Page 2 of Two Hearts
“You don’t understand.”The pain seemed to pass.Harry’s face eased.“My wife will have every watered-down excuse for a man there—at least if they’re single and have a pedigree.”
“Your daughter’s looking for a husband?”Jack asked, mildly amused.
“Gracie?Hell, no!But Mitsy can be…”
Jack was getting the picture.“Overbearing?”
“Like a bulldozer.”
Jack smiled, finding he liked the old guy.“I can call your family for you.Tell them what’s happened.”
“And scare them half to death?”
The ambulance came around the corner, stopped in front of them, and the back opened up.“I can be tactful,” Jack told him.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.I’ll be at the ER when they arrive.I can talk to them there if you want, keep them calm while they wait for you.”
His eyes narrowed.“Why will you be there?Waiting for some kind of reward?”he asked, one brow cocking up.
“You try offering me one and I’ll arrest you.I’ll be there to take your statement, you cranky old bastard.”
The old guy smiled, right through the pain, he smiled broadly.And Jack decided he definitely liked him.He was tough as nails, and there wasn’t a pretentious bone in him, despite the cut of his suit.
Harry reached up, clasped Jack’s arm and squeezed it.“You saved my life just now, son.I won’t forget it.”
“It’s my job.”The ambulance crew pretty much shouldered Jack out of the way as they leaned over him.He spoke to JW via his wrist mike while they examined the old guy, but he never took his eyes off Harry.He was still in pain, but damn, he looked too tough to be in any serious trouble.
They lifted him onto the stretcher after a few minutes, and rolled him toward the vehicle.
“McCain!”the old man shouted.
The attendants paused, and Jack went back to the old guy.“I’m right here.”
“Don’t bother calling anyone,” he said.“I have a cell phone.It’ll be better if I do it myself.”
“All right.My partner says they picked up three of the punks who did this, and one of them still had your wallet on him.”
“Good,” he said.“Kick their asses for me, will you?”
Jack grinned at him.“Not on duty, I won’t.”
“Hell, I’ll have to do it myself then.”He sounded as if he fully meant it.Jack bet he could do it, too.“You’re coming to the hospital, then?”he asked.
Jack glanced at the attendants.“Mercy General,” the paramedic filled in.
“Yeah.I’ll be there.”
“Do me one favor, son?”
Jack lifted his brows, leaned closer.
“Take a bath and put on a clean suit.You stink to high heaven.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle at that.“Get this character out of here, will you?”
The paramedics, smiling, as well, bundled Phelps into the back and took off, sirens wailing.
