. "But then why didn't he call me? He would want me to know he's okay. He'd tell me to stay at work and not worry."
"Maybe his phone got lost in the shuffle."
"He'd borrow one. He knows my number by heart." She pulled out her own cell phone and checked it.
Adam didn't have an answer. His own mind was racing with worry and reasons why Barret wouldn't have called her. He usually enjoyed the drive to Idaho Falls. He loved the scenery and the feel of fresh air blowing through his windows, but today he barely noticed any of it.
They drove in silence the rest of the way and Barret hated every moment of it. He kept trying to think of comforting things to say to Becky, but he worried his words would come out wrong and make things worse. It was best to just get to the hospital and find out what really happened to Barret.
When he finally made it to the hospital, he pulled into the lot and slowed to a stop in front of the emergency room entrance. "Go in and find out how he is. I'll park and meet you inside."
Becky didn't wait. She pushed the door open and raced toward the entrance. Adam cursed the crowded parking lot as he searched for a spot to park. He finally found one and had to walk over half the parking lot to make his way inside.
Like any hospital, the smell hit him first. He'd been lucky through life and hadn't had to spend too much time in one. He looked around and saw Becky pacing beside a small desk. He went to her immediately and gently took her arm in his gloved hand. "Anything?"
"Not yet. She's called back and a doctor is supposed to come talk to us." Becky looked around the waiting room. "If it was bad, other cops would be here, right? Don't they always come stand and wait when another officer is severely hurt?"
Adam nodded. "True. At least that's what I've seen on TV." He didn't see anyone that looked like a cop around other than an older security guard sitting near the entrance. "Let's sit. We're in the way here." He noticed another couple walking in, the woman's hand wrapped in what looked like an old kitchen towel.
"Yeah," Becky said distractively.
Adam led her to the far wall where there were two open seats. The place was crowded, and he wondered if that meant it would take longer for someone to come talk to them. Was he ready for what they would be told? What if it was bad news? He'd finally met someone who wasn't turned off by his ability and was willing to let Adam touch him. He couldn't lose Barret now. Not when they'd just started to see where things could go between them.
It felt as if an hour passed, but a glance at the clock told Adam it had been only ten minutes when a man dressed in scrubs walked out and called, "Whitestone?"
Becky jumped up and Adam was right behind her.
"I'm Becky Whitestone, Barret's my brother." She stopped in front of the doctor, then grabbed Adam's arm. "This is his boyfriend, Adam Wrecker."
Adam managed to hide his shock but inwardly loved the way that sounded. He knew Becky was making it so he could possibly be included in whatever conversations took place, but he wasn'tsure it would be enough. He wasn't family, and wasn't that what mattered when it came to medical information? Adam had no clue how it all worked.
"I'm Doctor Lang. Barret took a bullet to the elbow. It shattered the bone. He's going to need surgery to repair it. I'm waiting for the orthopedic surgeon to come down and evaluate Mr. Whiteston's injuries before we make any decisions on our next steps."
"So, he's going to be okay?" Becky nearly slumped against Adam in relief.
"He's going to be fine. He was in a lot of pain when they brought him in, and we've given him something for it. He's not handling it as well as some. By that, I mean he's a little loopy, but his vital signs are good and other than a small bump on his head and skinned knees from when he fell, he is fine." Dr. Lang smiled. "I can let you back to see him, if you like."
"Yes, please." Becky's grip on Adam's arm tightened.
"Just remember, the pain medication has him a bit confused, but it's the medication causing that, not the injury," the doctor explained.
Becky laughed. "Barret has never handled that stuff well. When he got his wisdom teeth out, he was so funny. You know, like you see in some of those videos." Becky waved her hand. "I want to see him."
"Follow me." The doctor led them through a door and back into the emergency rooms. They passed several doors before turning in to one of them.
Adam's chest tightened at the sight of Barret lying in the hospital bed. He had something connected to a finger on his left hand, and a blood pressure cuff on his upper arm. There was an I.V. in the back of his hand. Barret was pale and appeared to be asleep. His right arm was bandaged, and Adam saw blood splattered across the skin of his lower arm.
"You can stay with him until they decide if they will operate soon or wait. It will be up to the surgeon. Let the nurses know if you need anything while you wait." The doctor slipped from the room.
