Page 52 of Caught in the Crossfire

The ambulance siren cut off abruptly as the driver parked in front of the truck. Two EMTs rushed to Mason with their equipment bags in hand. After determining he didn’t have any obvious injuries, they shifted him to a gurney, and strapped him down to transport him to Memorial Hospital.

“Tell the doc on duty to do a blood test on him immediately,” Ethan said.

One of the EMTs snorted. “From the way he smells, he’s way over the legal limit. Your case ought to be a slam dunk.”

“Do what I told you,” the police chief snapped, and motioned for them to get going.

With a scowl, the man and his partner rolled the gurney to the ambulance and loaded Mason inside.

A strong hand squeezed Nicole’s shoulder. “Come on. We’ll follow Mase to the hospital. When he comes around, he’ll need you.” Linc steered her toward his SUV.

“What happened, Nic?” Dawn asked. “Mason looked like he was unconscious when the EMTs loaded him in the ambulance.”

Nicole waited until they were underway again before she answered her friend. “He was unconscious. Ethan believes Mason was drunk. How could he think Mason would risk going back to prison? He spent two years investing his life in Mason as a friend and making sure he toed the line as a law enforcement officer. Why would he assume Mason would throw his life away a few weeks before our wedding?”

“The circumstantial evidence against Mason looks bad.” Linc glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

“Ethan should know better. Mason has been sober for over 15 years. Why would he go back on the promise he made me?”

“I don’t believe the evidence, either, but many men wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure he’s under right now without sliding back into old habits. Don’t assume Blackhawk is gullible, Nicole. He’ll investigate everything.”

“Will it be enough?” The evidence was damning. Even the EMTs believed Mason was driving under the influence of alcohol.

“You heard Ethan. He demanded a blood test first thing. If Mason sucked down a bottle of booze, the blood test will show his blood alcohol level.”

Nicole scowled. “I’m telling you he didn’t.”

He held up a hand to forestall more of her vehement protests. “It’s possible Mason is ill.”

“That fast? He just left work. Worse, that doesn’t explain the alcohol.”

“We don’t know what happened. If he wasn’t drunk, someone went to a lot of trouble to make it look like he was three sheets to the wind.”

She sucked in a ragged breath. “If that’s true, that same person might have drugged him. Aside from the bruised jaw where Fitzgerald punched him, Mason didn’t have a mark on him that I could see.”

Linc glanced in the rearview mirror again. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Wait for the blood test results. Prepare yourself, Nicole. Mase won’t get the benefit of the doubt, not with him smelling like a brewery.”

The medical staff of Memorial better treat her man with respect or they’d be hearing loud complaints from her. She also planned to file formal complaints if necessary. Mason deserved better than their disdain.

Fifteen minutes later, Linc dropped her off at the ER entrance. She rushed after the EMTs and the gurney bearing the unconscious form of the man she loved.

“Exam 5,” one of the nurses said. She wrinkled her nose and waved a hand in front of her face. “Whew. Smells like he took a bath in whiskey.”

The EMTs pushed the gurney into the room and were quickly followed by a nurse and a Memorial technician.

Nicole glared at the nurse standing in front of her. “Where’s the doctor?”

“With another patient. He’ll be here soon. Are you a family member?”

Close enough. “Yes.”

“I have forms for you to fill out since the patient isn’t able to answer questions.”

“If you bring them to me, I’ll take care of it while I wait for word on Mason’s condition.”

The nurse walked to the desk and returned with a clipboard and pen. She handed both to Nicole as a man in a white coat walked out of one exam room and headed for Mason’s.

Nicole took the clipboard and hurried to intercept the doctor. Before she reached him, Rod Kelter jogged into view, his expression grim.

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